Christ's command to his followers before his ascension to heaven was for them to be his

witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.

Our Lord did not intend for the good news of his death and resurrection to stay local,

but instead it was to be taken globally.

In this third section of Acts, the adventure continues as the gospel is taken to the ends of the earth.

Let's join Scott Pauley now for today's study. Are you a cheerful Christian or are you a fearful Christian? All of us fall in one of those two categories.

And when we return to Paul's difficulty in Acts chapter number 23 and then coming

into Acts chapter 24, we find the example of a man that God gave him cheer over fear.

It doesn't mean there's no fear.

It doesn't mean that we don't get anxious and troubled about things,

but it means this, the joy of the Lord will be your strength.

And God can give you cheer today, my friend, my brother, my sister, and Christ,

his good cheer in your soul that will conquer the fear in your heart.

Remember, God has not given us the spirit of fear,

but of power of love and of a sound mind. We pick up where we left off in our last study.

When we left the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 23 in verse number 10, he has literally been rescued by

Roman soldiers from being pulled in pieces between the Pharisees and the

Sadducees. Can you imagine getting caught between the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Romans?

You talk about living between a rock and a hard place. Maybe you're there today.

Listen to verse number 11, 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.

If you have a red letter edition Bible where the words of Christ are printed in red,

...