Grace, Truth, and Integrity in Adversity

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Paul earnestly beholding the council said men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day and it was then that the high priest got really upset and and submit him on the mouth I think Paul was saying this with a true sincere honest heart he had a good conscience before God he had not acted out a deceit or or vain or or anyway that was was crafty. [00:05:09]

Paul here was encouraging Timothy to hold hold the faith seems like somewhere else he said something about holding the mystery of a faith holding them the mystery of faith in a clear conscience someone has that reference I think I think is right in here too somewhere if I remember right first Timothy 6 holding to the mystery of faith with it with a clear conscience that where it is. [00:08:09]

But having renowned things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God I guess if I would it kind of holds this holds his own without too much emphasis just how that the things of dishonest are to be rejected the handling of god's word deceitfully is to be is to be worked against. [00:09:36]

The Lord stood by him and said be of good cheer here the Lord Himself came to the side of Paul to his sight and he said be of good cheer Paul for as thou has testified of me and Jerusalem so must thou bear witness also at Rome and and that verse helps me a little bit in understanding why Paul might have appealed to Caesar Augustus Caesar I believe why he why he chose this heart path of when he was given the option to go all the way to Rome. [00:12:00]

Paul had a clear conscience he had always taken opportunity to preach and that brought on a clear conscience many many other things you can just start naming them Paul did it and in that way he he was he was clear in his conscience it be like saying that's how he was working out his salvation now I guess we all know that our consciousness can be deceived and those are all things that that we need to guard against stuff but but still Paul just he is that example of having a clean clear conscience. [00:19:37]

Paul said no I stand at Caesars judgment seat where I ought to be judged to the Jews have I done nothing wrong no wrong as they very well know Paul just put it right back in their lap look you have not you have not been able to accuse me of anything with any kind of validity and you know it for if I be an offender or have committed anything worthy of death I refuse not to die but if there would be none of these things were of these accuse me no man may did may deliver me under them I appeal unto Caesar. [00:26:46]

I think myself happy King Agrippa because I shall answer for myself this day before you about all the things were off I'm accused of by the Jews especially because I know the to be an expert in customs and questions which are among the Jews wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently my manner of life from my youth which was at first among you on my own nation at Jerusalem knew all the Jews basically saying the Jews know where I come from they understand my beginnings. [00:31:49]

I verily I used to think within myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the scenes did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to prison I gave my voice against them it it seems like Paul's interaction with the stoning of Stephen was maybe a bit more deeper than than I previously had thought that here it says here Paul admits that he gave his voice against against the Saints. [00:40:45]

And when we all fell to the earth I heard a voice speaking unto me and saying in the Hebrew town Saul Saul why persecutest thou me it is hard for you to kick against the pricks pricks and it just again comes up I think it could reach something like it is hard for you to go against the conscience that you have to you know better but you don't do it and that's a sin to you it's hard for you to kick against the pricks. [00:41:09]

Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I sent thee to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the our Oh Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me for a pawn Oh King Agrippa I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision again this is Paul really making this communication between him and the king. [00:42:41]

And so this is yet another thing that that Paul understood s that's the fulfillment you know that Christ should suffer she should be the first to rise from the dead he will be the one that shows light to the people to the Gentiles and as he thus spoke for himself Festus set with a loud voice Paul you're beside myself much learning does make the man it's the only thing he had left to say all through this Agrippa was still quiet it was Festus that spoke first. [00:45:10]

For the King knows of all these things and I think so now he was speaking to Festus and like the King knows all these things before whom also I speak freely for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him these things didn't were in a corner these things of Jesus being the first to raise from the dead being a light to the Gentiles Paul somehow knew that I Griffin knew about it but just was too cowardly to really stand on his own feet with it. [00:46:12]

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