KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 25:14. “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: “

Apostle Paul was unduly held in bonds by Governor Felix. Festus, the successor of Felix, came to meet Paul, and Paul had the opportunity to share the good news with him as well. Around that time, King Agrippa and his sister, Bernice, whom Josephus the historian wrote about, lived as a man and his wife. They also came to Caesarea to visit the new governor. They also had the opportunity to see Paul and hear the good news of salvation from him.

All these men were highly placed individuals in the society, who could not in any way have HEARD the gospel in the way Paul had to present it to them. God, in his wisdom, created the conditions and opportunity for them to hear this great news. All these events show God’s wisdom in allowing Paul to desire to go to Jerusalem, although all the brethren warned him against going.

Once again, I wish to state that the Holy Spirit may reveal an event which will happen in the future, yet there is a need to ask for His candid instruction about what has been revealed. You do not react to the revelation negatively because it carries something supposedly bad. When the Lord Jesus told the disciples about his suffering in the arms of the religious leaders, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. Mt 16:22 “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” The Lord quickly reacted and said to Peter. In Matthew 16:23, “But he turned, and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men”.

God does not see things as men in their fleshly minds see and think. Apostle Paul had the glorious opportunity to speak to these leaders, including all who were with them in the palace. These events portray a very clear point: that is, the voice of the people is not always the voice of God. The bible said that throughout the journeys of Paul, the brethren in every city he got to, prophesied to him that bonds and afflictions await him. Paul, like the Lord Jesus, could not be swayed from his path because he knew what the Lord had said to him. God does not change his word. Num 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? “If you succeed in getting God to change His word, then you have entered into his permissive will. Under His permissive will, any evil thing could happen to you, yet He is not obliged in any way to save you.

CONFESSION

God is not a man to repent. God is always right in His dealings, and I believe whatever He says. I will accept whatever He says, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. He may lead me around, but He will surely lead me aright

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.

Malachi 3:6.” For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 25:7 ” 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.”

In Luke 21:12, the Lord Jesus spoke about how his disciples would be treated before He comes. It reads, Luke 21:12 ” But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake”.

In Paul’s story, these Jewish zealots left Jerusalem to accuse Paul so he would be killed. The bible said they laid grievous charges against Paul, but they could not prove it. This is a demonstration of hatred. It is an antichrist spirit that started during the lifetime of our Master and is still in operation.

People under the spell of the spirit of antichrist have said all kinds of lies and abominable things about Jesus. The Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, attacked Christianity so much and even said after his death there would be no Bibles and Christianity would be extinct. Surprisingly, his own house became a printing press for printing Bibles after he died. John Lennon of Beatles fame said,’ he was more popular than Jesus. ‘ This man was shot and killed by an unknown assailant.

In recent times, some have attacked Christ by saying He was a myth. This is rather amazing. There is no myth that the people said to be in the story are active people who came to testify of their participation in the story? Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:16,” For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. “He said we were eyewitnesses of His majesty on that holy mountain. This man died for what he saw, preached, and defended. Jesus is never a myth but a man of history. It is the very spirit of the Antichrist that has led men to ignorantly attack Him. Every attack or persecution of Christians is a direct attack on the person of Christ. (Acts 9:4)

This antichrist spirit has waged a relentless war by attacking Christians, giving some to lions, burning many at stake, burning Bibles, raising abominable teachings, burning churches, and what have you? In spite of all these, Christianity remains the most populous faith on earth now. There are about 2.4 billion professing Christians, followed by Islam, 2.0 billion. The bible remains the most read book. This antichrist spirit is defeated and will forever be defeated. Dear reader, if you have not been born again, then please accept Him today to partake of eternal life and escape eternal damnation. (Read Romans 10:9 & 10)

SONG

Jesus shall reign wherever the sun.

That His successive journeys run.

His kingdom stretches from shore to shore.

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

FURTHER STUDIES

Matthew 24:9 ” Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”

John 8:37 ” I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you”.

KEY SCRIPTURE Acts 24:26. “He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might lose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.”

Our key scripture said Governor Felix had wanted Paul to give him some bread, so he would have set him free. It seems corruption is not a child of these days but a ‘mother’ who has lived through human history.

Bribery is a means by which people make payments, either in cash or in kind, in order to influence justice. It has become so normal in our societies that almost all people are caught up in the web of it. I am informed that certain schools charge special fees for the school to buy leaked examination questions to be given to their students. A driver told me of an event in which a police officer, whose wife came to see him at the station and demanded some money from him. The only way out for this officer was to go to the roadside, arrest a few drivers who had broken road regulations, and get a bribe from them to be given to his wife.

In certain pastoral circles, enquirers have to pay some fees before meeting the man of God for prayers. How do you call this act, since prayers are to be offered free of charge? Dear Pastor, You and the man who had to collect some bribes before rendering his services are all in the same boat. Don’t call it an emergency. It is bribery. You and the government officials who take kickbacks are all corrupting the system. God will judge everyone who commits these things. Job 15:34 ” For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery”.

If Paul had succumbed to the bribery demands of Governor Felix and had been set free, he would have walked out of the will of God for his life. He was to preach the gospel in Rome. Many of us have jumped out of God’s plans for our lives because we decided to pay some bribes to make our way out. The grace of God would not assist lies.

CONFESSION

In the name of Jesus, I have received the ability to be truthful to God and His word. I always live in obedience to God, bringing glory to his name.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Samuel 12:3. ” Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it to you”.

Psalms 26:10 ” In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 24:25 ” And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Paul had a personal audience with Governor Felix. He wanted to know more about the Christian faith.

Apostle Paul, who was an ever-ready vessel, gave him very good answers. He knew his message very well and also learned how to present it. He fulfilled the scripture in 1 Peter 3:15, which says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

Paul, an experienced presenter of the gospel, knew what he had to tell this man of influence. He majored in three areas.

1. Righteousness
2. Temperance or self-control
3. The judgement to come.

Most people in positions of influence are often careless about their morals. Righteousness. Which is a gift from God that gives them a door to come out of their lousy lifestyle. With the gift of righteousness, a man must live right.

He also talked about self-control. This part hits the nail on the head by revealing the real life of that individual to him or her. Self-control deals with the act of disciplining oneself to do what is required. In the case of most influential people, they lack self-control. The powers they have drive them to satisfy their appetites with ease. One major sin of such people is immorality.

Finally, he talked about the future judgment. After showing the man his shortcomings, he takes him to God’s ultimate judgement for all mankind. 2 Corinthians 5:10 ” For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

He reveals to him how this judgment would be. He would judge in absolute righteousness. Revelations 19:11 ” And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war “All those without Christ shall be cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14 ” And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Governor Felix trembled at hearing this but did not yield to the truth. Do not be like Governor Felix if you have not yielded to Christ.

We can all learn some clues from Paul’s presentation about how to speak to men of influence.

PRAYER

Father, I pray for divine wisdom to always have the right message for whomever I encounter. May the Holy Spirit work on the hearts of my enquirers to receive His word.

FURTHER STUDIES

2 Timothy 4:2 ” Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

1 Peter 3:15 ” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 24:16 ” And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

The High Priest always hired an orator called Tetullus to speak to accuse Paul before Felix, the governor. This man was very good at his job by presenting his accusation against Paul. He told lies mixed with insults, yet truth shall forever remain sacred.

He started with showering praises on the governor Felix in an attempt to win his favour. He came very hard on Paul. Apostle Paul also had his turn to make his defence. Paul made his defence in the light of his philosophy as depicted in our key scripture. This reads “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and men.”

He made his defence without attacking his accuser in any way. Tetullus, in his prosecutions against Paul, said Paul was a Pestilent fellow (comparing him to a plague). He said Paul is a mover of sedition and a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Paul maintained his point that he believed in the resurrection of the dead, and that was the reason he was being held in chains. Most people would have equally attacked the orator, Tetullus, with similar insults. Paul says he has made it his policy to have a conscience devoid of offence towards God and man. Dear child of God, please understand that we as children of God do not treat people according to their actions, but in respect to what God’s word says. Under the new covenant, it is not a tooth for a tooth, but always show the love of God to those who have wrongly treated us.

Most homes would have enjoyed a great amount of peace and harmony if couples would adopt this principle or philosophy. Many people act and speak with a motive to cause pain to their other parties. Insults are psychological arrows and spears that people shoot at one another. The end results are wounded souls who can not get along with such parties. Divorce, severing of relationships and friendships proceed from hearts that are careless about the effect of their words and actions on the second parties. Apostle Paul admonished the brethren in Colossae to ” Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”. (Colossians 4:6)

CONFESSIONS

I thank you, Lord, for making me a partaker of your nature. I always express love, respect, and fear for God when I relate to all men. My words may correct but would not destroy others.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 12:14-15 ” Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”

1 Corinthians 13:5 (Love) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 23:24. “And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.”

The spirit of religion is very wicked. Religious people always fight for their God. They kill and terrorise in the name of defending their faith. During the Jewish people’s attack on Paul, some of them bound themselves with a curse not to eat for forty days till they killed Paul. Acts 23:12 “And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.” Our key scripture states that beasts, specifically horses, were provided to transport Paul safely to the governor. God would give you a special treat to keep you safe.

These Jews bound themselves with a curse not to eat nor drink for a period as long as forty days until they had killed Paul. Under the new covenant, no one is to physically attack or kill anyone who holds a contrary view to ours. The message of the new covenant is love for all men and hatred for none. The bible said that when these people were cooking this evil plan, the nephew of Apostle Paul got a hint of it and managed to get to Paul and reveal it to him. Paul told the captain that the young man had a message for him. He revealed the whole plot to the captain. Dear child of God, the wicked would never succeed with their evil scheming. Please behold the plan of God concerning your safety. Isaiah 54:15 “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.”

Dear child of God, do not be worried about threats against your life. The bible says they would gather, but it shall not be of the Lord, and they shall fall for your sake. If their plans prevail, then the Lord allowed it for the ultimate glory to His name. In Paul’s case, the Roman centurion asked that two hundred men be made available to escort Paul, while a horse be made available for him to personally ride on. Paul was on a divine program to go to Rome and preach the gospel there, too. Dear child of God, please know that God’s plans for His children are always the best. Listen to what God says about His plans for you. Jeremiah 29:11 ” For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. “Stop worrying about anything and everything. All you have to do is entrust your life and life agenda into Him and His agenda. God has not gone to sleep. His eyes are passionately on you.

CONFESSION

My life is for His glory. I do not live for myself. I live solely for His purpose. He gives me only the best; therefore, only the best comes to me.

FURTHER STUDIES

Psalms 121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Psalms 121:7-8 ” The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”