Today's Daily Bread

WE MUST GO THROUGH MANY HARDSHIPS

Date : Thursday, October 09, 2025
Passage : Acts 14:19~28
Keyverse : 22  
19
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.
20
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
21
They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
22
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.
23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
24
After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia,
25
and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26
From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
27
On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
28
And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
Some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came to Lystra and made trouble for Paul and Barnabas. They stoned Paul and left him for dead. But he got up and went right back into the city. The next day, they left for Derbe. They preached the gospel there and won over many believers. They strengthened and encouraged the new believers saying, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (22) The believers there were likely going through hardships themselves, as they struggled with the word of God. There are many hardships we must endure in our lives of faith. We can be encouraged with Paul’s words here and remember the end goal is the kingdom of God.

After appointing elders to the church in Derbe, with much fasting and prayer, they left for Antioch. This was the church from which they had been sent out. There, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them. Through them, God had opened a door for gospel work with the Gentiles of the world. It was just the beginning of a new era in the Christian church. Prayer: Father, help us to go through all the hardships of this life. Help us to persevere for the sake of the kingdom of God.
One Word: Persevere through many hardships