Today I want to focus on verses 9 and 10 of Acts 18. In these verses, Luke recounts for us a vision that Paul had where the Lord encouraged Paul. Jesus says to him “Do not be afraid …”.

At first, I read right over these verses and didn’t even think about the implications. Jesus told Paul not to fear.  First, this means that Paul was likely “scared silly” that he will be hurt or killed by those who opposed the gospel message about Christ!

Usually, when I think of Paul, my mental image is not of someone whose emotions are like mine – not someone who “fears” at night, worrying about the worst-case scenario, not someone who makes poor decisions at least occasionally. Neither do I think of Paul as a man who deals with past sins.  When I read about Paul, my first thought isn’t about his thorn in the flesh, whatever that was? … but today I am reminded of Paul’s NORMALity.

 Paul’s not a fearless, masochistic type that looks for trouble with the Jewish leaders. He is a weak vessel – like me – that God uses, despite his fears, his past sins, and his quirks … to reach 1,000′s for Christ.

Now, when I fear, I don’t usually have VISIONS where Christ encourages me … not to say that Christ won’t do this. I believe that he still comes in visions, but it has never happened for me. But, in reading God’s word and spending time in intimate prayer with Jesus, I am encouraged in times when I fear.

When Jesus reminded Paul to not fear, Paul continued to boldly preach for 18 months in Corinth.

Now, I’m not scared that I will be killed for preaching, but I do have very human doubts and fears that plague me. And, this passage reminds me that Jesus is with me in the midst of these. If not in a vision, through his Word and through his Spirit which lives within me!

And … through his people who live around me. Verse 10 continues Christ’s encouragement with these words, “For I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

God has people. You know – the kind of people who can help, can listen, can make things happen. God’s people lived all around Paul and helped to protect him, even in Corinth, a city filled with pagan idol worship. And God still has his people today. His people are in our church ready to help us, his people are strategically placed when and where we pray desperate prayers, his people are our neighbors and our strangers.

When we doubt, when we have fears, when we can’t sleep at night worrying about the worst case scenario, let’s try to remember God’s care for us – that He is always with us –  and that he has people.

Even last week, I had a real-life experience of his people. Wayne doesn’t know this story, so I hope he doesn’t read this one – ha!

Ok, I was driving to Savannah to be in a wedding last Friday. Wayne couldn’t go with me because he has a herniated disc in his back. I took Webb with me.

The road to Savannah isn’t very exciting.  And, as you get closer, the exits get farther and farther apart. Webb was sleeping during a long stretch of the road and I didn’t want to wake him up by stopping to get gas. So, I rode the car out as long as I thought I could, waiting till the last minute to stop for gas. But, I waited too late. 

My gauge kept dropping rapidly: 21 miles of gas left … 17 miles … 8 miles … 4 miles with no gas station in sight.  Desperately, I looked for a near gas station on the GPS and there was a station 3 miles from my location. I exited on the ramp the GPS referenced and then it told me to get back on the highway going the opposite direction.  I knew the previous exit was more than 4 miles away and since my car told me I only had four miles of gas left, I began to panic. The road I was on was a country one, with no cars in sight. I saw no stores and few houses around me.

So, in my fear, I began to pray. Lord, I am desperate. I need your help. Please, please, please help me get to a gas station.

Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, I saw a state trooper coming down the road in his vehicle. I waved him down, began to tell him my story in nervous fashion, and he led me to a gas station that was – I kid you not – about 3 miles away.

We made it, I got gas, fed Webb, who was now screaming, and thanked the officer.

God had his people, Corporal T. J. Barron, in the right place at the right time to help me that day, even when I made a silly mistake. His people are all around us.

So, today and the rest of this week, be on the lookout for his people.  They’re all around us.  God cares for you and he cares for me!  Praise Him.