Hello, my friends, and welcome back to the morning mindset.

It's time for you and I to get our minds aligned with the truth of God.

We have been walking through the Book of Acts, following the story of what happened in

the early church, after Jesus had died, had risen from the grave, and had ascended back

to heaven.

We're following right now the story of the Apostle Paul, who is one of the early leaders

in the church, and who went all about Asia Minor, spreading the Gospel message.

The situation we found this morning is one where he has returned to the city of Jerusalem

after one of those journeys, and has been caught up in the crowd as they are accusing him

of all kinds of things that some are true, some are not true.

But the Romans have intervened, and they've stepped in, and are kind of protecting Paul

while they try to figure out what's going on.

It's 22.30, the last verse in the chapters where we're going to begin today, and move

on into chapter 23 as well.

It reads, But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused

by the Jews, the Tribune unbounded him, and commanded the chief priests and all the

counsel to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

And looking, intently at the counsel, Paul said,

Brothers, I've lived my life before God, in all good conscience up to this day, and

the high priest and Nanias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

Then Paul said to him, God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall, are you sitting

to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law, you order me to be struck?

...