FROM THE TOP
LELAND ACKER chreporter@mediactr.com
His dream was to preach the Gospel in the most powerful city on Earth. However, circumstances always had a way of blocking him from realizing that dream. In a letter written from the city of Corinth, Greece, Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Rome, saying that he had intended to go and preach to them, but was many times prevented.

It took Paul over a year after writing that letter to get to Rome. He went from Corinth to Jerusalem, where he was arrested. He knew upon his release, that the locals would probably have him killed. So, he appealed his case before Caesar.

This would keep Paul from being killed in the Middle East, but his life faced a new danger. If Caesar denied his appeal, there were many bad things that could happen thereafter.

The upside is that Paul was transported to Rome at the Roman government's expense. Upon arriving in Rome, he was placed under house arrest, allowing him to meet with the believers he had written the letter to.

History records that Caesar sustained Paul's appeal and set him free. Through all the bad situations Paul suffered on that trip, he got his wish. He got to go to Rome and preach.

It should be noted his wish glorified God as well.

Romans 1:17 says, "The just shall live by faith."

God has a plan, and our place as being His children is to trust that plan.

Not only does God have a plan, but he is working that plan 24/7/365. It would serve us well to remember that.

Not only does God have a plan, but we have dreams. I suppose that many of us fear our dreams will never become reality. I fear that some of my dreams may never become reality.

None the less, I have to trust God. By doing so, I can rest assured He'll place me where He wants me. I have seen God work in a way that has saved me from immense heartache and pain.

I was working for a station in Palestine. The owner was not a nice man. I was desperately seeking escape, and thought I found it in a classic rock station in Mississippi.

I sent an e-mail, they replied, everything seemed to be right on track. Then, they quit responding to me. My escape plan failed. I was doomed to an eternity in Palestine. Later, my boss came in and announced we were buying that classic rock station in Mississippi.

What would have happened to me if I had been hired by the station in Mississippi? I thank God for sparing me from that train wreck.