SCRIPTURE

Studied: Acts 25; Acts 26 

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Acts 25:14-16 ~ I admit that their leaders think that the Lord’s Way which I follow is based on wrong beliefs. But I still worship the same God that my ancestors worshiped. And I believe everything written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets. I am just as sure as these people are that God will raise from death everyone who is good or evil. And because I am sure, I try my best to have a clear conscience in whatever I do for God or for people.

Acts 26:1-3 ~ Agrippa told Paul, “You may now speak for yourself.” Paul stretched out his hand and said: King Agrippa, I am glad for this chance to defend myself before you today on all these charges that my own people have brought against me. You know a lot about our religious customs and the beliefs that divide us. So I ask you to listen patiently to me.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Paul was a very special man who had a dramatic change in his life after his conversion. Much of the New Testament writings evolve around Paul’s work as a follower of Christ, so one may imagine that he was very prepared to answer appropriately when challenged in the court of his day to defend his religion/beliefs. If we stop and think about it, we are promoting and/or defending our Christianity every day, for some of our friends and coworkers are looking to trip us up to see if we are for real (if we are everything that we claim to be for Christ), some are really curious as to why we act the way we do and make the decisions we do, while others are so determined to test the validity of our faith that they will do all within their power to see if they could tempt us to stray or do those things that they know Christians often stay away from. I am convinced that in and of our own strength, we are very weak and can easily cave in to the temptations and challenges just discussed. However, we serve the master of the universe, the Creator of this world, the King of all kings that ever was, the One who performed and indeed still performs miracle after miracle,