0935 While in Quarantine - Survival Kit

Suffering is experienced by sinner, saint, and Savior.

Satan used sin to bring suffering.

God used suffering to bring salvation.

We can’t stop the influence of someone’s sin on us, but we can choose the influence of Jesus’ sacrifice on us.

1. Serving God helps you not just to survive but thrive in the storm.

Acts 27:23-24 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

God’s angel is with me.

I have a reason to be afraid, but I have a greater reason not to fear.

2. If you lose the ship, you will not drown.

When our resources fail, our Source is faithful.

Acts 28:10 They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.

Acts 28:11 After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island.

God’s provision is not only in abundance but also in providing for necessities.

3. If this storm didn’t affect you, show unusual kindness to those whom this storm has affected.

Acts 28:2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.

4. When you can’t control what you are feeling, control you feeding.

Acts 27:33-37 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore, I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you. And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.

Spiritually nourish your soul with taking bread (Scripture reading) and giving thanks (prayer).

5. Learn to swim where you used to sail.

Acts 27:43-44 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.

Jesus overcame the storm by speaking to it.

Joseph overcame the storm by sacrificing himself to it.

Paul overcame the storm by swimming in it.

Hold on by pieces means don’t worry about tomorrow.

Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe - Mark Twain

Tomorrow isn’t promised, peace today is - Rich Wilkerson

Worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its problems, it empties today of its strength.

Hold on by pieces means count your blessings instead of your problems.

Focus on what you have left not on what you have lost.

Hold on by pieces means develop new routines to uphold old rituals.

Acts 8:1-4

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

Acts 11:19-21 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.