congregation together and there I delivered the letter. I was reminded how several years ago I carried letters of authentication in my pocket from the chief priests in Jerusalem to put the saints of Jesus Christ to death. Now I was carrying a letter in my pocket again from Jerusalem, this time from the apostles, to exhort, encourage and inspire the saints. Bringing them comfort and Shalom - peace. It was ironic how I had been converted from a murderer to a messenger. After I read the letter, the people were delighted by its encouragement.
Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. After they had spent some time in Antioch of Syria with us, they were sent off back to those in Jerusalem with the greeting of "Shalom!" We invoked the blessing of the Lord upon their souls, that they will be kept safe by God Himself. That nothing will be missing and nothing will become broken within their souls. Messengers of the Gospel were always sent and never went on their own accord. However, Silas decided to stay on with us and did not return to Jerusalem with the others.
I rebuked the Apostle Peter when he came to visit us in Antioch of Syria, I protested and opposed him to his face concerning his conduct. He was clearly in the wrong and to be blamed. He had been eating his meals with the Gentile believers, foods forbidden to be eaten by the Jews, prior to the arrival of disciples from Jerusalem headed by James. When they arrived in Antioch of Syria, Peter withdrew and separated himself from the Gentiles. He was afraid of the faction who favoured circumcising Gentile believers. The other Jewish believers became hypocrites along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not walking a straight path and keeping in line with the truth about the Gospel of grace, I said to Peter in front of everyone, "If you, born a Jew, can live as you have been living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how dare you urge and force the Gentiles to comply with the rituals of Judaism."
I explained to Peter how that a man is not justified or reckoned righteous by the keeping of the law, but only by faith and trust in Jesus Christ. How that we both believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified and made righteous by the faith of the Messiah. Never by the works of the law. For by the works of the law and keeping legal rituals shall no human being ever be declared righteous and be justified. I explained that we are no longer under the Law of Moses but under grace. For the grace of God has appeared for the deliverance from sin, bringing salvation to all mankind. It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness and worldly passions. So that we can live uprightly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. What is so hard to understand that we are no longer under the law but under grace.
Barnabas and I stayed in Antioch of Syria, where we and many others taught and proclaimed the Good News of the message of the Lord. How Jesus Christ, the Messiah had attained salvation for us when He died upon the cross. I wrote an entire letter to the saints in the Province of Galatia warning them of the dangers of legalism, "O foolish Galatians, who has smitten your eyes with witchcraft, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently portrayed as crucified among you? Did you received the Spirit by the keeping of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? That having begun in the Spirit you now resort to be made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain? Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
If only I could get them to believe and put their faith in what God had provided for them when His only Son died upon the cross. The gospel which I preached and declared unto them, wherein they now stand, was how that they might be saved. If only they could keep in their minds and remember how at first I preached to them lest they believe in vain. How that Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins according to the Scriptures. That He was buried and laid in a tomb, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. This was the message that I got them to believe in. This is what they were baptised into with water once they believed.
Do you not know, that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death. That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together with Him in the likeness of His death, we shall be also be planted together with Him in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old fleshly man, the man of dust is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we should no longer serve sin and be enslaved by it. For he that is dead is freed from sin. How anybody could think that they could achieve righteousness by rituals and works were insane. It could only be by faith and by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ alone. No other way!
After some time I said to Barnabas, "Lets go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we proclaimed the message about the Messiah, and see how they are doing!" Barnabas was determined to take John Mark with us again. Barnabas and John Mark were near relatives who grew up together. They were family. Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph, was a Levite and native of Cyprus. He was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles in Jerusalem as he had sold a field which belonged to him and gave the money to the church, laying it at the apostles feet. John Mark owned the upper room where Jesus and His disciples stayed.
I thought it not a good idea to take John Mark with us again. He had gone off and deserted us in the Province of Pamphylia, leaving us to do the work by ourselves. According to me he was unreliable. There followed a sharp disagreement between Barnabas and I over John Mark, that we separated from each other. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. I chose Silas and left, after the brothers had committed him to the grace of God. We passed through the Provinces of Syria and Cilicia, establishing and strengthening the churches. So my second missionary journey began with Silas by my side. God's holy apostles and prophets being yoked together in agreement, as was God's divine order for His church.
My heart yearned for Barnabas. We were divided and separated by something so stupid and trivial. I wished that I could have taken my words back, reversing time so that the event never happened. But God knew that we needed to be divided in order to multiply. He and I were both on missionary journey's, on the road preaching the Gospel in two different parts of the world. Not only was he my best friend but he had become closer to me than any brother could. His name meant son of encouragement and he had encourage me on numerous occasions, living up to the destiny on his name. I missed him dearly. I loved him.
Though I speak with the languages of men and of angels, and have not love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. If I give all my goods to feed the poor, and I give my body to be burned, and have not love, I gain nothing. Love endures long. It is patient and kind. Love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy. Love is not boastful or vainglorious. It does not display itself haughtily. Love is not arrogant and inflated with pride. It is not rude and does not act unbecomingly. Love does not insist on it's own rights or it's own way, for it is not self seeking. It is not resentful, it keeps no record of wrong doings. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when truth prevails. Love bears up under all things. It is ready to believe the best of every person. Love endures everything without weakening. Love never fails.
Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love. Make it your aim and your greatest quest to have it. Aim to be rooted deep in this love. For God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Whatever has happened in the past is in the past. It cannot be changed. It is dangerous to carry your past into your present and future, as that would be the thief of your destiny. "Let it go!" I say, "and forget those things which are behind."
I am Paul, an apostle of Jesus Chr
ist, the Messiah. Sent to promote among God's chosen people, both Jews and Gentiles the faith and knowledge of the truth. To lead them to recognise the truth which leads to godliness. May true love that grows out of sincere devotion to God be with you all.
Amen - so be it.
Hard Times. #7
I am Paul, a bond slave of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, because I was called and set apart for preaching the Gospel of God. This Good News had been promised in advance by His prophets in the holy Scriptures. It concerns His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who is the descendant of David according to earthly linage. Through Him I have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith. When Silas and I went down to the city of Derbe and then on to the city of Lystra. I met a young disciple there, a believer whose name was Timothy. He was the son of a Jewish woman but his father was a Greek. His name meant, "honouring God" and he did indeed live up to the destiny of his name.
All the brothers in the cities of Lystra and Iconium