The book of Acts chapter 27 is one wonderful piece; it perfectly relates what we come across on daily basis, as Christians, in our dealings with people whether they are leaders, mates or subordinates. And not only that, it shows clearly that being a child of God does not mean that we won't come across challenges, troubles, trials, rejections and scorns from the people.
So, Paul was among the prisoners that were to be moved to Italy. Paul became part of the crew because he appealed his case to Caesar, whereas, it is God's purpose for Paul to share the Gospel before Caesar (Acts 27:24) But let's look at the life lessons in Acts chapter 27;
1. Verses 9-11 Paul advised the Centurion about the danger of setting on the voyage, however, the sailors and the owner of the ship gave a contrary opinion. We don’t know what previous relationship Paul had with the centurion but it’s not doubtful that the centurion knew that Paul was not a criminal but a victim of the conspiracy of the Jewish leaders. (verse3). Anyway, the centurion had to take a decision between the opinions and identified with the experts rather than that of Paul. Paul did not also tell us expressly here whether he got a revelation of the impending disaster or not, whereas, an express revelation received later along the journey was noted in verses 23 and 24. One thing that we know however is that the deep calls unto the deep (Ps 42v7), and the interaction between the Spirit and the spirit of man brings about convictions and which are quite different from express dreams or vision or the clear perception of the audible voice. Just of recent, I was discussing with a younger friend and told her one of my constant experiences; If I had a pressure in my spirit to call someone and I delayed in placing the call, what usually happens is that the person would call me and I’m left to defend why I’ve not called earlier. As Christians, we are faced, more often than not, with situations whereby our convictions, by the Holy Spirit, are rubbished for the wisdom/expertise of this world (1Cor 1v27). It’s obvious that the sailors and the owner of the ship wouldn’t have wished that the vessel be lost and the lives of the passengers be put in danger but the searching of the Spirit goes beyond the wisdom of man. Unfortunately, a natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit (1Cor 2v14).
Quite frankly, Paul, being convinced could have refused to go with the crew if he had his freedom but unfortunately, that freedom had been taken away as he was a prisoner of the State. As Christians, we live in communities and nations, attend congregation/fellowship and/or belong or work in an establishment, where an ungodly person is charged with the responsibilities to take decisions that will have serious impacts/effects on our lives. Even, if someone could leave a job and look for another (which is a tough decision to take in a country of abject poverty and a very high unemployment) just like changing a fellowship too, could the person leave a country because the president is an ungodly person or is making decisions of dire consequences? So, we see Paul, being led like a sheep into a ship that is destined for shipwreck; and by the word ‘’destined’’ I do not intend to suggest that the ship was made to be wrecked but that, in view of the sailors and owner’s insistence of embarking on the journey, Paul, at least was well aware that the ship will not make it.
Just before going to what Paul may have been doing as the ship rolled on to a disastrous end, I want to also consider another very important human relation contract different from the examples I have cited above i.e. community/nation, congregation/fellowships and job/establishment. The marriage union is a human relation contract. What I mean by this is that, although the marriage institution is established by God, the two individuals involved have a contract of engagement before entering into the union. That contract could be written or spoken or drawn from their dealings; something called implied contract. As Christians working towards perfection and prone to errors, many people are pressured by societal values into marrying a particular person or at a particular time, or in a particular way which invariably will have an impact of dire consequences on the ship that is called marriage. These decisions of consequential results are not only limited to the acts before the marriage but equally acts throughout the lifetime of the marriage.
So, what did Paul do as he awaits the apocalypse of the ship?
The scriptures also did not lay out what Paul was doing in regards to his pre-knowledge of what awaits the ship after his opinion was thrown out, but the scriptures documented that the crew had a terrible time against the tempest of the sea. I want to believe that each person would have sought the divine help of whatever deity they serve as they struggle to keep the ship on track. Just like the Jonah story, they got to a point that they have to start unburdening the ship by throwing their own properties aboard. I want to believe that Paul too would have been praying peradventure things could change. I want to believe that it was a time that you don’t have to wait until you kneel down before you pray.
We do not have the details of Paul’s prayer in this instance but it is doubtful if Paul was praying that the ship should be destroyed quickly so that the sailors, the owner of the ship and the centurion will know that he’s a spiritual man or that the crew should have taken his own opinion. Now, this is not to nullify the fact that there are some issues of life where we may ask God to stand between us and an opponent. I presume that Paul may have been interceding for the crew and ship, but in the worst scenario, the crew.
While I intend to make this chapter into a small book, God permitting, may I conclusively admonished here, brothers and sisters that challenges in human relationship contracts will come. There are some challenges you would be able to work out and there will be some that even with your best efforts, nothing will work because you are not the only person in the human relation contract. One thing that you have to realize is that the determinants in any human relation contract are the people involved and the word of God did not place any obligation on us as Christians to force others to do what they do not want to undertake. God showed us clearly by His own ways in Deuteronomy 30v15-20; the variables were laid down and the hearer was asked to exercise his/her choice/s. However, we have an obligation as Christians to satisfy our part as laid out in Rom 12:18 ‘’If it is possible, as far as it depends on you……’’
So, just as I’ve noted above, some situations will not work out even if you have done your very best. BUT, whatever the situation is LIFE must be preserved. NEVER EVER get into the habit of praying or seeking for the death of someone that does not agree with you. DON’T even pray that something bad should happen to those people. This is the reason that I do not support prayers asking for someone to be killed. It is enough to ask God to deal with the person, for God to defend your cause or case or for God to remove the person from such position that is having or may have consequential impacts on your life. Let God decide if the person's time is up on this earth or not. I can guarantee you that when God stands to defend you against an enemy or opponent; you’ll have cause to pity the enemy or opponent. We’ve seen in Paul’s example, if you read further down the chapter 27 that he became a commanding officer of the crew at some point to the extent that the lives of all the crew including that of the sailors and owner of the ship (who were experts at the start of the journey) were surrendered into his hands.
May the Lord bless and keep you in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
REMEMBER THAT THERE’S NO WAY TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
STUDY THE WORD. PRAY THE WORD. LIVE THE WORD
The Dayspring Dominion Chapel Venue: Left wing (ground floor) Thomas Coats Memorial Baptist Church, opp UWS, Paisley. PA1 2BA Fellowship time: 1:30pm every Sunday
Contact: 07852841164, dayspringorg@hotmail.com
So, Paul was among the prisoners that were to be moved to Italy. Paul became part of the crew because he appealed his case to Caesar, whereas, it is God's purpose for Paul to share the Gospel before Caesar (Acts 27:24) But let's look at the life lessons in Acts chapter 27;
1. Verses 9-11 Paul advised the Centurion about the danger of setting on the voyage, however, the sailors and the owner of the ship gave a contrary opinion. We don’t know what previous relationship Paul had with the centurion but it’s not doubtful that the centurion knew that Paul was not a criminal but a victim of the conspiracy of the Jewish leaders. (verse3). Anyway, the centurion had to take a decision between the opinions and identified with the experts rather than that of Paul. Paul did not also tell us expressly here whether he got a revelation of the impending disaster or not, whereas, an express revelation received later along the journey was noted in verses 23 and 24. One thing that we know however is that the deep calls unto the deep (Ps 42v7), and the interaction between the Spirit and the spirit of man brings about convictions and which are quite different from express dreams or vision or the clear perception of the audible voice. Just of recent, I was discussing with a younger friend and told her one of my constant experiences; If I had a pressure in my spirit to call someone and I delayed in placing the call, what usually happens is that the person would call me and I’m left to defend why I’ve not called earlier. As Christians, we are faced, more often than not, with situations whereby our convictions, by the Holy Spirit, are rubbished for the wisdom/expertise of this world (1Cor 1v27). It’s obvious that the sailors and the owner of the ship wouldn’t have wished that the vessel be lost and the lives of the passengers be put in danger but the searching of the Spirit goes beyond the wisdom of man. Unfortunately, a natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit (1Cor 2v14).
Quite frankly, Paul, being convinced could have refused to go with the crew if he had his freedom but unfortunately, that freedom had been taken away as he was a prisoner of the State. As Christians, we live in communities and nations, attend congregation/fellowship and/or belong or work in an establishment, where an ungodly person is charged with the responsibilities to take decisions that will have serious impacts/effects on our lives. Even, if someone could leave a job and look for another (which is a tough decision to take in a country of abject poverty and a very high unemployment) just like changing a fellowship too, could the person leave a country because the president is an ungodly person or is making decisions of dire consequences? So, we see Paul, being led like a sheep into a ship that is destined for shipwreck; and by the word ‘’destined’’ I do not intend to suggest that the ship was made to be wrecked but that, in view of the sailors and owner’s insistence of embarking on the journey, Paul, at least was well aware that the ship will not make it.
Just before going to what Paul may have been doing as the ship rolled on to a disastrous end, I want to also consider another very important human relation contract different from the examples I have cited above i.e. community/nation, congregation/fellowships and job/establishment. The marriage union is a human relation contract. What I mean by this is that, although the marriage institution is established by God, the two individuals involved have a contract of engagement before entering into the union. That contract could be written or spoken or drawn from their dealings; something called implied contract. As Christians working towards perfection and prone to errors, many people are pressured by societal values into marrying a particular person or at a particular time, or in a particular way which invariably will have an impact of dire consequences on the ship that is called marriage. These decisions of consequential results are not only limited to the acts before the marriage but equally acts throughout the lifetime of the marriage.
So, what did Paul do as he awaits the apocalypse of the ship?
The scriptures also did not lay out what Paul was doing in regards to his pre-knowledge of what awaits the ship after his opinion was thrown out, but the scriptures documented that the crew had a terrible time against the tempest of the sea. I want to believe that each person would have sought the divine help of whatever deity they serve as they struggle to keep the ship on track. Just like the Jonah story, they got to a point that they have to start unburdening the ship by throwing their own properties aboard. I want to believe that Paul too would have been praying peradventure things could change. I want to believe that it was a time that you don’t have to wait until you kneel down before you pray.
We do not have the details of Paul’s prayer in this instance but it is doubtful if Paul was praying that the ship should be destroyed quickly so that the sailors, the owner of the ship and the centurion will know that he’s a spiritual man or that the crew should have taken his own opinion. Now, this is not to nullify the fact that there are some issues of life where we may ask God to stand between us and an opponent. I presume that Paul may have been interceding for the crew and ship, but in the worst scenario, the crew.
While I intend to make this chapter into a small book, God permitting, may I conclusively admonished here, brothers and sisters that challenges in human relationship contracts will come. There are some challenges you would be able to work out and there will be some that even with your best efforts, nothing will work because you are not the only person in the human relation contract. One thing that you have to realize is that the determinants in any human relation contract are the people involved and the word of God did not place any obligation on us as Christians to force others to do what they do not want to undertake. God showed us clearly by His own ways in Deuteronomy 30v15-20; the variables were laid down and the hearer was asked to exercise his/her choice/s. However, we have an obligation as Christians to satisfy our part as laid out in Rom 12:18 ‘’If it is possible, as far as it depends on you……’’
So, just as I’ve noted above, some situations will not work out even if you have done your very best. BUT, whatever the situation is LIFE must be preserved. NEVER EVER get into the habit of praying or seeking for the death of someone that does not agree with you. DON’T even pray that something bad should happen to those people. This is the reason that I do not support prayers asking for someone to be killed. It is enough to ask God to deal with the person, for God to defend your cause or case or for God to remove the person from such position that is having or may have consequential impacts on your life. Let God decide if the person's time is up on this earth or not. I can guarantee you that when God stands to defend you against an enemy or opponent; you’ll have cause to pity the enemy or opponent. We’ve seen in Paul’s example, if you read further down the chapter 27 that he became a commanding officer of the crew at some point to the extent that the lives of all the crew including that of the sailors and owner of the ship (who were experts at the start of the journey) were surrendered into his hands.
May the Lord bless and keep you in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
REMEMBER THAT THERE’S NO WAY TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
STUDY THE WORD. PRAY THE WORD. LIVE THE WORD
The Dayspring Dominion Chapel Venue: Left wing (ground floor) Thomas Coats Memorial Baptist Church, opp UWS, Paisley. PA1 2BA Fellowship time: 1:30pm every Sunday
Contact: 07852841164, dayspringorg@hotmail.com
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