Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Acts 23:11-15, “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.”
Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…”
Beloved, as we look at the life of Paul we see that he was placed in hardships many times in throughout his Christian life. Have you ever stopped to think about the words given in the texts above? Paul remind us that with Christ, we can go through ever moment of pain with the understanding that He has a plan for us, and that plan is our only purpose for being.
Looking at the time of Paul’s trial in Jerusalem, the bible says that the Lord told Paul he would be going to Rome to bear His life. No matter what Paul would go through… no matter who tried to kill him… no matter how little food there was… no matter how many shipwrecks, stoning incidents, and moments death would try and set in… Paul knew He had a call to fulfill. Beloved, He was going to be in Rome, no matter what. God said he would be there, he knew he would be there. We are as immortal as God is, until our work is finished, as long as we are ever moving forward at God’s pace. God has given everyone a call, that call is to simply be the life of Christ… no matter what circumstances may come, rest in faith, knowing that you are called to Rome… you will be there as soon as God wills it. You wont go down! Don’t get discouraged, for you are called to be conformed to His image, you keep striving and you will be there.
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