- Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.” Acts 25:12 – If you’re following along with Paul’s story it just seems to be one bad case after another. Now on top of all that he is to be sent to Caesar and be examined. Yet what if all this was God’s plan? In Acts 23:11 God gives Paul a command to go to Rome and where is Caesar at? Rome. On one side it looks like Paul is being pushed around and forgotten. On the other side we see God showing how He is able to use all things to accomplish His mission. So in your story remember there is another side, a side where God is working and possibly even using things you’d never thought He’d use to accomplish His mission through you. Trust God knows what He’s doing even when you have no clue what He’s up to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 654
- So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Acts 25:23 – Once again we see another opportunity for Paul to speak about the Gospel. This time we have a king, the king’s sister Bernice, and an audience hall filled with military leaders and prominent men of the city. And all this was to give Festus, the leader of this area, an understanding of the charges against Paul because soon Paul was to be sent to speak with Caesar of Rome! While this was discussed and planned out by these leaders, Paul would have been most likely clueless, just waiting in his prison until they called for him again to speak, or worse, to punish him. This is where Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:15 truly stand out, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” Paul would have needed to establish in his heart that God is good and holy, even if the situation he was in wasn’t good. Paul would also need to constantly be ready to share the Gospel, to share the message of hope. For at any moment he may be called to speak to a leader, or king, or even Caesar himself about the message of Jesus. Today, like Paul, know we truly have no clue what’s ahead for the day. We don’t know who we’ll run into and what opportunities to speak about Jesus are ahead of us. Let’s then get ready now to share so when the opportunity to speak about Jesus comes, we’re good to go. – Daily DEVO 2551
Daily DEVO 