Valleys

Pastor Debra Isenbletter

Christian Assembly, Springfield, Missouri

The Valley of the Shadow of Death (Ps. 23:4): “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” There are several comforting thoughts associated with this valley, one is that we “walk through” the valley, we don’t stay there, and when we walk through this valley, we don’t walk alone. David said, “for thou art with me,” the Lord walks with each child of God that walks through this valley. The other comforting thought is that in this valley death is only a shadow, it has no substance, no reality, we may see the shadow but that is all and a shadow can’t hurt us.

There may be times when we walk through this valley and yet we don’t die, we come through the valley, as with a long illness. Hezekiah “sick unto death.” (II Kings 20:1) The Lord told Hezekiah to set his house in order, “for thou shalt die” and Hezekiah cried unto the Lord and wept before the Lord and the Lord said, “I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee…And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; (II Kings 20:5-6). There was a healing for Hezekiah, he walked through this valley. Paul walked through the valley of the shadow of death when he was stoned at Lystra. “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city.” (Acts 14:19-20).

Jesus brought Lazarus through this valley of death when He brought him up from the grave to show that one day death would only be a shadow with no substance. Jesus is the One who has walked through this valley for us and now He walks through this valley with us and it has no power to hurt us. It is because He willingly went into this valley and died for us and in our place, that death has no power, it is only a shadow. At Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lieth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26). The child of God who believes this sees only the shadow of death! This is part of the rod and staff that comfort us as we walk through the valley.

The message of the gospel is, “He is risen.” There may come a time when we walk through this valley and see the shadow of death but we know it is only a shadow, it has no power over us, and it cannot hurt us. Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” (John 8:51). What did He mean? One of the meanings for “see” is “one who looks at a thing with interest and for a purpose.” Kenneth Wuest says, “A Christian as he is dying will not look at death with interest, he will have his eyes on Jesus.” How can we do that? It is because going through this valley we see the victory of resurrection and Jesus has already passed through this valley for us and will always go with us. We see a risen Savior! Here is the basis for our victory, we don’t see death – we see Christ – we see Life! When we believe this then we see that “Death is shallowed up in victory.” (I Cor. 15:54)

EXAMPLES FROM THE PAST

By Orville Freestone

Lakewood, Colorado

MOSES – HE CHOSE TO SUFFER

Moses chose to suffer with the people of God
–    Heb. 11:25

When Moses was born, the Israelites were an oppressed and enslaved people. Pharaoh ordered that all the male babies of the Hebrews be killed, thus beginning the many attempts at the destruction of this people, the first such “genocide.” (Exodus chapter 2) The importance of Moses cannot be overestimated.  After three thousand five hundred years his influence is strong in Judaism, Christianity and western civilization.

Moses was a fully bi-cultural man. From his Hebrew mother he learned his “mother tongue” and faith. As “the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” he “was learned in all the wisdom of the  Egyptians and was mighty in words and deeds.” (Acts 7:22) What were his accomplishments as an Egyptian prince is not told. We can safely venture that it included both military and government careers.  Theses were abilities that he later used in leading Israel. As to his character, we see that he had compassion for the oppressed. (Exodus 2) In Numbers 12:3 we read a parenthetic statement, probably inserted later by another, that “the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” This is the account of the first third of Moses’ life.

At the age of forty he had a “mid-life crisis.” How could he, a Hebrew, separate himself from his own people and their suffering. But though he would identity with his people, they would not accept him. Thus, “by faith” he spent the next forty years as an exile. The first forty  years of his life were determined for him by Providence. The rest of his life was determined by his decisions!

We read (Heb. 11:24-28) of his decisions of faith. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” He “esteemed the reproach of Christ of greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.” He “had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” He “forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king.” These five decisions not only determined Moses’ future, but also equipped him for the future. Not a lot is told about his life on the “backside of the desert.” (Exodus 3:1) Away from the pomp and glitter of  Egypt God could talk to him. Like Paul, he knew how to be abased as will as how to abound – Phil. 4:12. As a result, he “saw Him who is invisible.”

The final third of Moses’ life was spent leading his people from Egypt to Canaan, from bondage to freedom. It took thirty days to take Israel out of  Egypt, but forty years to take Egypt out of Israel! He is forever known as the great Lawgiver. The Torah was the legacy he left to Israel. The word Torah means much more than law. It is true that the New Testament phrase “the Law” usually means what the word law means to us and refers to the 613 commandments of the Torah. In Hebrew the word Torah means instruction. It also means the Word of  God. (Psalm 119:21). The Torah was a great revelation of God to Israel, leading them to the revelation of God in Christ. (Gal. 3:24). Moses is an example to us of the power of our decisions. Every persons life is the sum total of all one’s decisions.

Portraits of Christ

The LION / The LAMB

E. J. Davis

I am still enjoying the different Portraits of Christ. We read of two that are right together (Rev. 5:5-6), Christ as The Lion and Christ as The Lamb. Chapters 4 & 5 are wonderful scenes of heaven that are yet to come to pass. Christ is seen taking His throne in chapter 4, and the overcomers are there when it takes place. They worship Christ as the Creator, the eternal God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (Jn. 1:1-3). Because of His condescension He will always be man (the God man). Phil. 2:6-8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

John is still viewing the throne room of heaven in chapter 5. Christ seated on the throne has a book in His right hand, (a scroll in the Greek). It is written on both sidles, yet sealed with seven seals. For the contents to be known, somebody has to be worthy to loose the seals and open it (V. 2). We learn the contents of the scroll in chapter. 6, and that it contains God’s judgments that He will pour out on this world and upon the ungodly who have refused God’s grace of salvation. But at this point in the vision, the contents of the scroll is a mystery.

No man was to be found that was worthy to loosen the seals of the scroll nor even to look on it, not even one of the overcomers (V. 3). John knew it was an important book and no doubt thought the contents would never be known, causing him to weep (V. 4). One of the fully mature saints (an elder), one of the overcomers knew who was the worthy One. John is told not to weep for behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and loose the seals of it (V. 5).

The lion is the king of the beasts of the earth and depicts our Lord’s kingly authority. He was born of the kingly tribe of Juda when He became flesh, born of a woman. Though He was a son of David as a man, He was also the Root of David as the creator. The root comes before the tree. The next verse tells how He prevailed. The Greek has “overcame” for the word prevailed.

John looks to see the Lion and he beheld a Lamb (V. 6). The Greek text tells us that it is the smallest kind of Lamb, a Lambkin. It is not only small and weak, but even as it had been slain. Isa. 53:7, “He was oppressed, and … afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb…” But He hath prevailed. The Lamb as it had been slain, STOOD. He overcame in weakness and won the victory conquering death and hell. He hath paid the redemption price for sin and is worthy to complete its accomplishment.

The Lamb had seven horns, speaking of complete and perfect power. This little Lambkin conquered Satan by His death. Heb. 2:14-15, Through death He destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil.” He defeated Satan with his own weapon (death), and delivered us from the fear of death and the spirit of bondage. Satan may have bruised His heel, but Christ bruised Satan’s head, fulfilling Gen. 3:15.

The Lamb also had seven eyes, which speaks of Him being fully equipped, having discernment through the power of the 7-fold Holy Spirit. Isa. 11:1-4 describes this Spirit filled Man. “… the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD:…with righteousness shall he judge…he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”

Christ won the right or we could say, He purchased the authority to reign as King by the sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the world. First he was God’s Lamb (the cross) the Redeemer; then He will become The King (the crown). As the victorious Lamb, He is the worthy One to loose the sealed of judgments of God upon a Christ rejecting world. The intercessions and prayers of the overcomers are in agreement with Christ and His purposes and in His righteous judgment (Vs. 7-10).

The universal praise of Christ just swells and finally involves all creation; “Worthy is the Lamb” to rule (Vs. 11-14). By God grace I desire to be in the throne room of heaven as Christ takes His throne.

THE SUN GLORY

Jack Davis

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11

We read in I Corinthians 15:41 of the distinct glory of the sun. Having mentioned in the preceding verse the distinguishable glories of the celestial and terrestrial bodies, verse 41 follows with the marvelous statement, “So also is the resurrection of the dead.” I enjoy considering from our text something of what our God is and gives. He would have us realize that everything in the universe comes from Him and revolves around Him and His Son.

Jesus is spoken of prophetically as the “Sun of righteousness” that shall “arise with healing in his wings” – Mal. 4:2. Those are indeed comforting words even though they are spoken first to Israel. We read in Psalm 27:1: “The LORD us my light and my salvation.” Let us be receptive to divine illumination in our spirits, souls and then eventually our bodies. By spiritual enlightenment we may enjoy an illuminated path. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” – Psalm 16:11.

As we honor God as our Sun, and the Lord as our light, “…the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect (full orbed) day” – Prov. 4:18. As we let our light shine, it will grow and increase unto the glory of God. As Jesus Christ is revealed to us, He is also to be revealed in us (in our hearts, from our lives.) II Cor. 4, “For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Oh yes, it has been fully provided that we see and know the glory of God! “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” – II Cor. 3:18.

GOD GIVES GRACE

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” – John 1:14,16-17. Abundant grace is given by Him that is both our illuminator and protector. “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” Eph. 43:7. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” – II Cor. 8:9. “…much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” – Rom. 5:17.

HE WILL GIVE GLORY

A certain amount of grace is necessary in order to be able to absorb any of the glory. There is, for the recipients of grace, “glory that excelleth” – II Cor. 3:9-11. There was in the law an awesome glory of God’s holiness and power. There was to fallen man a blinding glory, as Moses put a vail over his face. We think of how Saul, zealous for the law, was blinded on the road to Damascus, Grace is productive in glory, and must have recipients upon which to release, and unleash this glory. Peter was given the privilege to speak of the grace that should come, and the glory that should follow. He was inspired to write of the God of all grace, that has called us unto His eternal glory. God offers glory to those that will simply receive His grace. An abundant revelation of the glory of our dear Lord, demands an abundance of leveling grace.

Knowing His splendor and radiance, necessitates that we also know His protection. We are kept by the power of God; we are held in our Father’s hand, our lives safely hid with Christ in God. Who shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord?

NOTHING GOOD WITHHELD

As we walk in the light by the enablement of God’s grace, we glorify God with an upright walk. The glory of grace is seen in such a walk. Herein we withhold nothing of ourselves from Him, and are richly rewarded. He will not withhold anything that is good for us. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.”  God, The Father of glory, has begotten, and is bringing many Sons unto glory. Is it possible that some will radiate the “Sun” glory?

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Revelation 21
Verse 2 – “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Verse 9 – “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
Verses 10-11 – “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;”
 Verses 23-24 - “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

CALLED, CHOSEN & SEPARATED UNTO GOD

Pastor Anita Clark

Grace Chapel, Carbondale, Kasnsas

Throughout the Old Testament God chose men and woman to serve Him in special ways. In the Old Testament God chose Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the Prophets and King David and many others. Many of them were chosen before their births and called by God and then separated to the work God called them to perform. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.”

In New testament times God chose Apostle Paul. In Romans 1:1 we read, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an Apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God.” In Galatians 1:15-16 - we read that Apostle Paul was “a delegate, ambassador or sent one,” “separated from his mother’s womb” or from his birth, to be the Apostle of the Church.

In Romans 8:29-30, Apostle Paul gives us a list of God’s profound divine work in His people.

(1.) Vs. 29 - “Whom He did foreknow” - Ephesians 1:4 says, “According as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Yes, before time, God saw the believers in Christ as ones who would be called and chosen. That’s because He is the Almighty God.
(2.) Vs.29 - “He did predestinate.” This means He determined before time and ordained that there would be a group of people of God who would come to Him and experience salvation through believing in Jesus Christ, and become a New Race - a New Creation in Christ Jesus. Those who would believe the message of salvation would “be conformed to the image of His Son.” The word, “conformed” in the Greek means, “fashioned like unto, or profile, a likeness of resemblance.” This is not speaking of our physical appearance, but the inward work God would perform in our lives and hearts. The work of God is going on in our lives today changing us to be like Jesus Christ. He does not work against our will, but as we submit to Him, our lives will become more and more like Jesus.

(3.) Vs. 30 - “Them He also called” - Often in the Gospel Records, we read Jesus telling His disciples, “Come, Follow me.” He speaks to our hearts - He calls us, first to salvation and then to ministry. Each person who comes to salvation has heard His call and has heeded it. This begins a marvelous process. After initial salvation He gives us other important calls, to ministry and other important things He wants us to do, but then we hear a special call to follow Him completely, letting Him work submission in our hearts to be in the company that will make up His bride. (Read II Cor. 11:1-3; Rev. 19:7-9).

(4.) Vs. 30 - “Them He also called, He justified.” “Justified” means “to make righteous.” The Scripture tells us in Romans 3:10, “There is none righteous, no not one.” Jesus provided salvation for us and gave us His righteousness. The word “righteousness” means “just, innocent or righteous.” We have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and made innocent and clean because of what he did on Calvary.

(5.) Vs. 30. - “Them He justified, He glorified.” This statement concludes five profound steps demonstrating God’s marvelous work in the believer in Christ. This fifth step is yet to come. We are looking for His appearing at anytime. The work that He has done in the lives of His called and chosen will come to a divine conclusion. We must recognize that we belong to the Lord God. Jesus said in Mark 9:41, “Ye belong to Christ.”

This brings us to the last part of this message - that is - Separation unto God. Since we belong to the Lord, He desires us to be separated unto Him. The word “separation” in the Greek. means, “to set off by boundaries, divide or exclude.” II Corinthians 6:17 Apostle Paul states. “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you.” Verses 14-16 lists several things mentioned by Paul that will entangle the believer keeping them from the separation God wants. Vs. 16 speaks of “the temple of God” - We are “the temple of the living God.” Many religions worship literal idols made with hands. God has objected to that from Old Testament times, proclaiming to the Israelites, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” However, many people in our day worship many other things besides literal idols, Any thing that takes God’s first place in our lives can be an idol. Idols are anything in the world that we love more than God and Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Do you feel this? Are you separated from the world enough so that People can tell you are a Christian and different from the majority? Romans 12:2 says, “Be not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word “conformed” means to be “fashioned like, in our minds, the way we act and etc. patterned after the world and what it does.” Paul says, “ but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The word “transformed” is the Greek. Word “metamorphose.” There’s a song that goes, “There’s been a change.” Every Christian should have changes going on in their lives continually with spiritual work of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 7:31 says “They that use this world, as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away.” The Amplified Version says, “And those who deal with the world overusing the enjoyment of this life, let them live as though they were not absorbed by it, and as if they had no dealings with it. For the outward form of this world - the present world order is passing away.”

Philippians 3:20 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” As the song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”

Light

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:19-21

Light is God’s creation. “And God said , Let there be  light: and there was light.” Genesis 1:3. Light is what moves darkness. Darkness cannot overcome the light, but is always overcome by light. Darkness is, in fact, the absence of light.

Light is the great revealer. It reveals things that cannot be seen without light. More light reveals more. Boeing builds airplanes that must be extremely safe, and as part of that work, it is necessary to inspect metallic parts and assemblies. For much of this, very strong lights are used to make sure even the tiniest flaw can be seen. As I painted inside my house, I had the lights on in the room I was painting, and it appeared that I was doing a great job of covering the walls. However, when I took a very bright work light and scanned the wall, it was very apparent that I was not covering as well as I thought.

God’s Word is a light that shines on our lives. When we look at ourselves under the “normal” light of the world (social norms, philosophies, current cultural expectations, etc) it appears that we are doing fine. However, when we allow the light of God’s Word to shine on our lives, we find we are lacking.

The first shine of God’s Light shows our need of a Savior. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 “For all have sinned , and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23. In that Light we also find the solution for this condition. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46

God moves us from spiritual darkness to the true light. As God’s children who have seen the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, we now have the privilege of walking in the light of God’s Word. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” Ephesians 5:8. “Ye are  all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” 1 Thess. 5:5. Our heritage is now light, not darkness. Where there is light, there is visibility of the path. We can see where we need to walk because of the light. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.

As we walk with our Lord in deeper fellowship, we will be under a more intense light that will show even the smallest thing that He wants to remove from our life. If we are to be prepared to be the bride of Christ, there must be a complete work in our lives, and that requires the full inspection under the light of God’s Word. “That he might sanctify  and cleanse it  with the washing of water by the word,” Ephesians 5:26. You might be able to clean something without any light to see, but you will never know if it is clean or not without the light. The coming of our Lord is so near, and being prepared is so important. Do not miss even one opportunity to spend time in God’s Word. It is readily available today in so many forms, there is no excuse for not studying.

As we allow the light of our Lord to overtake our life, it will inevitably shine out to others that we come in contact with. We are to be lights to those around us. The light of this world will never show them what they need to see. Only the light of the life of Christ shining from our lives will do that. “That ye may be  blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” Philippians 2:15.

I want to encourage you as you read this to consider letting the light of God’s Word truly shine on your life today. Do not try to hide some parts of your life from the revealing nature of the light. It always brings good.

Gordon Crook

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

Verta Giddings

Chapter 27

SHIPWRECK

The First Ship Vs. 1-5: Paul had appealed unto Caesar. Since Paul was a Roman citizen, the Roman authorities in Caesarea knew he would be allowed to go to Rome. They put Paul, and his friends Luke (note the ‘we’ in V. 1) and Aristarchus on a ship along with other prisoners. Julius, a Roman centurion, was in charge of them. When they touched at Sidon, Julius let the believers go and visit friends. From there, they sailed unto Myra, a city of Lycia.

The Second Ship Started Out Well – Vs. 6-8: There the centurion found a ship which was sailing unto Italy. He put the men for whom he was responsible on this ship which was apparently a ship carrying wheat, which was to sail from Egypt into Italy. Their sailing vessels were far different from the ones used today. They had to depend upon the sails altogether. They also had to look to the sun, moon, and stars to know which direction they were going. They came to a place called “The fair havens.”

The Centurion Took the Wrong Advice – Vs. 9-13: It was getting late in the season and the weather would be getting worse. Paul advised that they should spend the winter in the port of “The fair havens.” He told them that he perceived that the voyage would be with hurt and much damage of the ship and its contents and of their lives. The centurion believed the master and owner of the ship, so he didn’t listen to Paul. Where did Paul get this information? He was in touch with the Lord, and it didn’t matter what he did or didn’t know about ships and weather. He knew God! They figured the haven was not a good place in which to spend the winter, so they planned to make it to Phenice, 40 miles further west, and winter there. When the south wind blew, they started out. Always in those days they stayed as close to land as possible, and did not take to the open sea. We must learn to listen to good advice. When one is walking with the Lord, they know how things should be. Just because it seems right to go a certain path, does not always mean it will be. The south wind was deceitful. It soon changed. Don’s be swayed by the “more part” – V. 12.

The Ship was in Great Danger – Vs. 14-20: Things on the ship went from bad to worse. A great storm overtook them. They swirled in every direction and the sea was whipped into a fury. Sailors called this type of storm “Euroclydon.” It was a storm sailors dreaded. They were driven off course. After about a day they threw grain overboard. After that they even threw overboard some of the ship’s gear. All their hope was taken away. They expected the ship to break apart at any time. They hadn’t seen the sun nor stars in many days.

Hope for the Hopeless – Vs. 21-26: God had promised Paul he would see Rome. Would he, along with the rest, suffer shipwreck and be drowned in the sea? NO! Paul hadn’t eaten for a long time. We are sure the others were too scared, weak, or sick to eat. Anyway in the midst of all this which was taking place, Paul stood up and spoke to the rest. He said they should have listened to him when he said they should stay in The Fair Haven. His message to them at this time was to be of good cheer. Paul told them there would be no loss of life among them. He did say the ship would not be saved. He said he knew this for an angel of God stood by him and reminded him that he would be brought before Caesar, and that was in Rome. He also said, God told him that He had given Paul all those that sailed with him. Paul declared to them they could be of good cheer. He said, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” He said they would be cast on an island.

Things Got Even Worse – Vs. 27-32: The 14th night came and they were driven up and down in Adria. About midnight, the sailors caught the sound of waves pounding on rocks. They let down their measuring line and found it was 120 feet deep. Later it was only 90 feet, so they knew they were near shore. They were afraid they might hit some rocks, so they cast 4 anchors into the sea to hold the ship. Some tried to go off into some little lifeboat. Paul said if they wanted to be saved they must stay in the ship. Then he urged them to eat. First he gave thanks and ate, and the rest ate also. They threw more things overboard. When it was day they found a way to steer the ship close to shore. The ship was broken up. The soldier’s counsel was to kill the prisoners so they wouldn’t escape. Julis, the centurion, stopped them from doing that. He told the ones who could swim, to swim to shore. The others could make it in on pieces of boards. They all escaped to land. God had kept His Word.

Application: Life is like a voyage. We are “sailing” from earth to heaven. Let us be sure to be ready to take the right advice from the right person and not just go with the majority. What blessed truths are found in this chapter! We can depend upon the Word of God. Since He has promised us that we will weather the storm and get to our desired haven, which we call HEAVEN, we will. Many times the storms get really bad, but we can be like Paul and say “I BELIEVE GOD.” God has promised you that you will make it through. Like it says in Isa. 43:2 – “When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee.” You can be in the position of not only believing for yourself, but for all those who are with you. May it be!