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Acts 27-28


There are some very interesting developments in Acts 27.  One of the most amazing is to see the quick rise of Paul’s status on the ship – the meteoric rise from low man on the totem pole to chief of the whole tribe. 

In v. 1 we find that of the 276 people on board the ship heading for Rome, Paul was numbered among the prisoners.  He was near the bottom of the barrel. 

When we approach the end of the chapter we find that Paul has now virtually taken over the leadership of the boat.  He has practically been given command.  The others are looking to him for inspiration and leadership. 

From prisoner to commander in a short voyage.  How did it come about?  It came because Paul demonstrated leadership in the storm.  Everyone else was looking at the storm.  He was looking at God.  

The child of God, no matter where we find him, can be master of the situation.  Circumstances should never affect our confidence and hope and sense of well-being.  A Christian’s hope is in the Lord.

Circumstances should never rob us of our joy, power and victory.  We have the ability to live and function above the circumstances.  We do this because Jesus is living through us.

This is why Spirit-filled believers draw people to them like magnets during the storms of life.  Think about it for a moment. 

Who did your neighbor turn to when he was going through a turbulent storm?  Did he seek out his drinking buddies, or did he come to you?  That person at work whose marriage was falling apart – where did he or she go for help?  To the boss?  To the ones he always carouses with? Or to you?  They may be content when everything is smooth.  They notice their helplessness when the storm comes.

In a storm people turn to the one who is stable – the one who isn’t getting blown all around – to the one in whom they can see Jesus.  That is why they turned to Paul in this storm.  They turned to the one who said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Paul Thompson

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