Chapter One
Suffering for the love of God
In my last book I read of St Paul’s story of his love for Jesus, God and his amazing Holy Spirit. I knew this man suffered, but I never realised how muchheactuallydidsuffer,Icopiedthissectionfrommylastbookbecause Iamactuallyastoundedatwhathesufferedforthesakeofthegospel,andI wonderedhowmuchcouldIsufferforthesakeofthegospel.IknowI,and myfamilyhavesuffereddeeplymanytimesovertheselastfortyyears,but nothinglikethismansuffered.
Apart from the suffering from beatings, stoning, and lashing, he suffered rejection, betrayal, from his friends, and suffered in his praying for the churchesheestablished,warningthemofevilcomingintothemdressedas angelsoflight,andassheep,insteadtheywerewolves.
ThepaintingaboverecordsthemomentwhenSaulofTarsus,onhiswayto DamascustoannihilatetheChristiancommunitythere,isstruckblindbya brilliant light and hears the voice of Christ saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutesthoume?...Andtheythatwerewithmesawindeedthelight,and wereafraid,buttheyheardnotthevoice..."(Acts22:6 11).
ElsewherePaulclaimstohaveseenChristduringavision,anditisonthis basisthathegroundshisclaimandisrecognisedasanApostle:"HaveInot seenJesusChristourLord?"(ICorinthians9:1).
1 Corinthians 9 New King James Version (NKJV)
A Pattern of Self Denial
9 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Copyright@ 06 04 2018
2 Corinthians 11 New International Version (NIV)
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
AndstillhepraisedGodandkeptongoingdoingtheworkofthelordoutof a tremendous love for Jesus and God and his Holy Spirit. I am going to be truthful here I don’t think that I could have endured all that St Paul suffered.
What did his back look like having been beaten with the cat of nine tails {with bones and leaded ends on the ropes to cause the maximum of pain,}asitiscalled; thatmeansthere’sninetimesatoncehewaslashedwiththiseviltorture,, and they lashed him thirty nine times each time; and he was actually lashed five different times with this instrument of torture, he had ‘’one hundred and ninety five lash marks on his back’’ and then he also had beenbeatenthreetimeswithrods,{they used multiple rods joined together not just one rod}hisbodymusthavelookedterriblydisfigured.Andhewaseven stoned; and being stoned usually meant death, but his friends stood over him, and he rose up totally healed and went straight on into ministry by going to Derbe, a city where he would again preach the gospel. As I said what didhistotal bodylooklike,hisfacemusthavelookedawful because that’s where they would mostly aim at so they would kill him, and they succeeded,andafterwardshisfriendsstoodaroundhim,itdoesn’tsaythey prayed over him, though I’m sure they must have prayed for his soul or maybetheyhadfaithtoraisehimfromthedead,whoknows?
It was always God who healed him from his pain and anguish from all of this torture I suppose; because he never lay down in a bed to recover, it doesn’t say this anywhere. And here he was again after being stoned to whattheJewsbelievedwastodeath, risingupandgoingintoanothercity
StPaulfeelsthatheisforcedtoboast
topreachthegospel.Canyoujustimaginewhatthismanmusthavelooked like for the Jews to believe that he had been stoned to death? Those Jews didn’t use little stones; they used the biggest they could throw, and threw themwithasmuchvenominthemastheypossiblycould.
IhaveneverheardasermontalkingaboutwhatPaulsufferedanywhereor even read it in a book! What a story of love for Jesus that this man had. I wouldlovetowritehisstoryandmaybesometimethelordwouldhaveme writehisstory;lolwellitseemslikeIhavebeguntowritehisstory.
Troubles test your faith, and this will give you ·patience [perseverance; endurance].
AllPauldidwastoseekthelord,tofollowtheHolySpiritsdirectionandgo onandonpreachingthegospelnomatterwhathappenedtohim.Whatan astounding man of faith he was, and he started out as a murderer of the Christians; seeing them fed to the lions, and ate alive, or crucified and dying.And‘’Godchosetouse ‘’this man’’ forhisglory,’’andeveninprison he used him to send out the lords instructions to the churches he established,andthesebecametheEpistlesoftheNewTestament.
Chapter two Paul’s story
Knocked off his high horse,
All for the glory of God and not for Paul!
Acts 16:16 New International Version
PaulandSilasinPrison
16 Oncewhenweweregoingtotheplaceofprayer,weweremetbyafemaleslavewho hadaspiritbywhichshepredictedthefuture.Sheearnedagreatdealofmoneyforher ownersbyfortune telling. 17 ShefollowedPaulandtherest ofus,shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept thisupformanydays. FinallyPaulbecamesoannoyedthatheturnedaroundandsaid to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that momentthespiritlefther.
19
When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silasand draggedthem into the marketplace to face the authorities.20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romansto accept or practice.”
22
The‘’crowdjoinedin theattack’’againstPaulandSilas, andthemagistratesordered them to be ‘’stripped and beaten with rods.’’23 After they had been ‘’severely flogged,’’ they were thrown into prison, and the jailerwas commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the ‘’inner cell’’ and ‘’fastenedtheirfeetinthestocks.’’
25
About midnight Paul and Silas were ‘’praying and singing hymns to God,’’ and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.At once all the prison doors flew open,and everyone’schainscameloose. 27 Thejailerwokeup,andwhenhesawtheprison doors open,hedrewhisswordandwasabouttokillhimselfbecausehethoughttheprisoners hadescaped. 28 ButPaulshouted,“Don’tharmyourself!Weareallhere!”
29
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.30 He thenbroughtthemoutandasked,“Sirs,whatmustIdotobesaved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved you and your household.”32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediatelyheandallhishouseholdwerebaptized. 34 Thejailerbroughtthemintohis house and set a meal before them; hewas filled with joy because ‘’he had come to believeinGod’’ ‘’heandhiswholehousehold.’’
“These men are servants of the ‘’Most High God,’’ who are telling you the way to be saved.” You would think that it would be great for an evil spirit to be telling everyone that you were there telling them how to be saved. How pride would kill me if this happened to me, {I’m just being truthful,} and maybe you would think it would be something significant, an evil spirit actually tellingpeoplethatyouweretheretotellthemhowtobesaved.
I would have thought people would have been excited, and asked ‘how to besaved,’butno!Notonewasinterestedinlearninghowtobesaved,they instead rose up in anger because of the fortune telling girls owners were shoutingtheyhadlosttheirmoneymakingslavegirlspower.
They seized Paul and Silasand draggedthem into the marketplace to face the authorities.20 Theybroughtthembeforethemagistratesandsaid,“ThesemenareJews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romanstoacceptorpractice.”
22 The‘’crowdjoinedin theattack’’againstPaulandSilas, andthemagistratesordered them to be ‘’stripped and beaten with rods.’’23 After they had been ‘’severely flogged,’’ theywerethrownintoprison,
Thecrowdjoinedintheattack,isn’titstrangethatacrowdwillalwaysjoin in an attack on someone? If people tell them these people need to be punished, people just forget justice or anything good, feeling of rage and angerwellsupinsideacrowdandtheyallbehavethesamewayexceptfor a few good people, for demons get a crowd rose up by having them feel anger and injustice no matter what the cause is. Evil spirits grab hold of people’s emotions, and no matter how good a person may be, the crowd will attack when encouraged, even by one person’s example. I have witnessedthismultipletimesduringthetroubles{thewarwithBritain}as acrowdgatheredandsomeonewasaccusedofbeingasoldierorinformer, even without proofand theywould kill, {and have killed} ifthey could get atthatpersonorpersons.
Crowdsfollownotthepersonshoutingoutinjusticebuttheyfollowtheevil spiritsor‘’demonsthatJoinwiththeevilspirits’’[demonsrushtohelpevil spiritstohelpthemintheirevilworkings]andtheyraisepeople’semotions upandtheydomanywrongthingstoanotherhumanbeingtheydon’teven know.
I used to read western books and I seen in those books people accused of beingcattlerustlersorhorsethieves,andthecrowdsjoinedinandhanged them,soevilspiritsusethesamemethodsdownthroughhistory.
In acts 13 we see how Paul experienced one of them leaving them or as scripturetellsusinthelivingbiblehedesertedthem.
Acts 13 Living Bible (TLB)
13 Now Paul and those with him left Pathos by ship for Turkey, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark deserted them* and returned to Jerusalem.
Probably John Mark decided he had enough and left for his own reasons butthisversionsayshedesertedthem,andthisistheversionImostlyuse
Acts 16:19 New International Version
forthisisthebibleIuse;buteveryotherversionsays‘heleftthem.’Ihave usedthisversiontoshowhowfeelingscaninfluenceussomuch,andshow that if a friendleftus for some reason we could feel like they desertedus, andsomeevilspiritcouldinfluenceouremotions,anditisbestthatwe‘’do not follow feelings or emotions’’ for they could lead us down the wrong path;promptingsfromtheHolySpiritontheotherhandleadsusdownthe pathsthelordhaspreparedforus.
Chapter Three
Discovering first hand suffering
As I have discovered at first hand leaders or pastors or priests will not acknowledge that God is using you to work miracles or teach some great revelations, insteadspirits of jealousy and envy rise upin them and cause themtorejectyou.EveninthechurchthatIattendrightnow,Iamstillnot allowed to pray with people even though I have been there three years now, and I know it was jealousy that caused the pastor to reject me, and believethisornotheusedtowalkpassmebackwardssothathewouldn’t catchmyeye.Ichallengedhimonedayaboutthisandhelaughedandsaid yeshedid;hegavemenoreasonforhisbehaviour,nordidIaskforone.I justletitslidepastme.IalwaysfoundreligiousleadersjealouswhenIwas around.IusedtosellbooksforapriestaFatherRobertDeGrandisssj,and Iseenpeopledivingtogetthebooksandonlyonceseenonewomanleader goingafterthesefantasticbooksandteachings.Iwatchedforyearstoseeif aleaderwouldtakeoneofthesebooks,buttomyknowledgenotevenone, and I sold these books not for me for I never wrote them, but a beautiful son of God wrote them, but because I encouraged folk to get them and Father Robert sold his books cheaply, and folk bought them but not their religiousleaders. Jealousyisaterriblething,itcancausefeelingsofhatred, anger,evenmurderonoccasions,liketheseJewsfeltaboutPaul.
IjustrememberedarejectionIreceivedfromaleaderofthisplacewhereI usedtoplaythemusic forthem,forovernineteenyearsIledtheworship in this particular place, and then one day I arrived and as usual went into thesideroomwheretheleadersjoinedtopray;normallythepriestwould pray a blessing over me to lead the worship, but this time he called a blessingoverawomanwhomIknewplayedtheguitarandhadagroupof singers with her. I was confused and didn’t know what was going on and after they had finished praying, I asked the other main leader what was
happeningandshetoldmethatthiswomanwasgoingtoleadtheworship onthishealingweekend.Isaidoknoproblem.WhenIwentouttoget my seat,thiswomanwhowasnowleadingthemusic;Iwon’tcallitworshipfor it was of the flesh that she led the group, but the moment that I appeared shepounceduponmeandsaidsitthere,I’mleading,soIjustsatdownand whenthemusicstarted,Ijustplayedalong.
After all the sessions had finished and I went to go to bed; I found people distantwithmethatistheleadersIshouldsay,soIsaidnothingandwent tobed.
NextdayasIsat onmyowngettingreadytoplaywith theirmusic,aman called Jimmy came over to me and asked why am I not leading the music, it’sterrible,there’snoanointingonit,IlaughedandtoldhimIwastoldthis womanisleadingtheweekend.IshouldsayJimmywasoneoftheleaders butnotleadingthisweekend,becausehehadbeenill.
A little while later Jimmy came over to me and said the lord told him I wouldleadthehealingservice.Ithoughtthathewaswayoutofitandjust feelingforme,soIcontinuedtopraisethelord,andjustwentonplayingas the music group were now starting. As I said they were just singing nice songsandwereperfectingtheirharmonieswhichinthesecularworldwere verygood,anditcametothetimeforthehealingservicetobeginandthe priest was telling the folk to be prepared. Next thing the music leader suddenly jumped up to her feet and ran out the door, and a few minutes laterallhermusicgroupfollowed.
I was watching the leaders and the priest when this happened and I seen the shock on their faces, and confusion for the priest had announced that the healing service would begin now, and when there was no sign of the groupcomingback,TheyhadaquickdiscussionandIseenthemlookover at me and the priest walked over to the microphone and asked me if I would lead the healing service, and I of course answered yes, and I just glancedoveratJimmywhowassittingwithalargegrinonhisfaceandput histhumbupandwinked.
Idonethemusicandthelordhealedhispeopleandnowitwasover,andI hadjustput awaymyguitarwhenthewomanandhergroup arrivedback in.anddinnertimewasannouncedsowealllefttheroomandwentforour dinnerwhenJimmycaughtaholdofmeandturnedmearoundandhugged meandsaid,‘’thelordwasrightwasn’the,hewantedyoutohelphealhis people.’’
I was amazed that this man had gotten this word from the lord, for I had beenfeelinglowbecauseoftheattitudeoftheleadersandthiswomanwho led themusic group,now Iwassoelatedbecausethelordhadwantedme toleadhishealingservice;praisethelordforheisgood. That was the last time I was at the weekend for they finished when the priestdied,butIalwaysrememberJimmyandhiswordfromthelordand what had happened that the lord removed these people and had me ministertohimashehealed.AllglorytoGodonhigh.
AfewmonthslaterIwasatahealingweekendinaplacecalledLetterkenny in southern Ireland and it was the same priest who was leading the weekend; and Rose and some of our worship group were at it. I saw the priestarrivewiththemainleaderoftheweekendswhereIhadministered to the lord for nineteen years; I wavedto them and smiled becauseit was nicetoseethemagain.
IsatdownandwaitedonRosewhowastalkingwithsomewomen,whenI was tapped on the shoulder, I looked around and saw it was the leader, MickI’llcallhim,nothisrealname,andIgotupandhuggedhimtellinghim Iwassogladtoseehim.
HegotdownononekneeasIsatdownagain,andheshockedmebyasking for my forgiveness,saying ‘’it was himwhohad me removed from leading theworshiponthatweekend,’’andhesaiditwasbecausehewasjealousof mygiftingsfromtheHolySpirit,andhebeggedformyforgivenesswhichI told himItwasokbetweenmeandhim,andhuggedhimagainandbegan totalkabouthowhiswifewaskeepingandsomeofhiskidswhomIknew werenotthebest;sowechattedforabrieftimethenhewascalledtocome asthemeetingwasabouttostart.
The reason I wrote this piece was because I suffered at the hands of leaders,priestsandpastorslaterasIjoinedabornagainchurchandmoved inthatareanow,andItwasjusttoshowthatinthemanywhogrievedmy spirit this man was the only one who came and asked for my forgiveness acknowledgingwhathehaddonewas throughjealousy.Anditisthesame forPaul,hesufferedeverytimefromleadersasheproclaimedthewordof thelord;jealousyalwaysaroseintheirheartstowardshim,becausepeople werelisteningtohimandmorewerecomingtohearhimpreachthatwere goingtotheirsynagogues.
Jealousy is the devils greatest weapons in the church among leaders; for onewantsapositionandsomeoneelsegetsit,andsotroublealwaysarises andchurchessplit;Iseenthishappentimeaftertimeinchurchesthatwere inmycity;IwasnotamembernordidIgotothembutIseenthatjealousy alwayshappened,andIfoundoutlateronfromexchurchmembers.
Acts 13 New International Version (NIV)
43 When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.
46
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
JealousycausedthoseJewishleaderstorejectthewordofGodandsolose theirsalvation.ThishappenedtimeaftertimewithPaulasheisnowcalled,
Later, in a vision to Ananias of Damascus, "the Lord" referred to him as "Saul, of Tarsus". When Ananias came to restore his sight, he called him "Brother Saul". In Acts 13:9, Saul is called "Paul" for the first time on the islandofCyprus–muchlaterthanthetimeofhisconversion
Acts 13 New International Version (NIV)
2
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul,
OntheislandofCyprus
Saul was first called Paul and his name continued to be called Paul from thenonin,atthatislandofCyrus.
PaulboastsofseeingintoheavenandboastsofallthethingsGoddonefor him. This is the full scripture that I have used for this book so forgive me for having you read what you have already read, but it will explain even morewhyPaulsfeelthatheneededtoboast.
2 Corinthians 11 New International Version (NIV)
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super apostles.” 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Paul Boasts about His Sufferings
16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!20 In fact, you even put up
with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about I am speaking as a fool I also dare to boast about.22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.)
I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, know that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.
Paul continues to boast, but his boasting is not on what he could do, but whatGoddidforhim.
2 Corinthians 12 New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn
12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows. 3 And I know that this man whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations.
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul boasts quite a lot here, though he tries to take the attention off of himself by saying he knows a man, but it is he whom he is talking about, otherwise why would God give him a thorn in the flesh, to allow a spirit fromSatantotormenthim.
Even with all these incredible things happening to this man he kept going on and on in his love for God and Jesus, nothing would stop him from proclaiming the gospel. I suppose I could go on and dissect this scripture but what is the point, for you the reader know from reading those two scripturesthatyouhavehisfullstory,anddon’tneedmetofurtherexplain hisbeautifulloveforhisGodandhissaviourJesusandhisHolySpirit
Would we go on and on proclaiming the gospel? In truth I see very few people proclaimingthegospel andI don’t hear of too many churcheshere inIrelandmakingtheircongregationgooutintothestreetsandtellfolksof the salvation message, or the message of healing through the suffering Jesusenduredatthescourgingatthepillar.
When you read this little booklet you will of course read of some of the little things I have suffered, but what I have suffered is nothing to what SaintPaulsuffered,butevenwithwhatlittleIhavesufferedIwillgoonand onproclaimingthegospeltopeoplethatImeetinshopsorinthestreet.It ismygreatestjoytotellpeoplehowtogetintoheaven,andtotellthemall their ‘’sins are forgiven,’’ and it is all through the grace of Almighty God through Jesus and his Holy Spirit who strengthens us in all things that we gothrough.AndpraiseGod we go through things wearenotstuckinthem ever!
Allthroughthegenerationspeoplehavesufferedforthegospel,andmany were put to death or suffered terrible torture or their families were imprisoned if they spoke about Jesus; and even today Christians are still suffering for believing in Jesus, and are burned of their homes and churches,inplaceslikePakistan,andintheMiddleEast.Andjustrecentlya group of terrorist beheaded little babies, children, and their parents, and
burned people alive in Iraqi and Syria, because they were Christian, they are called
Isis
and the torture they have inflicted upon people because theybelongtoJesusisterrible,sobarbaricyouwouldthinktheybelonged totheancientdayswheremanwasmorelikeananimalthanhuman. So torture and killing for our faith is still happening, and Paul suffered morethanmost andspentyearsinprisoninRome;andprisonthosedays as I said previously, didn’t have TV or the internet, but even with that shortfall still the gospel managed to get out either by word of mouth or later by manuscript, and now today those letters that Paul wrote are put together as our modern day bible. Scripture says
nothing you do for the lord is ever wasted.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 AMP BIBLE Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best, and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labour [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].
Peoplecanbefickle;oneminutetheyareforyouthenexttheywanttokill you;asPauldiscoveredmanytimes
Acts 14 13 New International Version (NIV)
13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over They stoned Pauland dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
‘
’
‘’
’’
ThesepeoplefirstofallwantedtoworshipBarnabasandPaul,andbrought flowersandbullstosacrificetothem,andPaulcalledthem‘’friends,’’were only men; he called them friends and just a little while later these same people stoned Paul to death as they believed and these people had good knowledgeofthosetheystonedtodeathandbelieveditwasdone.
One minute people will want to be your friend and the next minute they wouldhangdrawnandquarteryou.Youhaveseenthisineverydaylifeall around you. One minute a TV star is in the headlines for being a great person,andeveryonethinksthesearelovelypeople,andthenexttheyare showing things these people done wrong in their lives many years ago, usually when they were young and didn’t have much sense, or something caused them to act in the way they did. And next some disgusting person goesdiggingintotheirpastanddiscoverssomethingtheydidwhileyoung, andthentheysplashitalloverthenews,andtheyaretornasunderbythe media,andfriends.
This happens all the time between friends, one minute you are the most wonderful person alive, and have been friends for many years, and then you make one little mistake, and the knives are out, stabbing you in the backandwalkingawayfromyou.
People are fickle and Paul like Jesus knew human nature, especially born again friends, never mind people not born again. People are the same everywhere including Church people; they will be for you one minute and the next they will happily believe everything bad about you without even checkingwithyouifitistrue!
Paulwasshipwrecked,
Three times I was shipwrecked; I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
Paul said he was shipwrecked three times, yet there was coming another time on his way to Rome to be tried there by Cesar he was again shipwrecked Heishisstoryshortenedforyou!
27 Arrangements were finally made to start us on our way to Rome by ship; so Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of an officer named Julius, a member of the imperial guard. 2 We left on a boat that was scheduled to make several stops along the Turkish coast
9 There we stayed for several days. The weather was becoming dangerous for long voyages by then because it was late in the year, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it
10 “Sirs,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on perhaps shipwreck loss of cargo, injuries, and death.” 11 But the officers in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. 12 And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbour a poor place to spend the winter most of the crew advised trying to go further up the coast to Phoenix in order to winter there; Phoenix was a good harbour with only a northwest and southwest exposure.
18 The next day as the seas grew higher; the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. 19 The following day they threw out the tackle and anything else they could lay their hands on. 20 The terrible storm raged unabated many days, until at last all hope was gone
40 They finally decided to try. Cutting off the anchors and leaving them in the sea, they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed ashore. 41 But the ship hit a sandbar and ran aground. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was exposed to the violence of the waves and began to break apart.
42 The soldiers advised their commanding officer to let them kill the prisoners lest any of them swim ashore and escape. 43 But Julius wanted to spare Paul, so he told them no. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard and make for land, 44 and the rest to try for it on planks and debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely ashore!
The boat was shipwrecked again and thanks to Paul everyone escaped successfullyandwassaved.
Whendoesanythinggetanybetterforthisman?Herehewasshipwrecked againforthefourthtimeandheisnowheadedtojailinRome,whatalife! ThoughPaulwasimprisonedthejailersdecidedtogivehimspecialstatus, he got a little rented house where he welcomed people coming to him to hearthegoodnews.
Acts 27 Living Bible (TLB)
14 There we found some believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers and sisters, having heard news about us, came from as far away as the Forum of Appius and Three Inns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and was encouraged.
16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself [in rented quarters] with the soldier who was guarding him.
17
Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Kinsmen, though I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our fathers, yet I was turned over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 After they had interrogated me, they were ready to release me because I was not guilty of any offense deserving death. 19 But when the Jews objected [to my release], I was forced to appeal to Caesar (Emperor Nero), not because I had any charge to make against my nation. 20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel (the Messiah, the resurrection) that I am bound with this chain.” 21 They said to him, “We have not received [any] letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the [Jewish] brothers come here and reported or said anything bad about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what your views are [that is, exactly what you believe]; for in regard to this sect (Christianity), we are fully aware that it is denounced everywhere.”
23
When they had set a day for Paul, they came to his lodging in large numbers. And he carefully explained [Christianity] to them from morning until evening, solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the [writings of the] Prophets. 24 Some were persuaded by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and they began to leave after Paul had made one last statement: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, 26 ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY,
“YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND,
YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 27
“FOR THE HEART(the understanding, the soul) OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL(calloused),
AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,
AND THEY HAVE SHUT THEIR EYES[to the truth];
OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN [to Me],
AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”’
Acts 28 Amplified Bible (AMP)
let it be known to you that [this message of] the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they indeed will listen!
[And when he had said these things, the Jews left, arguing among themselves.]
And Paul lived there for two full years [at his own expense] in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, 31 preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness and boldness, unhindered and unrestrained.
InPaulslast daysofwhichthereare noscriptureforthem,weseethat he livedherefortwoyearsunhinderedfromproclaimingtheGoodNews.God saw to it that Paul had peace in his last days after living the most horrific lifeofanyChristianandnevergaveuponJesusorGod,alwaystrustinghim no matter what the circumstances were, let us try and follow his example andsharethegospeleverywhere.