Tag Archives: Apostle Paul

Stay in the ship!

2 Replies

Now, more than ever, we need to pay attention to the scripture. Today’s encouragement in your fast (or even if you have completed your fast or haven’t started yet) is a good message for EVERY DAY. We can clearly see we are living in what is called The Last Days. We are the Church, called to be His witnesses to those around us. Jesus has entrusted us to “Go and Tell” and time is quickly fading away. We must Stay in the Ship ourselves in order to hear His voice and do His will by sharing the Gospel with everyone who will listen. Catch up on our 31 Days of Fasting in January posts here!

The Book of Acts only has 28 chapters and we are looking at number 27 today. Paul was running out of time. He was being taken to Rome to stand trial, (along with some other political prisoners), and ultimately, eventually, he would become a martyr for the cause of Christ.

But the issue at hand was the ship.

He was in the hands of a capable man. Julius was a centurion who was the commander of a cohort. A cohort was a band of soldiers between 400-600 men. This was a large ship and quite full! The end of the chapter tells us that 276 people were on board.

They had already changed boats and changed routes, because of the weather. Choosing the longer course meant they could use the island of Cypress to shield them from the rough seas, or so they hoped.

The inhabitants of the ship had stopped in the city of Fair Havens for a time. It doesn’t say how long, but Paul and others aboard had been fasting, since it was the time of The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. They realized they were facing rough weather ahead and Paul tried to convince them to stay in Fair Havens and wait it out.

“Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.” Acts 27:9-11 KJV.

Here is the dilemma: God had revealed to Paul that the weather was to become perilous and for them to stay where they were. Paul warned Julius, but do not forget that Paul is also a PRISONER. Julius was in quite a predicament. He had the experience of the pilot and captain in one ear, and this man of God in the other.

What they wanted to do doesn’t sound so bad. It would have only taken them a day to get to Phoenix and that didn’t seem like such a risk. It was a bigger town and was close to Fair Havens which was better protected from the weather. The sailors would be thrilled because there was more to do there.

But God said, “Stay. Abide.”

“But Lord, I see a storm coming!”

Does this sound like anyone else you know? Or does it sound like ME or YOU?

How often do we go ahead and do what we want to do even though God says, “STAY.”?

He wants us to wait, listen, and trust Him. But we insist on doing our own thing anyway.

So the ship sets sail.

“But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.” Acts 27:14 KJV.

This wind was so strong that it had a name! Things started happening quickly. The second day they began to lighten the ship, throwing things overboard.

“On the third day, they threw the ships tackle overboard with their own hands.” Acts 27:19 NIV.

Now, they were getting rid of some of the ship’s gear. Desperation had set in. If only they had listened to Paul!

“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” Acts 10:20 NIV.

They were in trouble; big trouble. They should have listened; they should have stayed in Fair Havens to begin with but they didn’t. All hope was gone as far as they were concerned.

How many of us, just like Julius, have rejected the voice of God, had our own way, only to fail miserably?

Did God make us come crawling on our hands and knees begging Him to take us back? Never, and He doesn’t require it of these men either.

He shows mercy.

Paul stands before them and brings them good news. “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee…for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” Acts 10:22-25 KJV.

Even after he gave them this great news, the storm grew worse and some of the men tried to abandon the ship. We may have done the same in a state of panic!

But Paul tells Julius and the soldiers, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

The next morning, Paul urged them to eat because it had been 14 days since they had started fasting. They needed their strength.

He reminds them that God had promised that not a hair on their head would be harmed as long as they stayed in the ship!

After they had eaten, those 276 souls lightened the ship even more by throwing over the wheat. Do you see a pattern here?

Stay in the ship!

Abide with Him!

Get rid of those things that would keep you from walking with God, that would pull you down or drag you under. A little hindrance, a stumbling block…nothing is worth losing your soul.

The ship began to break apart in the back and the prisoners and crew grabbed hold of pieces of debris and broken planks to swim to shore. But not one of them perished!

“And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” Acts 27:44 KJV.

Paul had been fasting, he was a man of prayer, and he had been shipwrecked two times previously. He trusted God when he heard His voice. He was strengthened by his time of prayer and fasting. God gave him wisdom to handle this situation and hold everything together.

Why else would a commander of an army trust a prisoner to give direction?

Only God would allow that to take place.

When we allow Him to have the authority in our lives, to rule, to give the direction and wisdom for every aspect and every detail, knowing He sees down the road…we don’t have to worry about the end result. He has it all in control!

Did you know He also cares? He wants what is best for us. The ultimate goal is our salvation and eternity in heaven with Him.

Believe that today. There is safety in the ship. Trust Him in the storms.

Stay in the ship!

I have a simple Daniel Fast recipe for you today but it is oh, so good! Enjoy!

Cashew Salad
1 cup salted cashews
¾ c slivered almonds
½ cup sunflower kernels
6 green onions, chopped
1 head Nappa cabbage, chopped fine

Sauté the nuts and sunflower kernels in a tiny amount of olive oil just until barely browned.  Add to the cabbage and onions and top with Oil & Vinegar dressing.

fasting unto the lord

The Daniel Fast Devotional

Don’t forget to get your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional! Great for ANY FAST, it will be your go-to tool for years to come. Already have one in Kindle or paperback? 

 

 

Light a lamp for me!

3 Replies

I’m not crazy about the dark.

I struggle driving at night anymore. 

I have always feared going blind! 

I would claw your eyes out if you put me in a room with no windows and no lights.

Seriously.

Now you know a little more about me. Let’s look at someone else who didn’t like the darkness.

The Apostle Paul is standing before King Agrippa (the same one who says, “Almost, you have persuaded me to become a Christian.”) and explaining to him how he went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel. He relates how he was on the road to Damascus to gather up more Christians and “put them in chains” but then a light came down from heaven, blinding Paul, and he head a voice say, “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’…” (emphasis mine)

Paul was blind for three days until Ananias arrived and told him that he was to be a messenger for the Lord.

You light a lamp for me

In Paul’s darkness, God lit a lamp for him! 

This “chief of sinners” was raised at the feet of one of the greatest scholars of that time, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.” Acts 22:3 NIV

He was zealous for God but did not know Him! He had been in darkness all of his life and was still blind to the Truth, he did not know Jesus until the Lord came and turned on the light!

“In darkness God’s truth shines most clear.”
― Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

In that darkness, God’s light shined through and reached down to the most dangerous man of that time. God transformed the Apostle Paul into the most influential and powerful preacher who ever lived. Something miraculous happened on that road to Damascus and Paul was never the same.

Will we be like Paul, allowing the Light to come in and push away the darkness? Or will we be like those Timothy speaks of in the last days? “…having a form of godliness but denying its power….always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3 NIV.

Lord Jesus, help us to allow the Light of Your Truth to shine in our lives! Push back the darkness and fill us with Your love, making us more like You so others can see Your glory!

It is crucial in this dark hour that we, The Church of the Living God, allow the Light of the Holy Spirit to shine through us. We must share this Gospel and not be laden down with the cares of this world. Our most important job that He has given us is to reach the lost. When we are filled with His spirit, others will see that Light and be drawn out of darkness to the One true God, Jesus Christ.

He will light a lamp for you! He will light up your darkness…if you allow Him to.

Light a lamp for me!

 

 

Let’s stop ignoring the Elephant in the room

3 Replies

Andrew Murray (1828-1917) was a pastor and an author from the villages of South Africa where his father had begun the work many years earlier.

When he was 78 years old, Murray finally resigned from the position of pastor and for the next eleven years he gave his life to writing manuscripts, hurriedly finishing one and beginning another. He said that he felt as if he was a hen about to hatch an egg; he just could not rest until he released that burden, the message that the Lord had given him.

It is said that when he was in quite of bit of pain from a previous back injury, he was resting to try and regain his strength when he was told there was a woman that had a real need and desired an answer to her problem.  Andrew Murray gave her the paper he had been writing on and said, “Give her this advice I’m writing down for myself. It may be that she’ll find it helpful.”

This is what he wrote:

In time of trouble, say, “First, he brought me here. It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest.”

Next, “He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.”

Then say, “He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to bestow.”

And last, say, “In his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows.”

Therefore, say, “I am here by God’s appointment, in his keeping, under his training, and for his time.”
–Andrew Murray

Trials.
Hardships.
Persecutions.
Senseless attacks on innocent civilians.
Executions in the name of a false god.
People that are willing to take their own lives while killing as many as possible before they die.

This is the type of enemy we are facing today. We can no longer look at this war as something going on across the pond. The refugee crisis is real. The refugee crisis is now our problem, not just Europe’s. There are many, many innocent people who have fled the violence in their own country, seeking safety for their families. But inside that Trojan horse the enemy has also infiltrated and found a way to blend in and our problems have just begun.

It isn’t just Paris, we hurt for all lives who are being affected by terrorism! Maybe the tragedy in Paris feels closer to home, not literally of course but that doesn’t mean we are not affected or burdened for all of the other senseless acts of terrorism in other countries. Paris is not more important by any means but maybe Paris will help us to wake up and realize we cannot ignore it any longer.

Let's stop ignoring the elephant in the room

Intimidated by political correctness, we are afraid to point to the elephant in the room!

Click To Tweet

We know what is happening but the obvious is so ludicrous that our minds cannot comprehend the reality: our own government is now allowing our nation to be infiltrated with Islamic extremists who are bent on destroying each and every one of us and mercy is not in their vocabulary. ISIS also attacks and tortures fellow Sunni and Shi’a Muslims who do not adhere to the extremes of their religion! No one is exempt to this terrorist agenda, everyone is an infidel.

We have read our Bibles, we know these are the last days, the very last days, and Jesus warned us of what would come upon us. And yet it always seemed to be in another lifetime, we just weren’t quite sure how it would all play out.

But now we know.

We have met the enemy and he hates with a hatred that shocks and intimidates us. As Christians, people who are taught to love and include, how do we react and what should our focus be?

Perhaps if Andrew Murray were here today he would respond similarly as he did to the woman so many decades ago, with a little modification:

In time of trouble, say, “First, he brought me here. It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest.

It is true that God doesn’t go seeking for things to put upon us as His people. But we live in a real sin-filled world and just as Jesus was persecuted, the disciples were persecuted and thousands upon thousands of Christians down through the ages were persecuted, we will likely not be exempt! The good news is that our God is with us, in that we can rest. We will not walk alone.

He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child.

Do you believe that? He will give us GRACE to stand in the evil day. And not just stand but to BEHAVE as HIS CHILD. We may not be spared the taunts, accusations and violence that may be right around the corner but we also do not respond with the same. We do not flood social media with hatred but we also do not hide our head in the sand and hope it goes away. We spend time in prayer so that the Holy Spirit is able to work through us and guide us with His wisdom.

He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to bestow.

We have found that to be true, if we have lived for God any length of time. If we had never had a trial we would never know that He could step in and perform miracles or give us the peace and comfort we need to get through any given situation.

How can He turn persecution into a blessing? In the 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul listed some of the suffering he had endured, read that here.

But then he tells us that he was also given a thorn in the flesh that he asked the Lord to remove from Him…but He did not. So he continues, “…And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.

When I am weak, then I am strong.

Stephen, the disciple, gave his very life while calling on the name of the Lord. They literally beat him to death with stones and yet they could not help but notice his countenance while he lay there dying. (You can read his inspiring story here!) 

Even while being stoned to death, he was not forsaken, he saw the Lord and had the strength to ask for forgiveness for his persecutors! Being full of the Holy Spirit brings supernatural strength from the heavens!

In his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows.

Yes, He can, yes He does. But if He doesn’t? Just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18.

Even if He does not deliver, we will stand, knowing that He will carry us over to the other side. We will not deny the name of Jesus, we will not serve other gods!

Naturally, we pray the scripture in Revelation, “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.” (words we never thought we would pray!) But if He doesn’t take us out of here before we face such unimaginable times, we know if we have the power of the Holy Ghost, which is Christ IN us, we can hold on and stand in the evil day.

As Andrew Murray encouraged Christians in another lifetime, we can take those words and apply them to our situation today, leaning on the Word of God as our anchor and strength.

Let’s stop ignoring the Elephant in the room

We cannot fret about being politically correct and worried that someone is going to be offended somewhere. They will. Jesus surely was not politically correct! He ruffled feathers everywhere He went and in these last days He will be with those that stand for truth and righteousness. We know we cannot stop the end from coming or the ugly that accompanies it but it is our job to BE the Church and reach with love for as many as we possibly can before the Lord returns for His bride.

There are no accidents with God. He didn’t choose the apostles and disciples to be here for this endtime but He chose YOU and ME to carry His message to a lost and dying world. We are to show the love of God, and share the Good News that Jesus saves, in everything we do! And remember He will be with us to the end. No matter what.

As you move that elephant out of the way, remind yourself:

“I am here by God’s appointment, in his keeping, under his training, and for his time.”

Kingdom2

DF cover side viewHave you shared your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional?! Many go on the Daniel Fast at the beginning of a New Year but it is also good for ANY FAST at ANY TIME. Isn’t now a good time to grow closer to God through prayer and fasting? Click here to get your paperback or Kindle copy on Amazon today!

 

 

Sharing with Living Proverbs 31, mama moments monday, Making your home sing,  Amaze Me Monday, Words with Winter, Good Morning Mondays, Modest Monday, Soul Survival