Pastor Stephen Dedman

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
Where do you need to hear Jesus say, “Be of good cheer” today?

Context
Paul was in a difficult and frightening situation. He had been arrested in Jerusalem, faced angry crowds, and was now surrounded by opposition and uncertainty. Yet in the middle of the night, Jesus anppeared and stood beside him. The Lord did not promise Paul that the trouble would immediately disappear. Instead, He gave Paul something greater: His presence and a purpose to continue.

Application
Paul had every reason to be discouraged. He had preached faithfully, yet he was imprisoned. He had obeyed God, yet he was facing opposition. But Jesus reminded him that his story wasn’t over.

Maybe you are in a season where you feel surrounded by problems, uncertain about the future, or discouraged by what isn’t going the way you hoped. Remember what Jesus told Paul: “Be of good cheer.” The word used in the Greek means to take courage or to have confidence.

God knows what He is doing and where He is taking you. Your present difficulty does not cancel God’s future purpose. You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you can know who holds tomorrow. The same Lord who stood beside Paul stands with you today.

Don’t give up because the road is difficult. Don’t assume God has abandoned you because life isn’t going according to plan. His presence is still with you, and His purpose is still at work.

Truth for the Day
God’s presence gives us courage to keep going when circumstances give reasons to quit.

Pray
Lord, thank You that I never face difficult circumstances alone. When I am discouraged, remind me that You are near. Give me courage when I am afraid, faith when I cannot see the way forward, and strength to remain faithful to the purpose You have given me. Give me courage to keep going. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What difficult situation are you facing today where you need to remind yourself that God is with you?

Context
Isaiah 43 is a message of hope to Israel. God reminds His people that they belong to Him and that He has redeemed them. He doesn’t promise that they will never face deep waters, raging rivers, or fire. Instead, He promises something even greater: His presence in the middle of it all. Their circumstances would not determine whether God was with them. His presence would remain even in their hardest moments.

Application
Notice that God says “when”, not “if.” Difficult seasons are part of life. But the promise is that you will never walk through them alone. God doesn’t always remove the water. Sometimes He walks through it with you. He doesn’t always keep you out of the fire. Sometimes He stands beside you in the flames.

Your trial may be difficult, but it does not have the final word. God’s presence is greater than your circumstances. So today, don’t focus only on how deep the water is or how hot the fire feels. Look for the God who is standing beside you.

Truth For The Day
We may walk through difficult places, but we never walk through them alone. God is with us.

Pray
Lord, thank You for promising that You will be with me through every trial. When the waters feel deep and the fire feels hot, help me remember that I am not alone. Give me faith to trust You when I cannot see the way forward. Help me focus not on the size of my circumstances, but on the greatness of Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
‭‭Acts‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
If someone watched your life this week, would they see evidence that Jesus is truly at work in you?

Context
Acts 8 takes place during a time of intense persecution against the early church. Believers were scattered from Jerusalem, but instead of allowing persecution to silence them, they carried the gospel wherever they went. Philip went down to Samaria and began preaching Christ. God worked through Philip’s ministry, and the people paid attention because they heard the truth and saw the evidence of God’s power.

Application
Philip reminds us that our circumstances do not determine whether we can be useful to God. He was scattered because of persecution, but God used that very situation to take the gospel to people who desperately needed to hear it.

People are still watching and listening today. They may not initially listen to a sermon, but they will notice how we respond to hardship, how we treat others, how we forgive, and whether our lives match the message we claim to believe.

Our responsibility is not to make people respond to the gospel. Our responsibility is to faithfully proclaim Christ and allow God to work through our obedience.

The question is not simply, “Are people listening to me?” but, “Is my life giving them a reason to listen to Christ?”

Truth For The Day
God can use your circumstances, your testimony, and your obedience to point people toward Jesus.

Pray
Lord, help me to faithfully represent You wherever You place me. Let my words point people to Christ, and let my life demonstrate the transforming power of Your presence. Use even difficult circumstances for Your purposes. Give me courage to speak, wisdom to live, and faith to trust You with the results. In Jesus’ name, Amen.