雖然保羅不再有向別人傳福音的自由，但上帝卻使用他坐監的機會向羅馬官員作見證：腓力斯、非斯都和亞基帕王。腓力斯對保羅一案的裁決足足拖延了兩年，指望保羅賄賂他，而他的繼任人非斯都為了討好猶太人，把審判保羅的責任推給公會。最後保羅使用羅馬公民的權利，將案子上訴到該撒那裡，於是在前來視察的亞基帕王面前，保羅案所隱藏的腐敗與拖延再度得到澄清，並在羅馬獲得解決。

        找一張紙，在最上面寫著：「但願……」，然後想十件事來完成以「但願」為首的句子，比方說：但願雀斑可以除掉就好了；但願我的微積分及格就好了；但願我不常說「但願」就好了！
        不只一次，保羅可能發現自己有陷入「但願……就好了」的傾向：「但願我沒有上訴該撒就好了；但願我沒有激怒群眾就好了！」但上帝在使徒行傳二十三章十一節裡堅定他的信心！（上帝說：「你怎樣在耶路撒冷為我作見證，也必怎樣在羅馬為我作見證。」）於是保羅把每一次的失望都當作一個傳揚上帝福音的機會，保羅並沒有為這一切的不平哀痛，反而視自己的鎖鍊為向世界上的最高當局傳揚上帝好消息的機會！
        在你的十個「但願」的敘述上，寫下「我的失望－－祂的機會」，從保羅向羅馬人解釋裡（請看羅8：28），可以了解上帝正在掌管你環境中每一件似乎脫序的事！

「擁有王權卻存奴隸的心」─
        上面這句話是歷史學家塔希圖司對腓力斯的評價，腓力斯對待保羅誠如聖經所言(24:24-27)他指望保羅送他銀錢，所以屢次叫保羅來，和他談論。保羅拒絕他索賄的要求，為此而坐監長達二年。

世界是為了滿足上弟子民的需要而安排的。

English

        Though Paul is no longer free to take the Gospel to others, God uses his imprisonment to bring the Gospel to three Roman rulers: Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, Felix delays a verdict on Haul's case for two full years in hope of receiving a bribe. His successor, Festus, tries to shift the responsibility to the Sanhedrin in order to gain favor with the Jews. At last, Paul exercises his right as a Roman citizen by appealing his case to Caesar. Once again, before the visiting King Agrippa, it becomes clear that the corruption and indecision surrounding Paul's case can only be resolved in Rome.

        Across the top of a sheet of paper, write the words "If only." Then complete that sentence with the first 10 things that come to mind. ("If only freckles were removable. If only I hadn't failed calculus. If only I didn't nay 'if only' so often.")
        More than once, Paul may have found himself tempted to play the "If only" game: "If only I hadn't appealed to Caesar. If only Agrippa had come a few days earlier. If only Festus would quit procrastinating. If only I hadn't upset the crowd." But fortified by God's promise in 23:11 ("As thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome"), Paul saw each disappointment as a divine appointment for sharing the gospel. Rather than lamenting over the injustice of it all, Paul viewed his chains as God's way of penetrating the highest offices of the land with the Good News.
        Write the words "My disappointment = His appointment" across your ten "If only" statements. As Paul explained to the Romans (in this week's memory verse), that's the key to seeing God's control in every seemingly out-of-control circumstance of your day!

"The Power of a King with the Mind of a Slave" —
        The historian Tacitus made the above statement about Felix, and Felix's treatment of Paul seems to bear out this character analysis (24:24-27). He often met with Paul, not to wrestle with the issues that Paul raised, but to give Paul an opportunity to bribe him. Paul did not oblige and thus had to sit in prison for two years.

The whole world is ordered and arranged to match and meet the needs of the people of God.