Be Of Good Cheer

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2015
Chapters: Acts 26-28
Message Title: Be Of Good Cheer

Hello My Friend,

Good; complete or sufficiently perfect, Cheer; to cause to rejoice. Being in the will of God doesn't always come with good cheer, we are often subject to trials that can down right frustrate and discourage us. God never said that we would not have any trials obeying Him, but He did say to be of Good Cheer through them because He is right there with us. God knows and expects us to have some down days, but remember, He never gives us what we can't handle. So, if God has you going through something pretty big, He knows you are a lot stronger than you think. Why? He is your strength. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33.

“I have overcome the world.” Jesus overcame the world, and so did we when we accepted Him as our Saviour. Stop and think about that word good for a few minutes, complete, sufficiently (equally) perfect. Before we know Christ as our Saviour, we are incomplete, not equal to Him, therefore, we could not stand before God because we must be perfect. When we personally accept Christ as our Saviour, we are cleansed by His blood, removed of all our sin, making us complete, perfect in the eyes of God and able to stand before Him as an equal to the Son. Having good cheer is reminding ourselves that we are a testimony that we overcame not only the world, but the devil. As Paul stands before king Agrippa he was excited to give his testimony, he told how he got saved and told by Jesus to preach His Gospel to the Gentiles.

“I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” - Acts 26:3-6,27-29.

“the hope of the promise made of God” God did more than make a promise to the believing Jews, He made a promise to all who believe in His Son that they have eternal life with Him in His Kingdom. Eternal life with Christ is nothing to put on a shelf like some trinket you will never use, it's a lifetime with Christ. One day we are going to lose this flesh, and receive a new body, an incorruptible body, one that doesn't see sickness, pain, sorrow, or sin. One that will make every single remembrance of any kind of affliction go away. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” - 1 Corinthians 15:52-54. Praise God!

When Paul went to Jerusalem thinking that he was going to die there, God used the opportunity for the Jews to see his conversion and that anyone can be saved. Now, Paul would have been set free if he had not asked to stand before Caesar, but since he asked to meet with him, he was headed to Rome by ship with prisoners. God used this opportunity to show Christ to the men on the ship as they are in the midst of a hurricane for days.

“And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” - Acts 27:18-25.

“And now I exhort you to be of good cheer:” When we are in the midst of the hurricanes of life, be of good cheer, we belong to Jesus and He belongs to us, that means wherever we go, He goes. The storm will not last forever, and in the midst of it, some may even get saved, so, be of good cheer. Believe in God, He really wants the best for us, but sometimes we must get wet and shaken up a lot to see what that is. During our trial God is trying to draw us closer to Him, and when we have endured and serve the purpose for which we are in the trial we will see something amazing come out of it. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Two hundred and seventy-five souls were saved on the ship, Paul finally arrives in Rome, and something strange happened. “And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,” - Acts 28:17-20,28-30.

“I am bound with this chain.” Paul had a great burden to see the Jews get saved. God wants us to have a great burden to see the lost get saved, and because of this we are going to face some trials, bit be of good cheer. Paul, began his life persecuting Christians, he turned his life around and became the most well known and greatest evangelist there ever was. He endured much pain, suffering, and humiliation, but never lost sight of Christ. He is a testimony that anyone can turn their life around and be blessed by living their lives for Christ. It's not easy to be of good cheer when we are in the midst of a storm, sometimes we may even get shipwrecked, but Jesus is always with us, He will help us weather the storm, get out of it, and have a burden for the lost. “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” - Matthew 14:27.

Today's Prayer: God, I have been driving through this storm for quite some time, but I know it's quicker to get through it going slow and steady instead of just pulling over and waiting for it to stop. Lord, forgive me for my frustrations in the midst my storm, I know that You love me have a purpose for what I am going through. Lord, give me Your power and strength to stay in the ship, moving slow and steady by faith. Lift up my spirits, restore unto me the joy of my salvation, so that I may be of good cheer as I endure this storm. Help me to remove all the noise that keeps me from hearing You, and let me not be diverted onto a wrong path. In Jesus' name, amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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