Acts 28:15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw he thanked God, and took courage.
Oh Friends, it’s the midnight hour, and I’ve just come in from sitting on my front porch, eating a forbidden fruit; a Julie mango. (smile) This one was a tad over ripe, but I surely enjoyed the quiet refreshing breeze, gently gliding through the trees after the shower of rain. Ever noticed after the Lord washes the earth with His showers of blessing, how everything seems so nice and clean, so silent, temporarily relaxing before the cycle starts again? It’s just like us after a shower; the outside dirt’s washed off, but an air of cleanliness, a clean, relaxed, refreshing feeling is also bestowed on the inner man, giving us some respite from the drudgery of daily life. Bruh Paul didn’t have much respite though, for the day after he caused the commotion in the Jerusalem high council between the Sadducees and the Pharisees, a group of forty men bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor drink until they’d killed him. That conspiracy they shared with elders, advising them to drum up some reason to have Bruh Paul brought before them the next day, and they would do the dirty deed along the way. But Friends, when it’s not your time, nothing can touch you. And it certainly wasn’t Bruh Paul’s. As luck, more as the Lord would have it, Bruh Paul’s sister’s son, overheard them planning his uncle’s demise and went into the castle to tell him, and consequently the chief captain. In response, the captain, around 9.p.m, hustled Bruh Paul out of Jerusalem, bound for Caesarea and the custody of the governor Felix, with a bodyguard of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. Wow! A bodyguard fit for a king! But the captain was obviously taking no chances, especially with a Roman citizen. It’s interesting to note though, that in the captain’s letter to governor Felix, he says that he rescued Bruh Paul from the Jews, ‘having understood that he was a Roman.’ (Acts 23:27) A slight rearrangement of the truth, for he only found out Bruh Paul was a Roman citizen when he decided to flog him. But it served everybody’s purpose; Bruh Paul was delivered safely to Felix, and the captain got his pips for rescuing him. All the above can be found in Acts 23:12-35) Five days later, Ananias, the high priest and his cohorts came down to Caesarea to plead their case before Felix, bringing with them an orator named Tertullus, to act as prosecutor against Bruh Paul. I guess they realized that they themselves were no match for Bruh Paul’s oratorical skills. Well Tertullus said his piece, first praising Felix for his providence, though Felix was a greedy, cruel official, then accusing Bruh Paul: ‘For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.’ (Acts 24:5) Note Friends, the Jews termed the early believers ‘a sect of the Nazarenes,’ re Christ’s birthplace, Nazareth. They would never call them Christians, since it would lend credence to their contention that their leader was actually the Christ. Meaning, The Messiah, the longed awaited Saviour of the Jews had come, and unforgivably not been recognized by them as such. Anyway, Bruh Paul’s turn comes, he steps up to the plate, gives Felix his due, and refutes all the charges brought against him, then gets in his shot for God. You didn’t think he’d let such a golden opportunity to glorify God, go a begging now, did you? ‘But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.’ (Acts 24:14-16) Felix was left in a quandary, without any supporting evidence, but rode the fence admirably, reserving judgement until the chief captain, Lysias could come down to Caesarea and give his testimony. The mean time, he put Bruh Paul under a kind of house arrest, with liberty and visitors, but under the supervision of a centurion. Now Felix himself knew of the faith, and a few days later, in his wife Drusilla’s company, ‘which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ (Acts 24:24-25) Ah mih people, can’t you just imagine Bruh Paul laying Jesus on poor Felix, so hot and heavy that he trembled? Possibly scared out of his wits, Felix sent him away claiming that he’d send for him when he had more time. Hogwash! The Good Book says he also had an ulterior motive; hoping that Bruh Paul would anti up some dinero for his freedom. Bruh Paul’s family obviously had some resources seeing they sent him to Jerusalem for such expensive schooling. Bruh Paul himself had also mentioned bringing money to the penurious Christians in Jerusalem from the other churches. (Acts 24:17) But Felix was thwarted in that respect, for though he communed often with Bruh Paul, no money ever passed hands, neither is it recorded that Felix was ever saved through Bruh Paul’s testimony. Two years passed without any resolution, then Festus succeeded Felix. Friends, please note Felix delaying his salvation, for a convenient time. Oh my people, there’s no such thing! And if you, or anyone you know is putting forward that spurious claim, please believe yourself and tell them that they’re playing with serious fire, for we know not when our number will be called. Michael Jackson is the perfect example right now. Just like the parable Jesus told of the rich man who had so much earthly treasure and not enough storage space, so he grandly decides to tear down everything and build bigger. ‘And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.’ (Luke 12:19-21) Straight from the horse’s mouth Friends! So please, don’t put off accepting Jesus. The right moment is always NOW. For ‘God says; Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.’ (2 Cor.6: 2) My people, please take that seriously, for it’s gospel. You can be here today and gone tomorrow with no warning whatsoever. Much LOVE!..time might be longer than twine..but not necessarily yours..
Oh Friends, it’s the midnight hour, and I’ve just come in from sitting on my front porch, eating a forbidden fruit; a Julie mango. (smile) This one was a tad over ripe, but I surely enjoyed the quiet refreshing breeze, gently gliding through the trees after the shower of rain. Ever noticed after the Lord washes the earth with His showers of blessing, how everything seems so nice and clean, so silent, temporarily relaxing before the cycle starts again? It’s just like us after a shower; the outside dirt’s washed off, but an air of cleanliness, a clean, relaxed, refreshing feeling is also bestowed on the inner man, giving us some respite from the drudgery of daily life. Bruh Paul didn’t have much respite though, for the day after he caused the commotion in the Jerusalem high council between the Sadducees and the Pharisees, a group of forty men bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor drink until they’d killed him. That conspiracy they shared with elders, advising them to drum up some reason to have Bruh Paul brought before them the next day, and they would do the dirty deed along the way. But Friends, when it’s not your time, nothing can touch you. And it certainly wasn’t Bruh Paul’s. As luck, more as the Lord would have it, Bruh Paul’s sister’s son, overheard them planning his uncle’s demise and went into the castle to tell him, and consequently the chief captain. In response, the captain, around 9.p.m, hustled Bruh Paul out of Jerusalem, bound for Caesarea and the custody of the governor Felix, with a bodyguard of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. Wow! A bodyguard fit for a king! But the captain was obviously taking no chances, especially with a Roman citizen. It’s interesting to note though, that in the captain’s letter to governor Felix, he says that he rescued Bruh Paul from the Jews, ‘having understood that he was a Roman.’ (Acts 23:27) A slight rearrangement of the truth, for he only found out Bruh Paul was a Roman citizen when he decided to flog him. But it served everybody’s purpose; Bruh Paul was delivered safely to Felix, and the captain got his pips for rescuing him. All the above can be found in Acts 23:12-35) Five days later, Ananias, the high priest and his cohorts came down to Caesarea to plead their case before Felix, bringing with them an orator named Tertullus, to act as prosecutor against Bruh Paul. I guess they realized that they themselves were no match for Bruh Paul’s oratorical skills. Well Tertullus said his piece, first praising Felix for his providence, though Felix was a greedy, cruel official, then accusing Bruh Paul: ‘For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.’ (Acts 24:5) Note Friends, the Jews termed the early believers ‘a sect of the Nazarenes,’ re Christ’s birthplace, Nazareth. They would never call them Christians, since it would lend credence to their contention that their leader was actually the Christ. Meaning, The Messiah, the longed awaited Saviour of the Jews had come, and unforgivably not been recognized by them as such. Anyway, Bruh Paul’s turn comes, he steps up to the plate, gives Felix his due, and refutes all the charges brought against him, then gets in his shot for God. You didn’t think he’d let such a golden opportunity to glorify God, go a begging now, did you? ‘But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.’ (Acts 24:14-16) Felix was left in a quandary, without any supporting evidence, but rode the fence admirably, reserving judgement until the chief captain, Lysias could come down to Caesarea and give his testimony. The mean time, he put Bruh Paul under a kind of house arrest, with liberty and visitors, but under the supervision of a centurion. Now Felix himself knew of the faith, and a few days later, in his wife Drusilla’s company, ‘which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ (Acts 24:24-25) Ah mih people, can’t you just imagine Bruh Paul laying Jesus on poor Felix, so hot and heavy that he trembled? Possibly scared out of his wits, Felix sent him away claiming that he’d send for him when he had more time. Hogwash! The Good Book says he also had an ulterior motive; hoping that Bruh Paul would anti up some dinero for his freedom. Bruh Paul’s family obviously had some resources seeing they sent him to Jerusalem for such expensive schooling. Bruh Paul himself had also mentioned bringing money to the penurious Christians in Jerusalem from the other churches. (Acts 24:17) But Felix was thwarted in that respect, for though he communed often with Bruh Paul, no money ever passed hands, neither is it recorded that Felix was ever saved through Bruh Paul’s testimony. Two years passed without any resolution, then Festus succeeded Felix. Friends, please note Felix delaying his salvation, for a convenient time. Oh my people, there’s no such thing! And if you, or anyone you know is putting forward that spurious claim, please believe yourself and tell them that they’re playing with serious fire, for we know not when our number will be called. Michael Jackson is the perfect example right now. Just like the parable Jesus told of the rich man who had so much earthly treasure and not enough storage space, so he grandly decides to tear down everything and build bigger. ‘And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.’ (Luke 12:19-21) Straight from the horse’s mouth Friends! So please, don’t put off accepting Jesus. The right moment is always NOW. For ‘God says; Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.’ (2 Cor.6: 2) My people, please take that seriously, for it’s gospel. You can be here today and gone tomorrow with no warning whatsoever. Much LOVE!..time might be longer than twine..but not necessarily yours..
SCRIP-BITS 