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Millard Kinnison on December 11, 2023

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Unstoppable! 'Bound for Rome' — Acts 26:32

Monday, December 11, 2023

[After Paul's defense and explanation of his innocence and ministry,] Agrippa said to Festus, "He could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to Caesar."

— Acts 26:32 NLT

Key Thought

Agrippa's simple sentence emphasizes two important realities for Paul's life and ministry:

He was pronounced innocent by governmental authorities.

He was going to be sent to Rome for his defense to be heard by Caesar.

The importance of Paul's innocence for Christians, and especially for God-seekers who were Roman, was huge — see yesterday's "Unstoppable" and an earlier "Unstoppable" for more on the importance of his innocence. For Paul, getting to Rome was of supreme importance because he felt called and promised by God to share the Good News of Jesus there, and he also wanted to go to other places that had never heard the message of Christ.* Paul would travel as a prisoner to Rome. While these circumstances were less than ideal for his travel to Rome, he traveled under Rome's protection and at the expense of Rome. As always, Paul would use his situation, no matter how promising or challenging, to share Jesus with others.** Since Paul could find ways of sharing Jesus no matter his circumstances, we need to evaluate how committed we are to sharing Jesus using our current circumstances, no matter what they are, to accomplish the same mission!

* See the first set of our Related Scripture Readings.

** See the second set of our Related Scripture Readings.

TODAY'S PRAYER

Dear Father, please give me wisdom as the Holy Spirit empowers me with courage so I can share Jesus with those in my circle of influence. I want to do this with gentleness and respect^ so that others will see my love for them and be drawn to Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

^ See 1 Peter 3:15-16.