Note for 2024/06/26

‭Acts 25:1-27 KJV‬

[1] Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cæsarea to Jerusalem. [2] Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him, [3] and desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him. [4] But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cæsarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither. [5] Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him. [6] And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought. [7] And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove. [8] While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all. [9] But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? [10] Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. [11] For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar. [12] Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? unto Cæsar shalt thou go. [13] And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæsarea to salute Festus. [14] And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix: [15] about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him. [16] To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him. [17] Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. [18] Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: [19] but had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. [20] And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. [21] But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar. [22] Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him. [23] And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth. [24] And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. [25] But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him. [26] Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write. [27] For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

https://bible.com/bible/1/act.25.1-27.KJV

The procedural side of things can take long at times. Considering all the time Paul had spent being detained, still the Jews wanted judgment on him. When Christ was investigated, He said very little, but Paul said that if he were guilty of a charge worthy of death, he would accept it. Now, of course, to say more would be to add things in, so I won't. We have what is on record in the Word of GOD and that is what we can know. The Lord told Paul that he would have to testify for Him in Rome, and we read here, how Paul appeals to Caesar and that Festus intended to send him. When King Agrippa and Bernice come to the area, Festus welcomes the King's request to hear Paul so he may know what to write to Ceasar regarding Paul.

Have you experienced someone coming against you, but the reason for it is unknown to you. It is as if the person just festers hate for you in them. I have. More than once. I am led to share something with you that I usually don't speak on, for one, this man is forgiven entirely by me and I believe by the Lord too, for Christ died for the sin of all. But, the testimony is needed today.

For the last three years of my schooling, I was in a boarding school. With me in the same grade as I, there was a redhead boy who was very athletic. He was on the first team of just about every sport we could partake in at school. For the sake of time, I will try to keep it short. So, regularly, almost daily, or so it felt, he would make me flex my abdominal muscles, while he would punch me in the stomach as if I was a punching bag. I can't remember how long this carried on, but it seems now that it was for what may have been almost a year. One day, I was in the corner of the room, where about five of us shared the room, as the boy was practicing his punching on me again. Something in me changed for a moment and I punched back. After years of being the joke of our class, I punched back, in front of witnesses. He backed off, and never punched me again. He said, for years he waited for me to punch back. It seemed that he achieved his goal in “toughing me up,” but I failed at that moment. Yes, I say it again, I failed. Once more, there is much more to this, but we are limited here. You see, when you can lift your hand in violence against another, can you then withhold thereafter if you have suffered abuse? It took me years to find the peaceful side in me again, and only with Christ in me, was it possible to overcome that raging man in me, which I no longer am today.

We struggle not against flesh and blood... And I had to learn that the hard way because of my stubbornness. But what is there to be identified in what I learned from my childhood opponent? Is that not similar to what we see playout here in the Jews that keeps coming after Paul even though his movement was restricted by Felix, and now Festus? Did the other boys in our dormitory not see the daily assault on my person, and in seeing and not condemning or reporting the matter, who was then part of the assault? Of course, they are forgiven, I hold no ill will against any of them. But what do we learn about the enemy operating via the flesh of man? Man was created as a vessel for the Holy Spirit of GOD, but that lacking, what then takes up residence? Think of all Christ said, even of the strong man of the house, and of the swept clean house, that a spirit may find empty. Yes, then he goes out and finds seven friends, stronger than himself.

What do we give occasion in us, what do we permit? Do we rent ourselves out for something outside ourselves, just for receiving rent? What the heart is full of overflows in our words and actions, not? Where do murderous intentions and violence flow from? Who then judges, while he himself is occupied himself, by similar spirits? Then, he condemns himself by judging others.

No, it would have been better for me to have remained the punching bag, and not become the boxer. I hope you can understand that now. I would rather take the beating, than give it. For the flesh can heal, but the soul is much more intricate. It requires the healing balm that is the Love of GOD. Anything else will only mask the scars, but GOD'S love heals it unto eternal life.

Shalom

YouVersion Bible Verse of the Day

(Expanded from Verse 18)

‭2 Corinthians 4:16-18 KJV‬

[16] For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [18] while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

https://bible.com/bible/1/2co.4.16-18.KJV

Listen too:

I am only now listening to the following as I am preparing the note for today.

06 25 2024 The Fight Begins- Remember Your Weapons - Romans 8- Dreams

Bu Mike from around the world of COT

Link: https://soundcloud.com/ouncil1archive/06-25-2024-the-fight-begins-remember-your-weapons-romans-8-dreams

Duration: 1 Hour 57 minutes and 7 seconds

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