Each Sunday, a service is held at 6 pm in the Avenue Centre, Greenhill Avenue, Tenby.

Last Sunday, the pastor, Rev. Peter Richmond, continuing his series on the book of Acts, focused on Paul just after a puzzled Roman tribune had brought before the Jewish religious leaders. They had once acknowledged Paul (Saul) as a brother, but now viewed him with hostility.

Paul had been struck during his hearing, and had reacted, insulting the High Priest as a result. Now he was sitting in a prison cell. There is no mention of his friends, not even a letter from one of the thousands of Christians now in Jerusalem, no mention of a prayer meeting on his behalf, and he was very likely exhausted and humiliated.

He had not kept calm while with the Sanhedrin, he had not preached the Gospel to them, and his efforts to please the Jewish Christians had resulted in a riot. Was he wrong to ignore the advice of his friends when they urged him not to go to Jerusalem, and how was he going to be able to preach in Rome as he felt called to do?

It was the next night that the Lord himself stood near to Paul, saying "Take courage. In the same way you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must in Rome."

Instead of the expected angry condemnation, this was divine commendation. It was not a promise of an easy life; he would preach to the Romans in chains; but his guilt and despair could now be replaced by the joy of success.

Paul's nephew, probably a young boy, overheard 40 men plotting to kill his uncle. Paul sent the boy to tell the Roman commander, who planned for Paul to leave by night, escorted by half the army - some 470 soldiers. He was to be seen by Felix, Pontius Pilate's successor. Before long he was in a room in Herod's palace, and Rome was not far away.

Visit http://www.hesed.co.uk">www.hesed.co.uk or telephone 01646 681805 for more information about Hesed Fellowship.