As I was doing my morning devotions in the midst of struggling with an emotional problem (pride, unforgiveness and control) plus the upheaval of moving house GOD spoke to my spirit and gave me peace. It is amazing how He can take our troubles, our anxious thoughts, our strivings, and our shortcomings of character and exchange it for His PEACE. Praise GOD, prayer and God's Word works. Thank you Abba!

Several of my study questions for today's reading are listed below. Food for thought and a good plateform for study.

What do you think of the character of Felix and his response to God’s call?
Which particular phrase reminds you of Pilate in his treatment of Jesus?
Give six phrases from Acts 2616-18 that describe Paul’s aim when he gave the gospel to the gentiles.
In Acts 26, with what words did Agrippa reply to Paul?
What do you learn about sharing the gospel from Paul’s speeches before Felix and Agrippa?

My daily devotions and maybe yours too……

Acts 24

Paul Appears before Felix
1Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish leaders and the lawyer[a] Tertullus, to press charges against Paul. 2When Paul was called in, Tertullus laid charges against Paul in the following address to the governor:
"Your Excellency, you have given peace to us Jews and have enacted reforms for us. 3And for all of this we are very grateful to you. 4But lest I bore you, kindly give me your attention for only a moment as I briefly outline our case against this man. 5For we have found him to be a troublemaker, a man who is constantly inciting the Jews throughout the world to riots and rebellions against the Roman government. He is a ringleader of the sect known as the Nazarenes. 6Moreover he was trying to defile the Temple when we arrested him.[b] 8You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself." 9Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.
10Now it was Paul's turn. The governor motioned for him to rise and speak. Paul said, "I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, and this gives me confidence as I make my defense. 11You can quickly discover that it was no more than twelve days ago that I arrived in Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. 12I didn't argue with anyone in the Temple, nor did I incite a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 13These men certainly cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.
14"But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a sect. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the books of prophecy. 15I have hope in God, just as these men do, that he will raise both the righteous and the ungodly. 16Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and everyone else.
17"After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. 18My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ritual. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. 19But some Jews from the province of Asia were there--and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 20Ask these men here what wrongdoing the Jewish high council[c] found in me, 21except for one thing I said when I shouted out, `I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!' "
22Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, "Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case." 23He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.
24A few days later Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 25As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified. "Go away for now," he replied. "When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again." 26He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.
27Two years went by in this way; then Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish leaders, he left Paul in prison.

Acts 25

Paul Appears before Festus
1Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, 2where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul. 3They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem. (Their plan was to waylay and kill him.) 4But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon. 5So he said, "Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations."
6Eight or ten days later he returned to Caesarea, and on the following day Paul's trial began. 7On Paul's arrival in court, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn't prove. 8Paul denied the charges. "I am not guilty," he said. "I have committed no crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government."
9Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, "Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?"
10But Paul replied, "No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty. 11If I have done something worthy of death, I don't refuse to die. But if I am innocent, neither you nor anyone else has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!"
12Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, "Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you shall go!"
13A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice,[d] to pay their respects to Festus. 14During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. "There is a prisoner here," he told him, "whose case was left for me by Felix. 15When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and other Jewish leaders pressed charges against him and asked me to sentence him. 16Of course, I quickly pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They are given an opportunity to defend themselves face to face with their accusers.
17"When they came here for the trial, I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 18But the accusations made against him weren't at all what I expected. 19It was something about their religion and about someone called Jesus who died, but whom Paul insists is alive. 20I was perplexed as to how to conduct an investigation of this kind, and I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. 21But Paul appealed to the emperor. So I ordered him back to jail until I could arrange to send him to Caesar."
22"I'd like to hear the man myself," Agrippa said.
And Festus replied, "You shall--tomorrow!"

Paul Speaks to Agrippa
23So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. 24Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all present, this is the man whose death is demanded both by the local Jews and by those in Jerusalem. 25But in my opinion he has done nothing worthy of death. However, he appealed his case to the emperor, and I decided to send him. 26But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no real charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. 27For it doesn't seem reasonable to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!"

Acts 26

1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak in your defense."
So Paul, with a gesture of his hand, started his defense: 2"I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, 3for I know you are an expert on Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!
4"As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. 6Now I am on trial because I am looking forward to the fulfillment of God's promise made to our ancestors. 7In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, O king, they say it is wrong for me to have this hope! 8Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?
9"I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the followers of Jesus of Nazareth.[e] 10Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many of the believers in Jerusalem to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. 11Many times I had them whipped in the synagogues to try to get them to curse Christ. I was so violently opposed to them that I even hounded them in distant cities of foreign lands.
12"One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 13About noon, Your Majesty, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 14We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,[f] `Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to fight against my will.[g]'
15" `Who are you, sir?' I asked.
"And the Lord replied, `I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16Now stand up! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and my witness. You are to tell the world about this experience and about other times I will appear to you. 17And I will protect you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am going to send you to the Gentiles, 18to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.'
19"And so, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to that vision from heaven. 20I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must turn from their sins and turn to God--and prove they have changed by the good things they do. 21Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. 22But God protected me so that I am still alive today to tell these facts to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen-- 23that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead as a light to Jews and Gentiles alike."
24Suddenly, Festus shouted, "Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!"
25But Paul replied, "I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. I am speaking the sober truth. 26And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak frankly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do--"
28Agrippa interrupted him. "Do you think you can make me a Christian so quickly?"[h]
29Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains."
30Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. 31As they talked it over they agreed, "This man hasn't done anything worthy of death or imprisonment." 32And Agrippa said to Festus, "He could be set free if he hadn't appealed to Caesar!"