THE BOOK OF ACTS – WALKING ON THE WORD

WALKING ON THE WORD “At daybreak, no one recognised the land — but then they did notice a bay with a nice beach. They decided to try to run the ship up on the beach. They cut the anchors, loosed the tiller, raised the sail and ran before the wind toward the beach. But we didn’t make it. Still far …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – THE SAFEST PLACE

THE SAFEST PLACE “Some of the sailors tried to jump ship. They let down the lifeboat, pretending they were going to set out more anchors from the bow. Paul saw through their guise and told the centurion and his soldiers, ‘If these sailors don’t stay with the ship, we’re all going down.’ So the soldiers cut the lines of the …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – ANCHORED IN THE WORD

ANCHORED IN THE WORD “”Last night God’s angel stood at my side, an angel of this God I serve, saying to me, ‘Don’t give up, Paul. You’re going to stand before Caesar yet — and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.’ So, dear friends, take heart. I believe God will do exactly what He told me. …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS -THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW BETTER!

THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW BETTER! “We came under the lee of a small island named Cauda, and managed to get a lifeboat ready and reef the sails. But the rocky shoals prevented us from getting close. We only managed to avoid them by throwing out drift anchors.  “Next day, out to sea and badly damaged by the storm, we dumped …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – WHOSE AGENDA?

WHOSE AGENDA? “By this time we had lost a lot of time. We had passed the autumn equinox, so it would be stormy weather from now on through the winter, too dangerous for sailing. Paul warned, ‘I see only disaster ahead for cargo and ship — to say nothing of our lives! — if we put out to sea now.’ …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – NO HOLIDAY CRUISE!

CHAPTER 27 NO HOLIDAY CRUISE! “As soon as arrangements were complete for our sailing to Italy — Paul and a few other prisoners were placed under the supervision of a centurion named Julius, a member of an elite guard. We boarded a ship from Adramyttium that was bound for Ephesus and ports west. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, went with …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – DID GOD MESS UP?

DID GOD MESS UP? “But Agrippa did answer: ‘Keep this up much longer and you’ll make a Christian out of me!’ “Paul, still in chains, said, ‘That’s what I’m praying for, whether now or later, and not only you but everyone listening today, to become like me — except, of course, for this prison jewellery!’ “The king and the governor, …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – CRAZY OR CONVINCED?

CRAZY OR CONVINCED? “That was too much for Festus. He interrupted with a shout: ‘Paul, you’re crazy! You’ve read too many books, spent too much time staring off into space! Get a grip on yourself; get back in the real world!’ “But Paul stood his ground. ‘With all respect, Festus, Your Honour, I’m not crazy. I’m both accurate and sane …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – YOU CAN’T KILL A DEAD MAN!

YOU CAN’T KILL A DEAD MAN!  “‘What could I do, King Agrippa? I couldn’t just walk away from a vision like that! I became an obedient believer on the spot. I started preaching this life-change — this radical turn to God and everything it meant to everyday life — right there in Damascus, went on to Jerusalem and the surrounding …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – CAUGHT IN THE ACT!

CAUGHT IN THE ACT! “One day on my way to Damascus, armed as always with papers from the high priests authorising my action, right in the middle of the day a blaze of light, light outshining the sun, poured out of the sky on me and my companions. Oh king, it was so bright! We fell flat on our faces. …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – THE WORLD’S MOST HEINOUS CRIME

THE WORLD’S MOST HEINOUS CRIME! “‘I admit that I didn’t always hold to this position. For a time I thought it was my duty to oppose this Jesus of Nazareth with all my might. Backed with the full authority of the high priests, I threw the believers — I had no idea they were God’s people — into the Jerusalem …Continue reading →

THE BOOKOF ACTS – DEAD ACCURATE!

CHAPTER 26 DEAD ACCURATE! “Agrippa spoke directly to Paul: ‘Go ahead — tell us about yourself.’ “Paul took the stand and told his story: ‘I can’t think of anyone, King Agrippa, before whom I’d rather be answering all these Jewish accusations than you, knowing how well you are acquainted with Jewish ways and all our family quarrels. “‘From the time …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – POMP AND CEREMONY

POMP AND CEREMONY “Agrippa said, ‘I’d like to see this man and hear his story.’ “‘Good,’ said Festus. ’We’ll bring him in first thing in the morning and you’ll hear it for yourself.’ “The next day everybody who was anybody in Caesarea found his way to the Great Hall, along with the top military brass. Agrippa and Bernice made a …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – A TWIST IN THE TALE

A TWIST IN THE TALE “A few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to his new post. After several days, Festus brought up Paul’s case to the king. ‘I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought …Continue reading →

THE BOOK OF ACTS – NO WAY, FESTUS!

NO WAY, FESTUS! “About eight or ten days later, Festus returned to Caesarea. The next morning he took his place in the courtroom and had Paul brought in. The minute he walked in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem were all over him, hurling the most extreme accusations, none of which they could prove. “Then Paul took the …Continue reading →