Feb 19 2009 Num 5-6, Acts 26

Scripture
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
Acts 26:28

Observation
The Apostle Paul had been kept prisoner for over two years in Caesarea by the Roman Governor Felix. However, Felix was replaced by another Governor named Festus, and straight away, before he can settle in, the Jews are in to see him, demanding Paul be delivered to them. Why did they Paul? Because Paul had been one of them! Now he was preaching the Gospel, which they hated! Although he had been out of the way for two years, as soon as this new governor was on the scene, they started stirring up trouble. They wanted Festus to bring Paul to Jerusalem in order that they could lay in wait, ambush and kill him.

Not long after this incident, a special induction ceremony was held for the new Governor to celebrate his coming into office at Caesarea. The Jewish King Agrippa comes to visit with his sister Bernice. This was a sort of diplomatic visit, as it were. Now, it is while they were visiting that Festus brings up this matter of his prisoner Paul, who he had inherited from this predecessor and whom the Jews desired to kill. Agrippa is interested in this, and asked Festus if he could hear Paul for himself.

Application
The text I have selected is only eight words in length but they are some of the saddest to ever grace the pages of the Bible. Looking upon this story we can see that this is an example of God reaching out to the sin-blighted heart of a man to give that man a chance to be saved. And yet that man would not hear because of the love of the world and the circumstances of his life.

I wonder…what was it that held the king back that day? I can only guess that it was something he was unwilling to give up. What was it he couldn’t let go of in order that he might grasp the Savior?

More importantly…how many times have we been there?
ALMOST willing to commit my life fully to Christ.
ALMOST willing to serve God unreservedly
ALMOST willing to enter into ministry for Him

Prayer
Lord, please help me to keep You the absolute FIRST in my life. If that happens, there will be no ALMOST’s in my life..