<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Acts 28;11-16<div><br></div><div><b>11. &nbsp;After three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead.</b></div><div><b>12. &nbsp;Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.</b></div><div><b>13. &nbsp;And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegiun; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.</b></div><div><b>14. &nbsp;There we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. &nbsp;And so we came to Rome.</b></div><div><b>15. &nbsp;And the brethren there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. &nbsp;On seeing them&nbsp;Paul thanked God and took courage.</b></div><div><b>16. &nbsp;And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>We&nbsp;may perhaps&nbsp;be tempted to think of Paul alone,&nbsp;as the evangelist who carried the name of Jesus westward along the northern Mediterranean&nbsp;coastal regions and on&nbsp;into&nbsp;south Eastern Europe.</div><div><br></div><div>This is understandable, since the book of Acts does not record the evangelistic&nbsp;work of many other Believers. &nbsp;However, we note in today’s reading that by the time Paul arrives in Italy and finally gets to Rome, there are already Believers (Brethren)&nbsp;there to welcome him.</div><div><br></div><div>The ministry of making disciples was given to the entire Church, and the Holy Spirit had inspired many Believers to carry the name of Jesus with them into all the world, even as he continues to do so to this day.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul was comforted by this. &nbsp;He cared little for fame or position. &nbsp;His heart was devoted solely&nbsp;to fulfilling the ministry given to him. &nbsp;It is very likely that the church in Ephesus, a crossroads of the Roman Empire, where Paul ministered for three years, was the church which inspired and sent forth many other evangelists into the whole of the Roman Empire.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul rejoiced to know that the name of Jesus was going forth throughout the world. &nbsp;He, and we, live for the praise of His glory, not our own.</div><div><br></div><div>The soldier who guarded Paul was most likely, Julius, the centurion, who himself was by now quite likely a Believer and fellow servant of God.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, we give you thanks for the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul and for all who through the ages have labored to bring us into the name of Jesus. &nbsp;Bless us dear Father to abide faithfully&nbsp;in this same mission and ministry. &nbsp;We pray in Jesus, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation and we are His.”</div><div><b><br></b><br><br><div><a></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Acts 28;11-16
11.  After three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead.12.  Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days.13.  And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegiun; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli.14.  There we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days.  And so we came to Rome.15.  And the brethren there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us.  On seeing them Paul thanked God and took courage.16.  And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him.
We may perhaps be tempted to think of Paul alone, as the evangelist who carried the name of Jesus westward along the northern Mediterranean coastal regions and on into south Eastern Europe.
This is understandable, since the book of Acts does not record the evangelistic work of many other Believers.  However, we note in today’s reading that by the time Paul arrives in Italy and finally gets to Rome, there are already Believers (Brethren) there to welcome him.
The ministry of making disciples was given to the entire Church, and the Holy Spirit had inspired many Believers to carry the name of Jesus with them into all the world, even as he continues to do so to this day.
Paul was comforted by this.  He cared little for fame or position.  His heart was devoted solely to fulfilling the ministry given to him.  It is very likely that the church in Ephesus, a crossroads of the Roman Empire, where Paul ministered for three years, was the church which inspired and sent forth many other evangelists into the whole of the Roman Empire.
Paul rejoiced to know that the name of Jesus was going forth throughout the world.  He, and we, live for the praise of His glory, not our own.
The soldier who guarded Paul was most likely, Julius, the centurion, who himself was by now quite likely a Believer and fellow servant of God.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, we give you thanks for the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul and for all who through the ages have labored to bring us into the name of Jesus.  Bless us dear Father to abide faithfully in this same mission and ministry.  We pray in Jesus, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation and we are His.”


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