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Scripture
The next night the Lord Jesus came and stood by Paul. He said, “Be brave! You have told people in Jerusalem about me. You must do the same in Rome.” – Acts 23:11 ERV
Devotion
At the end of the Book of Acts, Paul was a prisoner on a ship bound for Rome when he encountered a great storm off the Island of Crete. The storm battered and tossed the ship for many days. Cargo was thrown overboard to lighten the ship so it would not capsize, and the passengers had little food and water. All 276 aboard, both crew and prisoners, saw hope of any survival fading fast.
However, in Acts 27:21-24, Paul stood among the men and exhorted them to be of good cheer. He told them to have courage, that all on board will survive. We recognize the confidence and boldness of Paul’s declaration as a surety; we know he had been visited by the Angel of God the night before who told Paul to not be afraid. It was necessary for Paul to appear before Caesar in Rome, so God would graciously deliver all the men to safety. Paul’s declaration, in the midst of a great storm with seemingly no hope, assured the passengers that it was going to be okay.
I don’t know about you, but when I face storms of life, I can find myself struggling to stand in confidence and boldness in my faith. My hope is not lost, but I am challenged in heart and mind, not knowing what the outcome will be. But for those of us who believe and walk in faith, we are promised that that no matter the storms we face, everything will turn out for good (Romans 8:28).
It bodes well to recognize Paul’s confidence and boldness of faith in Acts 27 is rooted in a prior experience from a past promise. In Acts 23:11, Paul was in perhaps his darkest moment in ministry. He was in the deep pit of the prison after sharing his personal testimony of grace and salvation through Jesus Christ. More than anything, his heart desired to get to Rome to share the Good News with his fellow Romans. Yet, all hope was seemingly lost. He felt it was the end of his service as he was facing sure death.
In Paul’s darkest moment, the Lord Jesus appeared to him in that prison cell and said, “Be brave! You have told people in Jerusalem about me. You must do the same in Rome” (Acts 23:11). A promise made by our Lord, and a promise Paul did not forget.
As believers, we have to remember God’s promises and the times in the past He delivered on those promises. This way, in the midst of our life storms, we can stand boldly and confidently in our faith. We must remember God’s thought and heart toward us is that of peace and not evil. He has plans to prosper us and not harm us, plans to give us hope and a bright future (Jeremiah 29:11). He is our sun and shield and gives grace and glory. “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you (even in times of drought), and He will strengthen your bones. You will be like a well-watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry (Isaiah 58:11).
We must never forget our experiences when God brought that needed job, the necessary provision, a healing, blessings in our marriages and relationships, wisdom for a problem, and times of great joy and rejoicing in our service to Him.
We know how it turned out for Paul. After 14 days in the storm, Paul and all 276 men aboard the ship, after partaking in a communion service, cut anchor and let the ship run to shore. After hitting a sandbar, the ship broke apart, and many swam to shore while others used boards from the ship and let the waves take them in. (This Californian rejoices seeing the invention of surfing!) Everyone landed safely on the Island of Malta where they rested from the stormy season in the Mediterranean Sea. Paul prepared his heart to share the Good News as he would be delivered to Rome, fulfilling the promise made to him by the Lord (Acts 27:33, Acts 28).
The Lord’s promises are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Whatever storms we face, His thoughts do not change toward us. They are always good. So be of good cheer believer! Remember the past experiences of His promises that did come true. Do not fear the storm you may be in, but rather stand boldly and confidently in your faith knowing it is going to be okay.
Long Ago, when the Roman Empire was at the height of its glory, a common saying was “All Roads Lead to Rome.” I want to tell you about a very special road — a road that existed then and still exists now. This road, now almost 2,000 years old, has never led to Rome. Yet, strangely enough, it is called the Romans Road.
This takes the reader to selected passages in the Book of Romans in the Bible to explain the plan of Salvation. This is the ideal way to share the gospel using your Kindle. The reader can also read the entire book of Romans un-interrupted.