Episodes

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson looks at Lydia in Acts 16 and what God was doing through the obstacles Paul faced. After many closed doors, Paul arrived in Philippi and began sharing the gospel with the God-fearing women gathered at the river. Verse 14 says that one of those listening was Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from Thyatira. She was not the main person in the conversation, just on the edge, and the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. Pastor John encourag...

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...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson answers a real life question: what can you do when you just feel like giving up? He shares about the moments since leaving his journalism career for ministry when the friction, spiritual opposition, and emotional hurt from people he trusted made him wonder whether to hang it up, and how God has met him each time with a verse or a friend, often Jesus' words that whoever puts a hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of the kingdom. Pastor John...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson asks where you could use some spiritual power in your life today. He explains that there are times when he is trying to do the right thing and needs a power source greater than himself. The Christian life is impossible without Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For the next few days, Pastor John wants to talk practically about how to access the power of God daily, to stay faithful in a revived commitment to love Christ above all. He begi...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson reflects on the revival practices seen in the story of Paul and Silas in Acts chapter 16: decades not days, kingdom prayer, urgent and dependent living, brokenhearted boldness, ongoing repentance, and raising the next generation. In verse 34, the jailer brings Paul and Silas into his home and sets a meal before them, filled with joy because he and his whole household had come to believe in God. Pastor John says joy is a mark of the Holy Spirit and ...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson wraps up the story of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:33. In the middle of the night, somewhere between two and four in the morning, the jailer cares for Paul and Silas by washing their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household are baptized immediately. Pastor John explains that there is good wisdom in making sure new believers are discipled and understand their decision, and that we should not be legalistic about timing. Yet in this passage, ...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson asks listeners to picture each person on their salvation prayer list coming to Christ, and then leading their family to Christ. He shares the story of his own family. His grandfather, working on a Ford assembly line in Michigan, heard about Jesus and became the first Christian in the family. He became a pastor and, over decades, led his siblings, parents, aunts, and uncles to Christ. Pastor John's father became a pastor, and all four sons walk with...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson shares his other favorite verse in Acts chapter 16: verse 31. After the jailer asks what he must do to be saved, Paul and Silas reply, believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household. Pastor John explains that a Roman at the time would have thought of sacrifices and rituals, but Paul and Silas say that no payment is needed. The word Lord was used for a master or ruler, so this means believing in Jesus as master of the unive...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues in Acts 16 with the story of the Philippian jailer. After the earthquake, the jailer wakes to find the prison doors open and the chains on the ground. Believing the prisoners have escaped, and knowing the Roman government would likely torture and imprison him, he draws his sword to end his own life. Paul calls out, do not harm yourself, we are all here. Trembling, the jailer asks Paul and Silas, sirs, what must I do to be saved? Pastor Jo...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues through Acts 16 with Paul and Silas, who are imprisoned in Philippi and singing and praying out loud. Pastor John shares a principle drawn from Scripture: the more boldly we claim God in our suffering, the more powerfully we may see him move. When the earthquake came and the prison doors flew open, every prisoner who had been listening to the gospel prayed and sung for hours knew that the God of Paul and Silas was real. He asks a challeng...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson asks why Paul and Silas were singing and praying out loud in the middle of a prison. His answer: Jesus' work on the cross unlocks invincible joy and invincible hope for you today. Because you have been adopted into the family of God through Jesus, you know who you are, where you are going, and that everything will be worked together for good. Scripture says that in Christ you have already been given everything you need for life and godliness. The q...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson asks how you find hope and joy in the difficulty you are facing right now. The big idea of Acts chapter 16 is that you can have hope and joy in suffering if you are right with God through Jesus. Pastor John explains that this is part of being born again, but it must be chosen by directing our thoughts, setting our minds on things above as Paul writes in Colossians 3 and 2 Corinthians 4, instead of numbing ourselves with distractions. He shares four...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson talks about the audience watching your life right now. Pastor John describes four: the great cloud of witnesses in heaven described in Hebrews chapter 11, the angels and demons in the unseen realm, and the people around you, such as your children, grandchildren, coworkers, and classmates. When you go through suffering, they are watching to see whether your faith holds up. Returning to Acts chapter 16, verse 25, he imagines the other prisoners liste...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson takes a second look at Acts chapter 16, verse 25, where Paul and Silas pray and sing hymns to God at midnight in prison. Pastor John connects this to Colossians chapter 3, where we are told to set our hearts and minds on things above. If you struggle with anxiety, negativity, or a lack of hope and joy, he suggests learning the practice of speaking Scripture and prayer out loud. Praying aloud helps your brain lock in, and as you keep praying, or sin...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson shares one of his two favorite verses in Acts chapter 16: verse 25, where about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Beaten, falsely accused, and thrown into prison, they are in physical agony, yet they are praying out loud and singing. Pastor John asks listeners how many people have ever heard them pray out loud or sing a hymn, and admits that he is not a great singer but that the people he is close to need to hear his h...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues the story of Paul and Silas in Acts chapter 16, verse 24, where they are placed in the inner cell of the prison with their feet fastened in stocks. Pastor John describes how hard it is to comprehend this physical suffering, and then invites listeners to identify the prison they are in right now. It may be chronic illness, cancer, divorce, aging, emotional pain, or the prison of depression. He then leads a prayer asking God for the kind of...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues the story of Paul and Silas in Acts chapter 16, verse 23. After being falsely accused and severely flogged, Paul and Silas are thrown into a prison that is nothing like a modern one. It is a dark, dripping stone dungeon, and the jailer is told to guard them carefully. Their wounds are not cleaned or treated. Pastor John asks listeners to imagine themselves in that position. He admits that, even with faith that God is in control, he would ...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson continues the series on the opposition we will face as we pursue revival, which is reviving our own heart love for God. He explains that Satan's primary weapon is distraction. If that fails, he may try temptation, and if that fails because we live in ongoing repentance, he will come with opposition. In Acts 16, the crowd joins the attack, and Paul and Silas are stripped and beaten with rods for the work they are doing for Jesus. Pastor John says th...

In today's Daily Hope, Pastor John S. Dickerson asks a question: what if you could have hope and joy in the middle of suffering and adversity? He follows Paul and Silas in Acts 16 as they are singled out, dragged before the magistrates, and falsely accused. That is real suffering, and yet they will be full of hope and joy because they are full of the Holy Spirit. Pastor John says this is not just for them. It is an example for us today. He shares how revival leaders like George Whitefield, Charl...