THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 26

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 26

Agrippa then said to Pal. ‘You may now give an account of yourself.’ So Paul, extending his hand, began to defend.

“I consider myself fortunate, king Agrippa, that I may defend myself before you today, against all the charges that the Jews have made against me. And since you are so very familiar with all the customs and controversial questions of the Jews, I ask you to hear me patiently. All the Jews are familiar with my mode of life from my youth on, for it was spent from the beginning among my own people, and here at Jerusalem. Their earliest memory of  me, if they would admit it, would be that I lived the life of a Pharisee – the strictest sect of our religion. And now I am on trial for the hope in the promise that Elohei made to our fathers. In the hope of seeing that promise fulfilled, our 12 tribes served Elohei zealously night and day. And it is on account of that hope, O king Agrippa, that I am being accused by the Jews. Why do you think it incredible that Elohei should raise the dead? Yes, I too once thought it my duty to do many things in opposition to Yeshua of Nazareth. I did so in Jerusalem. There I locked up numbers of saints in the prisons by orders from the chief priests. And when they were to be put to death, I voted against them. In all the synagogues, many times I punished them and forced them to blaspheme. And in my burning zeal and furious rage against them, I kept after them even unto foreign cities. So when I was going to Damascus on such an errand, I had authority and commission from the chief priests. I was on the road at noon, O king, when I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun shining around me and my fellow travelers. Then, as we all fell down to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me saying in the Hebrew tongue, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It will be hard for you to rebel and resist.” And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Yeshua Whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you for the specific purpose of appointing you to serve Me and to bear witness of what you have seen and also of what I will reveal to you. I will save you from your people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you. You are to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Lucifer to Elohei, so that through faith in Me they may have their sins forgiven and have an inheritance among those who are holy.’ And so, O king Agrippa, I did not disobey that heavenly vision. I witnessed first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and then throughout the whole of Judea, and I preached even to the Gentiles that they must repent and turn to Elohei and live their lives consistent with repentance. That is why the Jews laid hold of me in the Temple and tried to kill me. And Elohei has helped me to this very day, therefore I have stood up and witnessed to both small and great, claiming nothing else than what the prophets and Moshe said would take place – namely this, that Mashiach must suffer, that he was the 1^st tor rise from the dead, and that He would give light to the Jewish people and the Gentiles.”

When he had spoken thus for his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are insane! Much learning has made you mad!’

“Most noble Festus,” answered Paul, I am not crazy. On the contrary, I am speaking the sober truth. And since the king is well informed of these matters, therefore I I dare speak to him more freely. Nothing that I have said is news to him; of that I am sure, for these things did not happen in some obscure corner. King Agrippa, you believe the prophets, don’t you I know you do!”

Then Agrippa said to Paul, You almost persuade me to become a Christian!’

To this Paul replied, “Oh, I could wish to Elohim that not only you, but also everyone who hears me today, whether with little or much persuasion, would become such as I am, except for these chains!”

After this was said, the king rose, as did also the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. When they had gone out, they talked the matter over together and concluded, ‘This man has not done anything punishable by death or even imprisonment.’ And Agrippa added this remark to Festus, ‘If he had not appealed to the emperor, he could have been set free.’

**ACTS 25: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapter-25.html

THAT WOMAN!

That demon spawn, Candy Scott is insufferable! >:-P

Monday I was thinking of Hub’s last words to me and decided I needed to formulate a letter that dealt with harsh honesty while being diplomatic in delivery, print it, and hand deliver it to the Park Office: I could have mailed it, but I want a quick result, so I bit the bullet and took it to Candy myself. I walked up to the Office and said I would like her to read what I wrote with an open mind and would wait for her response … whenever she got around to it; asap would be preferable. I also told her that it would be hard for her to read since she was one of the main issues in the letter, but what I wrote was truth, and if we are going to live here together we have to come to some sort of truce, and that she needs to know how I feel.

How did she respond? Typically, and as expected.

She took the letter and put it on her desk with her palms flat on it and with fake sympathy so thin it could be cut with a butter knife, she said, “I will read this Val. But you need to know that the last time your husband was in this Office he told me that he did not hold me personally responsible for anything because there were other stressors involved, and …”

And I cut her cold at that point before she could dig herself any deeper into the hole she was digging for herself. Of all the nerve! She was using the VERY WORDS I SPOKE TO HER in the call I made to her on Saturday morning when I called the Office to find out how to remove Hub’s name from the house title now that he is no longer living and flat out told her that I held her personally responsible for his death because she was a major stressor that led to his death. As soon as she uttered the words, “personally responsible” and “stressors” I knew EXACTLY what she was doing – she was attempting to absolve herself from any responsibility by playing on what she thought my emotions would be: she assumed (again) that I would be too wrapped up in grief to realize what she was doing. Well; she doesn’t know me at all, and that was a really stupid move on her part. I knew then that she was incapable of ever acknowledging her part in his death. Ever; letter or not. So I just stared hard at her for about 2 heartbeats so I didn’t jump the desk and bite her head off; then I calmly said, “Stop it. I don’t believe that because I KNOW how my husband felt up to the end of his life. Stop it.” Hubs had told me during his ICU stay … and he told everyone else who asked ‘what happened?’ that stress was killing him, and that our “little hitler manager was the stress”. Doesn’t sound anything at all like what Candy was suggesting. This woman has no shame and lies like a rug. She ignored me and went on with, “I know you need someone to blame …” And I cut her off again, held both hands up, and said, “I am not blaming anyone: I am flat out SAYING HOW IT IS” – not shouting, but stressing as calmly as firmly as I could so she would know that I was quickly reaching the end of my tolerance with her continual bullshit.

I was standing there, replaying Saturday morning's phone call in my head. I remember it clearly because I wrote it down afterwards so I wouldn't keep thinking on it. I remember waking up thinking, "I have to call Candy and I don't want to do this. Help me Yeshua." I made the call and as soon as she stared with her fake, 'Oh, Val, I am soooo sorry ...' I cut her off short, saying, "Candy, I don't want to hear you say that to me again. I am still pretty upset about August and I hold you responsible for my husband's death. And I would appreciate it if you would keep Ron away from me too ..." She cut in and said, "Is he bothering you?" And I said, "Not at the moment because I haven't been outside - I have been keeping a deathbed vigil at my husband's side ever since your August visit to our home. I don't know what his problem with me is - and I don't want to know. All I know is that you stormed our front porch on Ron's behalf and my  husband is dead because of it." Then I hung up the phone and cried.

For her to NOW use my own words against me in a twisted sense of self-righteousness is just plain wicked.

When I could finally speak again without screaming out in rage, I went on to say that as soon as Ron and she had issues with us, we should have been given the opportunity to have a 3-way meeting to iron out the problems in accordance to park Rules and Regulations. She looked startled and said, “there’s no rule like that.” And I said, “Yes; yes there is: Section 16 – Dispute Resolution. READ it – especially read articles 16.1 thru 16.2. Pretty clear reading.”

Candy Scott is in over her head and should vacate Manager Position: she has NO idea what the position entails, and she has NO idea what the Park Rules and Regulations STATE ... even though she insisted everyone read, sign, and hand in a statement saying they have done so the first of November; only a few weeks ago. Obviously SHE did not do so herself.

Then, to add injury to insult, she finished with, “I know it probably doesn’t compare … but I want you to know that I nearly lost my own husband this past Friday too. I know the fear.” At that, I just turned my back on her and opened the door to leave because I was afraid I really would jump that desk that separated me from her. I mean, HOW COINCIDENTAL is it that the very day MY husband dies, she {almost loses} hers??? And again, she assumes that I felt fear when my husband passed while I held his hand? I felt no fear because I knew my husband was leaving a pain wracked and dying body behind to gain a new one that would never again feel pain or decay. We are Christians, and my husband died a Christian death – there was NO fear involved, praise Elohei, Who comforted us both with faithful grace/mercy, unfailing/unsurpassed love, and soothing/comforting peace that passes all understanding. Candy, being the demon spawn that she is, doesn’t know that about us: she doesn’t know me, she ignores how I truly feel to try to superimpose her feelings onto me. Add to that the fact that I called her early Saturday morning to tell her that I needed to have Hub’s name removed from the House Title in case I want to sell it, and she sounded fine to me – there was NO INDICATION AT ALL that she had come within a hare’s breath of losing her husband: she wasn’t rattled, she wasn’t fearful, she wasn’t stressed; she was pretty darned calm for someone who had just gone through a fearful experience!

She also said, before I walked out the door, that “I really don’t know Ron at all.” Hmmm. She told Hub’s in an Office visit that Ron “really is a very nice man.” Now she ‘don’t really know’ him ‘at all’????

Candy Scott is a seasoned and practiced liar with no conscience at all. That woman is insufferable. And THAT is WHY every time I have to deal with her I get things on paper: can’t deny the written words.

December 17^th, 2018

Candice Scott    

Manager Heron Pointe

I am writing this letter following our phone conversation following my husband’s death December 14^th, 2018. As I stated in that phone conversation, I am not sure how long I will be here, but for the time being I will be here for a while. My husband’s last words to me were “I love you”, and “keep the house.” I will try to honor my husband in this matter but a great deal of that will depend on you and Ron. We have been good tenants and neighbors – the same cannot be truthfully claimed by either of you towards us … in any regard. Ron’s self-centered pettiness and aimless complaining, and your arrogantly ignorant actions and baseless accusations leveled at us on Ron’s behalf are directly responsible for my husband’s untimely and wrongful death. Had the ridiculous situation been handled in a professional manner, and had we been given a fair hearing with a meeting between Ron, us, and you … my husband would still be alive. That being said, as I said before: I have forgiven you because you are nothing more than a tool for Ron’s pettiness. Ron, on the other hand, has been an irritant from the day we moved in: he started his BS then and carped on us about anything and everything – and we were more than accommodating because we are good people and good neighbors: we had no idea he was also complaining behind our backs to you until you stormed our porch August 29^th, 2018 making demands, throwing accusations around, and waving highlighted papers under our noses, that apparently only we have to obey. Tessa and Ron on both sides of us can get away with murder and you appear powerless to make them tow the line … the very line you were vociferously insistent we tow. Now, due to the stress caused by that stress, my husband is dead.

So to make some sort of peace of this nightmare I am now living with all the hell caused by mismanagement and ridiculous pettiness, I am asking now, before the gardening season begins in March of 2019, what vegetables and flowers will Ron allow you to okay for me to plant: can you please list and mail the okayed selections so I can be sure not to plant anything that would offend him? And can I be assured that he will not insist on another 12 inches of “safe space” tacked on to the 12” you are insisting I give him when your grandsons move the planter boxes to make him happy? And, if I may, can you please ask him to make sure that his unruly tomatoes do not cross the boundary line and trail into my area – you refused to take a look at that when I asked you to do so August 29^th, because “his wife just died, for God’s sake!” But when I called you a few days later to tell you that my husband, Bob, was in ER dying because of your crazy visit, your response was “Well, Val, that is not my problem.” A boldly biased stance from a person who prides herself on professionalism. I would also like you to ask Ron to make sure his garden clean-up stays on his side of the boundary line that seems to move according to his whims: he can lean his tomato cages on his own planter box instead of mine when he is doing Fall cleanup; for him to boldly leave them leaning against my planter box was disrespectfully nervy given the baseless complaining he has done about us to you concerning ‘private property’. I am not even sure you broached the topic with him after I mentioned it to you: he never did physically move the cages – they still lie where the wind finally blew them down.

And those red scalloped bricks he claims I stole from him? Those bricks were ours and I have property pictures to prove it:

We bought this house last summer – in 1 year’s time my husband is dead because of pure nonsensical BS

I took this picture the day we purchased our home here – the background bricks Ron ran complaining to you about are clearly on our side. Seriously … WHO in their right mind would willingly “lay bricks for a neighbor’s property line ON THE SIDE of their property” knowing the property would be sold, as Ron claims? That was his story to us: I have no idea what he told you. But a picture is worth more than a thousand words. I was doing cleanup … the only dishonesty is Ron’s. But he can keep them; if he wants them bad enough to concoct a ridiculous story and stand by it, he can have them: I don’t need them; and if I want more, they are fairly cheap to purchase. Ron is not a “really very nice man”. You and I have a very different understanding of what the word “nice” means.

I want you, as Park Manager, to make sure Ron leaves me alone from now on. And any complaints he has about me to you I want to be present to hear with my own ears, and I want to be able – under Park Rues – to exercise the right to defend myself before you make any more demands or accusations to me on his behalf. This is fair and right. My husband’s wrongful death is unfair and leaves me at a disadvantage on many levels. I am expecting you, as Park Manager to put your biases aside and help me make the necessary transition as painless and as easy as possible – as you did with Ron – while I try to navigate the choppy waters of widowhood with a crappy neighbor to deal with.

Sincerely,

I doubt she even read the letter given the way she jumped right to the BS defenses. I do not expect a reply back. But at least she knows how I feel and it is on record in her file (I am assuming that she actually read it/kept it), so if anything in the letter is brought up in further dispute I can redirect her to the letter above.

Elohim is going to have to help me every minute of every day to rise above her if I decide to stay here because right now she sucks the goodness right out of me. If I do stay I will have to have encounters with her … Hubs, because of her arrogantly ignorant actions, is no longer alive to run interference like he used to: and I have a very, VERY LOW tolerance for bold-faced liars. Even less for carefree murderers.

PEACE LIKE A RIVER

I woke up with this song in my head … I wasn’t thinking of it; I’ve been too exhausted lately to think of anything at the end of the day … so I thanked Elohei for speaking peace to my spirit ;-)

On another note, I started cleaning house yesterday and clearing out some of  Hub’s clothing - I can't look at it and Bob knew I would do this: we talked about it many times over the years; especially after funerals. My BIL Kerry, and his son Casey, came over yesterday morning to clean the gutters for me: Hub’s and I had intended to do that in the Fall before all hell broke loose in August with ending result being his death. When they left, all of Hub’s shirts, coats, and shoes left with them. I am glad to give to family members – I would rather have family members using his stuff that total strangers. Then around 8:30 p.m. I decided to switch the sheets out on the bed and take a shower: the sheets really didn’t need changing as I have not been home in a month to sleep in the bed, but old habits die hard; so they got changed. When I stepped into the shower I noticed that one of the sliding doors was off track so I attempted to move it and it literally came out of the tracks falling back towards me! So I examined the structure to see what was happening and noticed that the entire top bar was hanging precariously – I gently set the door back in the track as best I could without bringing the top bar down on my head, and stepped out of the shower stall. I called SIL Merry to see if there were any guys still hanging around at her place and she said that they had already left, but SIL Bonnie came over and fixed it :-D and I watched what she did closely so I will know what to do if it ever happens again ;-)

I have SO MUCH to learn so I can begin flying solo with confidence.

But for now, I have the assurance of ‘peace like a river’ … and Elohim is taking good care of me by meeting my needs in unexpected ways. Anything Lucifer can throw at me, Elohei will take care of. Of this I am certain.

WIDOWHOOD

My husband stepped off this planet and entered Heaven’s Gates yesterday morning at 8:05 a.m. – Sabbath Rest; how wonderful is that? He had been struggling with chronic pancreatitis since August after a series of events led to a flare-up that set in and would not be controlled. St. John’s Peace Health hospital was in over their heads from day 1, and told us that he needed to be treated at OHSU but there was no available bed there for him until November 26^th. The 4 medical teams there that were assigned to Hubs for his specific situation were fantastic from the get-go: they made us feel like family and treated Hubs very well, and did everything they could do for him that would not be in serious conflict with what we believe in Faithwise. And Hubs agreed to everything they wanted to do to help him when it did not include actual resuscitation actions – towards the end he did agree to 4 blood infusions to boost his red blood cell count, and he did agree to allow the breathing machine when he underwent a failed procedure to drain the pseudocysts on his pancreas.

But …

Despite everything being done, Hubs started seriously going downhill this past Tuesday when his breathing became very strained due to the excess water weight from the rampant edema that had spread from his legs to include his feet, arms, and back, as well as his painfully extended abdominal area. Hubs and I knew he was dying; it was just a matter of time – very weak, nauseous, hot to the touch w/no fever, and in severe back pain. The docs knew it too but they did not state it until Thursday morning. Wednesday Hubs and I prayed for a peaceful passing and listened to the Teams trying to be cheerful (their faces and body language did not match their pep talks; they were very somber). We knew that Hubs was seriously fighting for his life at that point, but he adamantly refused the breathing machine 4 times when it was suggested; and I don’t blame him. It is painful to experience and to watch someone use, so I supported his decision to refuse it, and that led to Hubs being placed on a “comfort care” regimen to keep him as comfortable as possible until the end of his life on this Earth.

Friday was filled with activity that only a death scene can stir up: everything was removed from his person (feeding tube, heart monitor, IV drips, ect.) leaving only the nostril oxygenizer. I called every family member and gave them the news as well as the option to come see him for the last time if they wanted to do that … or could do that. Those that were local and fairly local came; those who could not leave their jobs because there was no replacement workers, or those who lived too far away and could not get an emergency flight – like our granddaughter in Massachusetts, and our daughter in Nevada – did not, but they called.

Doctor Morgan came in periodically and asked me how I was doing. I had been at OHSU constantly since he was admitted, staying all day and all night, going home only once a week for a 4 hour stretch to collect mail, throw in a load of laundry and take a shower before heading back to Bob so he wasn’t ever alone (the time span I chose to do home stuff was when he was having x-rays, imaging, and doctor consultations): the rest of the time I was on the spot 24/7. I packed and kept a duffle in the room with juices, paperbacks, and clothing; I was there with him for the long haul. I said I was “doing okay; we are prepared for what is happening: death does not frighten us.” She asked if there was anything I needed. I said, “I need this to hurry up.” Looking at my husband I wished with all my heart that we could go back to August 29^th BEFORE Candy Scott stormed our front porch with neighbor Ron’s ridiculous paranoia and her egomania accusations and insinuations which led directly to the nightmare we were painfully experiencing. Docs think that he had passed a gallstone at some point before that event and the stress of the encounter with Candy irritated the already inflamed internal area and that things careened out of control making the situation deadly. That makes sense because nothing else about the insidious illness does. As I watched my husband struggling to breathe and speak I wanted so badly to have the ability to rewind our lives and go back to August 29^th when life was good and we were enjoying our life and looked forward to more good times.

Physical death came slowly through those 24 hours. It was very hard to experience and watch. A few times he would shake off the effects of the pain killers he was given to look around and try to talk, but the death rattle and wheezing was so loud I could not hear his voice even with my ear pressed to his mouth – that upset me because he was trying so hard to speak and I wanted him to know that I was there for him. But I could not understand what it was he wanted me to know. He did tell me again and again before he was too weak to speak that he loved me, so I am assuming that is what he wanted me to know. His room was packed with family members that came – his son Alex, youngest brother Kerry, oldest sister Merry and her youngest daughter Tiffany, me of course, his middle sister Bonnie, his mother, our daughter and her daughter Alyna, and her fiancé Liam. And the room was also filled with the phone calls that came in and I put on speaker so everyone, especially Hubs, could hear the speaker – our granddaughter Krisalee, in Massachusetts, our granddaughter Brianna, who could not get time off from her local job to visit the room, our daughter Sara, in Nevada, who could not get an emergency flight. The only family people absent were Hub’s youngest sister who couldn’t pull herself away from her $$$$ counting tower to come until the next day (too late as usual; same sister who could not visit him in ICU in September because she had an upcoming business deal she didn’t want to miss), and our daughter and grandson … and you all know, if you have been reading my Blog and FB posts, why they could not be in attendance, a middle brother who for whatever reason of his own did not want to come, and a beloved Aunt who was on vacation and would not have time to get back here in time. Everyone who did make it stayed until 9 p.m. Around 10 p.m., my middle sister called in tears saying she just heard ‘through the grapevine’ (aka, FB) and was ‘so sorry’ … I hung up on her – if she wants absolution, she will have to go to whatever god her believes in to get it; the way she and her husband treated us in October was and is inexcusable. I can’t deal with her narcissistic BS right now and I refuse to allow her to use my husband’s death to assuage her guilty conscience; I forgive her, BUT she will have to carry her selfish burden alone – I don’t want it. My youngest sister called and I appreciated that; though our chosen lifestyles are vastly different, Carla did love my husband and they never had cross words. Still have not heard from my brothers and I don’t expect to.

I felt a LOT of emotions during those long torturous hours of endless waiting. I felt numb, angry, sad, joyful, jealous, frightened, bold, and mournful all at once. I felt numb because this was something I could not control, and it was spiraling out of control with alarming speed. Of course, Elohei knows best and He had everything under control; I just did not want to feel the loss so I shifted into ‘numb’ mode. I am angry because Candy Scott and that bastard neighbor Ron set this situation into action with their petty ridiculousness and refuse any responsibility at all. I have forgiven Candy because she is nothing but a tool, but Ron is a selfish and unrepentant murderer (killed his wife with his continual smoking even though she was suffering severe COPD … and he killed my husband with a stress-induced illness that stole his life). I am angry because when I get home there is no way to avoid either of these people that have killed my husband and ruined my life. Forgiveness for Ron will have to come from Elohim; I can’t right now; I don’t want to. I felt sad because my life with Hubs is ending and yet taking too long to end – I wanted his unrelenting pain to end and I wanted to hang into him as long as I could too. I was sad because he was suffering and that could not be avoided.  I was sad because our life together was ending and I was powerless to stop any of it (the illness, the wrapping up of 44 years together) from happening. I was joyful because soon my longsuffering husband would be freed from a bloated and pain-wracked body that refused to cooperate with getting healthy again. I was joyful knowing that my husband would soon be trading his agonized body for a brand new one specifically designed for him personally that will never again know pain and decay. I was joyful because shortly he would be in the presence of Yeshua, walking Heaven’s streets of gold; I was joyful knowing that! I was jealous because I want to be freed from my decaying body too, to be with him as he will be with Yeshua. I want to be with my husband; instead I am being left behind in a decaying world with an aging body to now go through life alone, bereft of the warm and friendly companionship and unconditional human love my husband lavished on me. I was jealous of my husband’s approaching journey which leaves me behind for a while until I can join up with him again. I was frightened because I will be alone without love or companionship for the 1^st time in 44 years. I don’t want to be alone. I don’t know how to be alone – ALL of my life was a life centered around the love of my life. I am frightened of the future. I am frightened but not fearful. I felt bold with a boldness to move forward despite feeling sad and frightened. I must move forward; I cannot stay at Heron Pointe with my husband’s killers on the premises. I want to honor my husband’s dying request that I stay in the house he provided me with, but I have got to sell and move, and I will be doing that alone. The grandkids want me to move to Oregon where they can keep close tabs on me and be assured that I am doing okay with their periodic visits and checking up on me – can I trade a country life for a city life? Maybe. I feel bold enough to do that, but would that be the right thing for me? I will seek Elohei’s wisdom and guidance and move forward boldly no matter what is decided. I felt mournful because my husband presence would soon be leaving me and I love him and I cannot imagine my life without him in it. But I must let go; it would be selfish to keep him here in pain and misery. I do not mourn as the world mourns … as those with no hope; but I did already feel an acute emptiness at the loss of my husband in my life.

Yesterday after Hub’s spirt left his earthen vessel and entered into a celestial body up yonder, Kerry gave me a ride back home where Bonnie and I took care of business at the funeral home before I came home and started getting used to a life of widowhood. It is strange and I feel kinda aloof from it. I mean, I am still me; and I haven’t fallen apart like everyone seems to think I should. I figure for 3 decades Hubs and I have talked about approaching death and how we would face it and deal with it when it happens, so I was pretty prepared for yesterday’s unfoldings. Plus I have cried rivers since this whole nightmare started in August: I am cried out right now. I do have weepy moments like when I was at the checkout line in Wal*Marts yesterday afternoon digging around in my purse for my wallet and saw Hub’s wallet next to mine. Or when one of the kids call and we get to talking about the good times with Hubs/Grandpa. That’s to be expected. But I had my melt-down moments in the dark and lonely hours of hospitals, so I believe those times are past me now. Though I am a widow, I refuse to cloak myself in despair or bleakly mourn. Hubs would not want me to do that, and our Faith forbids it. I refuse to get lost in the depths of depression and break like a fragile object (like everyone expects) when I would much rather put all my energies into rejoicing that my husband now has a much better life in a much better place. I am happy for him, and that makes me happy ;-)

PSALM 118 - BETTER THAN HOT COCOA ;-)

I was settling in for the night when it was impressed upon my spirit to reach for my Bible and open it to the Psalms. The Psalms, like the Book of Job have gotten me through past tough patches – my Bible fell open to Psalm 118; a very good reminder to TRUST IN ADONAI YESHUA. For His mercies endure forever.

And I heard in the cafeteria earlier this evening that the demoncrats/libtards/socialists/communists/muslims/athiests/satanists/witches/other subterranean plebs are determined to take President Trump down now that they have the House in their pocket. Of course that is CNNs reporting with plenty of their pet biased senators, brainwashed political counselors, and just plain snarky Trump-hater-gossip-monger pals (which the TV is constantly broadcasting day and night here at OHSU) so I pretty much just let the {news; aka twisted gossip passing for news/fake news} go in 1 ear and out the other while I eat.

This passage in the Old Covenant Scriptures pretty much covers everything brought to us or that concerns us … from August forward (the verses that really spoke to me and our situation tonight are dark tinted:

Psalm 118 – “O give thanks unto Adonai; for He is good: because His mercy endures forever.

² Let Israel now say, that His mercy endures forever.

³ Let the house of Aaron now say, that His mercy endures forever.

⁴ Let them now that fear Adonai say, that His mercy endures forever.

⁵ I called upon Adonai in distress: Adonai answered me, and set me in a large place.

⁶ Adonai is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

⁷ Adonai takes my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

⁸ It is better to trust in Adonai than to put confidence in man.

⁹ It is better to trust in Adonai than to put confidence in princes.

¹⁰ All nations compassed me about: but in the name of Adonai will I destroy them.

¹¹ They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of Adonai I will destroy them.

¹² They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of Adonai I will destroy them.

¹³ Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but Adonai helped me.

¹⁴ Adonai is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

¹⁵ The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of Adonai does valiantly.

¹⁶ The right hand of Elohim is exalted: the right hand of Elohim does valiantly.

¹⁷ I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

¹⁸ Elohim hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise Elohei:

²⁰ This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.

²¹ I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

²² The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

²³ This is Elohim’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

²⁴ This is the day which Adonai hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵ Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Yeshua, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

²⁶ Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed You out of the house of Elohim.

²⁷ God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

²⁸ Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee: thou art my God, I will exalt Thee.

²⁹ O give thanks unto Adonai Yeshua; for He is good: for His mercy endures forever.”

The promises and encouragements in Scripture will do more to help me sleep tonight than a cup of hot cocoa ;-)

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 25

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 25

Three days after Festus had come into his province, he went from Caesarea to Jerusalem. The chief priests and chief men of the Jews brought charges against Paul with petitions. They asked as a special favor that he would summon Paul to Jerusalem, with the intention of lying in wait for him and killing him on the way. But Festus replied that Paul should be kept at Caesarea and that he himself was soon to go there. ‘But, he said, ‘if there is anything wicked about the man, let the men of authority among you go with me to bring a charge against him.’

When he had spent not more than 8 or 10 days there, he went back to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and gave orders that Paul should be brought in. When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about him, charging him with many and serious offences, none of which they could prove.

In his defense, Paul said, “I have not sinned against any Law of the Jews, nor against the Temple, nor against the emperor.” Then Festus, in hope of winning the favor of the Jews, asked Paul, ‘Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and to stand trial before me there in regard to these things?’ Paul answered, “I am now being tried in the emperor’s court, the very place where I ought to be tried. I never did the Jews any wrong, as you know very well. Indeed, if I am guilty of wrongdoing and have done something deserving of death, I do not refuse to die; but if what they say against me is not true, I will let no man turn me over to them. I appeal to the emperor.” Then Festus, after having conferred with his council, answered, ‘You have appealed to the emperor – to the emperor you shall go.’

Some days later, king Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.

As they stayed there for several days, Festus related to the king the story of Paul. ‘There is a man here,’ he said, ‘who was left in prison by Felix. When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priest and elders of the Jews presented their case against him and demanded a judgment against him. I replied that it was not the Raman custom to give any man up to destruction before he had a chance to defend himself against their charges. So they came here with me, and without delay I took my seat in the courtroom and ordered the man to be brought in. But when his accusers took their stand, they brought forward no charge whatever of crimes such as I had in mind. Rather, their dispute with him was in regard to their system of religion and someone named Yeshua, Who was dead but Who was declared by Paul to be alive again. I was perplexed as to how to deal with these issues, so I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges there. At this, Paul appealed to have his case reserved for the emperor’s decision, and so I gave orders that he should be kept in prison until I could send him to the emperor.’

Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I, too, would like to hear this man myself.’ He answered, ‘Tomorrow you will hear him.’

The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the courtroom, together with the army heads and principal men of the city. Festus then gave orders that Paul be brought in.

Then Festus said, ‘King Agrippa, and all the rest of you who are here with us, you see this man against whom all the Jews, both here and at Jerusalem, have been clamoring that he does not deserve to live any longer. As for myself, I have not noted anything in his record deserving of death; but since he, himself, has asked for a hearing before the emperor, I have decided to send him on to him. Yet when I write to the sovereign, I have nothing definite to say against him. It is for that reason that have brought him before you all, and before you especially, king Agrippa, in order that the examination may give me something definite to write about. To me it seems absurd to send a prisoner up for trial without stating what charges are made against him.’

**ACTS 24: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapter-24.html

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==Porcius Festus was procurator of Judea from about AD 58 to 62, succeeding Antonius Felix. His exact time in office is not known. He inherited all of the problems of his predecessor in regard to the Roman practice of creating civic privileges for Jews. Only one other issue bedeviled his administration, the controversy between Agrippa II and the priests in Jerusalem regarding the wall erected at the temple to break the view of the new wing of Agrippa's palace.

During his administration, Jewish hostility to Rome was greatly inflamed by the civic privileges issue. Feelings were aroused which played an important part in the closely following Jewish War of AD 66.

In the New Covenant (New Testament), the Apostle Paul (Saul) had his final hearing before Festus. In Acts 25:12, Festus sought to induce Paul to go to Jerusalem for trial; Paul appealed to the Emperor. The appeal resulted in Paul being deported to Rome in the autumn of AD 58. Acts 25-26 http://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/roman-and-greek-coins.asp?vpar=934

==King Agrippa, who comes to pay his respects to Festus was Marcus Julius Agrippa II (A.D. 27-100), son of Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-25) and great-grandson of Herod the Great (Mt 2:1-23). Brought up in Rome in the court of Claudius, he was a favorite of the emperor, though too young to immediately succeed his father at his death in A.D. 44. In A.D. 50, following the death of his uncle (Herod of Chalcis, A.D. 48) he was granted the petty kingdom of Chalcis, northeast of Judea. He later exchanged it for the tetrarchy of Philip, Abilene (or Abila), Trachonitis and Acra (the tetrarchy of Varus) in A.D. 53. In A.D. 56 Nero added to his kingdom the Galilean cities of Tarichea and Tiberias with their surrounding lands and the Perean city of Julias (or Betharamphta) with fourteen villages belonging to it (compare Josephus Jewish Wars 2.220-23, 247, 252; Jewish Antiquities 20.104, 138, 159; Longenecker 1981:547). He had supreme power in Jewish religious life, for the Romans gave him the right to appoint the high priest and custodianship of the temple treasure and the high priest's vestments (Josephus Jewish Antiquities 20.213, 222). He was the last of the Herodian line.

Accompanying him was his sister Bernice, a year younger than he. She had been engaged to Marcus, a nephew of the philosopher Philo of Alexandria. Then she married her uncle Herod, king of Chalcis. At his death she returned to live with her brother Agrippa II and engaged in an incestuous relationship with him. This gained her notoriety both in Palestine and in Rome (Josephus Jewish Antiquities 20.145-46; Juvenal Satires 6.156-60). http://www.livius.org/articles/person/herod-agrippa-ii/

==Bernice was a law unto herself. Totally wicked and unrepentant. http://www.womeninthebible.net/women-bible-old-new-testaments/bernice-berenice/