Daily Hope with Pastor John S. Dickerson

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues through Acts 16, looking at what God had in mind behind the obstacles we do not want. After many closed doors, God finally told Paul to go to Macedonia, and Paul went immediately. In Philippi, there was no synagogue, so Paul and his friends went to the river on the Sabbath, where God-fearing people gathered to pray. There they met a group of women, and sat down to talk with them. Pastor John points out how countercultural that was, and ho

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues a series on obstacles to a revived love for God, looking at the obstacle of closed doors. When you are trying to serve God and doors keep closing, it is tempting to stop and wait. The apostle Paul faced exactly that in Acts 16, yet he kept moving forward in faith until God made his direction clear in Macedonia. Pastor John shares a simple picture: a car is hard to steer when parked, but turns easily once it is rolling. In the same way, Go

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson speaks to anyone who has felt God close door after door on a plan they were sure was right, and invites listeners into a prayer of surrender. Continuing in Acts 16, he explains that after multiple closed doors Paul had a vision at Troas of a man from Macedonia pleading for help. Those closed doors were God redirecting Paul to the open doors He had already prepared, and in time that obedience reached a city and an entire continent. Pastor John then

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson speaks to anyone who is serving God but finding that doors keep closing and nothing is going the way they expected. He turns to Acts 16:6-8, where Paul wanted to preach the gospel in Asia and the Holy Spirit blocked him. Paul tried again, and was blocked again. For weeks or even months, his path was confusing and unpredictable, yet he was in the center of God's will the entire time. Pastor John reminds us that in God's sovereignty, what seem like o

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson speaks to anyone who feels like giving up, whether in a marriage, a calling, or something God has asked of you that now feels impossible. He explains that as God's work in the revival journey grows, believers should expect spiritual opposition. Satan may rattle the bars, but Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18 that He will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Pastor John also tells the story of Elijah, who was exhausted a

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues a theme of what to do when you feel like giving up, and looks at two difficulties that come when you pursue revival: conflict with other believers and outside opposition. Pastor John reads from Acts 12, where King Herod has the apostle James killed and arrests Peter. While Peter is in prison, the church prays very earnestly for him, and God allows the opposition and brings good from it. Prayer becomes more wholehearted and the faith of th