Answered Prayers - Paul's Journey To Rome - 1

Paul's prayer:
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you - that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. (Romans 1:9-15 ESV)

Paul's prayer answered (Acts 25-28):
But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, "To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go." (Acts 25:10-12 ESV)
And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. (Acts 26:32 - 27:1 ESV)
There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. (Acts 28:14 ESV)

Specifics in New Testament

It is always my belief that the New Testament does not give specific rules for us to follow, but general principles. However, I found some specific commands in the New Testament.

Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood. (Acts 15:20 NLT)

Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head. It is the same thing as having her head shaved. If a woman doesn’t cover her head, then she should have her hair cut off. If it is disgraceful for a woman to have short hair or to be shaved, then she should keep her head covered. A man shouldn’t have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is man’s glory. Man didn’t have his origin from woman, but woman from man; and man wasn’t created for the sake of the woman, but the woman for the sake of the man. Because of this a woman should have authority over her head, because of the angels. However, woman isn’t independent from man, and man isn’t independent from woman in the Lord. As woman came from man so also man comes from woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it appropriate for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him; but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? This is because her long hair is given to her for a covering. But if someone wants to argue about this, we don’t have such a custom, nor do God’s churches. (1 Corinthians 11:5-16 CEB)

A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. (1 Timothy 5:9 NLT)

Morality Comes From Authority

In Leviticus 18 and 19, the phrase "I am the LORD" was used repeatedly, six times in chapter 18 and fifteen times in chapter 19. Each time a commandment is given, the reason for obedience is "I am the LORD".

This is the surest example that morality, codes of behaviour, standards of conducts, laws, Key Performance Indicator (KPI), right and wrong are defined by authority. Even when we refuse to obey any rules of any authority, we still obey rules set by ourselves, by our own authority. Laws and standards is always tied to authority. They cannot exist without one.

Two Truths

Buddha has four noble truths. I only have two truths.

The first truth is the fundamental karma (因果). If we reject truth (真理) and life (生命), we will get lies (謊言) and death (死亡).
The second truth is the fundamental dharma (法). Morality depends on authority. Absolute morality requires absolute authority.

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." (Deuteronomy 30:19 NASB)

On one of the days when Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests, legal experts, and elders approached him. They said, "Tell us: What kind of authority do you have for doing these things? Who gave you this authority?"
He replied, "I have a question for you. Tell me: Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin?"
They discussed among themselves, "If we say, 'It’s of heavenly origin,' he’ll say, 'Why didn’t you believe him?' But if we say, 'It’s of human origin,' all the people will stone us to death because they are convinced that John was a prophet." They answered that they didn't know where it came from.
Then Jesus replied, "Neither will I tell you what kind of authority I have to do these things." (Luke 20:1-8 CEB)