 
" _On My Way to Rome."_

Written by: Tim Green.

A Product of One Billion Disciples of Jesus Christ.

Dedication.

To the early Church Fathers, the Apostles, the Disciples, the Saints and the "Believers of the Way," who were MARTYRED, put to death for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You still speak to us today.

Invite Us: yhwh.grace@gmail.com

Tim is an inspirational teacher who has authored several books. He operates as a Prophet / Seer. He has visited heaven on four different occasions in three decades and has numerous encounters with angels. He has seen the blood of the Lamb on the altar in heaven and the Lamb's Book of Life. While in heaven in 2008 God gave Tim books, scrolls and manuscripts to read where Tim gained insight into the mysteries and secrets of God. He was also given an "et" (a writing instrument) and was instructed to write on parchments. God gave him the name: "The King's Scribe." God said: "You will write for Me." In 2019 while in heaven again God gave him the name: "Ambassador of the Lamb." Jesus said to him: "Never again will you represent yourself but you will represent Me and only Me as My Ambassador." The Lamb of God said to him: "I'm in heaven and you're on earth. Be My hands and feet and mouthpiece. Feed and take care of My little lambs. They are precious to Me. I paid for them with My life and My every drop of blood. Tell them about My scars and the price that I paid for them. Tell them about My deep love for them." Tim wept.

Please note: We do not ask for money and we will never ask you for money. All our books and written material are free. "Freely you have received, freely give." - Jesus Christ. However, it took years and months and thousands of hours of research and meticulously writing to make this material available to you. Should you feel led by God to donate or become a monthly partner with this ministry we have a payment facility available to donate.

Blessings.

The King's Scribe.

www.PayPal.Me/timgreen1966

Bound and in Chains. #1

How could I ever forget the first day that we met? It was in Jerusalem when my fellow countryman, the Jews wanted to kill me. On that glorious day he was assigned to me as my personal body guard. I had travelled from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem. Caesarea was a major Mediterranean port city that had been rebuilt by Herod the Great, the king of Judea at the time. He named it after Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor. It was built in honour of the great Caesar. I was accompanied by some of the Lord's disciples from the church there. They brought me to the home of a man with whom I was to stay, Mnason, an old disciple. He hailed from the Island of Cyprus. He had been with the disciples since the early days. The brothers in Jerusalem welcomed me and my companion's warmly.

His full name was Cassius Jerome Catullus and he was my Praetorian Guard. They were an elite body guarding unit consisting of only nine thousand brave men. These men were the best of the best. These Praetorian Guards had made an agreement, they had signed their names with their own blood, agreeing to die for the Emperor, for Rome and for the person they were protecting. He claimed that the god's had kept him alive for some unknown reason.

"It is miraculous how frequently I escaped death on the battlefield!" He said arrogantly, "I should have died a thousand times but I didn't. My destiny is to fulfil the purposes of the god's by crushing Rome's enemies under my feet!"

He was tall. He stood head and shoulders above everyone else. His body was a golden brown as it had been tanned from the sun. He was strong and muscular. I could see on his face that he was exempt of all fear. He was fearless. His features were hard. He never smiled or laughed. I had seen eyes like his before. Eyes full of the horror of murder. My eyes were once full of that same murder. Rumour has it that he was fierce and ruthless in battle. He had scars, lasting wounds on his body to prove that he was a warrior. He had survived many battles. He was zealous and passionate about advancing the kingdom of Rome to the ends of the earth. He was loyal to the Emperor. He would gladly die for him and for Rome.

When I arrived in Jerusalem with my co-workers we went to see the Apostle James. All the church elders were also present. After greeting them, I described in detail the things that God had done among the Gentiles through my ministry. On hearing it they praised God, but they also said to me, "You see brother how many tens of thousands of believers there are among the Jews. All of them are zealous and enthusiastic upholders of the Law of Moses. Now what they have been told about you is that you are teaching all Jews living among the Gentiles to turn away and forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children and not to follow our ancient traditions."

The apostles and church elders in Jerusalem didn't want an uprising, neither did we? The unbelieving Jews had been a thorn in my side everywhere I went. James suggested, "What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come here. So do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them with you and be purified in the Temple. Pay the expenses connected with having their heads shaved and pay for the temple offering. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to these rumours which they have heard about you. Then you yourself walk in observance of the Law. With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent them a letter with our decision."

I agreed to come under the Law, not to be a slave again to the Law, but to keep the peace and prevent an uprising. I was dead to the Law. The next day I took the men and I went through the rites of purifying myself along with them. This was the purification of the Law of the Nazarite, a vow as ordered by God to Moses. We entered the Temple to give notice of when the period of purification would be finished and when the offering would have to be made for each one of us. The seven days of purification were almost up when some unbelieving Jews from the province of Asia saw me in the Temple. They stirred up the crowd and grabbing me, shouted, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who goes around everywhere teaching everyone things against the people, against the Law, and against this sacred place. He has also brought Greeks into this temple; he has polluted and defiled this holy place!"

They had previously seen Trophimus from the city of Ephesus with me. They assumed that I had brought him into the inner court of the Temple, which was forbidden for a Gentile to enter. A man looks different after he's shaved his head. The whole city was aroused by this, and people came running at me from every side. They seized me and dragged me out of the Temple, and at once the gates were shut. While they were attempting to kill me, word reached the commander of the Roman battalion that all Jerusalem was in turmoil. It was becoming a habit that my presence continually caused an uprising everywhere I went. Immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to me. When the Jews saw the chief captain, the commander of the Roman battalion and the soldiers, they stopped beating me.

The commander approached me. He arrested me for my own safety and ordered that I be tied up with two chains. I was bound in chains by both my hands and feet, just as Agabus had prophesied when he acted out the parable with my belt. He then inquired and asked who I was and what I had done. Everyone in the crowd shouted something different to the commander. Since he couldn't find out what had happened because of the uproar. He ordered me brought back to the barracks. When I got to the steps, I had to be carried by the soldiers, because the mob were so wild. That's when I first saw him. He grabbed me by my belt with one hand and by the scruff of my neck with the other. He hoisted me up the stairs. He was a brute of a man.

The crowd kept following me and screaming, "Kill him, kill him." I hated being bound and in chains. I detested being in custody and in prison.

A few decades earlier, those same cries echoed out from those very same steps. Just like me the Messiah once stood upon these very steps before a hostile crowd. They had shouted out in unison, before Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator at the time, "Kill Him, let Him be crucified!" Those same mobsters that crucified Jesus now also wanted me dead.

As I was about to be taken into the barracks, I asked the commander in his own language, "Is it all right if I say something to you?"

The commander replied in astonishment, "You know Greek! Say, aren't you the Egyptian who tried to start a revolution a while back, and led four thousand armed terrorists out into the desert?"

"No," I replied, "I'm a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of that important city. I beg you to allow me to address my people."

Having received permission I was allowed to speak to that hostile Mob. I could feel his fearless presence beside me. He was ready for a fight. He was wanting blood and hoping to get it. I felt confident having this veteran warrior beside me but I wasn't drawing my strength from him I was drawing my strength from God.

It was comforting to know that his sword was my sword, just like God's two edged sword is my sword. God's word in our mouth is as powerful as His own word in His mouth. We must just speak it, for the word is near you even in your heart and in your mouth. My life was in his hands and his life was in mine but both our lives were in God's hands.

I stood on the steps and motioned with my hand to the people, indicating that I wanted to speak. When they finally became still, I addressed them in Hebrew, their own native tongue.

When they heard me speaking in Hebrew, they settled down and became quiet. I continued, "Brothers, fathers, hear my defense which I present before you now!" I opened my mouth, allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of my heart and my words.

I said, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus a city in the Province of Cilicia, but I was brought up and reared in this holy city. I was trained at the feet of Gamaliel and educated by him in every detail of the Law of our forefathers. I was a zealot for God, as all of you are today."

Gamaliel was held in great respect by the Jews. He was the greatest mentor and scholar of the Law of Moses in our day. He was extremely well educated in all our Scriptures and holy writings. Daily I sat at his feet learning the customs and traditions of our forefathers.

"I persecuted the 'Followers of the Way' of the Lord, even unto death," I said, "arresting both men and woman and throwing them in prison. The high priest and the whole council of the Sanhedrin can also testify to this. Indeed, after receiving letters from them to their colleagues in Damascus, I was on my way there in order to arrest the ones in that city, with orders to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. But as I was on my journey and approaching Damascus, around noon, suddenly a brilliant light from heaven flashed all around me! I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul! Why do you keep persecuting me?' I answered, 'Sir, who are you?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting.' Those who were with me also saw the light, but they didn't hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. I said, 'What should I do Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up, and go into Damascus, and there you shall be told about everything that has been laid out for you to do.' I had been blinded by the light, so my companions led me by the hand into Damascus."

The people remained still and composed while I spoke. They had heard the story about my conversion from others, but they had never heard it directly from my own mouth. I was tired of having the unbelieving Jews harass me. I was prepared to purify myself according to the purification of Moses and put myself back under the Law in an attempt to satisfy their desires.

The grace of the Lord Jesus has made me a free man with no master. I'm not bound by anyone's bidding. However, I've made myself a slave to all people to bring them to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who followed the legalistic perversion of the Jewish law, I too lived under that perverse law, even though I'm not subject to the law. It was my intention to bring all those under the law to Christ. When I was with the Gentiles who don't follow Jewish law, who live apart from the law, I myself lived apart from the law to bring them to Christ. I don't ignore the Jewish law of God. However, I obey the law of Christ above all else. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.

This made me speak with an even greater boldness, I said, "A man named Ananias, an observant follower of the Law of Moses, well spoken by all the Jews who resided there, came to me, stood by me and said, 'Brother Saul, see again!' In that very moment, I recovered my sight and looked up and saw him. He said, 'The God of our forefathers has determined in advance that you should know His will, and to see the Righteous One, Jesus Christ, to hear His voice from His own mouth and a message from His own lips. For you will be His witness unto all men of everything that you have seen and heard. So now, what are you waiting for? Rise and be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on His name.'

"After I had returned to Jerusalem, it so happened that as I was praying in the Temple, I went into a trance, and I saw Him. He said to me, 'Hurry, get out of Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept what you have to say about me.' I said, 'Lord, they know themselves that in every synagogue I used to imprison and flog those who trusted and believed in you. Also that when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there too, in full agreement. I was even looking after the clothes of the ones who were killing him!' The Lord said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away unto the Gentile nations!'"

They had been listening to me up till that point, but now they shouted at the top of their lungs, "Rid the earth of such a man! He's not fit to live!"

They were screaming, waving their garments and throwing dust into the air. I refused to have demonic dust cling to me. I wanted nothing to do with what this dusty earth had to offer. My old earthly man of dust was crucified with Christ.

In a flash Cassius drew his sword. It was a tiny sword, the length of a man's forearm. It wasn't standard military issue. It was a sword issued only to the elite. It was a Praetorian two-edged sword like the Word of God. It was hellishly sharp. You could see that he'd taken good care of it by the blade. It had been sharpened a thousand times. It glistened in the light. Judging by the way he held it, he knew how to use it. He held it above his head pointing downwards in the direction he wanted to strike. He was aiming for the carotid artery on the neck. One slice and it was over. You would bleed to death in minutes.

"I will kill you!" he retorted. His eyes cold and lifeless, "I will thrust you through!"

The bold tone in his voice suggested that he meant business, he meant every word. The crowd became silent. He was a lion among lambs and they knew it. The lion had roared and they knew what was next; blood. He wore a copper breastplate with a lion breathing out fire engraved on it. He had matching shin guards with the same fire eating lion. His uniform was a dark blue, not the standard red issue like the regular Roman soldiers. His helmet was standard issue though but it had a purple brush down the middle instead of the standard red. He had no hair on his head. He was bald like me and his face clean shaven.

His loud cry and the show of his sword opened up a pathway before us. Again, he hauled me by my belt, dragging me off to safety. Sword in the one hand and my belt in the other. He had no need to shield me from the mob as they backed away from us as we walked bye.

I am Paul, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Gentiles. I pray and ask God to give you a complete knowledge of His divine will and purpose.

Amen – so be it.

A Roman Citizen. #2

The Jews in Jerusalem were ready to kill me. The Roman Commander ordered that I be brought into the barracks for safekeeping.

"Have him whipped. Interrogate him. I want to know why the Jews were yelling at him and why they want to kill him?" He commanded.

"Yes, Commander!" replied the Centurion.

When they had stretched me out with the leather straps, I asked the Centurion who was in charge, "Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen and without first having a trial?"

When the centurion heard this, he went and reported it to the commander immediately. He said to him, "Do you realise what you are doing? This man is a Roman citizen!"

The Commander came and asked me, "Tell me the truth, are you a Roman citizen?"

I replied, "Yes, I am."

The commander stated, "I purchased this Roman citizenship as a capital investment for a large sum of money."

"I gained my citizenship at birth," I explained, "my parents were citizens of Tarsus in Cilicia which is a Sovereign Roman State, giving them citizenship. Therefore, I was born a Roman citizen! I am a citizen by birth right, I didn't purchase it."

Instantly those who were about to interrogate me drew back. The commander was also afraid, because he realized that he had put me, a Roman citizen in chains.

Cassius Catullus was assigned to me as my personal body guard that night. He oozed strength and confidence and it rubbed off on me. At first he didn't speak to me. Our relationship was strictly professional. He was a Praetorian Guard and I was a prisoner in chains. He stayed awake with me all that night. He moved very little, only to re-establish his feet on the floor and shift his balance. He didn't fidget and he definitely didn't turn his back on me. He kept his eyes on me the whole time. He was the most disciplined soldier I'd ever seen.

The next day, the Commander wanted to know the real cause for which the Jews had accused me.

"Stand up and stand still," said Cassius. He voice strong and commanding.

I stood to my feet, obeying his instructions.

"Stretch out your hands," he said, "Now hold still while I remove your chains. You won't give me any trouble, will you citizen?"

"No, Sir!" I replied.

"I don't want to kill you citizen. But I will if I have too. If you move I will hurt you! Do you understand me, citizen."

"Yes, Sir." I nodded in agreement.

"We have an understanding then."

"Yes, we have an understanding."

Cassius proceeded to unbind me and remove the chains from my hands and feet. I stood still just as he asked. The commander ordered the Chief Priests and the Council of the Sanhedrin to meet. He had me brought down and placed before them.

I gazed earnestly at the Sanhedrin council. I looked straight at them and said, "Brothers, I have lived before God, doing my duty as a citizen, a true and loyal Jew, with a perfectly good conscience until today."

At this the high priest Ananias, the son of Nebedaius ordered those who stood near me to strike my mouth. I said to him, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit as a judge to try me in accordance with the Law, and yet in defiance of the Law you order me to be struck?"

Those who stood near exclaimed, "Do you insult the High Priest of God?"

I quickly apologised, "I didn't know that he was the High Priest." It was forbidden in the Scriptures to speak ill of a ruler of God's people.

I perceived that one part of the Sanhedrin council were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees. I roared like a hungry lion, I cried out, "Brothers, I'm a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee. It's with regard to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I'm being tried!"

When I said this, an angry argument arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The whole assembly was divided into two factions. That's exactly what I wanted to happen. I wanted them to be divided. I knew that the Sadducees deny the resurrection from the dead and the existence of angels. Whereas the Pharisees acknowledge and believe in them both.

If there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. If Christ be not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and therefore our faith is also in vain. Then we are found as false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ from the grave. If the dead rise not, then Christ isn't raised and if Christ isn't raised, our faith is in vain and our sins remain. However, if we have been planted together with Christ in the likeness of His death, we shall also be planted in the likeness of His resurrection. This is a true saying, If you die with Him, you shall also be raised with Him. I wasn't going to allow this mob to get the better of me. If you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead you shall be saved.

I had won the Pharisees over onto my side. A great uproar ensued. Some of the Scribes of the Pharisees stood up for me. They thoroughly fought my case, contending fiercely and declared, "We find nothing evil or wrong with this man. If a spirit or an angel spoke with this man, what of it? Let us not fight against God!"

"We don't believe in angels," shouted the Sadducees, "and we certainly don't believe in dead bodies been raised back to life again."

"Well, we do!" answered the Pharisees.

The dispute became so violent that the commander, fearing that I would be torn apart like a lion tearing up a helpless lamb ordered, "Soldiers! Go down and take me by force. Bring him back into the barracks for safekeeping."

Cassius came to my rescue again, his strong arms embraced me as he shuttled me off to safety. He guarded me again all that night.

"I wondered if he ever slept?" I thought, "even lions have to sleep!"

That same night, the Lord Jesus stood beside me and said, "Take courage Paul! For as you have testified and borne witness concerning me at Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness of me in Rome."

Cassius heard the Lord's voice, the instructions that were given to me, but he didn't see the Light. It was his first supernatural encounter. He fell on his face and bowed towards the ground. His body trembled and shook. He was unable to speak.

"Fear not, citizen." I said with a smile, "He's appeared to me before. I've seen the brightness of His shinning. It's glorious. His face shines brighter than the midday sun."

Cassius was unable to move. He was at my mercy. I could have killed him and he knew it. I was the ferocious lion now and he was the humble lamb. I could have drawn his sword and killed him with it. However, I was on my way to Rome by divine instruction from heaven. besides, I was no longer a murderer.

The next day, some of the Jews formed a conspiracy. They took an oath, saying, "We won't eat or drink until we have killed Paul!" More than forty men were involved in this plot to kill me. They went to the Chief Priests and Elders and said, "We have bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul. What you are to do is make it appear to the Roman commander that you and the Sanhedrin want to get more accurate information about Paul's case, so that he'll bring him down to you. While we, for our part, are prepared to kill him before he ever gets here."

It was my sister's son who heard of this planned ambush, so he hurried to the barracks and told me about the conspiracy.

I immediately called in one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man up to the commander, for he has something important to tell him."

"Yes, Sir!" replied the centurion. They walked briskly together, up to the commanders barracks. He said to the commander, "The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something important to tell you."

The commander took him by the hand, led him aside privately and asked, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

"The Jews have agreed to ask you tomorrow to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin on the pretext that they want to investigate Paul's case more thoroughly." He replied, "But don't let yourself be talked into it, because more than forty men are lying in wait for him. They have taken an oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for you to give your consent to their request."

The commander let my nephew go, cautioning him, "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this to me."

He summoned two of the captains and said, "Get two hundred foot soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o'clock tonight, along with seventy mounted cavalry and two hundred spearmen. Also provide replacements for Paul's horse when it gets tired. Escort him safely to Felix."

The Commander wrote the following letter with the seal of his signet ring upon it.

From: Claudius Lysias.

To: His Excellency, Governor Felix.

Greetings!

This man was seized as a prisoner by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came on the scene with my troops and rescued him. After learning that he was a Roman citizen, I wanted to understand exactly what they were charging him with. So I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. I found that he was charged in connection with questions regarding their religious Laws, but that there was no charge that was deserving of death. When I was informed of a plot against the man, I immediately sent him to you and also ordered his accusers to state their case against him before you.

That night, the soldiers, brought me to the city of Antipatris in the Province of Palestine. The next day they returned to the barracks in Jerusalem, leaving the mounted men to proceed with me. The cavalry took me to Caesarea, delivered the letter to the Governor, and handed me over to him. Antonius Felix was the Roman Procurator and Governor of Judea.

"What province are you from?" He asked as he opened the letter in my presence breaking the seal.

"I'm from Tarsus in Cilicia." I replied with confidence. I was a Roman citizen and I didn't want to appear weak before the Governor.

"I know where it is." replied Felix as he started reading the letter. He snorted, exhaling deeply as he read. Rome didn't take kindly to uprisings in their territories. He rolled up the scroll, tapped it against his chest to square it off and snorted again.

"Seeing that you're a Roman citizen and from the Roman Province of Cilicia. I'll give you a full hearing after your accusers have arrived."

"Thank you, Sir!" I replied.

"And citizen!"

"Yes, Sir."

"I have no choice but to keep you under guard. You're not going to give me any trouble, are you citizen?"

"No, Sir."

"Guards!" He called, "take this man to Herod's headquarters. He is to be kept under Praetorian Guard there. If he behaves I'll relieve him of his chains and allow him to see friends and family."

"Yes, Sir." they replied in unison.

"What do you say, citizen?" said Felix.

"Thank you, Sir." I replied. The soldiers led me to Herod's Headquarters when I was going to stay.

As I stepped into the jail cell, I heard a voice next to me, "Greetings, citizen!" It was Cassius, the Praetorian Guard from Jerusalem. He was dressed in full body armour.

I nodded in acknowledgement as I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. I replied, "Shalom, citizen."

Our friendship had begun. The lion on his chest looked more like it was eating fire rather than breathing it out. His armour shone in the dim light of the room. The cell had a single window covered with iron bars not wide enough for a man to put his head through. The wooden door was reinforced with steel brackets. It had a small square door window with a latch that could be opened on the outside. It had two large rusty bolt locks on the outside. Once the door was shut, it was shut tight. There was no escape.

I am Paul, I am that I am. Rejoice in affliction. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. As He is, so are we in this world. In all situations I find myself content. May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

Amen – so be it.

Brought Before Felix. #3

After five days, Ananias the High Priest came down from Jerusalem to Caesarea with the Jewish Elders. They brought a lawyer, a forensic advocate, acting as the council spokesman named Tertullus. They presented to the Governor their case with circumstantial evidence against me. I was called, and Tertullus began with the charges.

Tertullus addressed the Governor, "Felix, Your Excellency!" he said, "it is because of you that we enjoy unbroken peace. It is your foresight that has brought this nation so many reforms in so many areas. It's with the utmost gratitude that we receive this peace and these reforms. But in order not to take up too much of your time, I beg you in your clemency and kindness to give us a brief and concise hearing."

Tertullus was well prepared. He had done his homework. This guy was good. His speech was eloquent. I had to be at my best to outwit him. Cassius stood beside me, sharing in my chains. His stature was intimidating at times. My life depended upon his life and his life depended upon my life. If I was ambushed and killed during his watch, he was executed by Rome for failing to keep me safe. If I escaped, he was executed. The rules were simple, if I died, he died. Sextus Afranus Burrus, the Prefect of the Praetorian Guards in Rome ensured that these laws were carried out. Even so when Christ died, I died.

Tertullus continued with the so called accusations, "We have found this man to be a perfect pest, a real plague." he said, "an agitator and a source of disturbance to all the Jews throughout the world, a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate and defile the Temple, but we arrested him, laying our hands on him. We would have sentenced him by our own Law, but the commander, Claudius Lysias came and took him from us by force, ordering his accusers to present themselves to you. By examining and cross-questioning him yourself, you will be able to ascertain the truth from him about all these things with which we have charged him."

To make things worse, the Jews joined in on the accusations. They alleged that these facts about me were true.

The Governor beckoned for me to speak, so I answered, "I know that you have been a judge over this nation for a number of years now, so I'm glad to make my defence before you today. As you can verify for yourself, it hasn't been more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. Neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues nor anywhere else in the city did they find me either arguing with anyone or bringing together a seditious crowd. Nor can they give any proof of the things that they are accusing me of. But this I do admit and confess to you. I worship the God of our forefathers in accordance with the 'Way of the Lord,' which they call a heretical sect. I continue to believe everything laid down by the Law of Moses and everything written in the Psalms and the Prophets."

I was building a strong defence. I was not going to allow myself to be bullied. I wasn't going to lie down like a gentle lamb. I was going to roar like a lion, a fire breathing lion like the one on Cassius's breastplate. I spoke calmly before them, not leaving out a single detail, I continued, "I still have a hope in God, believing in Him and placing my full confidence in Him, which they too accept, and that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. It's because of this that I make a point of always having a clear conscience in the sight of God and man."

Cassius stood dead still beside me. He never moved a muscle. I had to look closely to determine if he was still breathing. I could tell that he was listening to my every word. I was only warming up. It was going to get very hot in court. I was about to roar like a lion and exhale fire from my mouth. I wasn't going to pull any punches or be intimidated.

"After several years of absence, I came back to Jerusalem to bring charitable gifts to my nation and to offer offerings of worship in the Temple." I said, "It was in connection with the latter that they found me in the Temple. I'd been ceremonially purified, I wasn't causing a disturbance. But some Jews from Asia, they ought to be here to make a charge if they have anything against me! Or else, let these men themselves say what crime they found me guilty of when I stood in front of the Sanhedrin. Other than this one thing which I shouted out when I was standing among them, with regards to the resurrection of the dead. I'm on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead."

Antonius Felix was no fool. He had an accurate understanding of the "Disciples of the Way" and the "Way of the Lord." He adjourned the trial saying, "When Lysias the Roman commander comes down as a witness, I will decide your case."

He ordered the Captain to keep me in custody. He allowed me to have considerable liberty. He allowed my friends to take care of my needs. However, the chains remained. Timothy and Luke were at hand, by my side as always. Luke had travelled with me on my second and third missionary journeys. Timothy had not left my side since I found him at his home town of Lystra, on my second journey. Timothy was a true spiritual son. I had no one like him, no one of so kindred a spirit, who was so genuinely interested in the welfare of others. Unlike Timothy most people seek to advance their own interests and not those of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had toiled with me zealously in serving and helping to advance the message of the Gospel.

Cassius was ever present with us as we spoke about our travels to the ends of the earth. How we advanced the Kingdom of God by preaching the message of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Our conversations always revolved around the love and grace of God, how that Jesus died in our place upon the cross. How He was buried and laid in a tomb, and how on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures. Cassius pretended that he wasn't paying any attention or listening to our conversations but I knew that God was working in him. For faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God over and over again.

Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. It wasn't uncommon for Jewish woman to marry Roman soldiers. These woman came under the protection of Rome when they married Roman soldiers. They were protected by the laws of Rome. Felix sent for me and listened to me talk about faith in Jesus Christ.

"Jesus Christ died upon the cross for our sins," I proclaimed boldly, "He was buried and laid in a tomb and on the third day He was raised back to life. He died as a gentle lamb but He was resurrected as a fierce lion. He died silently, not opening up His mouth against His accusers. But He was raised back to life roaring like a hungry lion, never to die again."

When I began to discuss righteousness, self-control and the coming judgement on Rome and Jerusalem. Felix became frightened and said, "For the time being, go away! I will send for you when I get a chance."

My words cut him to the heart. Felix was devious. He hoped that I would offer him a bribe, my freedom in exchange for money. He sent for me often and kept talking to me, hoping I would give in and settle with a bribe.

"Citizen! You know Felix wants you to pay him a bribe for your release," said Cassius.

"Yes, I know, citizen." I replied.

"Why don't you pay him then and you can go free."

"Because God doesn't pay bribes, He only redeems by paying a ransom and I only do what God does."

"Citizen, you are crazy!" laughed Cassius. He had a huge grin on his face.

Felix kept me in chains for Two years because I failed to pay him a bribe. After two years, Felix was succeeded by a new Roman Procurator, the Governor of Judea, Porcius Festus. Because Felix wanted to grant the Jews a favour, he left me bound in chains and in prison. At times I thought I was going to be in jail forever, yet deep inside me a small still voice kept saying, "You must go to Rome." I was on my way to Rome.

I am Paul, remember I'm still in prison and in chains. May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

Amen – so be it.

Appeal to Caesar. #4

Festus, the new Roman Governor went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem after three days of entering the province. The chief priests and Jewish leaders in Jerusalem informed him of my case. They laid charges before him against me. They kept begging and urging him to do them a favour by bringing me to Jerusalem to stand trial. Meanwhile they were planning an ambush to kill me on the way. Festus informed them that I was being kept in prison under Praetorian Guard in Caesarea, and that he will be returning there soon. He said to them, "Let those who are in a position of authority among you go down with me, and press charges against the man, that's if he's done something seriously wrong."

The chief priests and elders were a crooked bunch. They were trying every trick in the book to have me extinguished from this earth. They still wanted me dead after two long years had passed. Festus came back down to Caesarea. He was away for about eight days or was it ten. I had lost count. The following day he took his seat in the court and ordered me to be brought in.

Cassius had been with me for two years now. He was no longer a man who stood beside me in the shadows as a stranger. He and I were now well acquainted with one another. This giant of a man, this war veteran, this murderer fell upon his knees, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

"What must I do to be saved?" He asked.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," I replied, "Repent by turning away from your sins and return to God. Be converted, that your sins may be blotted out and times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

"Will I ever see Him?" asked Cassius, "Will I ever see the Light like you saw the Light?"

"I don't know, citizen?" I replied.

"I want your God to be my God. I want to know your God, this Messiah, this Jesus of Nazereth. I want to see the Light," cried Cassius in repentance. I knelt down beside him in my chains and we prayed together. He wept as he asked Messiah to come and reign as sovereign king in his life.

We didn't give any evidence to those around us that we were now close friends as they would have rotated him out. Praetorian Guards were encouraged not to become familiar with those they were guarding. There were so many parallels between our lives. It was as if we had been cut out from the same cloth.

When I arrived at court, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around me in a circle like a pack of wolves. They brought serious charges against me which they couldn't prove. They had no evidence to support their claims. In reply to their allegations, I said, "I've committed no offence, not against the Law of Moses to which you Jews hold fast, nor against the Temple in Jerusalem, nor against the Emperor in Rome."

Porcius Festus was wanting to do the Jews a favour so he asked me, "Paul, are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried before me there on these charges."

"No," I replied adamantly, my voice bold as a lion, "I'm standing right now in the official court and Bema judgement seat of Caesar. This is where I should be tried. I've done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you very well know. If I'm a criminal and have committed anything deserving of the death sentence, then I'm ready to die."

As a Roman citizen, I knew what my rights were according to Roman law. I wasn't going to give up my rights, besides I knew that they were wanting to ambush me along the way. I stood my ground. I continued in my defense, "If there are no grounds to support these charges and accusations, then no one can hand me over to these men to kill me."

Then I said the unthinkable. The words came out of my mouth unexpectedly. Only God's Spirit could have caused me to say such a thing. Without thinking I cried out, "I appeal to Caesar!"

The entire congregation went silent. Cassius turned and looked directly in my face, his eyes locked with my eyes. He knew the Laws of Rome just as I did. He wanted to speak but he was forbidden. We were in court before the Judges Bema Seat. Caesar had the power to release me or have me executed. I couldn't be crucified because I was a Roman citizen but I could be executed another way. Imperator Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was the Roman Emperor. He was a hard and cruel man.

Festus whispered as he conferred with his advisers, then he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, so to Caesar you will go!"

Caesar, the Emperor was believed to be a god by many, a deity that lived on the earth among us. He was worshipped by the Romans as the son of god. One Emperor demanded so much worship that he ordered his statue to be placed in our holy Temple in Jerusalem. However, he died before this order could be carried out.

Cassius rebuked me when we returned to my jail cell. "Are you mad? Are you out of your mind? Emperor Nero has the power to put you too death."

"They can put me to death here and now." I replied.

Cassius knew that I was on a mission to get to Rome. He had heard what Jesus had told me in the night vision: "As you have been a faithful witness for me in Jerusalem, so too you must minister for me in Rome."

It was great to know that Cassius started to care for me like my friends did. Like Luke, Silas and Timothy. They were all willing to lay down their lives for the Gospel.

A few days later, Agrippa, the King of Judea and Bernice his wife arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. They wanted to give the new Roman Governor a warm Judean welcome. They stayed for several days. Festus had the opportunity to acquaint the king with my case, he said, "There is a man here, a prisoner who was left behind in chains by Felix. When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and Jewish elders informed me about him. They petitioned for a judicial hearing and the condemnation of the man. My answer to them was that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up an accused man for punishment before the accused has met his accusers face to face and had the opportunity to defend himself against the charges in a trial. So when they arrived here with me, I didn't delay, but took my seat in court the next day and ordered the man brought in. When the accusers stood up, instead of charging him with some serious crime of misconduct as I had expected. They disputed with him over some controversy about their own religion. Particularly concerning the One Jesus, Who had died but Whom Paul kept asserting over and over again to be alive? Being at a loss on how to investigate such questions, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried on these matters there. Paul decided to be kept in custody and appealed to His Imperial Majesty. I ordered him detained until I could send him to Rome."

"I myself have been wanting to hear the man speak," answered King Agrippa.

"Tomorrow," replied Festus, "you will hear him, tomorrow."

The next day King Agrippa and Bernice approached the court with great pomp and display. They entered the audience room accompanied with military commanders and the prominent men of the city. Festus commanded and I was brought in chained to my Praetorian Guard. Festus addressed King Agrippa saying, "King Agrippa and all of you here today. Do you see this man? The entire Jewish community have complained to me about him both in Jerusalem and here. They are saying that he shouldn't remain alive. But I've discovered that he's done nothing that deserves a death sentence. Now when he himself appealed to Caesar, I decided to send him to Rome. However, I've nothing specific to write in a letter to His Majesty about him. This is why I have brought him before you all. Especially you, King Agrippa, so that we may examine him that I might have something to write. It seems irrational to me to send a prisoner to Caesar without indicating what the charges are against him."

King Agrippa said to me, "You have permission to speak on your own behalf." At that I motioned with my hand indicating to the crowd that I was about to speak. I opened my mouth and delivered the best sermon of my life.

I am Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God. Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, make you to increase and overflow in love for one another. May He give you inner strength to be blameless before Him.

Amen – so be it.

Madness. #5

I had the King of Judea and the Roman Governor in the palms of my hands. The Governor had no idea what to write in a letter to the Emperor in Rome. I made it my duty to give him something spectacular to write. I spoke in the most eloquent language in my defense, I said, "King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that it's before you today that I'm defending myself against all the charges made against me by the Jews. Especially because you are so well informed and conversant with all the Jewish customs. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently."

Cassius stood next to me, ever so still. He was alert and ready, guarding me as always. I was at my best. My speech flowed from my mouth with ease, like a skilled archer launching arrows at his target. I had them in my sights and I was delivering arrow after arrow at their hearts. My words were weapons intended to win their minds over onto my side.

"So then!" I continued, "all the Jews know how I lived my life from my youth, both in my own country and in Jerusalem. They've known me for a long time and if they are willing, they can testify that I've followed the strictest party in our religion. That is, I lived as a Pharisee. How ironic it is that I now stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise God made to our forefathers, that Messiah would one day come. That's why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, as they have the same hope that I have. Yet it's in connection with this hope, Your Majesty, that I'm being accused by the Jews! Why do any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?"

With passion and conviction I told them my history, yet I was deliberately building my case slowly, cubit by cubit , stadia by stadia. I roared again confessing,"I used to think it was my duty to do all I could to combat the name of Jesus and in Jerusalem I did so. After receiving authority from the chief priests, I myself threw many of God's people in prison. When they were condemned to be put to death, I cast my vote against them, consenting to their deaths. Often I went from one Synagogue to another, punishing them and trying to make them blaspheme. In my wild violent fury against them, I even went as far as to persecute them in cities outside the country. On one such occasion, I was travelling to Damascus with the full authority and power of the chief priests. While I was on the road, at about noon, Your Majesty, I saw a bright light shining from heaven. This light was brighter than the sun, shining all around me and my travelling companions."

Cassius trembled next to me when I made mention of the Light. Not only did he want to be filled to overflowing with this Light, but he wanted to see the Light as I did. I had their full attention. The court auditorium was deadly silent. I had them exactly where I wanted them.

"We all fell to the ground and then I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you keep persecuting me? It's hard for you to continue to keep offering vain resistance against my will.' I replied, 'Who are you, Lord?' and He answered, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen of me, and what I will show you about me in the future. I have chosen you out selecting you for Myself. I'll rescue you from both the Jews and Gentiles. Yes I'm sending you to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, so that they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness from their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.' So, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea. I also preached to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn from their sins and turn to God."

I could speak freely as the chief priest and the Jewish elders from Jerusalem weren't present to hiss against me like serpents. I said, "It was because of these things that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me. But to this day I've had help that comes from God as He has been my ally. So I stand here testifying to small and great alike, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses declared would happen and come to pass. That Christ, the Messiah would die, and that He, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to both the Jews and the Gentiles."

As I reached this point in my defense, Festus shouted out loudly at the top of his voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind. You are mad. Your great learning has driven you mad!"

I replied with a bold confidence, "No! Your Excellency, I'm not mad. On the contrary, I'm speaking words of truth. I'm sober and in my right mind. For King Agrippa understands these matters, so to him I express myself freely, because I'm sure that these events are all familiar to him. After all, they didn't happen in some back alley. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe!"

King Agrippa interrupted me at this point, "In this short time, are you're trying to convince me to become a Christian?"

I replied, full of passion, "Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish to God that not only you, but also everyone hearing me today, might become just like me, except for these chains!"

At this the king, along with the Roman Governor, Bernice, and the others who were sitting with them stood up and left. As they went out, they talked it over with one another and agreed that I had done nothing wrong that was worthy of death or deserved a prison sentence. King Agrippa said to Festus, "If he hadn't appealed to the Emperor, he would've been released." Cassius led me away, back to my cell, my chains jingling.

They called me mad and insane, but hasn't God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek wisdom. But I preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men, and the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of men. God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. He has chosen the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty. I knew that it was God's will that I should go to Rome. Messiah had told me in a vision.

The next day we set sail for the coast of Italy. I was escorted by Julius, a Centurion of the Emperor's Imperial Regiment, along with another two hundred and seventy five men. They included sailors, Roman guards, fellow prisoners, Luke and Cassius. A Macedonian from the naval city of Thessalonica also accompanied us. His name was Aristarchus.

We sailed late in the season on a ship from the maritime city of Adramyttium in Asia Minor. It's seated at the foot of Mount Ida opposite the Islands of Lesbos. The next day when we had docked at the port city of Sidon. Julius showed kindness to me. He allowed me to go to shore under guard with Cassius, to visit my friends and have them provide for my needs. We launched off from there, putting out to sea. We sailed close to the sheltered side of the Island of Cyprus, because we faced strong headwinds that made it difficult for the sailors to keep the ship on course. We kept to the open sea and sailed along the coasts of the Provinces of Cilicia and Pamphylia. We finally came to the port of Myra, a city in the Province of Lycia.

At Myra the Centurion found a ship from the magnificent City of Alexandria. It was sailing from its port in Egypt to Italy. He ordered that we be put on board. We had several agonising days of slow sailing. After great difficulty we finally neared the Port of Cnidus, a town opposite the Island of Crete. The winds were deliberately against us, so we changed course and sailed across to Crete. We crawled along the coast being sheltered from the wind by the islands. We past the Cape of Salmone, a city on the east side of Crete. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and eventually arrived at Fair Havens, a town near the City of Lasea.

I was on my way to Rome but I was contending with the prince and the power of the air. My adversary in the heavenly realms didn't want me to go to Rome. Cassius said that the Greek god of the seas, Poseidon, also known to the Romans as Neptune was trying to exercise his power over us. It was clear that he wanted to destroy us.

We had lost a lot of time. The weather had become dangerous for us to travel by sea. It was now late into the fall. Due to the high winds it was too risky for a voyage. I was troubled in my spirit. I spoke to the ships officers who were in charge of the prisoners, saying, "Sirs, I believe that there will be trouble ahead if we sail on by ship. A shipwreck and loss of cargo are eminent, even danger to our lives."

The Centurion in charge didn't adhere to me. Instead he listened to the owner of the ship who didn't believe me. Fair Havens wasn't a suitable place to bed down for the winter as it was a harbour exposed to the harsh winter elements. Therefore the majority of the crew made a decision to sail to Phoenice, a more suitable port up the coast of Crete and spend the winter there. It was a harbour sheltered from the south and North West winds.

We set sail against my wishes. When a light south wind began to blow, the sailors thought we'd make it there safely. They pulled up the anchor and sailed close to the shore line along the Isle of Crete. The weather suddenly changed. We were abruptly hit by a fierce storm with gale force winds, called a northeaster. It burst across the Island and blew us out to sea. Jesus once spoke to a violent storm of this nature and the winds and the waves obeyed Him. However, God seemed to want me to go through this storm. He wanted to prove to me that He was my shelter from the storm. He said that He'd be with us when we pass though the waters and He won't allow us to drown.

The sailors couldn't turn the ship to face into the wind, so they gave up and let it run with the tempest. The gale force winds were now driving us with a fierceness. I see people driven by fierce winds all the time. Either you can allow your life to be driven by the wind of God's Holy Spirit that will lead to eternal life or you can be driven by demonic winds that will lead to destruction. Demonic winds will shipwreck your life upon the rocks. I've seen those who doubt, those who don't ask God in faith. They're like the waves of the sea, driven and tossed by demonic winds.

We were sheltered from the wind for a moment when we passed the small Island of Cauda. We managed to get control of the lifeboat that was being towed behind us. We hoisted it aboard with much effort. The sailors had to bind ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid that it would break apart from being fiercely driven across the sandbars on the Syrtis, off the African coast. The masts and the anchor were lowered to slow the ship down. The next day we began to throw the cargo overboard. Gale-force winds continued to batter against us. The following day we took some of the ship's gear and threw it overboard. The storm raged on and on for many days, until at last all hope we had in our hearts to be saved was gone. Its blackness blotted out the sun, the moon and the stars.

Sometimes it has to get darker before it can get brighter. The darkest part of the night is just before the dawn. So don't give up in your night season. God always counsels and instructs us in our night season. Weeping and sorrow may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. God will sit us down in dark places to cause us to die in our night season, but in the morning, at the break of the dawn, He will bring dead things back to life again.

We'd eating nothing for several days. The stress and the horror of the angry waves beating against us in the boat was unbearable. I stood up and called the crew together and said, "Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not sailed from Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. Take courage for there'll be loss of cargo and ship but there'll be no loss of life. Not a hair on your heads will perish. For last night an angel of the Lord appeared to me and said, 'Don't be frightened Paul! It is necessary for you to stand trial before Caesar in Rome. God in His goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.'"

I spoke to the men on the ship with confidence as I now knew the end from the beginning. I said, "Men, take heart! For I trust God and believe that what I've been told by His angel will come to pass. However, we must be shipwrecked upon a certain island."

Cassius saw the angel of the Lord that appeared before me but he didn't hear what he said. He was in awe as to it's strength and beauty. He saw the glow of the angel as it shone in it's brightness. That supernatural encounter impacted his life.

I told him, "Angels are ministering spirits assigned to those who have inherited salvation."

"Citizen, do they always shine that brightly when they appear?" asked Cassius out of curiosity.

"Yes," I replied, "they shine like bright lights when they appear."

"Does Messiah shine as brightly as the angels."

"No, He shines brighter than they do! We can still look at angels when they appear. But when Messiah appears, He shines brighter than the sun. His appearing blinds us."

"One day, I'd like to see His appearing. I'd like to see Him face to face!"

"One day you might, citizen. One day you might!"

I was able to comfort him and the men with the words that I'd been comforted with by the angel. At midnight on the fourteenth day of the storm as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed that land was near. They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was twenty fathoms deep. When they had gone a little further, they measured again, and found it to be fifteen fathoms deep. It always seems to be in our midnight hour that God comes to our rescue, especially when we give Him thanks.

We were being driven blindly towards the shore at a fast pace. The sailors were afraid that we would be smashed against the rocks. They threw all four anchors overboard from the back of the ship to stop it dead in its tracks. We prayed for daylight. Some of the sailors tried to abandon ship. They secretly lowered the life boat into the water, giving the pretence that they were going to lower the anchors from the front of the ship. I quickly alerted Cassius and the Centurion. I said to the soldiers, "You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard the ship." The soldiers cut the ropes of the life boat. They let her fall into the angry sea and drift away.

As the day began to dawn, I got them to eat some food to renew their physical strength. We'd gone without eating anything for fourteen days. In the presence of them all, I blessed the bread, give thanks to God and broke it. I gave some to Luke and Cassius then I also ate. I remembered Christ's suffering in the midst of my own suffering. My suffering couldn't be compared to His suffering upon the cruel cross. When they saw us eat, they were encouraged and also began to eat. It's difficult for a man to eat when he's staring death in the face. After eating, the crew further lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard into the sea. When morning arrived, the sailors didn't recognise the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. They made an executive decision to run the ship aground.

They cut the ropes and let the anchors sink to the bottom of the ocean. They lowered the rudders and raised the sails. We sailed hard and straight for the shore with the wind behind us. We hit a shoal, a place where two seas meet. The ship ran aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast into the sand. The stern began to break apart from being bombarded repeatedly by the force of the waves. It began to disintegrate into pieces. The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners. They didn't want us to swim ashore on our own accord and escape but the commanding officer and Cassius wanted to spare my life. So they didn't let them carry out their plan. Cassius and the commander ordered those who knew how to swim, to jump overboard first and make for land. Those who couldn't swim held planks and debris from the broken ship. Everyone escaped safely onto the shore, just as I had prophesied. God was faithful and did what He had promised.

We were shipwrecked on an island. However, I wasn't going to allow my faith to be shipwrecked with that broken ship. I kept my faith up having a good conscience towards God. I was on my way to Rome by the will of God. I kept believing that He was going to do what He had promised.

I am Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. We have a promise of life through being united with Messiah. To God our Father be glory forever and ever. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit.

Amen – so be it.

Serpent in the fire. #6

After the shipwreck and our narrow escape, we learned that the island was called Malta. Its people showed us unusual and remarkable kindness. It was bitterly cold and started to rain, so the locals lit a bonfire. They welcomed and received us all. I had gathered a bundle of sticks and was adding them to the fire, when a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto my hand. The islanders saw the creature hanging from my hand and said to one another, "This man must be a murderer. Even though he escaped the sea, Dike, the god of justice and vengeance has not permitted that he should live."

Luke and Cassius also saw the serpent bite me. I simply shook off the beast into the fire and suffered no evil effects. I wasn't going to allow that ancient serpent, the devil to hinder my God-given purpose and destiny. Jesus said that I was going to preach His message in Rome and I was on my way to Rome. No shipwreck or snake bite was going to hinder God's plan for my life. I refused to allow it. I made a stand against the devil in the realm of the spirit.

Messiah has given us authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions. He has given us authority over all the power of the devil and nothing shall in any way harm us. Jesus said, "In my name you shall pick up serpents with your hands." I had used my God-given authority over the devil. It was through Christ's death upon the cross, that He destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil. Jesus crushed the serpent's skull upon the cross, fulfilling the Scriptures. The ancient texts prophesied that Messiah would crush the head of the serpent, while the serpent would bruise His heel.

Cassius and Luke investigated my hand. Cassius knew that if I died on his watch, he died. That was the law. The two bite marks were clearly visible. However, the serpent failed to harm me in any way. He had no power over me. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high and lofty thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. I had put on all of God's armour, so that I was able to stand against the schemes of the devil. I didn't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against the spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.

Having done all, to stand, I stood firm, having my loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. My feet were shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Above all, I took the shield of faith, wherewith I was be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. I took the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And praying in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication, I quenched the fiery darts of that serpent. I shook it back into the fire where it belonged. I wasn't going to dance around with serpents in the fire. I had authority over them.

The islanders waited, expecting my hand to swell up and I suddenly fall down dead. After waiting a long time and seeing nothing was happening to me from the poisonous snake bite. They reversed their opinion about me. They said that I was a god. I was now considered to be one of their gods. They thought I was an immortal god, immune to death.

Nearby were lands belonging to the governor of the island, whose name was Publius. He received us in a friendly manner and put us up for three days. It so happened that Publius' father was lying in bed, sick with fever and dysentery. I went in to him and prayed. I laid my hands on him and healed him. The same hand that the serpent bit was the very hand that brought divine healing. This was the first time Cassius had seen the sick healed when hands were laid upon them.

"How did you do that?" He said. The miracle left him in awe and amazed.

"Messiah said, 'to them who believe, they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover.' He gave this commission to His holy apostles. Luke was there when Messiah gave them those instructions," I replied.

"Luke, what was Messiah like?" asked Cassius hastily. He was more curious than a cat. He was looking for answers.

"The Master was a gentle man yet a strong man. He was as bold as a lion and as gentle as lamb. He was both lion and lamb. I was there when He told us to go and make disciples of all nations. I was part of His outer circle. He had His twelve disciples that were the inner circle, then He had the seventy, that were His outer circle. I was part of the seventy."

"Did He shine brighter than the midday sun?" asked Cassius.

"No!" replied Luke as He gave out a laugh, "He was like any ordinary man. God disguised Himself in human flesh. One day His face shone and His Attire became pure white when He was transfigured on a mountain. But I didn't see Him that day. Peter, James and John only saw Him change and His face shine brightly. I saw Him shine when He was taken up to heaven and a cloud hid Him from our sight. I haven't seen Him since but Paul has seen Him. It's as if Paul is an apostle born out of time."

"Paul, born out of time!" laughed Cassius, "What do you mean?"

"My Master, the Messiah in now retained in heaven until an appointed time when He will be revealed again. He's been glorified and now shines brighter than the sun. Only Paul has seen Him in this heavenly state and a young man named Stephen."

"Why can't everyone see Him?"

"The heavens must retain Him until the fulfilment of all things spoken by the prophets."

"Who was Stephen?"

There was a stunned silence. Cassius could see by the look on Luke's face that he was treading on holy ground.

"Ask Paul," replied Luke reluctantly, "but not today."

I interrupted them and said, "Citizen, one day, I'll tell you about Stephen. One day!"

Luke and Cassius had eventually struck it off. Cassius was hungry for the deep things of Messiah. The rest of those on the island who had ailments came to me for prayer and were healed. They heaped honours on us, showing us every respect. When the time came for us to sail, they provided us the supplies we needed. They presented many gifts to us.

It was after three months' stay there that we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers, the gods Castor and Pollux as its figurehead. We landed at Syracuse, the capital city of the Island of Sicily and remained there for three days. From there we sailed across to Rhegium, a maritime city on the coast of Italy. From there we followed the coastline as our guide. A day later a south wind began to blow, so we made it to Puteoli, a sea port in Italy the following day. There we found brothers in the faith who invited us to spend a week with them. Cassius accompanied Luke and I as he was still assigned to me as my Praetorian. He knew as well as I did, if I died, he died. From there we went on towards Rome. I was on my way to Rome by divine appointment.

The brothers there had heard about us and came as far as the Appian Market and Three Inns to meet us. When I saw them, I thanked God and received new courage in my heart. When we arrived in Rome, the Centurion delivered the prisoners to the Captain of the guard, but he allowed me to stay by myself, with Cassius guarding me of course. I had arrived in Rome, the capital city of the free world in the province of Italy. The splendour of Rome, the great city built upon its seven mountains, beside the Tiber River. Only Luke, the "beloved physician" was with me in Rome. My spiritual sons were across the world preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Three days after our arrival, I called a meeting with the local Jewish leaders. When they had gathered, I said to them, "Brothers, although I have done nothing against either our people or the traditions of our fathers, I was made a prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans, being under Praetorian Guard. They examined me and were ready to release me, because I'd done nothing to justify a death sentence. But when the Judean's objected, I was forced to appeal to the Emperor. Not that I had any charge to make against my own people. This is why I've asked to see you and to speak with you, for it's because of the hope of Israel that I have these chains around me."

They replied and said to me, "We haven't received any letters about you from Judea, and none of the brothers who've come from there have reported or said anything bad about you. But we do think it would be appropriate to hear your views from you, yourself. For all we know about this sect is that people everywhere are speaking against it."

They arranged a day with me. They came to my quarters in large numbers. From morning until evening, I explained the matter to them, giving a thorough witness about the Kingdom of God, making use of the Law of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets to persuade them about Jesus being the Messiah. Some were convinced by what I said, while others refused to believe.

They left, disagreeing among themselves, after I had made one final statement, "The Holy Spirit spoke well in saying to our fathers through Isaiah the prophet." I read to them out of Isaiah on an old parchment.

Go to this people and say to them. You will indeed hear and hear with your ears but you will not understand. You will indeed look and look with your eyes but you will never perceive. For the heart of this people is hardened and calloused. Their ears are heavy and hard of hearing and they've shut their eyes tightly. For fear that they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and so return to me that I would heal them.

I ended by proclaiming unto them, "Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they are listening!"

After I said these words, the Jews departed, greatly disagreeing with each other. I remained in Rome for two whole years in an apartment that I'd rented for myself. Cassius spent his days with me, guarding me. He kept things extremely professional when we were out in public. But at home he was much more relaxed. He got to hear everything about me as I continued to welcome and receive warmly all the brothers in Christ who came to visit me. He heard the contents of the letters that I dictated to the Churches that I had visited in the past. He got to send the letters off with me. He got to hear about my many travels and the great miracles that were performed by my hands.

It was in Rome that I finally without hindrance, openly proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus as the Messiah.

I am Paul, I am the least of all the apostles. I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted God's church. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord and immovable. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

Amen – so be it.

The First Martyr. #7

One day Cassius asked, "Citizen, who is Stephen?"

My heart pounded in my chest. I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to go down that lane and bring to remembrance my former life.

"Who was Stephen?" I replied as I built up the courage to tell him, "Come and sit down."

"Who was Stephen?" asked Cassius again as we reclined at the table in my apartment.

"At first I hated Him, this Jesus with a violent passion. I detested Messiah to the extent that I persecuted Him at every opportunity that presented itself to me. This Jesus of Nazareth was my worst enemy. I was zealous in my murderous quest to totally annihilate the Christ. I had developed a taste for blood over the years and I was thirsty for murder. I'd been baptised with pure hatred towards Jesus. I made it my quest to obliterate His seed from off the face of the earth. I wanted Jesus and His followers extinguished and wiped out of the history books forever."

Cassius couldn't believe what he was hearing. He became intrigued by my past. "I can't believe that you hated Him! I hear how passionately you pray to Father and Messiah and how you pray for His church."

"My name was Saul then. I opposed anyone who contradicted my personal beliefs and threatened the extinction of the traditions of my forefathers. I wasn't going to allow our two thousand year old traditions to be overthrown and trodden down under foot without a fight. Especially when my forefathers had paid a price for them with their own blood, to be handed down to us. How dare He insult our two thousand year old traditions and deem them as being obsolete, I thought.

"I hated Him with a passion. Since I was a young boy, I had diligently studied the ancient laws and texts of our forefathers. I had disciplined myself to follow every rule and regulation religiously. I had dedicated myself to the keeping of every tradition, every feast, festival and all the holy Sabbath days. I religiously kept every regulation regarding offerings and ceremonial cleansing. When it came to observing the laws and traditions of our forefathers, I was blameless. I was circumcised on the eighth day after my birth which was customary according to our law. I made a point of keeping all the laws that were handed down to us.

"How could He even dare to tell me that true righteousness could be obtained in a different manner, other than in keeping the laws and traditions of my forefathers? I had studied the Law of Moses in the finest religious institution and had been mentored by Gamaliel the most brilliant minded teacher of our day. As a Pharisee in the council of the Sanhedrin Gamaliel was highly esteemed by all the people in Jerusalem. It was at his feet that I was taught the perfect manner of the Law and the traditions of our Jewish fathers. I was his prodigy and could re-sight the entire books of the Law of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets."

"I knew you were a Pharisee from your debates in your defence," said Cassius knowingly, "but I had not idea that you were so obsessed about it?"

"I was extremely obsessed with the observances and the keeping of the Law. I'm familiar with all the ancient texts and writings of the prophets. I know everything about the covenants, the patriarchs, the prophets, the priesthood, the laws and the linage of our kings." I replied, "Messiah had challenged the foundation of our two thousand year old dynasty. I became possessed with intent to protect the beliefs and traditions of my Hebrew ancestors. So great was my obsession that I began to put to death every person who converted to this new order of beliefs. They became an insult to me when they rejected the ancient traditions of our Jewish forefathers."

"You murdered them!" asked Cassius. He was in shock. "How could a gentle lamb like yourself once have been suck a ferocious lion?"

"Yes, I murdered them," I replied, "I was once a vicious angry lion. I had developed my taste for shedding blood when I watched the stoning of a young man known as Stephen. This young man was full of the faith, that I opposed. The new message, the Good News of God kept on spreading throughout Jerusalem and the number of disciples that were converted to this new order had multiplied greatly. A large number of the priests also became obedient to this new faith craze. It was this faith, that at first, I was dead against."

Cassius shook his head in disbelief as we sat at the table. The chair shook beneath him. Fortunately it was made from a thick beam of timber that was held up by two solid tree stumps to support him.

"Jerusalem had been invaded by twelve apostles who were the ringleaders of this new sect, the sect of the Nazarene," I said, "they were responsible for promoting this new doctrine of faith by believing in Jesus Christ. They claimed that the righteousness of God was made manifest through believing. A righteousness that was exempt from keeping the Law of Moses and the traditions of our forefathers. They claimed that this righteousness of God, was obtained by faith and by faith in Jesus Christ alone."

"I cannot believe what my ears are hearing," said Cassius. He was astounded by the fact that I once opposed the Gospel of whom I'm now a messenger and apostle.

I continued, "My hatred was fuelled towards those who had this faith and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. As far as I was concerned, this Jesus of Nazareth was an imposter, who claimed to be the Son of God, the long awaited Messiah. The flames of my hatred towards this new sect were set ablaze when I watch the stoning of Stephen. His sermon in his defence before the council of the Sanhedrin tormented me. Stephen said things that cut me to the heart and infuriated me."

"Who was this Steven?" asked Cassius as he stared into my face with his deep blue eyes.

"Stephen was one of seven upright and honest men that had been appointed by the twelve apostles to serve and distribute food at the tables," I replied, "The apostles themselves had served daily at these tables at first, until the number of the Lord's disciples had greatly increased. They said, 'It's not right that we should have to give up preaching the Word of God in order to attend and serve at the tables.' Therefore they selected seven men of good character. Men full of the Holy Spirit and full of the wisdom of God. Men capable of handling disputes that often arose because some groups felt that their widows were being neglected with hand-outs and weren't been treated equally.

"At that time I had already taken Gamaliel's doctrine to heart. He had a confrontation with those apostles and came to the conclusion, that if this movement was of men, it would fade and quickly pass away. But if this movement was ordained of God, then you wouldn't be able to stop it or overthrow it for that matter. 'You might even be found to be fighting against God Himself, by opposing it and attempting to stop it,' he said. At the time I saw nothing in that movement that indicated it was ordained by my God. It opposed everything that the God of Israel had established in the past through our forefathers. Gamaliel had seen movements like this come and go his entire life. These movements would start with enthusiasm and passion but would eventually diminish and fade away completely.

"This Stephen was full of this movement's faith and exerted authority and power. He had done great wonders and miracles among the local people. However, there arose those, like myself of the various synagogues who debated and disputed with Stephen. But we weren't able to resist his intelligence and wisdom. Later, I discovered that it was by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that he spoke with such boldness and conviction. We instructed men to conspire against him and say that they had heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against our God. After we had stirred up the people along with the elders and the scribes, we had Stephen arrested and brought before the council of the Sanhedrin. We set up witnesses who said with assertiveness, 'This man keeps on making statements against this sacred place, our beloved Jerusalem and against Moses. We've heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will tear down and destroy this holy place, our sacred Temple. We've heard him say that this same Jesus will change the laws, the customs and the traditions that Moses handed down to us.'

"On hearing these words, a flame of hatred ignited my anger. I became consenting unto Stephen's death. On that day a murderous spirit possessed me and I became thirsty for the blood of the saints. That was the day that I developed a deep hatred for Jesus of Nazareth and for His 'Followers of the Way' who believed."

"So, what happened to Stephen?" asked Cassius, "Did he win his debate like you won yours?"

"No, Stephen calmly stood before his accusers with an angelic peace in his heart. Stephen paused for a moment and took a deep breath, then he began to speak with a confidence and great boldness, interpreting Scripture after Scripture from the ancient writings of our forefathers in his defence. His knowledge of our history and traditions was extremely accurate. He showed tremendous passion about our heritage. He expounded on Abraham, Joseph, Jacob, Moses, David and even Solomon. I was astounded by his wisdom and was greatly inspired by his zealousness for my God, as I shared that same zeal.

"I sat in the counsel and gazed intently at Stephen. I saw how his human face suddenly took on the appearance of an angel. It began to shine. It began to glow with the glory of heaven. My inspiration quickly turned to despair when Stephen began to refer to Jesus of Nazareth as the fulfilment of God raising up another prophet like unto Moses. Thus claiming this Jesus to be Christ, the Messiah, the King of the Jews.

"My heart exploded with fury as those blasphemous words reached my ears. I became infuriated by the disrespect that Stephen showed towards our holy Temple. How dare he imply that my God no longer dwells in our sacred Temple. How dare he state that my God does not dwell in temples built with human hands. How could he deem it even possible for my God to dwell in the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit. The more Stephen spoke the more outraged we all became.

"Without any fear in his heart, Stephen boldly announced that we were a stubborn and stiff-necked people, 'You are uncircumcised both in heart and in hearing. You always resist the Holy Spirit as your forefathers also did!' he said. He shouted with the courage and tenacity of a fierce lion. Every bit of admiration that I'd developed in my heart for this young man instantly turned to hatred and rage in a moment. How could he even refer to us in the same breath as those, who under Moses hardened their hearts in the wilderness? How dare he accuse us as being of the same ancient example of our forefather's unbelief? How dare he imply that we were cut from the same cloth as them by not mixing the word we received from God with faith in our hearts?"

"What did you do?" asked Cassius.

"How could this be?" I thought as I questioned Stephens motives, "only the Messiah when he comes could be the fulfilment of all this! I became confused and inwardly began to question the ancient beliefs of our forefathers. How could we've not heard from God? Our forefathers had diligently written down every encounter and word spoken from God. I had reverently studied and memorised our ancient writings out of the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. Was he proclaiming that this Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfilment of the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets?

"Steven yelled at the top of his voice, 'Jesus Christ, the Just and Righteous One is the promised Messiah.' He could be clearly heard above the noise of the angry crowd, 'you had Him, the Prince of Life betrayed and put to death on a cross. You betrayers and murderers!'

I couldn't detect a single quiver of fear in Steven's voice. He was outrageously bold and fuelled with confidence...."

"He was a lion!" interrupted Cassius.

"He was a bold as a lion!" I replied, "that's when the high priest handed me his robe. Instantly my arms were filled with the outer garments of my fellow Pharisees. They too were cut deeply to the heart as I was. But Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up into heaven and having his spiritual eyes opened, saw the glory of God and Jesus Christ. He cried out, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man, standing at the right hand of God.' We, all in one accord seized Stephen and shouted together in harmony. Some people placed their hands over their ears to prevent any further blasphemy from desecrating them.

"I ran behind those who seized Stephen. They dragged him outside the city gates. My arms were by then full to the brim with men's coats. Subconsciously I had accepted them during the adrenaline rush and the mass hysteria of the crowd. The Law of Moses was specific about punishing blasphemers. They were to be taken outside the city gates and stoned to death. The human stampede caused a dust cloud to arise and it envelope us as Stephen was driven out of the city gates. My heart pounded in my chest as I became enveloped with the murderous chants of the mob. I was hypnotised as adrenalin raced through my body and I became overwhelmed by a violent force. It was my first stoning.

"The crowd stopped running and made a huge circle around Stephen. The thick cloud of dust began to settle. The dust clung to every fibre of my being. As the dust settled, I could see Stephen standing with his arms stretched upwards towards the sky. His eyes were firmly fixed on heaven. I watched as the crowd gathered huge stones. Some people only took what they could carry in their hands. Some took a stone for each hand while others gathered as many stones as they could. They stored them in the front of their robes. By this time I was covered with everyone's outer garments. They had all laid their garments down at my feet, thinking that I was the young man responsible for the safekeeping of their clothes.

"Stephen calmly called upon his God as they began to stone him, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Lord do not lay this charge of sin against them.' He knelt down and cried in a loud voice. Then he fell asleep as his spirit left his body.

"Although Stephen's spirit had departed from his body, his accusers continued to annihilate his lifeless body with stones. Some walked up to his dead body that lay in the dust and continued to hurl insults at him. While others spat upon him in disgust. We were forbidden by the Law of Moses to touch anything that was dead, thus making ourselves unclean. So they didn't touch his dead body with any part of their own bodies. I stood there watching the lifeless body of Stephen. I was still mesmerized by the entire event. Slowly my arms became free of garments as one by one the counsellors of the Sanhedrin collected them. The echoes of Stephen's words rang over and over again in my ears."

Cassius sat in silence. He just listened as a poured out my heart before him.

"How dare he, how dare he deem this act of ours as a sin against God?" I said, "We were following the Laws of our forefathers to put to death those who blasphemed. My anger turned to hatred and my hatred to thoughts of murder. I kept asking myself in my innermost thought chamber, 'Who was this man Jesus from Nazareth, that this young man Stephen would embrace and sacrifice his own life for Him?' How could a young man so full of life, abandon his future and destiny to promote this Jesus as our long awaited Messiah? I didn't sleep very well at all that night. The day's events continued to replay themselves over and over again in my heart and in my mind. How could he say that our hearts and our ears must be circumcised? At the time I saw it as Blasphemy!"

Cassius didn't know what to say. It was hard for me to talk about my former life. I considered my old man dead.

"Our Law required that we be circumcised on the eighth day after our birth, by having our foreskin remove. How could my heart and ears be circumcised anyway? I thought it impossible for my heart to be cut away and I still live. All that night I tossed and turned in my bed looking for answers to questions that made no sense to me at all. That night men devoted to Stephen carried his body away and buried him. They made great laminations over his dead body. That night I made up my mind. I was going to ensure that this new movement of human origins would be overthrown and come to nought and I was going to be the one to destroy it.

"I hated Jesus of Nazareth with a passion. I thought He was an imposter." tears filled my eyes as I told Cassius this story, "I was Saul, Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew, and an enforcer of the Law of Moses. I was the protector of our ancient traditions, a guardian, a Praetorian Guard of our heritage. I was once a murderer!"

"Well, citizen, I was also a murderer like you!" said Cassius encouragingly, "one day I might tell you my story. But tell me first! What changed you to be the man, the humble lamb you are today?"

"It's Who changed me, citizen. It's Who." I replied, "It's Who!"

Brighter than the Midday Sun. #8

"I was on my way to the synagogues in Damascus, a city in the province of Syria with letters in my coat pocket from the high priest in Jerusalem." I said, "These letters granted me permission to detain and arrest both men and women who were followers of Jesus Christ. My desire was to bring them bound in chains back to Jerusalem and humiliate them there before the high priest and his counsel. In my mind, Christ's followers were merely a band of crazy disciples who embraced a dangerous ideology. They called themselves 'The Way' as they claimed to be divinely enlightened and illuminated with truth by God Himself. However, to me they were a mockery to everything that I stood for. They were an embarrassment to my core beliefs that I obtained from the Law of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets.

"I went about breathing out harsh threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. They were a menace and I wanted to blot them out, along with their idiotic philosophy. While I journeyed along the road with my companions, as I came near to Damascus, suddenly there shone all around me a bright light from heaven. This light was brighter than the midday sun in all its glorious splendour. Immediately I fell to the ground in humility and embraced its dust, in an empty attempt to cover my feeble humanity. I could taste the dust of the earth in my mouth as it dried up all my saliva. The dust was a fearful reminder that I was a mere man in the presence of a sovereign God and that we had been created by Him from mere dirt. The dust had found its way up my nose and into my eyes. That's when I realised that I'd been blinded my entire life by the dust of the ground. My fallen human nature had prevented me from seeing the truth."

"I want to see the Light!" said Cassius. He was hell bent on seeing the Light. I knew that he had become obsessed with the Light. He was jealous that I had seen the Light. "Tell me more!"

"I heard a bold voice call out my name from heaven, 'Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?' Shaken and stunned to my core I asked trembling, 'Who are you Lord?' The voice replied, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against My will.' The glowing glory that shone from the face of Jesus Christ went to work deep down inside me, deep into my heart of hearts. His divine power began to dissolve my wicked murderous heart as it began to pierce my spirit. Astonished and in awe my entire body trembled uncontrollably while I lay upon the ground. With a shaky voice and exempt of courage I asked, 'Lord, what do you want me to do for you?' The Lord replied and said unto me, 'Arise and go into the city of Damascus and it will be told of you there what you must do further.' Damascus is an ancient Syrian city that was fortified with houses upon its walls. It dates back before my forefather Abraham."

"I've been to Damascus," said Cassius anxiously, "I know its history!" He was determined to hear the rest of my story.

"It's a great city!" I replied, "The men who journeyed with me stood speechless. They heard the sound of someone's voice that was speaking to me from heaven, but they couldn't see the person who was speaking."

"Exactly what happened to me." said Cassius, interrupting me again.

"Exactly like that," I replied, "they heard but they didn't see. The powerful voice of Messiah said to me, 'Rise up and stand upon your feet for I've appeared to you for this very purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of these things which you have seen of me here today, and of things that I will reveal to you in the future concerning me.' I arose from the ground just as He had commanded me. But when I opened my eyes I couldn't see out of them. It wasn't the dust that was preventing me from seeing. So great was the heavenly vision and so bright was Messiahs' face that it blinded my natural human sight. I couldn't see the men that were travelling with me. My earthly vision had been altered eternally by Messiah Himself.

"I've heard this story from your trial!" interrupted Cassius.

"Will you stop interrupting me, citizen." I said, "Do you want to hear my story or not?"

"I would like to hear your story, citizen!"

"From that moment on, I could no longer see things as a mere man and from an earthly perspective. I began to see things through the eyes of the Holy Spirit, from a heavenly perspective. It took blindness to end my blindness. I'd been so blind about Christ and His followers. I'd been so blinded by the Law of Moses and the traditions of my forefathers. My travelling companions had to lead me by the hand to ensure that I reached Damascus. My spiritual eyes had been opened to the truth."

"You must have been terrified by the blindness!" said Cassius.

"No, I wasn't terrified. I knew I would see again. For three days I was without my natural sight. I didn't eat or drink during those three days as my heavenly encounter with Messiah had struck me to the core. Deep down inside my heart I had a real Shalom, a genuine peace. I knew that the loss of my eye sight was only temporary, yet it carried powerful spiritual significance. The darkness was teaching me a valuable lesson. I was to never again walk by sight but I was to walk by faith. I was to leaning my entire personality upon God by putting my confidence in Him and in Him alone.

"It was during those three days of darkness that my understanding became enlightened. The eyes of my heart were flooded with pure heavenly light as I was filled with the spirit of wisdom and revelation. I came to the realisation that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ had chosen me and set me apart before I was born. When I was still in my mother's womb, He had woven me together intricately and forged it into my core to be His chosen servant. He had called me by His divine grace, His undeserving favour and blessing, to be an apostle. To carry the torch of the glorious gospel of light to the non-jewish world. It was pleasing and fitting for Him to unveil and reveal His Son in me, so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentile nations with boldness and passion.

"In my dark blindness I could hear the echoes of history shouting as my understanding became awakened with the illuminating light of the Messiah. It was the dust of the ground that had taken my sight away. It was because I followed after my own human flesh and it's dictates that Almighty God had caused my blindness."

Luke walked in through the back door. He always used the back door. I called him over to come and join us.

"What are you talking about?" asked Luke as he removed his outer garment hastily, flinging it onto the chair in the corner.

"Paul told me about Stephen," said Cassius.

"You must be the only person he's told it too! He never tells that story." replied Luke.

"Well, he told it too me and he's telling me about his conversion."

"I've heard that story. Where is he?"

"He's at the part when He is blinded for three days."

"Luke! Tell Cassius about the time when Messiah restored sight to the blind man with the clay." I said.

"One day Messiah took the dust of the ground and used it to restore sight to a blind man," said Luke. He loved telling stories about his Master, the Messiah.

"How did He do that? asked Cassius.

"Jesus saw a man who had been blind from his birth. We, His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind without any eyes?' Jesus looked up. He stared directly into their curious faces and answered, 'This man nor his parents have sinned, but he is blind that I might demonstrate the wondrous working power of God. So that the healing power of God should be made manifest in him.' We were shocked and overtaken by the Masters answer. It didn't make any sense. Why would God allow a man to be born blind only to demonstrate His miracle power in him? Jesus was undisturbed by our thoughts and continued, 'I must work the works of Him who sent me, while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.' After He had spoken these things, He spat on the ground."

"He did what!" said Cassius.

"He spat on the ground! He made clay of the spittle as He mixed His saliva with the dust of the ground. Then He did the ridiculous, He anointed the eyes of the blind man, smearing them with the clay. Pressing it into his empty eye sockets. Master boldly commanded him and said, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.' The blind man went on his way and washed in the pool just as he had been commanded. The man returned seeing. He had received his sight."

"How did He do that?" asked Cassius.

"Well," said Doctor Luke, "when the water at the pool touched the mingled clay it turned that dirt into a set of eyes. If God in the Garden of Eden could have turned an entire clay statue into flesh and blood. Thus creating an entire man from mud, then just creating eyes must have been an easy task for Him. The disciples spoke of that miracle for days between themselves."

"You see Cassius," I said, "I know what it's like to walk around in darkness. I know what it's like to grope in the dark not knowing where I was. I was completely disorientated, not knowing which direction I was facing. I didn't know what time of day it was. I had to rely upon my hearing and my touch for the first time. However, my blindness was on the outside but on the inside I became all seeing. Messiahs words had come true when he said, 'I've come into this world, to give sight to the blind, to show those who think they see that they are blind.'"

Luke the doctor piped up saying, "Master rebuked the Pharisees when they became hostile with Him. They assumed that He was accusing them of being blind. Jesus said, 'If you were blind you wouldn't be guilty of sin, but because you say I can see your guilt of sin remains.' Those Pharisees were angry with Him that day!"

"Cassius," I said, "I thought I could see and that's the reason why I was so blind. I was spiritually blind. I was blind to the truth. I was as guilty of sin as those Pharisees."

"You were a Pharisee!" said Luke. Cassius burst out laughing. Tears of joy ran down his cheeks and he banged his fist on the table. Our mouths were filled with laughter. We took a break and I prepared lunch. During lunch we continued with our conversation.

"My sin had made me blind." I said, "I'd been blinded by the Law of Moses and by my zeal to keep the Law. Now I was blinded in the natural, yet awakened deep down in my spirit. It only took one supernatural encounter with Messiah to purge my conscience. I went from having a conscience that focused on sin to having a conscience that focused on righteousness. This righteousness could only be obtained by faith and by faith alone, a righteousness apart from keeping the Law of Moses. It was this faith, the faith in the Messiah that I became a messenger, a minister. I was to compel men everywhere to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, first the Jews and then the Gentiles."

Cassius asked me questions about the bright light again. You've Told me now about the Light that shone brighter than the midday sun! But how do I get to have an encounter with the Light?" asked Cassius in desperation. There was a yearning deep down in his heart to have an encounter with the Light just as I did.

I smiled at him and said, "One day my friend. God willing, one day. All I know is if you draw near unto God He will draw near unto you!" It was time for Cassius to become acquainted with my life's story.

I am Paul, called by the Grace of God to be an apostle. When God our Saviour revealed His Love and kindness to us, He saved us, not because of our own righteousness and the good things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins giving us a new life through the Holy Spirit.

Amen – so be it.

Eyes Opened. #9

"I was still in Damascus. It had been three days since my heavenly collision with Messiah and His blinding Light. Jesus had given me clear instructions and a mandate from heaven, empowering me to be a servant of the Gospel of His Kingdom. I was to preach the message of the cross of Christ. I was to open spiritual eyes that were blind and enlighten men's understandings to the truth that they should turn away from their darkness towards His marvellous light. I was to set them free from the power of Satan and introduce them to the power of God. That they may freely receive forgiveness of sins. That they may be sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and that they may have an eternal inheritance in Him.

"I did many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. In Jerusalem, I shut up many of the saints in prison. I'd received authority from the chief priests, carrying their letters of delegation in my coat pockets. I gave my consent and voiced my opinions against the saints. They were put to death because of me. I'd punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme against God. I was exceedingly maddened and obsessed against them and their doctrines, I persecuted them, even pursuing them to strange cities. I was unworthy to even be called an apostle, I was the chief of sinners. I was the waste and the filth of the world.

"I had been praying when I saw a man in a vision by the name of Ananias, who came to visit me while I was in Damascus. In the vision he put his hand on me and prayed that I might again receive my sight. There was indeed a disciple in Damascus by that name. The Lord had spoken to him in a vision. He had called him out by his name. 'Ananias,' called the God of heaven. 'Here I am Lord!' acknowledged Ananias. He was curious as he had never received a vision of this nature from the Lord before. The Lord had instructed him to arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, where I was staying in the house of Judas. Ananias questioned God because he had heard the many things about me. News of how much evil I had done to all the saints at Jerusalem. How that I'd been given authority from the chief priests to bind all those who called on Christ's name.

"The Lord said to him, 'Go your way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me. I have ordained that he bear my holy name before the Gentiles. He will stand before kings and before the children of Israel and proclaim my name to them. I will also show him how many great things he must suffer for my name's sake.' So Ananias went on his way and entered into the house where I was. He laid his hands on me just as I had seen in the vision and proclaimed, 'Brother Saul, the Lord God, even Jesus that appeared unto you on the road as you came here. He has sent me, that you might receive your sight back and that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

"Immediately there fell, as it were scales from my eyes and I received my sight back at that very moment. Finally, I had come out of the dark and into the light. I realised that I'd been wrong about upholding the Laws of Moses in my own strength. I'd spent many years in deception, thinking it was the truth.

"I arose and got up on my feet. I went with Ananias and was baptised in water and received the out pouring of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. I was given food to eat which caused my physical strength to return. I hadn't eaten nor had anything to drink for three days. However, it was the inner strength and power that I felt in my inner man that amazed me. I was strengthen with all might in my inner man by the Holy Spirits power. It was that same power that had raised Jesus Christ from the dead. That power was now living and active in me.

"Something supernatural happened to me when I went through the waters of baptism. I was baptised because of my faith and my believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. This simple act of obedience changed my life. The waters were symbolic of a permanent reality. The reality was that the waters immersed me into a fixed position captured in both space and time. My old sinful man was suspended in time forever on the cross of Christ where He died. That old carnal man with its evil lusts were buried and laid with Christ in the tomb. The old man with its lustful affections was crucified with Christ and buried with Him through the waters of baptism. As I came up out of the waters I was resurrected with Christ out of the grave. I was now a new man.

"The new man, the new me, the spiritual me was raised together with the Messiah. When Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, I was raised up together with Him. I was raised to now serve Him in newness of life. It was no longer I that lived, but the resurrected Christ now lived in me. I was a new creature, a new man altogether. Old things had passed away and all things had become new. I was water baptised into His painful death, into His burial and into His resurrection. The water suspended me and trapped me in space and time. I was dead with Him. I was buried with Him, and I was raised to new life with Him. God forbid that I should boast or glory in anything except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. I was now crucified unto the world and the world was crucified unto me."

Luke got up from the table and lit a lantern. It was getting dark. He proceeded to close the window and the shutters. "Don't mind me," he said, "I'm just closing up for the night."

"Carry on, citizen," said Cassius. He was eager to hear my story.

"I spent a few days with the disciples, Christ's followers that were at Damascus," I said. Cassius was mesmerized and fixed his eyes intently on me. "Straight away I began to preach Christ Jesus in the synagogues. I boldly proclaimed that He is the Son of God. All those who heard me were amazed and astounded at my transformation and conversion. They said, 'Isn't this he that destroyed them which called on Christ's name in Jerusalem. Has he not come here with the intent of taking saints back to the chief priests, bound and in chains?'

"When Christ was revealed in me on that dusty Damascus road, I didn't confer with flesh and blood. I didn't consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were the apostles. But I went into Arabia, and preached there for three years, before returning again to Damascus. The King of Arabia had put a warrant out for my arrest, so I returned to Damascus. What had been bestowed upon me was from God, and God alone. I didn't have to seek man's approval, when I'd been given a divine mandate from Messiah Himself? God gave this calling and ministry to me. Only He could revoke it, as the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.

"I increased more and more in strength and spiritual stature. I confounded the Jews that lived and dwelt at Damascus with my teachings. I supernaturally began to receive divine insight and revelation from heaven. The eyes of my understanding were enlightened to the holy Scriptures. I began to see Christ upon the pages of every ancient manuscript. The hidden mysteries and secrets of heaven were being made known to me. These mysteries and secrets had been hidden throughout the ages, but they were now being revealed unto me. The Jews still followed the Law of Moses religiously, as I had done. They hadn't yet been awakened to Messiah. I proved to them from their own Scriptures, that this man Jesus was the very Christ and our Messiah.

"After a few days, the unbelieving Jews took counsel to kill me. They were as stubborn about the traditions of our forefathers as I once was. They were no longer prepared to listen to my teachings. They were entrenched in the old letter of the Law, blinded like I was, before my heavenly encounter. The Jews watched the gates both day and night, looking for me to kill me. They wanted me dead. I became aware of their schemes and did everything in my power to avoid them. The same murderous spirit that once drove me to kill the saints was now on them.

"Late one night the 'Disciples of the Way' took me and let me down by the wall in a huge basket. As I was being lowered down in the basket it occurred to me how a small baby was once rescued in a basket. My life was being saved by a basket exactly how baby Moses was once saved. He was lowered down into a river in a basket. His mother had made a basket out of bulrushes. She made it watertight by daubing it with a bitumen pitch. Then she put the child in it and laid it among the rushes, by the brink of the River Nile. So here I was, like Moses, the father of our Law being saved by a basket.

"That night I travelled and made my way to Jerusalem. Not only is it the holy city but it's the capital of Judea. It's the centre for Judaism as our Temple is located there. It's home to our kings and our priesthood. King David made Jerusalem his home after defeating the Jebusites there. Melchizedek, King of Salem originated from there and that's where our Messiah was crucified. It was my desire to join myself with the Lord's disciples and His apostles. But they were afraid of me and didn't believed that I was now a 'Disciple of the Way.' They thought it was a conspiracy of mine to discover who they were and where they were living, so I could flush them out and hand them over to the chief priests. However, there was a young man who believed me and my story, named Barnabas. His name meant, the son of exhortation. He was a Jew from Cyprus, a Levite. He took me and led me to the Lord's apostles.

"I declared unto them how I had seen the Lord Jesus Christ in the Way, as I travelled to Damascus. How Christ had revealed himself to me in a heavenly vision. I told them how I had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of the Lord. I spent time with the saints and the apostles, coming and going in and out at Jerusalem. I spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians, the Jews that spoke Greek. But once again they went about to slay and kill me. When the brothers discovered that the Grecians were wanting to kill me, they took me down to Caesarea for safety."

"Just like the Roman commander did!" said Cassius. I could see by the look on his face that he was enjoying my history leason.

"That was the second time I was hauled off to safety down to Caesarea. This was the first time," I replied. "Anyway, the brothers sent me back to Tarsus, my home town for my own safety. I spent five years there working with my hands, doing my trade and skill, which was making tents. It was during this time that I became intimate with the Lord Jesus and with His heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit began to enlighten my understanding to the ancient texts and the Scriptures. The Scriptures came alive to me and I could see Christ upon every page. The word of Christ began to dwell in me richly. God Almighty had hidden Himself in our Law, the Psalms and the Prophets. I was just too blind in my zeal and my traditions to see it. After the eyes of my understanding had been enlightened and the eyes of my spirit had been flooded with light, I could see. Christ is all and in all. I could see Him everywhere in our sacred texts, the Torah.

"It was during this time that the churches had rest throughout all the regions of Judea, Galilee and Samaria. They were built up in the most holy faith and were edified in Christ. They walked in the reverential fear of God and stood firm in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. The churches multiplied and increased greatly. Holy respect and reverence for God came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the hands of the apostles.

"In Tarsus, God was preparing me for greatness and I knew it. Like steel is tempered in a fire and forged to conform to the shape that the hammer smith deems fit. So my character was being forge by the fire of the Holy Spirit burning deep within me. God was working within me both to will and to do of his good pleasure. God the Father had begun a good work in me and I knew that He was going to finish what He had started. I was His workmanship, created for good works in Christ Jesus. Deep inside me a gentle lamb was being born. A lamb that would lie down alongside the lion in my heart. A message was been engraved in me, which I received directly from Messiah Himself. This Gospel message wasn't taught to me by men, but I received it by divine revelation from before the Throne of Grace.

"The more I made tents the more I discovered that the God of the universe was looking for a place to dwell. Here I was making dwellings for people to rest in while God Himself was looking for a dwelling place of His own to rest in. He had dwelt in a tent on a mountain in the past but now He was desirous of dwelling in the tent of a human heart. He wanted me to be His messenger. It was His will to establish a tent, a tabernacle, a dwelling place in the Earth. It was His plan and purpose to rebuild the Tabernacle of King David once again. So that all men from every tribe and nation could approach Him. Do you not know that your body is the temple of God in which He dwells by His Holy Spirit?"

"I didn't know that," said Cassius.

"Yes, God lives inside you Cassius," I said, "Messiah lives in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Messiah wanted me to spread the good news of the Gospel and proclaim that the dwelling of God is now with men. He wanted all men to know that He desires to live and dwell in their hearts. To the Jews first and then the Gentiles. He wanted to be intimate with them. He wanted to walk with them face to face, like He did with Adam in the Garden during the cool of the day. He wanted to be their God and their heavenly Father. He wanted them to be His children, His sons and His daughters."

"Citizen, are you telling me that I'm a son of God," asked Cassius.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you!" I replied, "we are all children of the Most High God!"

"That's amazing! Men have been wanting to become gods since I could remember. Now you are telling me that I'm a god because I've united myself with the Messiah." said Cassius.

"He who has united himself with the Lord Jesus Christ in one with Him," I replied, "we are now the dwelling place of God and He lives in us by His Holy Spirit." I could see the wheels turning inside Cassius's head. I had him stumped on this one. "However, one day Barnabas appeared unexpectedly. He had come to fetch me. He had overwhelming news about a particular 'Church of the Way.' Barnabas remembered how I had debated in fluent Greek with the Grecians in Jerusalem. I was needed for my language skills, as many Greek speaking people had been converted to Christ. As I was fluent in four languages, Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Aramaic I was needed.

"So my journey began into the world of preaching Christ's Gospel message, the Good News. It was my destiny, the reason I was born, to preach this gospel to the entire world. This gospel was Jesus Christ and Him Crucified."

The more Cassius heard about the story of my life, the more he became intrigued. He was fascinated how the Light had miraculously change me from being a murderer to a minister.

"I cant believe that you were a murderer!" said Cassius, "you are such a gentle man. A man full of love."

"Just because I behave like a lamb doesn't mean that there isn't a lion living on the inside of me," I replied.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Cassius.

"There is a lion and a lamb living on the inside of everyone of us," I explained, "we're afraid to reveal the lamb because we think people will take advantage of us. Being kind and gentle doesn't mean that we can't be bold and strong."

"What are you saying? That we are both a lion and a lamb!"

"Yes, Cassius. We're lions and we're lambs. The secret is knowing when to be a lion and when to be a lamb. Remember God is living in us and He's both a Lion and a Lamb. When I was a murderer, I went around roaring like a ferocious lion. Messiah awakened the lamb in me. The Holy Spirit shed the love of God abroad in my heart. He taught me how to love unconditionally."

"I want that love? I want to become a lamb like you? I've always been a lion. My whole life, I've only known what it's like to be a lion. Like you I was that ferocious lion but on the battle fields of Rome. I would return from battle with my garments soaked in other men's blood. That's why Rome has its soldiers wear red. It hides the blood."

"You can have that love today, Cassius."

"What must I do to have this love?"

"I'll have you water baptised and I'll lay my hands on you to receive the promised Holy Spirit."

That night I had Cassius water baptised secretly by Luke in a river outside Rome. He was now in chains, spiritual chains. He was now crucified with Christ. He was buried with Him and raised to newness of life with Him. And since we've been raised with Him, we are seated together with Him in heavenly realms at His Father's right hand. His spiritual garments were now soaked with blood, but not from the battlefields of Rome but from the cross of Christ. He'd been washed with the blood of the Lamb. The Lamb had slain the murderous lion in him as He had in me. However, the Lamb knows how to roar like a lion and become a ferocious lion on heavens battlefield.

"When we speak in tongues we are speaking mysteries unto God," I said to Cassius, explaining it to him, "speak in tongues as often as you can as much as possible. I speak in tongues more than anyone else."

"How often do you speak?" asked Cassius.

"In every season of my life, all the time and whenever I can." I replied. I laid my hands upon Cassius that day and he received the outpouring of Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. He spoke in tongues all that night. He babbled on until morning.

I am Paul, I was blind but now I see. May the God of Shalom, Himself sanctify you and make you pure in every way. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen – so be it.

The Journey begins. #10

"Jerusalem had changed over a short period of time and I was the one responsible for that change. The believers had dispersed after the death of Stephen. They had fled from Jerusalem when I began to arrest the 'Disciples of the Way' and have them flogged and imprisoned. The believers spread all over the world and spread the Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom as they went.

"I changed my name from Saul to Paul, which means dwarfish or little one. In order for God to use you as His servant, He must first make you small. You must first decrease that Christ may increase in your life. The proud are rejected by God and access to His Throne is denied to them. Grace is only given to the humble, to those who are penitent, those who show genuine remorse for sin.

"I didn't want to be remembered as the one who breathed out threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord Jesus. I didn't want the horror to linger in my mind of how I persecuted the 'Saints of the Way' even unto death. I had to make myself forget those things that were behind in my past and I had to press on to obtain the prize of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus my Lord. I was ashamed that I had bound both men and woman and led them back to Jerusalem to await trial. I had persecuted the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ beyond measure and wasted it away. My hands were bloodied and soiled by the innocent blood of God's saints."

Cassius sat dead still at the table as I spoke. He was all ears. Luke went an lay down on his mat as a sign that he was ready for bed. He had heard my story a thousand times.

"By faith, I laid my old carnal man Saul to rest," I said, "I crucified him with the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary. I buried that old man Saul in the tomb with the lifeless body of the Messiah. I considered every old earthly passion dead and presented my body as a living sacrifice unto God. As far as I was concerned, Saul was dead and buried and my new self was raised back to life again. When Christ died, I died. When Christ was raised, I was raised with Him to newness of life. And the life that I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave His life for me.

"God showed me his unfailing mercy. Before I was a blasphemer, a persecutor. I injured the Church of Jesus Christ. Yet I obtained mercy, because I did all these things out of ignorance and in unbelief. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief leader of all sinners. If you think that God cannot forgive people their sins then you are mistaken. I'm living proof that God is a God of mercy and forgives sinners of their sin. That's why I changed my name from Saul to Paul. I was arrogant and full of pride. Now I'm a humble servant of the Messiah."

"You were a lion and now you are a lamb!" suggested Cassius butting in.

"Believe me, I'm still a lion. I'm both a lion and a lamb. The old lion was attached to my old self. He was an angry lion that showed no mercy. However, The converted Jews, the 'Believers of the Way' that had fled Jerusalem preached Christ and His Kingdom in the city of Antioch. It is the third largest city in the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria. It is the capital city of the Province of Syria, located on the Orontes River. It is famous for its perfumes and the Olympic Games are held there. The god's Zeus, Apollo and Tyche are worshipped there. Many people in Antioch believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and were converted.

"Tidings of these miraculous conversions reached the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem. The apostles there sent Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch and be a witness of this Jesus movement there. When Barnabas arrived at Antioch he saw how the grace of God rested heavily upon the saints of God there. He was exceedingly glad, and exhorted them all. He encouraged them saying, 'With purpose of heart, you should cleave unto the Lord Jesus Christ, not letting go of your faith and trust in Him.' Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and full of faith. Many more people were added unto the Lord Jesus Christ while Barnabas stayed in Antioch. 'I must go and find him,' said Barnabas in his heart.

"That's when Barnabas left Antioch and headed for Tarsus. He was in search of me as he knew my ability to speak and interpret many languages. Antioch was prominently Greek speaking and I was fluent in Greek. My time for preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ had come upon me. It was my time. My time for purpose and destiny had arrived.

"When he found me, he brought me back with him to Antioch. It came to pass, we spent a whole year there assembled together with the church, and taught multitudes of people there. Those who believed and became disciples were called little Christ's or Christians first in Antioch. The believers there had become an exact replica of Jesus Christ in the earth. They had become partakers of the divine nature and had become an expression of God in the earth. God had duplicated Himself upon the earth, as it is in heaven. That's when prophets came from the church in Jerusalem to Antioch to see these miniature Christ's or little Christ's that we call Christians.

"During this time some prophets travelled down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in the meeting and prophesied, predicting by the Holy Spirit that a severe famine would come upon the entire Roman world. This prophesy was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius, the Roman Emperor."

"I served in the military under Emperor Claudius," said Cassius, "I fought many battles for Rome during His reign."

"It was during his reign that the 'Disciples of the Way' in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea," I continued, "Everyone gave as much as they could afford, according to their own prosperity. They entrusted their gifts to Barnabas and me, to take them to the church elders in Jerusalem.

"During this time Barnabas and I, along with the prophets and teachers from Jerusalem, began to minister to the Lord with fasting and prayer. The Holy Spirit said to them, 'Separate both Barnabas and Paul unto me for the work that I have called them to do in my name.' After they had finished fasting and praying they laid their hands upon us and sent us away, on a journey. Barnabas and I had been sent out by the Holy Spirit to do God's work. Just as God the Father had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. We too had been anointed and sent out by the Holy Spirit to do God's work.

"We had been sent out as apostles. We were set apart as delegates and ambassadors of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We were messengers and representatives of Jesus Christ Himself to His holy Church. My first missionary journey began with a loyal spiritual soldier by my side, my good friend Barnabas. He was indeed a friend who stuck closer than a brother. It was God's ordained order that we be sent out two by two. We departed together and went down to port city of Seleucia just as the Holy Spirit had instructed us. We sailed from that port to the Island of Cyprus.

"When we arrived at Salamis, a town on the Island, we preached the Word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. We had John Mark, a cousin of Barnabas as an attendant to assist us. After we passed through the entire Island as far as Paphos, the capital city of Cyprus. Paphos housed sacred shrines to the goddess of love known as Venus to the Romans and Aphrodite to the Greeks. We came face to face with a sorcerer, a false Jewish prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus. The sorcerer withstood us, but I was full of the Holy Ghost. I spoke boldly against him and commissioned that he be blind for a season, just as I once was on the Damascus road. Darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking for someone to lead him by the hand.

"We sailed from Paphos, a port in Cyprus and travelled to Perga, a fortified city in the province of Pamphylia."

"I've been there," said Cassius, "The goddess Diana is worshipped in Perga and her priestesses are cult prostitutes."

"Anyway, John Mark separated himself from us," I said, "abandoning us there and went back to Jerusalem. After we departed from Perga, we travelled to another Antioch in the province of Pisidia in Southern Galatia."

"I've never been there!" announced Cassius, "but I've heard of the place."

"It's a major stopping point on the trade route from Ephesus to the Euphrates. The sanctuary of Apollo, the sun god, the half-god, half-man is in the nearby hills. Apollo is worshipped freely and openly there. We went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. After the reading of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue asked us if we had any word of exhortation or encouragement for the people.

"That's when I stood up, and motioning with my hand for them to be silent as I was about to speak. I spoke under the control of the Holy Spirit and said, 'Men of Israel, and all you who fear God and have reverential respect for Him, listen to my words.' It was my passion to persuaded men everywhere to revere and fear God contrary to the Law of Moses. It was my desire that they would have grace and serve God acceptably with the reverential fear of the Lord.

"I preached with great boldness like the apostles did in Jerusalem, I said 'The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers, and made this people great. When they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, with an outstretched arm God uplifted and brought them out of that strange land. For about forty years like a nursing father, God cared for them in the wilderness and endured their unruly behaviour. When He had destroyed seven nations greater than themselves in the land of Canaan, He divided and gave the Hebrews their land as an inheritance. Distributing it to them by lot, all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. He then gave them the judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. Afterwards they desired a king and asked God for a king. So God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin for forty years.'

"The room was silent as I delivered my history lesson. Their eyes were fasten on me intently. However, I was saving the best for last. I continued in my quest to deliver Gods message to them, 'When God had removed Saul as king, He raised up David to be their new king. God testified, and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, who shall do all my will and carry out my instructions.' Of this man's descendants God has brought to Israel a Saviour in the person of Jesus, in keeping with His promises. Now before the coming of Jesus, John preached to all the people of Israel the baptism of repentance, in turning to God from sin. As John was ending his ministry, he asked, 'Who do you secretly think that I am? No, I am not the Christ. But after me One is coming, whose shoes of His feet I am unworthy to untie.' Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and all among you who revere and fear God. It is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.'

"God's words began to flow off my tongue like arrows shot from a bow. His words upon my lips were inspired and spontaneous. They were sharper than any two edged sword in the hands of a skilled battle warrior, 'For the people living in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognise who Jesus was or understand the message of our prophets which are read every Sabbath day. So they fulfilled that prophesy by condemning Him. They couldn't find any legitimate grounds for a death sentence. Nevertheless they asked Pilate to have Him slain and executed. And when they had carried out all the things that were written about Him in the Book, they took Him down from the cross, and placed Him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead.'

"The room was filled with expectation. Their eyes and faces were fixed upon me with anticipation. I had taken them on a journey through time and enlightened their minds to the Scriptures. They understood them in a way that they'd never seen them before. I continued bravely, 'Jesus appeared for many days to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now His witnesses to the people. As for us, we are bringing you the Good News that, what God promised to our forefathers, He's fulfilled for us His children, in raising Jesus again from the dead. As it is written in the second Psalm, 'You are my Son, today I have become your Father.' As concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, to no more return to decay, He said, 'I will give the holy and trustworthy things of David to you.' This is explained elsewhere in another Psalm, 'You will not let your Holy One see decay.' For David did indeed serve God's purposes in his own generation, but after that, he died and was buried with his fathers and he did see decay. His body returned back to the ground and returned to the dust. But the One, whom God raised again, did not see decay. Therefore, brothers, let it be known to you, that through this man Jesus is proclaimed to you forgiveness of sins! God justifies and clears everyone from all things. To all those who believe and put their trust in this man, from which you could not be justified and cleared by the Law of Moses.'

"I ended my sermon with a warning from our holy Scriptures, 'Watch out then and beware so that this word found in the Prophets may not happen to you. 'You Mockers! Look and marvel and perish! For in your own time, I'm doing a work among you that you simply will not believe, even if someone explains it to you!'"

"Have you always been this brave and daring?" asked Cassius. Before I could answer him Luke yelled from behind me.

"Yes!" shouted Luke, "always! He doesn't know when to walk away and fight another day!"

"Don't worry, citizen," replied Cassius, "I'm exactly like you. Why fight a battle tomorrow when you can fight it today?" Luke rolled over and pulled the blanket over himself. He knew he was out numbered.

"When the Jews left the meeting place that day," I said, "the Gentiles invited Barnabas and I to tell them more about these matters the following Sabbath. Many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed us after the meeting. We spoke a word of encouragement to them, persuading them to continue in the grace of God and hold fast to the love and kindness of God.

"When the next Sabbath day came, almost the whole city gathered together to hear the message about the Messiah. But when the Jews who had not believed saw the multitudes and crowds of people, they were filled with jealously and spoke up against what I was preaching and insulted me before all the people. Then Barnabas and I answered boldly and courageously, and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, the Jews. But since you are rejecting it and are judging yourselves unworthy of everlasting life. We are turning to the Gentiles."

"From that day on I preached to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. For this is what God had ordered me to do saying, 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be a deliverer to them, bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.' When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and honoured the message about the Lord Jesus Christ. Many believed and came to trust in Jesus Christ, as their Saviour. They were now appointed unto eternal life.

"The message of the Lord concerning salvation through Jesus Christ was spread throughout that whole region. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the God-fearing women of high social standing, and all the leading men of that city. They organised and arranged persecutions against us, and expelled us out of their coasts. We refused to allow earthly things to attach themselves to us, so we shook off the dust against them, and journeyed to Iconium. It is the capital city in the province of Lycaonia, We, His disciples were all filled with overwhelming joy, and we were full of the Holy Spirit."

"I can't believe that you rejoiced and were filled with overwhelming joy after being persecuted," said Cassius shaking his head. "Citizen! I would have fought back. I would have defended myself and my rights. I'm a citizen of Rome and Rome doesn't back down!"

"That's the lion in you talking," I replied, "Messiah taught us a more excellent way."

"Yes I know! You've told me a thousand times. The way of love."

"It's the way of love and it's the way of the Lamb. It's a more excellent way."

"Lion or no lion I've never once turned my back on my enemy on or off the battlefield. How can you turn the other cheek? You amaze me, citizen!"

"They not my cheeks, Cassius."

"Whose cheeks are they then?"

"They Messiahs' cheeks. When they strike me they're striking Him. When they insult me they're insulting Him. Messiah lives in me, Cassius. Whatever they do to me they doing it to Him." The room went silent. Cassius was lost for words, "the Lamb is alive in me. He lives in me. He's awake in me. My duty to the Lamb is too let Him touch the people through me. The Lamb loves His creation. He wants to save them and not harm them. I roar like a lion when I speak, only to tell them about the salvation of the Lamb."

"Thank you, Citizen for the enlightenment!" said Cassius sheepishly. My words cut him to the heart.

"Lets retire for the evening!" I said, "I'll tell you more about my journeys tomorrow."

"No!" said Cassius emphatically, "I want to hear everything. Tell me everything. The night is still young!"

I am Paul, the little one. I am the least of all the apostles.

Amen – so be it.

Love for the Jews. #11

"When we arrived at Iconium," I said, "Barnabas and I again went into the synagogue of the Jews. We spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed and came to trust on the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in Iconium the same thing happened as it did at Perga. The unbelieving Jews who wouldn't be persuaded by our teachings stirred up the Gentiles. They poisoned their minds against us. My heart became heavy about my fellow countryman, the Jews. They had disqualified themselves by deeming themselves to be unworthy of receiving eternal life.

"I encouraged men everywhere not to deem themselves unworthy, especially when eating and drinking at the Lord's Table. Whosoever shall eat the bread, and drink the cup of the Lord, unworthily, eats and drinks judgement upon himself, because they haven't discerned or recognized the Lord's body correctly. They will be guilty of desecrating the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus. So let a person examine himself first, that he deems himself worthy of receiving eternal life. Then he may eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. My fellow Jews had deemed themselves unworthy to receive the free gift of salvation and were therefore disqualified of eating and drinking at the Lord's Table.

"I received this insight by divine revelation from the Lord. How on the night that the Lord Jesus was betrayed He took bread. When he'd given thanks, He broke it, and said, 'Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' When the supper was ended, He also took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new testament in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.' The Lord's Table is where we remember what Christ, the Messiah did for us upon the cross. It's not a place for us to remember what sins we committed and which laws we have broken. For every time we eat the bread and drink the cup, we signify and proclaim the Lord's death, till He comes again. It's not about us and what we've done, it's all about Him and what He did for us on the cross.

"The cup of blessing, of the wine at the Lord's Table upon which we ask God's blessing, doesn't it mean that in drinking it, we participate in and share a fellowship in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, doesn't it mean that in eating it, we participate in and share a fellowship in the body of Christ? For we being many are One loaf of bread, and therefore one body. For we are all partakers of that One bread, Christ. We all share a fellowship in what His blood and broken body accomplished for us upon the cross when He died. His blood has washed and cleansed us from all our sins, atoning for them with His blood upon the cross. His broken body was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. By the stripes upon His back we are healed.

"I was sick when I first preached the Good News in the province of Galatia. They didn't mistreat me nor despise and reject me, even though my condition tempted them to do so. I was taken in and cared for as though I were an angel sent from God. I was received as if they were receiving Jesus Christ Himself. I stood in faith believing for the healing of my body. I bore on my body the scars that show I belong to Christ.

"What Jesus had accomplished for us through His body and His blood upon the cross has qualified us. Making us worthy to receive eternal life. He died for all humanity, making all of us worthy to receive the free gift of salvation. God's free gift is never to be compared to the trespasses of our sin, not at all. One must focus on the grace given at the Lord's Table and not on their sins and transgressions. This is how to eat and drink worthily.

"As one man's trespasses led to condemnation and judgement for all men. So one Man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and right standing with God, to receive eternal life. For by one man's disobedience, Adam many were made sinners, so also by the obedience of One, Jesus Christ shall many be made righteous and deemed worthy. For if by one man's trespass death reigned because of that one man, Adam. How much more shall those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness. Shall they not reign as kings in life by that One man, Jesus Christ. Therefore as sin has reigned leading unto death, even so grace must now reign leading to newness of life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

"Too much learning has mad you mad, citizen!" laughed Cassius. He was astounded by my knowledge of things at times. I smiled back at him and continued, "Barnabas and I stayed on in Iconium for a long time, speaking freely with a fearless boldness in the Lord. For God had not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but a spirit of power, love and self-control in our minds.

"We continued to bear testimony to the word of His grace, performing with our hands signs and wonders. But the residents of the city continued to be divided into two parties. Some siding with the Jews, and some with us, the apostles. There was an attempt from both the unbelieving Jews and the Gentiles, together with their rulers, to mistreat and abuse Barnabas and I. They even wanted to stone us. We became aware of their evil schemes and fled together, escaping to Lystra and Derbe, cities of the province of Lycaonia in the region of Asia Minor. There we preached the Gospel, the glad tidings of the Messiah. We spoke freely and boldly in all the neighbouring districts and regions.

"There was a man living in Lystra who couldn't use his feet. He had never walked, as he was a cripple from birth. This man listened to me speaking and looking at him, I saw that he had faith to be healed. In a loud voice I proclaimed to him, 'Stand up on your feet.' He jumped up and began to walk. When the people saw what I had done, they lifted up their voices, and began to shout in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in the form of men.' They began calling Barnabas, Zeus while they called me, Hermes, the god of heralds or speech because I was the chief speaker. The Greeks called him Hermes while the Romans called him Mercury. Zeus was the Sky-god whom they believed to control the weather. They believed that Zeus was the ruler over all other gods, the god of gods and that he also ruled over all men. He was known as Zeus to the Greeks and Jupiter to the Romans."

"Why is it that everywhere you go people think you're a god?" said Cassius. I shrugged my shoulders at him. Fortunately for me Luke was asleep. I'm sure he would have had a lot to say in answer to Cassius's question.

"I had to convince these people that Barnabas and I were not gods," I replied, "things quickly spiralled out of control. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, intending to offer a sacrifice to us with the people. When Barnabas and I, heard this we tore our clothes and ran into the crowd, shouting, "Men! Why are you doing this? We're just men, human like you! We are announcing Good News to you, turn from these worthless things to the living God who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them! In times past, He allowed all peoples to walk in their own ways. Yet He didn't leave Himself without evidence of His nature, because He does good things. Giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, filling you with food and your hearts with happiness!" Even in the light of these words and me saying these things, we had difficulty in preventing these people from offering a sacrifice to us.

"Some of the unbelieving Jews arrived from Antioch of Pisidia and from Iconium. They persuaded the people again and won them over against us. They stoned me and dragged my body out of the town, thinking I was dead. But the brothers, the disciples formed a circle around my helpless body protecting me. Once again I found myself lifeless and in the dust. It was a reminder that I must not walk as a mere man upon the earth, forming an alliance with the dust. But I must walk by faith and not by sight, detaching myself from dusty earthly things. I got up, dusted myself off and went straight back into the city. My body ached to the core. I was badly bruised from the stoning."

"Citizen, you are crazy," said Cassius with that big grin on his face. He was trying to get under my skin and awaken the lion in me.

"The next day I departed and went on with Barnabas to Derby, a city on the frontier of Galatia." I said. "After we had preached and proclaimed the Gospel to that city and making many people into disciples, we returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. We strengthened the hearts and souls of the 'Disciples of the Way' and encouraged them to continue and stand firm in the faith. We reminded them that it's through many hardships and much tribulation that we must enter into the kingdom of God. After we had prayed and fasted, we ordained and appointed elders there in every church that we had established. We committed them to the Lord in Whom they had come to believe.

"We departed on our journey and went through the province of Pisidia, and arrived at the province of Pamphylia. We preached the word in Perga, then we went down to Attalia, a maritime city. From there we sailed back by ship to Antioch of Syria, where our journey had begun. I was home. Antioch felt like home to me. It was the place where the believers had entrusted us to the grace of God for the work of the ministry which we had now completed. I was so grateful that Barnabas had found me in Tarsus and had brought me back to Antioch with him. We assembled with the church there and we rehearsed and gave testimony concerning all God had done for us on our first missionary journey. I told them how God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. We stayed there for some time with the disciples.

"I told them how I had a great heaviness and a continual sorrow in my heart for the unbelieving Jews. I had a bitter grief and an incessant anguish in my heart for them. My wish was that I myself were under God's curse and banished from Christ, the Messiah if it would help my brothers, my own flesh and blood, my kinsmen, my fellow countrymen, the Jews. For they are Israelites, and to them belong God's adoption as a nation. To them belong the glorious presence and the special covenants that were made. To them was the Law given, the temple worship revealed and God's own promises were announced. To them the patriarchs were given and as far as His natural descent is concerned, from them is the Christ, Who is exalted and supreme over all. To them God's blessing is forever! Amen, so let it be.

"I told them that my heart's deepest desire and goodwill for Israel was for them to receive salvation. How I long and pray to God that they may be saved. I told them that there is no difference between the Jews and Greeks. The same Lord is Lord over all of us and He generously bestows His riches unto all that call upon Him in faith. For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. I asked them, 'Has God cast away his people, totally rejecting and disowning them? Never, of course not, heaven forbid! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. No, God hasn't cast away His people, rejecting and disowning them. He has appointed and foreknown their destiny from the beginning. At this present time there is a remnant, selected and chosen by God's grace to fulfil His purposes.'

I continued to ask, 'Have the Jews stumbled so as to fall to their utter spiritual ruin, irretrievably? God forbid, by no means! But through their false step and transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to arouse Israel and provoke them to jealousy. Now if their stumbling has so enriched the world at large, and if Israel's failure means such riches for the Gentiles. Think what an enrichment and greater advantage will follow their full reinstatement, when they come into Christ, believing on the Messiah!'

"It was my intention to bring this duel between the Jews and the Gentiles to an end. I spoke openly to the Gentiles, as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, saying, 'Remember, that you in times past were Gentiles by birth, called Uncircumcision by them which are called the Circumcision. It's a mere mark in the flesh made by human hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, excluded from all part of Him. You were utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation. You were strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were far off are made near by the shed blood of Christ on the cross. He is our peace, who has made both Jews and Gentiles one, and has broken down the hostile dividing wall of partition between us. To make in Himself of the two, one new man, so making peace. That He might reconcile to Himself both Jews and Gentiles into one body by the cross.'

"I wanted to make it easy for them to understand that through Him, Jesus Christ we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father, 'Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, of the household of God. Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. In Whom the whole building is fitly framed together growing into a holy temple in the Lord. In Whom you also are being built together for the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit.'

"My instructions on this matter were very clear to the church as I had written about this in my first letter to the various churches that I established in Galatia. I was determined to mark those who caused division among us. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any importance or benefit, but only a new creature. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away, all things have become new. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus, and Christ is all, and in all. We are all one new man in Christ Jesus. A new creature. Yet there were those who continued to make division and draw dividing lines, even disciples, the brothers from the church in Jerusalem. Barnabas and I had to go there."

"I can't believe how extensively you've travelled around the world," said Cassius, "I myself have travelled as a soldier in the Emperor's army but not like you. I climbed the ranks quickly. When they saw how tenacious I was on the battlefields, they placed me in charge of men. They put me with my men on the front lines, sometimes in impossible situations. There were times when the numbers were against us. I often thought that this was it. This is my final day, my final battle. Today I'm going to be with Zeus."

He leaned across the table and showed me his many scars on his arms. He told me the names of the many battles that had issued them to him.

"I should have died a thousand times," he continued, "but I didn't."

"I believe that God has kept you alive for a divine purpose. Messiah is preparing you for greatness!" I replied.

"Citizen, I want to know that purpose?" he replied.

"You're already serving your purpose," I said, "you are guarding me, His little lamb!"

Cassius began to weep uncontrollably, "I still see their faces in my mind when I sleep at night," he sobbed, "I still hear their cries for mercy in my ears before I thrust them through with my sword. I can't shut their voices out or make them go away."

I stood up and pounded my hand firmly upon his chest to make an impact through his thick armour in comfort and sympathy. "I still hear the voices of those I had murdered," I replied, "Stevens' words still ring in my ears every day. I can still taste the dust in my mouth!"

We wept together for a few minutes. The old lions in us was weeping in repentance because of our former ways. We had come to learn the more excellent way, the way of love. The way of the Lamb. Having the Lamb roar in me like a lion was my passion above all else.

I am Paul, called to be an apostle. Grace and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. We are always giving thanks to God for you, continually mentioning you in our prayers. Jesus Christ is our mercy-seat when we put our faith in His Blood.

Amen – so be it.

Law or Grace. #12

"There was no rest at Antioch for Barnabas and I," I said to Cassius, "as a serious dispute arose. I was constantly putting out doctrinal fires and continuously had to teach and educate the saints about the dangers of keeping the Law of Moses. This battle of being righteous by keeping the Law of Moses opposed to being righteous by faith in the Messiah continued to burn throughout my years in ministry. The flames of keeping the Law of Moses to obtain ones righteousness erupted like the lava of a violent erupting volcano, flowing down a barren mountain. If you keep one part of the law to be deemed righteous, then you have to keep the entire Law, all six hundred and thirteen commands, that God gave to Moses upon Mount Sinai in the wilderness.

"Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were instructing the brethren, teaching them that except they be circumcised in accordance with the Law of Moses, they cannot be saved. I was furious. This brought them into no small measure of discord and dispute with Barnabas and I. The congregation assigned a team including Barnabas and me, to go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and church elders about this matter. I had to extinguish these flames by discussing this with the apostles in Jerusalem.

"The Jews were unaware of God's new way of making people righteous. Instead they continued to walk on their own path to righteousness by the circumcision of the flesh. They hadn't yet submitted themselves to God's new way of making people righteous. They didn't understand that Christ, is the end of the law, the place where it ceases to exist. For the Law leads up to Him. He is the fulfilment of its types and shadows. The Law was a mere shadow of better things to come." Cassius gave off a big yawn.

"Are you tired, citizen?" I said, "shall we continue tomorrow?"

"No!" he yelled again emphatically, "I'm enjoying this. It's enlightening! Go on, please!"

"You see," I said, "the earthly tabernacle with its furnishings and gifts that were offered in accordance with the Law were merely an example, a pattern, a shadow of the heavenly things themselves. Christ is the reality. The Law served us Jews as a schoolmaster, a trainer, a guide, to lead us to Christ. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster, a trainer, a guide to the Law. We are now saved by grace through faith. It's not of ourselves that any man should boast, but it's the free gift of God.

"On our way to Jerusalem we went through the regions of Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring and telling the saints of the conversion of the Gentiles. We caused great joy and jubilation to come upon all the brothers in Christ who heard this. When we arrived in Jerusalem, the church received us warmly. We were heartily welcomed by the apostles and the church elders in Jerusalem. We told them all the things that God had accomplished through us on our travels.

"I began to see the earthly Jerusalem, the holy city in a different light altogether. The earthly Jerusalem was merely a type and a shadow, a copy of the greater heavenly city. The Jerusalem which is above is the heavenly Jerusalem. She is now the mother of us all and no longer the earthly Jerusalem. For we have now come to the spiritual mount Zion, unto the city of the living God. We have now come to the heavenly Jerusalem.

"Some of the believers in Jerusalem, who acknowledged Jesus as their Saviour and devoted themselves to Him belonged to the sect of the Pharisees. They rose up and said, 'It's necessary to circumcise the Gentile converts. They must obey and keep the Law of Moses.' The apostles and church elders came together to look into and resolve this issue. Barnabas and I had been a part of this dispute and long debate."

"To me it looks like you Jews are always fighting and disputing about something!" said Cassius.

"We have a core belief that we are God's chosen people," I replied.

"And are you God's chosen people?" asked Cassius.

"All those who believe in the Messiah are God's chosen people," I replied.

"So what happened in Jerusalem with the apostles. What did they do to resolve this dispute?" asked Cassius.

"Peter got up and said to them, 'Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles, so that they could hear the message of the Good News and believe. God, who knows people's hearts, confirmed that He accepts the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for He purified and cleansed their hearts through faith also. So why are you now challenging God, putting Him to the test by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke upon their necks that neither we nor our forefathers had the strength to endure and be able to keep the Law? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserving favour and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the same with them as it is with us.'

"The whole assembly remained silent and kept still as they listened intently to Barnabas and I. We declared what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by our hands. When we had finished talking, James stood up and said, 'Brothers, listen to me. Peter has told you about the time when God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for Himself to honour Christ's name. And this conversion of the Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written, 'After this I will return. I will restore and rebuild again the fallen tabernacle of David. I will rebuild its ruins. So that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord, including the Gentiles – all those I've called to be mine. The Lord has spoken. He has made these things known so long ago.' Therefore, my judgement is that we shouldn't put obstacles in the way of the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things polluted by being offered to idols, from all sexual impurity, and from eating the meat of animals that have been strangled and from tasting blood.'

"The apostles and church elders, together with the whole church, decided to select men from among themselves to send them to Antioch with Barnabas and I. They sent Judas surnamed Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. Silas was a Roman citizen. They sent a letter with us that I was to read to the churches."

"What did the letter say?" asked Cassius impatiently. He was as curious as a lion.

"It read:

From: The apostles and elders in Jerusalem, your brothers.

To: The brothers from among the Gentiles throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings!

We have heard that some people went out from among us here in Jerusalem without our authorization, and that they have upset and troubled you with their talk, unsettling your minds. So we have decided unanimously to select men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Saul, who have dedicated their lives to upholding the name of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

So we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will confirm in person what we are writing. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us, not to lay any heavier burden upon you than the following requirements. To abstain from meats that have been sacrificed to idols, and from tasting blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will be doing the right thing.

Shalom!

"They sent us off. We went directly back to Antioch, where we gathered the congregation together and there I delivered the letter. I was reminded how several years ago I carried letters of authentication in my pocket from the chief priests in Jerusalem to put the saints to death. Now I was carrying a letter in my pocket again from Jerusalem, this time from the apostles, to exhort, encourage and inspire the saints, bringing them comfort and peace. It was ironic how I had been converted from being a murderer to now being a messenger. After I read the letter, the people were delighted by its encouragement.

"Judas and Silas were prophets. They said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. After they had spent some time in Antioch with us, they were sent off back to those in Jerusalem with the greeting of 'Shalom!' We invoked the blessing of the Lord upon their souls that they will be kept safe by God Himself. That nothing will be missing and nothing will be broken within their souls."

"Is that what your greeting means?" asked Cassius.

"Yes," I replied, "Shalom is a greeting to the soul. When we greet a brother we invoke the blessing of Almighty God upon them that nothing will be missing or broken in their souls."

"You Jews are strange!"

"You see, messengers of the Gospel were always sent with blessing. They never went on their own accord."

"That's what Rome does with it's soldiers. They are sent with the authority and approval of the Emperor."

"It's the same with us apostles, Messiahs messengers. We are sent with the authority and approval of heaven."

"So they were all sent back to Jerusalem with Messiahs' blessing"

"Not all of them," I said, "Silas decided to stay on with us and didn't return to Jerusalem with the others. When the Apostle Peter came to visit us in Antioch I rebuked him. I protested and opposed him to his face concerning his conduct. He was clearly in the wrong and to be blamed. He had been eating his meals with the Gentile believers, foods forbidden to be eaten by the Jews, prior to the arrival of disciples from Jerusalem headed by James. When they arrived in Antioch, Peter withdrew and separated himself from the Gentiles. He was afraid of the faction who favoured circumcising Gentile believers.

"The other Jewish believers became hypocrites along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they weren't walking a straight path and keeping in line with the truth about the Gospel of grace, I said to Peter in front of everyone, 'If you, born a Jew, can live as you have been living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how dare you urge and force the Gentiles to comply with the rituals of Judaism.'"

"Citizen! It seems to me that you are always looking for a good fight!" said Cassius, "you like to roar like a lion in the midst of the congregation."

"I was a lion that day. I explained to Peter, 'A man isn't justified or reckoned righteous by the keeping of the law, but only by faith and trust in Jesus Christ. If we believed in Jesus Christ, we are justified and made righteous by the faith of the Messiah. Never by the works of the law. For by the works of the law and keeping legal rituals shall no human being ever be declared righteous and be justified. We are no longer under the Law of Moses but under grace. The grace of God has appeared for the deliverance from sin, bringing salvation to all mankind. It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness and worldly passions. So that we can live uprightly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.'"

"Did you win your fight with Peter?" asked Cassius.

"It wasn't a fight. It was a dispute!" I replied, "And yes I won."

"You Jews!" Cassius laughed.

"Barnabas and I stayed in Antioch, where we and many others taught and proclaimed the Good News of the message of the Lord. How Jesus Christ, the Messiah had attained salvation for us when He died upon the cross. In my letter to the saints in Galatia, I wrote warning them of the dangers of legalism, 'O foolish Galatians, who has smitten your eyes with witchcraft, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently portrayed as crucified among you? Did you received the Spirit by the keeping of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? That having begun in the Spirit you now resort to be made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain? Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?'

"What is so hard to understand that we are no longer under the law but under grace. If only I could get them to believe and put their faith in what God had provided for them when His only Son died upon the cross. The gospel which I preached and declared unto them, wherein they now stand, was how they might be saved. If only they could keep in their minds and remember how at first I preached to them lest they believe in vain. How that Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins according to the Scriptures. That He was buried and laid in a tomb, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. This was the message that I got them to believe in. This is what they were water baptised into once they believed.

"Do you not know, that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death. That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together with Him in the likeness of His death, we shall be also be planted together with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old fleshly man, the man of dust is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we should no longer serve sin and be enslaved by it. For he that is dead is freed from sin. How anybody could think that they could achieve righteousness by rituals and works were insane. It could only be by faith and by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ alone. No other way!"

"Citizen, I've never met a man with as much passion as you!" said Cassius.

"I'm passionate about spreading this Gospel," I replied, "After some time I said to Barnabas, 'Let's go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we proclaimed the message about the Messiah, and see how they are doing!' Barnabas was determined to take John Mark with us again. Barnabas and John Mark were near relatives who grew up together. They were family."

"Who was Barnabas?" asked Cassius.

"Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph, was a Levite and native of Cyprus. He was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles in Jerusalem as he had sold a field which belonged to him and gave the money to the church, laying it at the apostles feet. John Mark owned the upper room where Jesus and His disciples stayed. I thought it not a good idea to take John Mark with us again. He had gone off and deserted us in Pamphylia, leaving us to do the work by ourselves. He was unreliable."

"So, what happened?"

"There followed a sharp disagreement between Barnabas and I over John Mark, that we separated from each other. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. I chose Silas and left, after the brothers had committed him to the grace of God. We passed through Syria and Cilicia, establishing and strengthening the churches. My second missionary journey began with Silas by my side. God's holy apostles and prophets being yoked together in agreement, as was God's divine order for His church."

"So what happened to Barnabas?" asked Cassius calmly.

"I don't know?" I said, "But my heart yearns for him. We were divided and separated by something so stupid and trivial. I wish that I could have taken my words back, reversing time so that the event never happened. But God knew that we needed to be divided in order to multiply. He and I were both on missionary journey's, on the road preaching the Gospel in two different parts of the world. Not only was he my best friend but he had become closer to me than any brother could. His name meant son of encouragement and he had encourage me on numerous occasions, living up to the destiny on his name. I miss him dearly. I love him.

"Though I speak with the languages of men and of angels, and have not love, I'm only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. If I give all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not love, I gain nothing. Love endures long. It is patient and kind. Love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy. Love isn't boastful or vainglorious. It doesn't display itself haughtily. Love isn't arrogant and inflated with pride. It's not rude and doesn't act unbecomingly. Love doesn't insist on its own rights or its own way, for it's not self-seeking. It's not resentful, it keeps no record of wrong doings. It doesn't rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when truth prevails. Love bears up under all things. It's ready to believe the best of every person. Love endures everything without weakening. Love never fails."

"I want this love," said Cassius.

"Cassius!" I said, "eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love. Make it your aim and your greatest quest to have it. Aim to be rooted deep in this love. For God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."

"Citizen, are you trying to awaken the Lamb in me again?" He replied.

"Why? Isn't the Lamb awake in you yet!" I replied, "all this time I've been with you and you haven't got in touch with ...."

"The Lamb is alive in me," interrupted Cassius, "I was checking to see if He still knows how to still roar in you!"

"The Lamb roars!" I laughed, "can a lamb roar?"

"Yes, He can. The Lamb roars in me. Listen! Love is patient, love is kind, love is gentle, love...."

"He does roar in you and you've been listening to me dictate my letters!"

"I've been guarding you haven't I?"

"Yes, you have Citizen," I replied, "you have indeed!" We were building a strong relationship. It was great to see that he was recovering from his painful past. The old murderous lion was dead and the Lamb was alive in him, roaring like a lion.

I told him, "Whatever has happened in the past is in the past. It cannot be changed. We mustn't be found guilty of carrying our past into our present and our future. That would be the thief of our destiny. We must live in the now."

"I've let it go!" He said, "I've forgotten those things which are behind and I press on towards the prize of the high calling."

"You have been reading my letters!" I said.

"Listening to them," He replied, "listening!"

I am Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Sent to promote among God's chosen people, both Jews and Gentiles the faith and knowledge of the truth. To lead them to recognise the truth which leads to godliness. May true love that grows out of sincere devotion to God be with you all.

Amen – so be it.

Hard Times. #13

I am Paul, a bond slave of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, because I was called and set apart for preaching the Gospel of God. This Good News had been promised in advance by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. It concerns His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is the descendant of David according to earthly linage. Through Him I've received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith.

"Tell me more," coached Cassius. He was like a little child who wouldn't go to sleep because the bed time story was exhilarating.

"When Silas and I went down to Derbe and then on to the Lystra. I met a young disciple there, a believer whose name was Timothy." I said

"The Timothy I met in Cassarea when you were in prison?" asked Cassius.

"Yes, that Timothy." I replied, "He was the son of a Jewish woman but his father was a Greek. His name means, 'honouring God' and he did indeed live up to the destiny of his name. All the brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy as he had a good reputation. I wanted Timothy to accompany me on my missionary journey as a helper. So I took him and did the unthinkable, I had him circumcised as all the Jews living in those areas knew that Timothy's father was a Greek.

"I'm a firm believer in being all things to all men. To the Jews I was a Jew and to the Gentiles I was a Gentile. Besides, Timothy had no objections to being circumcised. As we went through the towns, we delivered to the saints the decisions reached by the apostles and the church elders in Jerusalem for them to observe. Accordingly, the congregations were strengthened in the faith and increased in number day by day.

"We travelled through the provinces of Phrygia and Galatia, because we had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in Asia. When we came to the frontier of Mysia, a region of Asia Minor, we tried to go into the region of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Christ wouldn't let us. So we passed by Mysia and went down to Troas, a maritime city in the plains of Asia Minor. There a man from the province of Macedonia appeared to me in a vision while I slept that night, saying, 'Come over to Macedonia, and help us.'

"As soon as I saw the vision, we lost no time in getting ready and left for Macedonia, a region of Greece. We concluded that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them there. Sailing from the port of Troas, we made a straight run to Samothrace, an island in the Aegean Sea. The next day we went to Neapolis, a town in the province of Macedonia. From there we went to Philippi. It's a Roman colony and the leading maritime city of that part of Macedonia."

"I've been there, citizen," said Cassius, "Philippi is the main Roman highway through Greece and it's exempt from imperial taxes. I spent a lot of money there!"

"We spent a few days in that port city," I said, "On the Sabbath, we went outside the city gates to the banks of the river, where we understood that a congregation of Jewish worshippers gathered for prayer. We sat down and began speaking to the woman who had gathered there.

"One of those listening to us was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia. She was a dealer, selling fabrics dyed in purple. Clothing dyed purple was highly prized and expensive."

"Purple is known as the colour of the wealthy and royalty," said Cassius, "The Roman Emperors wore purple robes as did your kings, the Kings of Israel."

"Messiah was clothed with a purple garment while been beaten and mocked just before they crucified Him," I said, "Lydia was already a God-fearer. She worshipped God with awe and reverence. The Lord opened up her heart to respond to what I was saying. After she and the members of her household were baptised by being immersed in the water. Signifying that they believed that Christ died upon the cross for their sins. They believed that they were crucified with Him, buried with Him and raised to new life in Him. She gave us this invitation, 'If you consider me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay in my house.' She insisted until Silas, Timothy and myself, all went.

"One day, when we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a snake-spirit that enabled her to see the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. This girl kept following me and the rest of us. She kept screaming and shouting loudly at the top of her voice, 'These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how to be saved!' She kept this up day after day, until I became greatly disturbed. I turned and said to the spirit within her, 'In the name of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, I order you to come out of her!' The spirit came out of her, at that very moment.

"When her owners discovered that their source of income was gone, they seized me and Silas and dragged us to the market square to face the authorities. Timothy took shelter and hid at Lydia's house. They brought us before the judges, saying, 'These men are causing a lot of trouble in our city, since they are Jews. They are encouraging customs which are unlawful for us to accept or practice, since we are Romans.' The mob joined in the attack against us.

"The judges tore the clothes off our backs and ordered that we be flogged. We were given a severe beating and were thrown into prison. They charged the jailer to guard us and keep us secure. Upon receiving such an order, the jailer threw us into the inner cell and clamped our feet securely between heavy blocks of wood.

"The stripes upon my back couldn't be compared to the stripes that Messiah received upon His back. I was whipped with a mere rod, a dried out reed while He was whipped with a flagellum, a cat of nine tails. It had sharp pieces of metal and bone attached to it. His flesh was torn from off His back with every lash. He was whipped thirty nine times. Every blow ripping flesh from off His body. Silas and I were grateful that we had received a whipping far lesser than what Messiah had received. Our backs were bleeding but our flesh wasn't torn and ripped off from it. Our present sufferings couldn't be compared to the glory that was being revealed in us.

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead. I hungered to gain Christ and become one with Him. I rejoiced and was glad that I could share in His sufferings.

"At midnight, Silas and I prayed and began to sing praises unto God with all our hearts. We sang passionately and loudly with all our might. Our praise was harmonious and didn't go unnoticed as the prisoners listened attentively to us sing. King David had a custom that he would rise at midnight to give thanks unto the Lord. It's easy to give God thanks when times are good and it's day time. However, it's a difficult thing to give God thanks during your darkest hour, and at midnight. Silas and I sang songs of praise in our darkest hour, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. Together we sang, making melody in our hearts, with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs in our midnight hour.

"Suddenly there was a violent earthquake which shook the prison to its foundations. The doors flew open and everyone's chains came loose. God doesn't allow midnight hour praise and thanksgiving to go unnoticed. God takes notice when you sing in your darkest hour. The jailer awoke, and when he saw the doors standing open he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, for he assumed that the prisoners had escaped."

"Citizen!, said Cassius, "Roman law is harsh and cruel. If a prisoner escapes from a guard, the guard is put to death. If a guard falls asleep at his post, he is put to death. I'm bound by those same laws."

"The jailer, by killing himself would have made his ending less painful than if he had been slain by a fellow Roman soldier."

"I know," said Cassius, "The Roman executioners take their time in killing a man, making it slow and as painful as possible. They are narcissistic."

"I shouted to the jailer, 'Don't harm yourself! We're all here! No one has escaped.' Calling for lanterns, the jailer ran in trembling and fell down in front of me and Silas. Then, leading us outside, he asked, 'Men, what must I do to be saved?' I replied, 'Trust and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, give yourself up to Him. Take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping and you will be saved. You and your household.' We told him and everyone in his household the message about Messiah. Even at that late hour of the night, the jailer took us and washed our wounds. Without delay, he and all the members of his household were baptised in water.

"He took us up to his house and set food in front of us. He and his entire household celebrated that they had come to trust in God. The next morning, the judges sent constables with the orders, 'Release those men and let them go.' The jailer repeated those words to me, saying 'The judges have sent word to have the both of you released. So come out, and go on your way in peace.' But I said to the officers, 'We were flogged in public when we hadn't been convicted of a crime. We are Roman citizens and know our rights. They had us thrown in prison and now they want to get rid of us secretly. No way! Let them come and fetch us and escort us out themselves!' The officers reported these words to the judges, who became frightened when they heard that we were Roman citizens."

"You are fortunate, citizen," said Cassius, "because Tarsus is a 'free-city' and in good stead with the rulers of Rome. It has the privilege of self-government. This results in Roman citizenship for its citizens. If you were born to parents who were already citizens of Rome then that makes you a 'freeborn.' Then you gained your Roman citizenship by virtue of birth?"

"Yes, I was a 'freeborn'," I replied, "anyway, the judges came and apologised to us. After escorting us out, they requested that we leave the city. We went from the prison to Lydia's house, and after seeing Timothy and encouraging the other brothers, we all departed together. We become citizens of heaven when we become believers. Not only do we have an earthly birth, making us citizens on this earth, but we also have a heavenly birth. We are born from above, giving us heavenly citizenship. We are citizens of two worlds, heaven and earth, but our heavenly citizenship is the one of greater value."

"Citizen, sometimes I think you're out of your mind!" replied Cassius.

"If I'm in my right mind it's for your sake," I replied, "if I'm out of my mind, it's for God's sake."

"Now you're quoting your letters again."

"They're my letters!"

Alone in Athens. #14

Outside the birds began to sign. Dawn was breaking. Cassius and I had spent the night talking about my journeys. Luke lay sound asleep upon his mat in the corner.

"After passing through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia," I said, "we came to Thessalonica. It's the capital city of the province of Macedonia."

"I know the place," said Cassius, "I passed through there once. Many years ago with my battalion. It's a naval port city on the gulf of Thessalonica. It's overlooked by Mount Olympus."

"There was a synagogue of the Jews there," I said, "So according to my custom and ritual practice of preaching the Good News to the Jew first and then the Gentiles, I went in. For three consecutive Sabbath days I preached sermons and gave teachings out of the Jewish Scriptures. Explaining and proving that it was necessary for Christ, the Messiah to suffer many things first and then rise again from the dead. I preached Christ, and Him crucified. I heralded, 'This Jesus whom I am proclaiming unto you is the long awaited Messiah!' Some of the Jews believed and associated themselves with Silas and I, as did a great many of the 'God – fearing' Greek men and woman.

"Again the unbelieving Jews grew jealous. They gathered together a band of vicious men, ruffians and rascals that hung around in the market square. After they had collected a crowd together, they started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's house, where we were staying, hoping to bring me and Silas out to the mob. But when they didn't find us there, they dragged Jason and some other brothers out before the city authorities and shouted, 'These men who have turned the whole world upside down have come here too! This man Jason has let them stay in his home and has privately protected them. All of them are defying the decrees of the Emperor, because they assert that there is another king, One Jesus!'

"There words threw the crowd and the authorities into turmoil. Jason and the other brothers were only released by the authorities once bail had been paid over to them as security. As soon as night fell, the brothers sent Silas and I off to the city of Berea, in a fertile farm country. However, our visit to Thessalonica was not fruitless. On the contrary, although we had already suffered a good beating in Philippi, we had the courage, united with our God, to tell them the Good News even under great pressure.

"The appeal that we made didn't flow from error or impure motives, neither did we try to trick the people there. Instead, since God had tested us and found us fit to be entrusted with the message of the Gospel. This is how we speak, not to win favour with people but with God, who tests our hearts. We didn't resort to words of flattery or to conceal greedy motives for selfish gain. Nor did we seek human praise. We were gentle as lambs when we were with them, like a mother feeding and caring for her children. We didn't put a burden on them. Our behaviour was righteous and blameless in the sight of all the believers there. We treated every one of them like a father treats his children. Not only did we impart the gift of God to them but we imparted our very souls as they were so dear to us. We encouraged and comforted them, appealing to them to live lives worthy of God.

"As soon as we arrived in Berea, again we went into the synagogue of the Jews. Always to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. The people in Berea were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica. They eagerly welcomed the message, even checking the Scriptures every day to see if the things that I taught were true. Many of the Jews there came to trust and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, as did a number of prominent Greek men and woman.

"When the unbelieving Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by me in Berea also. They travelled down to Berea to make trouble for me and agitate the crowds. The brothers at once sent me away again. I went down to the sea-coast, while Timothy and Silas remained at Berea. My escort went with me as far as Athens, then I left him with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come as quickly as they could. Athens is the capital city of Greece."

"Did you know that Athens derived its name from the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom, fertility and war." said Cassius, "She was believed to be the founder and the guardian of Athens."

"I didn't know that," I replied, "However, while I was waiting for them in Athens, my spirit within me was disturbed at the sight of the city being full of idols. I began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the 'God-fearers', and in the market square everyday with the people that happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers started meeting with me. Some asked, 'What is this babbler trying to say?' Others, because I proclaimed the Good News about Jesus, the Messiah and the resurrection, said, 'He seems to be an announcer of foreign deities.' They took me and walked me to the Areopagus, the Mars Hill auditorium."

"That auditorium was named after the agriculture and War-god, known as Mars to us Romans and Ares to the Greeks," said Cassius. He knew his history and he knew the names of all the Roman and Greek gods.

"Anyway, they shouted at me, saying, 'May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? Some of the things that we are hearing from you strike us as strange, and we would like to know what they mean.' The Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their spare time talking or hearing about the latest intellectual fads. The Greeks were always seeking wisdom while the Jews always wanted to see a miracle or a sign. I stood up in the middle of the congregation at Mars' Hill, and said, 'You men of Athens, I see how very religious you are in every way! For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which has been inscribed, 'To An Unknown God.' So, the one that you are already worshipping in ignorance, this is the One I'm proclaiming to you.' The Mars Hill auditorium was silent as I spoke to them.

"I had their full attention. I proclaimed with all boldness, 'The God who made the universe and everything in it, He is Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in man-made temples, nor is He served by human hands, as if He's lacking something. It's He Himself who gives life and breath to everything and everyone. From one man, Adam He made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth. He fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish. God did this so the people would look for Him and perhaps reach out and find Him, although in fact, He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist. Indeed as some of the poets among you have said, 'We are actually His children.' So, since we are children of God, we shouldn't suppose that God's essence resembles gold, silver or stone shaped by human technique and imagination.'

"I had the crowd where I wanted them, curious about the God of heaven. 'In the past, God overlooked such ignorance,' I continued, 'but now He is commanding all people everywhere to turn to Him from their sins. For He has set a day when He will judge the inhabited world, and do it justly, by means of a man He has designated. And He has given public proof of it by resurrecting this man Jesus, from the dead.' At the mention of a resurrection of people from the dead, some began to scoff at me, while others were curious and said, 'We want to hear you again on this subject.' I left the meeting, but some men stayed with me and came to trust, believing on the Lord Jesus. Including the High Council member Dionysius.

"There was also a woman named Damaris, and others with them who came to believe. Timothy and Silas hadn't yet joined me in Athens, so I left word where I was heading. I decided to leave without them and go to Corinth."

"I cannot believe these people?" said Cassius. He started to gain a deeper understanding about why my fellow Jews detested me so greatly.

"Which people?" I asked.

"The Jews," he replied.

"What about them?"

"I can't believe how they made every effort to follow you to distant cities just to make trouble for you, when you love them so deeply. How can you be so passionate about their salvation?" He now fully understood why they treated me the way they did that day in Jerusalem, the day we first met, when he came to my rescue.

"The Lamb that lives in me loves His people. He wants all men to have a relationship with Him. I'm just the mouthpiece that roars the Lamb's agenda."

"Citizen, you are crazy!" said Cassius as he laughed.

I am Paul, now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. When I was a child, I spoke like a little child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. Now that I have become a mature man in Christ, I'm done with childish ways and have put them aside.

Amen, so be it.

The God of All Comfort. #15

"Shalom!" greeted Luke. He had woken up and silently crept up on us.

"Shalom," I replied.

"Greetings, citizen," said Cassius.

"Have you been awake for a long?" asked Luke.

"We haven't slept," said Cassius, "Paul has been telling me about his missionary journeys."

"Where about is he?" asked Luke.

"When I departed alone from Athens, and went to Corinth," I replied.

"Isn't Corinth the capital city of the province of Achaia," asked Cassius.

"Yes it is," replied Luke, "It has three temples to the gods there, Apollo, Poseidon and Aphrodite. There were one thousand priestesses in the temple of Aphrodite, who were ritual prostitutes."

"There I met a Jewish man by the name of Aquila," I said, "He was originally from Pontus but having recently come with his wife Priscilla from Rome in Italy. They left Italy due to the fact that Claudius, the Roman Emperor had issued an edict, decreeing that all the Jews be expelled from Rome. I went to see them. This was a divine appointment. They had the same occupation and trade as me, making tents.

"I stayed on with them and we worked together making tents. I also continued to carry out discussions every Sabbath in the synagogue, where I tried to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus being the Messiah. By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, I was completely engrossed with preaching, earnestly arguing in depth and testifying to the Jews about the Messiah.

"Again the unbelieving Jews set themselves against me and began hurling insults at me. Finally I shook out the dust from all my garments against them. I said , 'Your blood be upon your own heads! From my part, I am clean. From now on I'll go to the Gentiles!' I left them and went into the home of a 'God-fearer' named Titus Justus, whose house was right next to the synagogue. Crispus was the president of the synagogue who had come to believe on the Lord, along with his whole household. Many of the Corinthians who heard me preach came to believe and were baptised in water.

"One night, the Lord said to me in a vision, 'Don't be afraid Paul, but keep speaking and don't keep silent. For I am with you, and no man shall assault you and harm you. I have many people in the city who believe and they will protect you.' There is nothing like knowing that God is with you and on your side. If God is with you, who can be against you. I am amazed how the enemy will always try to keep you silent from speaking God's word. This word that I received from God, caused me to settle down among the Corinthians for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God to them.

"When Gallio became the new governor of the province of Achaia, the unbelieving Jews made a concerted attack on me and took me to court, saying, 'This man is trying to persuade people to worship God in ways that violate the Law of Moses and the Laws of Rome.' I was just about to open my mouth in my defence, when Gallio said to the Jews, 'Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of inflicted injury or a serious crime against Rome, I could reasonably be expected to hear you patiently. But since it involves questions about words and names revolving around your own Jewish law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I decline to be a judge of such matters and I've no intention of trying such matters.'

"The Greeks grabbed Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and gave him a beating in full view of the bench. But Gallio showed no concern and paid no attention to any of this, instead he had us ejected from the court. After this incident, I remained in Corinth for a short time, then said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off to the province of Syria.

" I had my hair cut short and shaved my face in Cenchrea, a port town in Corinth as I'd taken a vow. Priscilla and Aquila met up with me there. I was hoping that the hair cut would make me un-recognizable to the unbelieving Jews. They had become a real thorn in my side by following me and stirring up trouble everywhere I went. However, I was given this thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to pound away at me, so that I wouldn't become exalted above measure and be overly proud. I begged the Lord three times to take this hindering thing away from me. But He told me, 'My grace is enough for you. For My strength and My power are made perfect in your weakness.'

"Therefore I am glad to boast about my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ, the Messiah may rest and dwell upon me. I'm well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions and distresses. For when I'm weak in human strength, then I'm truly strong in divine strength. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we don't know what we ought to pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings and sighings that cannot be expressed in words. When we arrived in Ephesus, I left the others there.

"Ephesus is a huge city. It's the leading port of Asia, on the major trade routes," said Cassius, giving us a geography lesson once again. "The Ephesian's are Roman citizens who worship the goddess Diana. Like in Corinth her priestesses are cult prostitutes."

"Anyway, I went into the synagogue by myself and held dialogue with the Jews, reasoning with them. When they asked me to stay with them longer, I declined. However, in my farewell I said to them, 'I will come back to you, if God is willing.' I set sail from the port in Ephesus, leaving Priscilla and Aquila there. I couldn't thank them enough as they had risked their necks to save my life. They were loyal fellow workers for the Messiah with me. They were so sacrificial that they hosted a church in their own home.

"After landing at the port in Caesarea, I went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church there. Then I went down to my home base church at Antioch. After staying there and spending some time there, I left and went from place to place, systematically travelling through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing the 'Disciples of the Way' and imparting new strength to them. For I'm always yearning and longing to see the saints, that I may impart to them some spiritual gift, that they may become strengthened and fully established. I'm not ashamed of the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ, since it's God's power bringing salvation to everyone who believes. To the Jew first and also to the Greek.

"I received news from Ephesus, about a Jewish man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria. He was named after the Greek god Apollo, who is the sun-god and shepherd-god, associated with music, prophesy, poetry and hunting. Apollos was an eloquent speaker, well versed and with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He'd been informed about the 'Way of the Lord' and with great spiritual fervour he spoke and taught accurately about the Messiah.

"However, he was only acquainted with the baptism of John. He began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him speak, they took him aside and explained to him the "Way of God" in fuller detail. We were known as "The Way" or the "Disciples of the Way" and the "Church of the Way." Jesus was referred to as the "Way of the Lord" or the "Way of God." Converts were referred to as believers, disciples, brothers or saints. We never used the term, Christians.

"Apollos wished to cross over to the province of Achaia, mostly Greece. The brothers wrote a letter to the disciples there, urging and encouraging them to accept and welcome him heartily. When he arrived, he proved to be a great help to all those who through grace had come to believe. He powerfully and conclusively refuted the unbelieving Jews in public, showing and proving by their Jewish Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah."

I am Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, by the will of God. Grace be to you and Shalom from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, sympathy and pity. He is the God of all comfort and encouragement. Who comforts us in every trouble, tribulation and affliction? So that we may also be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble and distress, with the same comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God Himself. For just as Christ's own sufferings fell upon me. Just as they overflowed upon me and I experience them. So through Christ, comfort is also shared to others by me.

For I do not want you to be ignorant and uninformed, brothers, about the affliction and oppressing distress which befell us in the province of Asia. How we were so utterly and unbearably crushed, that we despaired even of life. I was so pressed with hardships that I no longer wanted to live. I wanted to die. We felt within ourselves that we had received the very sentence of death, but that was to keep us from trusting in and depending on ourselves instead of trusting in God, Who raises the dead. That our faith may rest in the power of God and not in the wisdom of men. God didn't want us to put our faith in ourselves but rather in Him, and in Him alone. For cursed in the man who puts his faith and trust in man.

Therefore we do not become discouraged. For our light, momentary affliction is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but we look at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. If then you've been raised with Christ to a new life, thus sharing in His resurrection from the dead. Seek the rich treasures that are above, where Christ Jesus, the Messiah is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds and keep them set on the higher things that are above and not on the things of the earth.

Cassius got to meet many of my friends in Rome when they came to visit me while I was under house arrest. He saw how strong our friendships were and the tight bonds between us. He got to see how a spiritual father encourages and exhorts his spiritual sons.

"Citizen, when I first met you I had no idea how influential you were," said Cassius.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"You've had people come and visit you from the moment I met you. I don't have friends or family who visit me," replied Cassius.

"Friendships are forged my friend," I said.

"But how do you forge friendships like yours?"

"I lay down my life for them like a sacrificial lamb and they know it. I'd rather be spent in their place for them. I've their best interests at heart. It's not what I can get out of them, it's what I can give to them. I pour my life into them. I live for them."

"You make it look easy, citizen."

"It is easy. It's better to give than to receive."

Unusual Miracles. #16

"While Apollos was in Corinth," I said, "I went through the upper inland districts and came down to Ephesus. I found some disciples there in Ephesus, so I asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed on Jesus as the Messiah?' They answered me saying, 'No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' I was shocked to discover that they'd never heard of the Holy Spirit. 'In that case,' I said, 'into what baptism were you baptized?' They replied, 'The baptism of John.'

"I began explaining to them, 'John baptized with the baptism of repentance, from turning from sin towards God. He continually told the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come after him. That is, in Jesus Christ the Messiah, and be obedient to Him.'

"On hearing this, they were baptized in the waters, in the name of the Lord Jesus. When I laid my hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they began speaking in tongues and prophesied. In all, there were about twelve of these men.

"I went into the synagogue and for three months, I spoke out boldly, engaging in dialogue and trying to persuade people about the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. When some became more and more stubborn, not believing. When they hardened their hearts by discrediting and speaking evil of the "Way of the Lord" before the congregation, I separated myself from them. I took the disciples with me and went on holding daily discussions with them in the lecture room of Tyrannus. We started daily at ten o'clock in the morning and finished at three in the afternoon. I continued to teach like this daily for the space of two years, so that all the inhabitants of the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, heard the message of the Lord Jesus.

"God did unusual and extraordinary miracles through my hands. Towels, aprons and handkerchiefs were brought to me and laid upon my body. When these garments that I had touched were laid upon the sick, their diseases left them. Even evil spirits came out and left those whom the aprons and handkerchiefs touched. Virtue was imparted from my body onto these towels, aprons and handkerchiefs giving them healing powers. I'd heard stories of how Peters shadow had healed the sick. Insomuch that they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them, bringing divine healing."

"Some of the Jewish exorcists who travelled from place to place tried to make use of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ over those who had evil spirits," said Luke, "They would say, 'I exorcise you by the Jesus Whom Paul preaches!' One time, seven sons of a certain Jewish chief priest named Sceva were doing this. But one evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know and Paul I know. But you? Who are you?'

"Then the man in whom the evil spirit dwelt leaped upon them, overpowering them and gave them such a beating that they ran from the house, naked and bleeding. When this became known to the residents of Ephesus, the fear of the Lord fell upon them all, Jews and Greeks alike. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ, came to be held in high regard.

"Many of those believers, who'd earlier made professions of faith now came and admitted their evil deeds. A considerable number of those who'd engaged in occult practices threw their scrolls in a pile and burned them publicly, in the sight of everyone. When they calculated the value of the scrolls that were burnt, it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver, drachmas. Thus the message, the Good News of the Messiah continued in a powerful way to grow and spread throughout the world."

"Luke! We made them burn all their evil merchandise," I said, "Sometime later, I decided by the Holy Spirit to pass through the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia, most of Greece and then go to Jerusalem. 'After I've been there,' I said, 'I must visit Rome.' I had a yearning deep within me, a small voice urging me to go to Rome. I had to go to Rome. By faith I was on my way to Rome. I dispatched two of my helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to the province of Macedonia. But I remained in the province of Asia for awhile. It was at this time that a major disturbance arose concerning the 'Way of the Lord.' There was a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of the goddess Artemis, also known as the goddess Diana. She was the goddess of fertility. This craft provided a large amount of work and business for the craftsmen."

"I remained with you," said Luke. "I remember how Demetrius called a meeting together, along with the workmen of similar trades, and said to them, 'Men, you understand that this line of business provides us our living. You can see and hear for yourselves that not only here in Ephesus, but in practically the whole province of Asia, how this Paul has turned away a considerable crowd by saying that man-made gods aren't gods at all. Now the danger is not only that the reputation of our trade will suffer, but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will come to be taken lightly. It could end up with the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout Asia and indeed the whole world, being counted for nothing and her glorious magnificence may be degraded. And that she may fall and be brought down from her divine majesty!'"

"On hearing this, they were filled with rage," I said. "They began bellowing, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!' Soon the whole city was in an uproar. As one man, the mob rushed into the amphitheatre, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, my travelling companions from Macedonia. I wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples wouldn't let me. I was determined to go down there and rescue my spiritual sons. I would've taken the beating for them. My love for them ran deep. I will most gladly spend myself and be utterly spent for their souls. Some of the officials of the province, friends of mine, sent a message to me, begging me not to risk entering the amphitheater."

"I'm glad I stopped you!" said Luke, "they would have torn you apart."

"Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and others something else, because the assembly was in complete confusion," I said, "A great majority didn't even know why they were there. Some of the crowd explained the situation to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front to speak. So Alexander motioned with his hand for silence, hoping to make a defense speech to the people. But as soon as they recognized that he was a Jew, they began bellowing and shouting in unison, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!' They kept it up for about two hours. I delivered Alexander and Hymenaeus unto Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. The Lord will pay him back for his works and actions for he greatly withstood my message of the kingdom.

"At last the city clerk was able to quiet the crowd, saying, 'Men of Ephesus! Is there anyone who doesn't know that Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone which fell from the sky? Since this is beyond dispute, you had better calm down and not do anything rash. For you've brought these men here who have neither robbed the temple nor insulted your goddess. So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and the judges are there. Let them bring charges and counter-charges. But if there's something more you want, it'll have to be settled in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being accused of rioting on account of what has happened here today. There is no justification for it, and if we are asked, we will be unable to give any reasonable explanation for this disorderly gathering.' With these words he dismissed the assembly.

"After the uproar and rioting had ceased, I sent for the disciples and encouraged and consoled them. I embraced them and told them farewell. I took leave and set out on my way to Macedonia. After I'd gone through those districts and had encouraged the brothers there, I passed on to Greece, where I spent three months preaching there. As I was preparing to set sail for the province of Syria, I discovered a plot against me by the unbelieving Jews. So I changed my mind and decided to return by way of Macedonia."

"We were accompanied by Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus from Berea," said Luke, "and by the Thessalonians Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia."

"I loved being surrounded by young men," I said, "I was passionate about being a mentor and imparting wisdom along with spiritual gifts to them. So that they too could function in their gifting and callings that God had bestowed upon them. These sons went on ahead and were waiting for us, including Luke at the port in Troas, while we sailed from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, the Passover week. Five days later we met up with them in Troas, where we spent a week. On the first day of the week, when we were gathered to break bread, I addressed them. Since I was going to leave the next day, I kept talking and expounding on the Scriptures until midnight.

"Now there were many oil lamps burning in the upstairs room where we were meeting. There was a young fellow named Eutychus sitting on the window-sill. As my teaching went on and on without taking a break, Eutychus grew sleepier and sleepier, until he went to sleep and fell from the third storey window to the ground below. When they picked him up he was dead.

"I went down and bent over him. I embraced him, putting my arms around him and said, 'Don't be alarmed or upset, he's alive! His life is within him.' I went back upstairs, broke the bread and ate after saying a blessing. As the natural body heals itself, so too must the spiritual body, the Church heal itself. Each member of the body is joined together to make a holy habitation in the Lord. The body doesn't consist of one limb or one organ but of many members. For the body is one yet it has many members. The eye is not to say to the hand, I have no need of you. Nor the head to say to the foot, I've no need of you. For all the different parts of the body need one another. Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular. For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bone. There should be no divisions and discord in the body, but the members should care deeply for one another.

"I continued talking with them until daybreak, proclaiming, 'Awake, you that are asleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall shine His light in your hearts. It is high time to awake out of your sleep, for our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent and almost over, the day is almost here. Let us therefore cast off and put aside the deeds of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as people of the day, not partying and getting drunk, not engaging in sexual immorality and other excesses, not quarrelling and being jealous. Instead clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and stop thinking about how to provide for the sinful desires of the old nature. You are all children of light, and children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of the darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do those who don't know Christ. But let us stay alert and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep at night, and they that be drunk are drunk in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, put on the hope of salvation. Awake righteously and sin not. You will see God face to face and be satisfied when you awake to His righteousness.'

"I prayed a prayer with them and then I departed. They took the youth home alive, greatly relieved that he was no longer dead. They rejoiced with him because the boy was dead but God brought him back to life. We are to rejoice with them that rejoice and we are to weep with those who weep.

"My helpers went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, a city in the Province of Asia Minor. They were planning to get me on board with them, but I'd arranged to travel there by land. When I met up with them at Assos, they took me aboard the ship and we sailed to Mitylene together, a town in the Island of Lesbos."

"The next day," said Luke, "we sailed from there and arrived at a point opposite Chios, an island in the Mediterranean. The following day, we crossed over to the Samos Island in the Mediterranean Sea, where we spent the night in the town of Trogyllium. The day after that we reached Miletus, a city of Asia Minor."

"I decided to sail on past Ephesus," I said, "lest I might have to spend unnecessary time in Asia. For I was hastening and determined that I might reach the Holy city, Jerusalem, if at all possible, by the day of Pentecost."

"Citizen!" said Cassius, "you were really passionate about travelling the world to preach this message. You got to see a lot of places."

"Not only did I get to see a lot of places, but I got to meet a lot of people," I replied.

"Do you miss it?"

"Yes, I miss it. These chains are preventing me from spreading the Gospel."

"Well, citizen. You got to write letters to all those churches, which you wouldn't have done if it wasn't for those chains. You got Luke to write his letters and you are here with me now. You're stuck with me."

"Yes, I'm stuck with you. I'm stuck with you my friend."

I am Paul, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Everything is allowable and lawful for me to do, but not all things are profitable and good for me to do. Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become a slave of anything and be brought under its control or power.

Amen – so be it.

Saying Good-bye. #17

Luke took out some dates and fruit for us to eat for breakfast. "I sent word to Ephesus from Miletus, where I was staying with my helpers," I said, "I summoned the elders of the church in Ephesus to come and visit me there. When they arrived I said to them, 'You yourselves are well acquainted with my manner of living among you, from the first day I set foot in Asia, and how I continued afterwards. Serving the Lord with all humility in tears and in the midst of adversity, trials and affliction which befell me, due to the plots of the Jews against me. I didn't shrink back from telling you anything that was for your benefit. Teaching you in public meetings and from house to house. Constantly and earnestly I testified both to Jews and Greeks, urging them to turn in repentance to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.'

"I poured my heart out before them, holding nothing back, I announced, 'And now, compelled by the Holy Spirit, I'm going to Jerusalem. I don't know what will happen to me there, other than in every city the Holy Spirit keeps warning me that imprisonment, persecution and suffering await me. But I consider my own life of no importance to me whatsoever, neither do I esteem my life dear to myself. As long as I can finish my course ahead of me with joy and complete the task I received from the Lord Jesus. To declare in depth the Good News of the Gospel of God's grace, His love and kindness. Now listen! I know if any of you among whom I've gone about proclaiming the Kingdom will ever see me again.'

"I loved the elders from Ephesus with all my heart. They were dear to me. I'd imparted many things to them and poured my life into them. Ever since I heard about their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their love for all the saints. I didn't cease or stop to give thanks for them, making mention of them in my prayers. It was hard for me to tell them that they'll not see my face again.

"I was barely holding back the tears as I spoke to them, 'I testify to you on this day that I'm innocent and not responsible for any of your blood at all. For I didn't shrink from proclaiming to you the whole plan, the purposes and counsel of God. Watch out and be on your guard for your own well-being. Take care of all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you over as leaders. Therefore as guardians and shepherds, tend, feed and guide the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He obtained for Himself, buying it at the cost of His own blood. In Him we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.'

"I could feel that their hearts were heavy as they knew that I was giving them final instructions. I could also feel that they were holding onto my every word as though it were treasure and fine gold. There was a sorrow in my voice as I spoke, 'I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you, and they won't spare the flock. Even from among your own number, men will arise and teach perversions of the truth, in order to drag away the disciples after themselves. So stay alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, with tears in my eyes, I never stopped warning you!'

"I stretched out my hand towards them and invoked the blessing of the Lord upon them, saying, 'Now I commit you to God and I commend you to the Word of His grace. That it may build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who've been set apart for God. I coveted no man's silver or gold or costly garments. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided not only for my own needs, but for the needs of my co-workers as well. In everything I've given you an example of how, by working hard like this, you must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.' When I had finished speaking, I knelt down with them and prayed.

"I pray, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation of insight into mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him. By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints. So you can know and understand what is the immeasurable, unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe. Which He demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly realms. Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and world which are to come. He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal Head of the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Himself.

"That He may grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthen with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit. May Christ through your faith, actually dwell, settle down, abide and make His permanent home in your hearts. May you be rooted and grounded in love. That you may be filled with all the fullness of God. That you may be filled with the richest measure of the divine Presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen, so be it!

"They wept bitterly with sore hearts as I prayed. They threw their arms around my neck and kissed me fervently and repeatedly. They were very distressed and sorrowful because I had stated that they wouldn't see my face again. After I consoled them, they accompanied me to the ship. When we had torn ourselves away from them and withdrawn, we set sail and made a straight run to Coos, an island in the Aegean Sea. At the mouth of the harbour at Coos a huge Colossus statue of brass stood seventy six cubits high which we sailed beneath, between its legs. His fingers alone were the size of a man.

"The following day we went to Island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea and from there to Patara, a port in Asia Minor. There we found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, a region of Palestine, so we went aboard and sailed away. After we had sighted Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo. Tyre was a major city of Phoenicia with a seaport situated in the Roman province of Syria. Wine and purple materials were exported from there. They were highly valuable commodities.

"Having searched out the disciples there, we remained with them for seven days. Prompted and guided by the Holy Spirit, they told me not to go up to Jerusalem. But when the week was over, we left to continue on our journey. All of the brothers at Tyre, with their wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the town. Kneeling on the beach and praying, we said good-bye to each other. Then we boarded the ship and they returned to their homes. When the voyage from Tyre was over, we arrived at Ptolemais, a town in Palestine. There, we greeted the brothers in Christ and stayed with them overnight.

"The following day, we left and came Caesarea, where we went to the home of Philip the proclaimer of the Good News. He was one of the original seven, along with Steven ordained by the apostles in Jerusalem to attend to the tables. So we stayed with him. Philip had four unmarried daughters, still virgins who had the gift of prophesy. While we were staying there, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea to visit us. As it's the gift of the prophet to act out parables, Agabus took my belt and with it bound his own hands and feet. He prophesied, saying, 'Here is what the Holy Spirit says, the man who owns this belt will be bound and tied up by the Judeans in Jerusalem. They shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'

"When the residents and the disciples heard this prophesy, they all pleaded with me not to go up to Jerusalem. I answered them, 'What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart like this? I'm prepared not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' When they couldn't persuade me to change my mind from going to Jerusalem, they said, 'May the Lord's will be done.' Then they kept quiet. So at the end of our stay, we packed and went up to Jerusalem contrary to what the prophet had prophesied. That's how I ended up in Jerusalem and in the Temple the day we met."

"Yes!" replied Cassius, "with your head shaved and the angry Jewish elders beating you. That was the day I first came to your rescue. You ended up in chains just like the prophet had said."

"The prophet was accurate with his prediction," I replied humbly, "but I never would have come to Rome if I hadn't have gone to Jerusalem first." I embraced Cassius with both my arms, I slapped him on the back in the process, as a token of my gratitude for his service to me.

"I should be thanking you, citizen," said Cassius.

"For what," I replied.

"I thought I was saving you that day in Jerusalem but I was saving the Lamb who lives in you. I preserved His message by saving you that you could speak it and write it to the world. The Lamb roared through you when you wrote His letters to His churches," said Cassius with tears in his eyes. I had awakened the Lamb in him and it was roaring like a lion. It was roaring with love, gentleness, kindness, joy and peace. It was gentle yet bold. It was calm and at peace yet full of courage. The lion lay down with the Lamb.

"You are starting to sound like me," I replied.

That day I received word from Nero, the Roman Emperor that I was exonerated. I packed my bags and I was leaving Rome. I was heading out once again, this time on my fourth missionary Journey. I had to see how the church of the Lord Jesus Christ had grown in my absence and if they had paid any attention to my letters. Faithful Luke also packed his bag. He was going to accompany me again. Cassius was reassigned.

I didn't think that I was going to see Cassius again. The one thing I did know is that I had saved his life. If I had died, he would have died. I picked up my bag and turned my back on him. I started walking away when I heard him say, "Greetings citizen! I hope our paths cross again?"

I replied, "Shalom citizen," with a huge smile on my face, "I'm sure they will, citizen. I'm sure they will."

I am Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you, and Shalom, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly realms in Christ. According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestined us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved.

Amen – so be it.

Final Hour. #18

It was dark, extremely dark. I hadn't known such thick darkness like that before. If that darkness was a reflection of hell then I never wanted to go there. I was sick with sorrow. I was in a dungeon in Rome. My soul was seeking to find rest. Ones soul can only find rest in God alone. Although my soul was full of troubles, and my life was drawing near unto the grave. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ felt so near to me. I knew that He would never abandon me.

God looks down from the height of His sanctuary, from heaven does He behold the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoners and to loose those who have an appointment with death. Christ was abiding in me, the hope of glory. I was in chains, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the Gentiles. I was in chains for preaching His Gospel. I was surrounded by thick darkness, yet I wasn't alone. God was with me.

Even though I found myself in a dark dungeon and in chains, I was in the perfect will of God. The master of darkness was trying to flood my mind with questions that were contradicting God's purpose for my life. The devil is a master at sowing lies and discord. He will always try and get you to question the promises that God has made for your life. In Eden he got Eve to question what God had said. He also tried to get Messiah to question the Scriptures when he tempted Him in the desert. "Has God said?" has always been his mode of operandi. I cast down those vain imaginations and every high and lofty thought that exalted itself against the knowledge of God. I took every dark thought captive and brought it into subjection to the obedience of Christ. I reminded myself that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against princes that rule in the invisible heavenly realm. Darkness enveloped all around me but I refused to allow it to take a hold of me. I refused to give the devil a foot hold.

I walked according to the Spirit. For who knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of a man. Who knows the thoughts of God except the Holy Spirit of God? I continued to walk according to the Holy Spirit's promptings, for He knows the thoughts of God. I had the mind of Christ. I girded up the loins of my mind. I couldn't afford to lapse and start to think like a carnal man. I spoke to myself, affirming, "Let the same mind and thought patterns be in me, that were in Christ Jesus also." I resisted the devil steadfastly halting him from parading himself like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Having done all to stand, I stood against him, girded and clothed with all of God's armour. I had put on all of God's armour and I stood firm during that vile battle against the darkness.

The sound of my chains inspired me greatly. They were a reminder that I was a bond servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was chained to Him for His divine purpose. "I am crucified with Him. I am buried with Him and I am raised to newness of life with Him," I boldly proclaimed to the forces of darkness, "when Christ died, I died. When He was raised from the dead, I was raised with Him to newness of life. Christ, the Messiah living in me and through me."

This was the foundation of my faith and my deep spiritual conviction. I believed that Christ died upon the cross for my sins. I believed that His lifeless body was buried and laid in a tomb. I believed that after three days He rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures.

I wasn't in chains alone. My chains were shared with the Messiah. I always carry around in my body the death of the Lord Jesus Christ like these chains. So that the life of the Messiah might be made manifest in me. I was chained to Christ. I was chained to His Death, His burial and His resurrection. He was chained to me and together we had become one. I knew that this was the end, my end. I wasn't going to get to see another day. I wasn't going to get to see another sunrise or sunset. I wasn't going to get another chance to preach a sermon about Messiah. I wasn't going to get a chance to write another letter to His beloved church, His bride.

I refused to become a prisoner in my mind and think dark thoughts. I was a child of the light and I was going to think like a child of the light. I had the mind of Christ and I was going to continue to think God's thoughts. There was a reason that I was in these chains and I wasn't going to allow the darkness to destroy my soul. These steel chains may hold my hands and feet captive but I wasn't going to allow my mind to become captive to demonic chains.

I was cold to my core. Another winter was on its way and I could feel it in my bones. My hands shook and my body trembled. I felt the cold early this year. "I must be getting old," I thought to myself. I had written a second letter to Timothy instructing him to come quickly, "The warm coat that I left at Troas with Carpus, when you come, bring it with you, and bring the books, especially the parchments, those precious parchments that I hold so dear."

The precious words of the Lord Jesus were on those parchments. Treasured words that were handed down to me that I had diligently recorded. There was no one like Timothy in all the world. In my heart of hearts I was yearning to see him again. He had served me faithfully for many years. I had raised him as a spiritual son and he never once abandoned me. I had poured my heart and soul into him. I requested in my letter to him, "Find John Mark and bring him with you when you come for he is very helpful to me in the ministry."

I refused to become discouraged. I had run my race and I had run it with perseverance. I wouldn't bow to the idea of becoming weary. I swallowed my own words not to become weary in doing good, I reminded myself that in due season I will reap a reward. My reward was waiting for me, an eternal weight in glory to be worn as a crown of righteousness. I'm now ready to be poured out as an offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I've fought a good fight, I've finished my course, I've kept the faith. There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me on that day.

The Messiah was right about me when He apprehended me that day. I did suffer many things for His name sake. I suffered immensely. My fellow countrymen beat me out of jealousy. Five times I received thirty nine stripes from them. The Gentiles beat me when I interfered with their financial gain. I was imprisoned often, beaten with rods three times and then suffered more beatings. Stoned once. Shipwrecked four times. A night and a day I spent out in the waters of the deep sea. I was attacked in Jerusalem. Strung up and flogged again. I'm talking like one beside himself. I cheated death over and over again. In my many travels I had been exposed to danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from the Jews, danger from the Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the desert, danger at sea, danger from false brothers. I had toiled and endured hardships. Often deprived of sleep. I frequently went without food and water being hungry and thirsty. I've been cold and naked.

We have all kinds of troubles, but we're not crushed. We are perplexed, yet not in despair, persecuted, yet not abandoned. Knocked down, yet not destroyed. However, let us boast in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that hardships produce patience and endurance. And endurance develops maturity of character. Even in this present hour I've gone both hungry, and thirsty. I'm naked, and roughly knocked about. I have no certain dwelling place.

Come quickly Timothy, carry my torch. Come quickly Lord Jesus, carry me into eternity. Maranatha, our Lord come. Today I'll face my executioners. Today I'll die. I'll return to the dust from whence I came. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. But I'll never allow that dusty nature, that fleshly nature to cling to me. I'm dead to sin and dead to the world.

Suddenly the jail door opened. I was blinded by the light of a Roman soldiers flaming torch. I couldn't see for a few minutes. I'd been in darkness for so long that the smallest of light had blinded me. Two giant shadows stood before me. I could recognise the one by just looking at his silhouette, the other was John Mark. My heart leapt for joy and almost skipped a beat when I saw them. John Mark had come! The other was Timothy. He had my warm coat and the parchments. I was no longer alone. I was surrounded by loyal friends. I instructed Timothy, saying, "Endure hardships and suffering, as a good soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. Hold fast the teachings that you've heard from me in all faith and love. Fan into flames, stir up the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you."

"Greetings citizen," echoed a voice behind me. I knew that voice so well. It was the roaring lamb, it was Cassius. We embraced and hugged one another as I replied, "Shalom citizen." It had been five years since we'd last seen each other. He was dressed in full armour as if ready for battle. I shared with him my new travels, to Spain, Ephesus, Colosse, Macedonia, Asia Minor, Nicopolis and Greece. We laughed together and he smiled. He was full of Joy. He told me about the Great fires in Rome and how Christians were viciously martyred and put to death by Emperor Nero. I told him how I was arrested and brought back to Rome. We sat together in silence for a moment and we wept together. We both knew that it was my end. I took my coat that Timothy had brought with him and wrapped it around Cassius as a token that he was to carry my mantle.

Moments later, still in my chains Cassius led out of the dungeon to face the executioner. He fastened me to the post and positioned my head upon the block.

"Greetings citizen, I will see you on the other side," he whispered.

"Shalom citizen, may nothing be missing and nothing be broken in your soul," I replied.

That's when I saw the Light, the Light of the glory of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ. It was coming to fetch me and capture me in glory. That same bright Light, that shone brighter than the midday sun, was now coming to fetch me. I cried out in a loud voice, "I see the Light, I see the Light!"

Cassius also saw the Light. I could see it shinning on his face. "I see the Light!" he shouted, "I see the Light!"

In the end, I loved Him, I love Him deeply with all my heart, this Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. He became my closest friend. He was with me on my journeys all the time. He was my personal Praetorian Guard, my guardian. He never left me alone nor forsook me for a single moment. He was indeed a God that sticks closer than a brother. Cassius had a Praetorian Guard of his own. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

The Lamb roared from heaven, welcoming me, His servant home. When I looked to the Lion, I saw a Lamb that was slain.

I am Paul, the chief of sinners. Run your race. The race set before you. Walk in love. Keep the faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ unto everlasting life. Grace be with you all.

The End – rather! The Beginning.

The lion now speaks to us through his letters. The lion's letters still roar today, teaching us to lay down our lives like sacrificial lambs.

My Personal Invitation to you.

If you want to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour then please pray this simple prayer.

Prayer:

I believe that Jesus Christ died upon the Cross for my sins. That He was punished and put to death on a cross in my place. I believe that Jesus Christ was buried and laid in a tomb. I believe that He rose again from the dead on the third day, just as He said and according to the Scriptures.

Father God, forgive me of all my sins and for my disobedience. Almighty God come into my life and make all the old things become new. I put my faith, my hope and my trust in you today.

Thank you God for your loving kindness and for your everlasting mercy. Thank you for sending your only Son to earth just for me. Thank you for stretching out your hand towards me today and embracing me as your child. Thank you for saving me.

I ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Please connect with me:

I trust that my book has inspired you and touched you in a meaningful way. Please connect with me and send me your thoughts. I will be delighted to hear from you.

God bless.

The King's Scribe.

Email: yhwh.grace@gmail.com

Our Vision:

Our vision is to establish One Billion Disciples of Jesus Christ who will come to maturity: to the full stature of the full measure of Christ – Ephesians 4: 13

One Billion Disciples of Jesus Christ - 1BD

Be one of one billion – 1/1BD

Follow the link to our Facebook page: <https://www.facebook.com/groups/207228480428282/>

" _Make disciples of all nations." – Jesus Christ 30AD._

Not only do we want to make disciples of all nations but we want disciples to stand up and be counted as a disciple of Jesus Christ being one of one billion in the earth. If one disciple invited 12 other disciples to join this group and so on: It would only take nine levels to reach 5 billion disciples of Jesus Christ because of the principle of multiplication.

(1) 1 x 12 = 12

(2) 12 x 12 = 144

(3) 144 x 12 = 1728

(4) 1728 x 12 = 20736

(5) 20736 x 12 = 248832

(6) 248832 x 12 = 2,985,984

(7) 2,985,984 x 12 = 35,831,808

(8) 35,831,808 x 12 = 429,981,696

(9) 429,981,696 x 12 = 5,519 Billion.

If level 9 made _2,5_ disciples.

(9) 429,981,696 x _2,5_ = 1,074 Billion Disciples of Jesus Christ.

Things escalate quickly with multiplication instead of addition as we have demonstrated above. In the early church in the Book of Acts God added disciples to them (Acts 2: 47, Acts 5: 14, Acts 11: 24) and then later He multiplied disciples unto them (Acts 6: 1,7).

The world population is estimated to be 9,8 billion people in the year 2050. Therefore if one billion disciples by 2050 each won 9 souls the entire world population will know the Lord Jesus Christ. The entire world will be saved and know Jesus Christ as Lord.

We have set up this page to exhort and encourage the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ so that none will fall away or grow cold or weary on their discipleship journey.

" _This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples." John 15: 8._

So, not only do disciples bear fruit by abiding in the Vine but they also exhort and encourage one another because disciples carry things. They carry a cross (Matthew 16: 24) and they carry one another's burdens.

" _Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ."_

(Galatians 6:2).

The law of Christ that Paul the apostle spoke about here is the law of love; because Jesus said: "A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you."

_Invite Us:_ yhwh.grace@gmail.com

_Tim is an inspirational teacher who has authored several books. He operates as a Prophet / Seer. He has visited heaven on four different occasions in three decades and has numerous encounters with angels. He has seen the blood of the Lamb on the altar in heaven and the Lamb's Book of Life. While in heaven in 2008 God gave Tim books, scrolls and manuscripts to read where Tim gained insight into the mysteries and secrets of God. He was also given an "et" (a writing instrument) and was instructed to write on parchments. God gave him the name: "_ _The King's Scribe._ _" God said: "You will write for Me." In 2019 while in heaven again God gave him the name: "_ _Ambassador of the Lamb._ _" Jesus said to him: "Never again will you represent yourself but you will represent Me and only Me as My Ambassador." The Lamb of God said to him: "I'm in heaven and you're on earth. Be My hands and feet and mouthpiece. Feed and take care of My little lambs. They are precious to Me. I paid for them with My life and My every drop of blood. Tell them about My scars and the price that I paid for them. Tell them about My deep love for them." Tim wept._

Donate:

We do not ask for money and we will never ask you for money. All our books and written material are free. _"Freely you have received, freely give." - Jesus Christ._ However, it took years and months and thousands of hours of research and meticulously writing to make this material available to you. _"Do not muzzle the ox who treads out the corn." - Paul the Apostle._ Should you feel led by God to donate or become a monthly partner with this ministry we have a payment facility available.

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