Acts 27 Abide In The Ship
ACTS 27:31
ABIDE IN THE SHIP
STAY IN THE SHIP
LIGHTEN THE SHIP
There are three types of storms that come into our lives.
Storms that we bring on ourselves.
Storms that are caused by others.
Storms that are allowed by God.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we always felt as though we were always on "top of the world?" That we would always be in a positive mood, with circumstances involving us always to our liking. That people would always treat us with the respect we feel is due us, and give us all the affirmation and love that we desire and need
Trouble is something that belongs to the human race. I’ve yet to meet anyone who can boast of being totally free from it. It is one of those common denominators that links everyone who has lived, who is now living, or who will live on this earth. Job, who had his share of troubles, tells us "man is born unto trouble" (Job 5:7) and again "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Job 14:1. Troubles plague the human race.
Troubles produce "tough days." We’ve all experienced them and we know that some seem to be worse than others are. I’ve had days "pop up" in my life and no doubt you have too, when you wonder why you ever crawled out of bed that morning, and then you wonder if you’re going to make it back to bed that night. In the comic strip Peanuts, Charlie Brown is saying to Lucy, "I’ve got so many troubles that if anything happens to me today it will be two weeks before I can worry about it." Can you identify with Charlie? Here’s a fact about life that you can count on happening no matter who you are. Trouble, in one or more of its various forms, is going to come knocking unexpectedly at your door one day. Don’t spend your time looking for it - for it will find you. Trouble knows your address. Prepare yourself in advance to deal with whatever your "it" may be.
Trouble and the Apostle Paul
Very few people today have experienced as many difficulties in their life as Paul did. He was on a first name basis with trouble. In II Corinthians 11: 23-28, Paul shares some of his experiences with trouble. He is not complaining about them, but he’s just letting us know that he understands what trouble is all about.
"Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews forth stripes save one. Three times I have been beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been adrift at sea. On my journeys I have often been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people the Jews, the Gentiles, false brethern and the sea. I have been in constant toil and hardship with many sleepless nights. Often in hunger and thirst without food. Often in cold and exposure without warm clothes to protect me from the elements, and always upon me there is the pressure of the care of the church." (Amplified Bible)
But troubles couldn’t put Paul down. He refused to be defeated by them. They failed in detouring him from serving God. II Corinthians 4:8, has Paul saying, "We are pressed
I. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF GOD’S PRESENCE vs. 23
“For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve
II. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF THE PROMISES OF GOD vs. 24-25
“Saying, ‘Fear not Paul; thou must be brought to Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.’ “…I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told to me.’”
III. God Has a Plan vs.24
IV. IV. THE STRONG ANCHOR OF GOD’S POWER vs. 44
“…and it came to pass that they all escaped safe to land.”
If God has the power to cause an ax head to float
If God can cause a donkey to talk
If He has power to split the Red Sea and the Jordan River
If God can raise the dead
If God can tell the thunder and lighting to cease
He has the POWER to keep me safe through the storm…