[Linux4christians] Thursday - Acts 27:1-26

[dcolburn at bibleseven.com]

    Thursday


      Acts 27:1-26



Paul and Company Sail for Rome

27:1 When it was decided we would sail to Italy, they handed over Paul 
and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named 
Julius. 27:2 We went on board a ship from Adramyttium that was about to 
sail to various ports along the coast of the province of Asia and put 
out to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 
27:3 The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius, treating Paul kindly, 
allowed him to go to his friends so they could provide him with what he 
needed. 27:4 From there we put out to sea and sailed under the lee of 
Cyprus because the winds were against us. 27:5 After we had sailed 
across the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we put in at Myra in 
Lycia. 27:6 There the centurion found a ship from Alexandria sailing for 
Italy, and he put us aboard it. 27:7 We sailed slowly for many days and 
arrived with difficulty off Cnidus. Because the wind prevented us from 
going any farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 27:8 
With difficulty we sailed along the coast of Crete and came to a place 
called Fair Havens that was near the town of Lasea.

Caught in a Violent Storm

27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous 
because the fast was already over, Paul advised them, 27:10 "Men, I can 
see the voyage is going to end in disaster and great loss not only of 
the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives." 27:11 But the centurion 
was more convinced by the captain and the ship's owner than by what Paul 
said. 27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, 
the majority decided to put out to sea from there. They hoped that 
somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and 
northwest, and spend the winter there. 27:13 When a gentle south wind 
sprang up, they thought they could carry out their purpose, so they 
weighed anchor and sailed close along the coast of Crete. 27:14 Not long 
after this, a hurricane-force wind called the northeaster blew down from 
the island. 27:15 When the ship was caught in it and could not head into 
the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 27:16 As we ran under 
the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able with difficulty to 
get the ship's boat under control. 27:17 After the crew had hoisted it 
aboard, they used supports to undergird the ship. Fearing they would run 
aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor, thus letting 
themselves be driven along. 27:18 The next day, because we were 
violently battered by the storm, they began throwing the cargo 
overboard, 27:19 and on the third day they threw the ship's gear 
overboard with their own hands. 27:20 When neither sun nor stars 
appeared for many days and a violent storm continued to batter us, we 
finally abandoned all hope of being saved.

27:21 Since many of them had no desire to eat, Paul stood up among them 
and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not put out to sea 
from Crete, thus avoiding this damage and loss. 27:22 And now I advise 
you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among 
you, but only the ship will be lost. 27:23 For last night an angel of 
the God to whom I belong and whom I serve came to me 27:24 and said, 'Do 
not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before Caesar, and God has 
graciously granted you the safety of all who are sailing with you.' 
27:25 Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that 
it will be just as I have been told. 27:26 But we must run aground on 
some island."



      Prayer


Lord, You blessed Paul's fellow travelers as a testimony to the truth of 
Paul's report about You. May I be faithful enough that You will choose 
to bless others in some small way through me.



      Summary & Commentary


Paul was transferred to a prison ship bound for Italy. After slow travel 
due to difficulties with the wind, and several planned stops -including 
one where the Centurion allowed Paul's friends to meet his needs - they 
sailed on.


Paul warned them that due to the winter season they faced shipwreck but 
they continued on.


They found themselves in a violent storm and after struggling for many 
days gave up hope of survival. Paul reminded them that he had warned 
them, then he shared that an angel of God had promised him than none of 
them would be lost but the ship and cargo would.


As they were about to be shipwrecked Paul calls to them to eat for strength.



      Interaction

Consider

The Lord God protected Paul from murder, provided many ministry 
opportunities, told him he'd preach in Rome, and now protected him and 
his companions from harm on the way to Rome.

Discuss

Isn't it amazing how the Lord God either calms or manages storms as His 
great purposes require?


        Reflect

When all others have given up hope God assured Paul then Paul in turn 
assured them.

Share

When have you observed a man of God being ignored, only to be the one 
people turn to when all else fails and they need a wise leader?



      Faith in Action

Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to show me someone, or a group, that is sailing into 
an avoidable storm due to arrogance and/or ignorance.



        Action:

Today I will pray for protection, for ministry opportunities, and to be 
used by God to bring eternal hope into the lives of the hopeless.


Be Specific ______________________________________________________



    Friday's text will be:


      Acts 27:27 -- 28:10



-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Savannah-Statesboro needs a Bible College/Seminary!
Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
Teacher's Verse: John 7:16
I don't google I SEARCH! Yippy.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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