Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 14:19-28, But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, trengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.

Paul was faithful in sharing the good news and defending his faith in Jesus and in return he was stoned and left for dead by those who opposed him. It sounds as though he may have been raised from the dead at this point! And when he was raised, he did went on to the next city to continue sharing the good news. Humanly, this sounds impossible, but with God all things are possible. Only He can give us the ability to persevere through the tribulations we might encounter!

We thank You for Your power for today, that we may be Your witnesses and persevere even if tribulation should come!

ESV Lectionary