Author: remnantinthepass

Good Monday May eighteenth as we learn God’s word to grow in our faith.

Paul’s nephew just happened to be in the right place to hear the plot being arranged by some forty men with the leaders of the Sanhedrin. The plan was to have the Sanhedrin ask the commander to bring Paul again before them and before he’d get there that this group of forty plus men would kill Paul on the road. The nephew told Paul who told him to share what he had heard with the commander who is Lysias. Remember Paul had been told by Jesus Himself that he Paul would go and preach the gospel in Rome, but how Paul got there and when, Paul had no idea, only the word that he would be in Rome before kings. Isaiah 55:8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.” Proverbs 20:24 “Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?” Sometimes I believe not knowing the details protects us from the worry, and here Paul knows without a doubt that he will be in Rome, and why? Because the Word of God, Jesus the Son of God, told him, and that was final. 2Peter 1:13 “By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory.” Let’s read together from Acts 23:31-35 “Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks. When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.  And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.” Luke tells us the soldiers from Jerusalem travel through the night and come to Antipatris which was a Roman military outpost some thirty five miles northwest of Jerusalem halfway to where Felix is in the city of Caesarea. The two hundred plus foot soldiers are released to go back to Jerusalem having done their job protecting Paul and getting him safely out of Jerusalem. Luke then says that the rest of the soldiers brought Paul to Caesarea where Felix will hear from Paul and soon those leaders from Jerusalem. Interesting Felix according to Luke first asks, “What province he was from” why would he asks this question. It was important for Romans to get a fair trial, and that one needed to be before their own peers, and the person judging them needed to be the correct person to try them, so Felix asks and is told Paul was from Cilicia a province which he oversees.

Understand Paul like you and I are now citizens of heaven, although we may be on earth living in the state city we reside in our hometown now, we are citizens of heaven. John 18:36 “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”Paul is being hated because he has been transformed from his old religious beliefs to knowing the truth that God loves all and wants none to parish. After Felix learns that Paul is in the right place, Paul then is taken by the soldiers to the hall of judgment “Herod’s Praetorium.” Do you know God’s plans for you? Remnant

Good Sunday May seventeenth as we grow in our faith by studying God’s word.

Claudius the rescuer-

Forty men had made an agreement with the Sanhedrin to do what they wanted to do, to kill Paul for teaching the gospel, the word of God which says, Acts 16:31b “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” John 12:44 “Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.” So the gospel message that Paul shared in Jerusalem which Jesus commended him for doing, is that God came into this world in the form of a Son in a man’s body being fully God and fully man and gave the free gift of salvation to all mankind who would believe.  2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Now these forty plus men had vowed not to eat or drink anything until Paul was dead. Let’s read together from Acts 23:23-30 “And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night; and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” He wrote a letter in the following manner: Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.  I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains. And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell.” Paul’s nephew had shared with Lysias the commander in Jerusalem and he believed the young man. Obvious to him was that there was hatred and anger and cries to kill Paul, and the Jews really had no respect to Rome just this  political handshake to allow the Jews to participate in their religious practices. Look what Lysias assembles to protect Paul from this group wanting to kill him. He takes almost half of the garrison in Jerusalem, some two hundred and seventy soldiers, seventy horsemen, possibly special opts men, all to protect this Roman citizen against forty hungry thirsty men. Quite an army, can you imagine forty men seeing Rome’s army before them? Lysias gives a letter to be given to Felix that he is sending Paul, and says basically I saved this Roman citizen from the hands of angry Jews, I am his savior, really no mention he had Paul tied and flogged. Lysias in the letter states he had not found Paul guilty of death. So in the third hour in the dark this army takes Paul to Felix. The forty plus men are sleeping and when they awake Lysias informs them that they need to go to Felix to bring their charges against Paul. What has Lysias done, he took his problem and handed it off to Felix, who by the way is a former slave but because his brother was a friend to Caesar, Felix became a governor. So Paul is now in Caesarea to go before Felix heading to Rome. We have God perfecting us, protected? Remnant

Good Saturday day May sixteenth as we study God’s word to learn His truths.

Uncle Paul

Paul has been taken to safety after the hearing before the Sanhedrin to the barracks at the fortress. A day after the hearing Paul has a vision where Jesus comes to him and encourages him first for sharing the gospel, the word of the Lord with the Jews in Jerusalem. Mathew 25:23 “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Then The Lord says to Paul “so you must also bear witness at Rome.” This was a game changer, what Paul has learned is there is nothing man can do to him will stop what the Lord has said He was to do, go to Rome before kings. Paul knows he will be able to witness to Rome. While all this is going on a group of some forty plus men come to the Sanhedrin and strike a deal where they plan on killing Paul. Understand the differences again between having religion and having faith in the Lord. Religion sees freedom to choose as a vise against their standards, and get angered, the result the killing of the innocent. Now faith in the word of God, God’s truth always loves even God’s enemies. Luke 23:34a “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” While on the cross with nails hammered into His feet and hands, as blood flowed from the thorns from His head, Jesus asks the Father to forgive them! Not only that, He was asked to remember a thief on the cross. Luke 39:42-43 “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The difference one wants blood to kill and one wants blood to save. Let’s read together from Acts 23:16-22 “So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.” Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”  So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” Is this not nice to know that Paul is human; I mean here we learn he has a sister who has a son making Paul an uncle. This young man has overheard the plot to kill Paul and visits Paul and shares the plan. Paul asks him to share what he has learned with the commander which by itself is a tough task, a boy meeting with Roman authority. But the soldiers assist here and he is able to tell the plot with the commander. Coincidence the nephew happened to hear? Think again, what are you hearing? Remnant

Good Friday May Fifteenth as we come before the Lord by opening His word.

The great oath-

The apostle Paul has made his way before the Jewish community and has proclaimed the gospel. Paul went to the temple with four men being asked by James for the purpose to allow those who struggled religiously to hear the works of the Holy Spirit in the gentiles and know Paul’s commitment to obey the commands of the law. The Christian’s in Jerusalem were struggling to define their faith because they had many years in the law. Like many today who have roots in religion, although they may not be attending services or following the rules set by the religion, when push comes to shove many revert back to how they had once witnessed religion before and seem to be drawn back to the works required to feel they are obeying. As Paul is resting safely after the trial, the Lord comes to Paul at night in a vision, understand the grave is empty Jesus is alive and like He has always been, He is the Son of God, the Angel of the Lord, who has always come to bring answers and prophecies to His people like to Jacob, Genesis 31:11”Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.” Now Paul has had a personal relationship with Jesus of Nazareth, hearing Him on the road to Damascus, speaking to Him as he walked on the road before going to Jerusalem and now in the room at night with words to keep Paul focused. Let’s read together from Acts 23:12-15 “And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” Some forty plus Jewish men meet with the Sanhedrin “saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.” These Jewish men had heard the gospel preached how do I know that, Jesus said to Paul “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem”. They just could not believe that God loved simple people as gentiles. So they strike a deal with these very religious supposedly men of God, you get the commander to bring Paul to you for questioning, and we will make sure to kill him as he is being brought here. They said we will not eat till this is done. These men made an oath, which meant that they were calling to be, cursed themselves if they did not complete what they vowed. The Sanhedrin agrees as before when Judas came with the plan to betray Jesus, Luke 22:4-5 “So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.” Just as they wanted Jesus dead but did not want the blood on their hands they also want His messenger Paul dead but not the blood. It’s important to know our actions to the gospel separate the blood that saves from blood that kills. Has His blood saved you? Remnant

Good Thursday May fourteenth as we seek God’s will to grow in our faith in Christ.

God’s word the final authority-

It is important that we learn the differences between religions and the faith in the promises from God’s word. Paul identifies the two main ruling parties of the Sanhedrin the council he was brought before to answer the charges they had of him. At the root of the charges was the accusation that Paul was not telling new converts with a Jewish background to obey and follow all the customs of the Law of Moses. Remember the Law of Moses was established some three hundred years after the promise of the free gift of salvation which was given through Abraham and to all who believed Jew or gentile. Genesis 26:24”And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.” The promise would filter by faith from generation to generation breaking down religious rules but then the people rebelled against God and became subject to hatred and prejudices and slavery so God brought the people out of Egypt and established the Laws for the purpose to have a mark for the people to live before God righteously. The first five dealt with honor and respect of God as the Father and the second five in how we are to live respectively before others as children of God. The laws were, as many do today with wrist bands that say WWJD, reminders to keep our eyes, hearts focused on honoring God. But instead man rose to higher positions and religious rituals and traditions replaced the simple truth Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus said to him, “‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Understanding God’s love is not a hard thing to find, but can be a hard thing to obey when religion gets in its way, the religion that honors man. Let’s read together from Acts 23:11 “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”Paul is taken in fear that the mob may kill him and Luke tells us that the next day, the day after Paul spoke before the whole Jewish council in Jerusalem, at night the Lord stood before Paul.  You know Luke does not go into describing this with bells and whistle rather said Paul would not die until the promises were fulfilled. First the Lord says to Paul be of good cheer, meaning be at peace, being something normal in their relationship, wow! John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” The Lord speaks some words that will give Paul the faith that he will need for  the months ahead and then the Lord says Paul you testified of Me before Jerusalem, testifying of Paul’s true heart to reach the Jews. 2Timothy 2:13”If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Then the promise, “so you must also bear witness at Rome.” No matter what would come his way in the future, Paul was promised a day to testify in Rome. What are doing with the promise? Remnant

Good Wednesday May thirteenth as we grow our faith by studying God’s holy word.

Operation dividing accusers-

Paul because he told the commander he was a Roman citizen, was unchained and brought before the Sanhedrin which would be as our Supreme Court in the land.  The relationship between the heads of the Jews and Rome was a very thin line, Rome allowed the Jews to oversee matters according to their religious customs and laws but only by Roman authority could one be sentenced to death. So Paul stands before the Sanhedrin and the commander sits silent as they hold Paul on trial. What was interesting was that Ananias was the sitting high priest, now Paul being a Pharisee would know the high priest because the high priest would stand out because he’d be dressed in priestly apparel distinguishing him from the others. Obviously this day he may have been surprised that the commander called this meeting, and maybe because he thought I can get rid of Paul he just went in his ordinary clothes and Paul did not know he was the high priest. Vs 5 “5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ” Let’s read together from Acts 23:6-10 “But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.” Paul looks at all in attendance and sees a line himself, a belief line. Being a Pharisee he knew Pharisees believed in a resurrection, an afterlife, in things super natural, and that the Sadducees did not, so Paul divides the ground and says I am a Pharisee and believe in the resurrection, which caused the Pharisees to agree and say “the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” The fight was an internal fight of beliefs which was the core of religious beliefs even today. Paul we believe has heard from an angel from God he is innocent was the cry for half this group, while the anger exploded between these two divisions Paul is whisked away by the commander who sees religion as nothing more than opinions and prejudices.  James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” If it looks and acts like the world it is, truth is love joy and peace is what causes ones to come. The commander leaves the Chaos and takes Paul out. Have you come to the peace in Christ? Remnant

Good Tuesday May twelfth as we study from God’s word to know His will for us.

 Before the Sanhedrin-

Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem to the temple and share the Gospel to all the Jewish leaders and people. He finally gets the opportunity but finds that he has neither the support of the Christian leaders, as they seemly had no control over those who added concepts, rules to the free gift of the gospel. Acts 21:20b-21 “You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.” Jesus made this statement, John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” You hear people say Christians are narrow minded people believing only one entrance is given to go to heaven; well it’s the truth, only one heaven one entrance. John 10:9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” If you struggle let me clear things up, religion says only if you are one of them can you enter heaven, and to be right with religion means you have to work for your attendance in heaven, do the rules and rituals given by man. Jesus says all, meaning anybody, everybody is welcomed as the work has been completed and you just need to say I love you Lord and entrance is given. Paul now will go on trial before the Sanhedrin so let’s read together from Acts 23:1-5 “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ” Paul is here to testify that he is not teaching heresy, he begins by addressing the men here and the brethren meaning that he was a member of this council, he being a Pharisee himself. When Paul says “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” the high priest has Paul struck on the mouth as Paul is considered an enemy to the law. The high priest was Ananias who historians note was known to be cruel in nature, one who loved possessions was greedy, and one who compromised much to keep his position. Remember the Jews were allowed to remain as long as they caused no problems to Rome, so Ananias was a good politician. Paul not knowing Ananias was the sitting high priest says, God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” but when he learns who Ananias is he asks forgiveness, authorities are to be honored. Hebrews 13:17a “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account.” Honoring leaders, how are you doing? Remnant

Good Monday May eleventh as we grow in faith by unveiling God’s truths in His word.

What are you accused of-

The apostle Paul has been taken into custody the by Claudius Lysias who has taken Paul from being killed by the mob and has brought him  to the Roman fortress where he ordered that Paul be tied then flogged, being whipped in his back areas having his skin torn open. Paul was in his mid thirties when he began his Christian ministry and Paul has been beaten several times stoned and left for dead once and shipwrecked several times. His life has not been an easy life as an apostle to Jesus Christ. 2Corinthians 11:23b-25 “in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep.” This apostle has truly taken his cross, now this is not always understood in our protected umbrella lives. Many are taught when we say yes to Jesus that we then will live in this bubble where this world will have no effect on our lives and why, because we are Christians, let’s break this egg open. Jesus said this, Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”. What did Jesus mean? The cross yes represented the pain and suffering our Lord Jesus went through for our freedom from the enemy Satan who was given authority to rule this earth when Adam listened and obeyed him, not his God. But the cross represents death, as believers when we say take up our cross we are to put to death all things that do not represent God, things as selfish desires plans to do things against God’s word. The Bible says we need to repent, that is to place on the cross all past sins, all present sins and by faith all future sins on the cross which Jesus died and rose to give us a new life and become new in the Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” This is the gift from our Father His Son for our sins. Now the cross has even more meanings, yes repenting, yes death for sins but sometimes physical death for ones faith. Paul on that walk with the Lord alone, before heading to Jerusalem, understood that he would suffer, even unto death, for the truth of God’s word. Paul now bleeding form open wounds given to him by the Roman commander says,  Acts 22:25 “And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” The commander the soldiers all understood what Paul had just declared against them. Let’s read together from Act 22:30 “The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.” Flogging was the way to examine prisoners to get to the truth. This was their interrogation method, but Lysias has the Jewish leaders, Sanhedrin, brought before Paul to hear their charges. Don’t forget this is the same Jewish court that had Jesus killed. Got your cross? Remnant

Good Sunday May tenth as we celebrate our faith by learning Gods word.

Citizen Paul-

Paul has shared that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah whom they had hoped for, He being sent,  the only begotten Son of the Father, has entered this world to set mankind free from the bondage of sin that entered mankind in the garden. It began with a conversation between Eve and the serpent; a conversation of lies deceit questioning God’s holy words, Genesis 3:4-5 “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Substituting God’s word began the fall, but it was a choice. it has always been. rather to listen to the words of God and obey or to walk away and listen to deceitful teachings that lead to destruction. Paul testifies I have been in the Lords presence and am here to testify before you that the wait is over, the Messiah has appeared. They listened intently but stumbled as Adam and Eve when being deceived by rules and traditions that separated them form God’s will God’s word, Paul says I am to go with the good news to the gentiles this the Lord has commissioned me to do, but the mob got angry with him even more, so Paul is taken to the barracks where the commander has Paul scourged, whipped with a a short whip that had braided in the leather pieces small iron balls or sharp pieces of bones. For scourging, the man was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were tied to an upright post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged by the soldiers. Why was Paul flogged, the commander the governors overseeing the Jews needed to keep the Jews happy so Rome would not come down on them, it was a political handshake. Let’s read together from Acts 22:25-29 “And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.”  Paul tells the soldier he is a Roman citizen, why is this important because Roman law forbade a citizen even being tied up without first having a trial in a Roman court of law, and even then only after a conviction of crimes against Rome would such take place. But Paul because the commander believed he was only a Jewish citizen appeased the Jewish leaders by whipping him as a criminal. With Paul declaring to be a Roman citizen the commander was himself in position to even loose his own life for what he had done. Every Roman citizen accused had this one right, to appeal to Cesar for a final appeal. Understand Paul knows exactly what he is doing here, yes he could have said he was a citizen earlier but that was not part of his plan. Sometimes God asks us to go and do things for His glory, sometime tough things. Ask Jesus! Are you available? Remnant

Good Saturday May ninth as we come before the throne of grace to learn God’s word.

Prejudice is deep-

The apostle Paul stands on the stairs overlooking the courtyard of the outer temple and begins to share his transformation from his heart mind soul and spirit. Matthew 22:37 “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Understand in transformation one must allow in one’s life, to love God, first one must believe that the evidence they have accumulated in their life leads them to God, as creator and sustainer of all life, in other wards that life has proven to them that life was not a great random mistake, that things are too orderly and in need of God as the creator. Next Jesus says after making this decision then one is to love the One who created all things and remain with His position in our lives as God. Jesus says now that you love me, love Me with your soul, that is all of whom you are, the conscience the decision maker, to let God govern ones entire being. Then Jesus says with all your mind, understand for our souls to follow the Lord, ones thought patterns, ones world view must be firmly rooted in God’s word, that the word of God is God and is total truth. Paul had the body in religion his soul in belief in God, but his mind was in the religious practices, the extra traditions that man had added to what they declared was God’s entire law. Paul met the Lord and his body soul and mind were transformed in the truth of who Jesus was and is. So Paul shares with these Jews then says Jesus sent me to go to all the gentiles with the gospel. Let’s read together from Acts 22:22-24 “And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.”  When Paul tells them that it was God who commissioned him to go to the gentiles, this ignited the anger in the mob again, and why, because religion is a prejudice that works through one’s mind body and soul and spirit, how? By believing that they are the only ones, the only right ones. Have you ever met an only right one? Absent is the love of God, as God loves the world. You know this verse, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s heart mind soul and spirit are to love all His creation even those who do not love Him. Romans 5:10 “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Paul a religious man as Saul was an enemy of the gospel but God loved him so much that He gave His own life for Paul who now is giving his own life for God’s word for us. Paul is taken into the barracks it says to be examined but look how one is examined,

“He should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.” As if Paul didn’t know why. Have you been transformed into a new creation? Do you know why non believers shun you? Remnant