HI KSers! I just did my daily devotions for Sunday :P before starting my work (*waves* to fellow midnight oil burners after this wonderful Sabbath/REST/Remember Christ- day :D) So, anyway, I think that Spurgeon's morning/evening text is rather apt for our last activity at Marina Barrage! :D AHOY!
Check this out before reading the devotion passage below! (which is..quite CHIM aye..)
Act 27:42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
Act 27:43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Act 27:44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
DONT you think that the soldiers resemble really nasty pirates? They seek to kill Paul, who is by definition, their prisoner..even though he has encouraged them to be of good cheer, prayed and thanked God in front of them for "feeding" them with meat and for bringing them safely to shore.. But, I am encouraged by the deeds of the centurion in verse 44, where in God's wonderful plan, He worked in his heart, that death did not fall unto the prisoners on that very day :) i.e. saved from death. So, don't give up as you are reaching out to others okay? He is with us always, and He'll act according to His will, in ways beyond our expectations, but for our good :) so here goes:
For there stood by me this night the angel of God.” (american standard version)
Acts 27:23
Tempest and long darkness, coupled with imminent risk of shipwreck, had brought the crew of the vessel into a sad case; one man alone among them remained perfectly calm, and by his word the rest were reassured. Paul was the only man who had heart enough to say, “Sirs, be of good cheer.” There were veteran Roman legionaries on board, and brave old mariners, and yet their poor Jewish prisoner had more spirit than they all. He had a secret Friend who kept his courage up. The Lord Jesus despatched a heavenly messenger to whisper words of consolation in the ear of his faithful servant; therefore he wore a shining countenance, and spake like a man at ease.
If we fear the Lord, we may look for timely interpositions when our case is at its worst. Angels are not kept from us by storms, or hindered by darkness. Seraphs think it no humiliation to visit the poorest of the heavenly family (possibly, US :), although we can be RICH in faith if we seek Him). If angel’s visits are few and far between at ordinary times, they shall be frequent in our nights of tempest and tossing. Friends may drop from us when we are under pressure, but our intercourse with the inhabitants of the angelic world shall be more abundant; and in the strength of love-words, brought to us from the throne by the way of Jacob’s ladder, we shall be strong to do exploits. Dear reader, is this an hour of distress with you? then ask for peculiar help. Jesus is the angel of the covenant, and if his presence be now earnestly sought, it will not be denied. What that presence brings in heart-cheer those remember who, like Paul, have had the angel of God standing by them in a night of storm, when anchors would no longer hold, and rocks were nigh.
“O angel of my God, be near, Amid the darkness hush my fear; Loud roars the wild tempestuous sea, Thy presence, Lord, shall comfort me.” |
Blessed week ahead my dear brethren!
PLEASE make an effort to come down to Newton for Bible study this coming SATURDAY! I am learning so so much, and there really is NO LIMIT to what you can learn from His wonderful word! and can you believe this, this is only a FRACTION that He has chosen to reveal to us, for we recall..O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! so let us humble ourselves and not question Him wrongfully or before we can actually seek out every single thing that He wants us to know! have an appetite for His word, our spiritual bread :D
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