SCRIPTURE: Acts (NIV) 27:23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
OBSERVATION: Paul is aboard a ship headed for Rome to stand trial before Caesar. The ship is caught in a terrible storm. For fourteen days the crew had nothing to eat. On the third day into the storm, they had thrown the ship’s tackling overboard.
In the verses above, we have Paul speaking to the crew and fellow passengers on the ship. They consisted of the crew, Roman soldiers, fellow prisoners, and some traveling companions of Paul, including the author of the book of Acts.
Listen to Paul as he describes His God. Paul belonged to God and Paul served God. Paul’s God was a speaker; He talked to Paul. Paul’s God knew where Paul was and how to get a message to Paul. He had sent a messenger to Paul “last night!” Paul’s God made promises to Paul that included the people around him. They would all survive the present danger. Paul’s God could be trusted. It would be “just as he told me!”
APPLICATION: Paul was not talking about the storm. He made no comments about the wind and the waves. He made no comment about being a prisoner. No, Paul did not talk about the unimportant things; he talked about the Important One! He had heard from the God of the wind and the waves. He had a message from God. (The ship was wrecked in the storm, but all were saved!)
PRAYER: Lord, as I move through a world full of turmoil and trouble, I want to keep my focus on you! Your enemy, and my enemy, wants to get my focus off you and onto the storms that surround me. Help me to hear what you are saying and to speak from heaven’s point of view. Amen
Pastor Leon
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