ENCOURAGEMENT INSTEAD OF A SWIFT KICK IN THE BRITCHES

Image result for CLIP ART SHOWING KICKING SOMEONESometimes, I am correct in the "advice" that I suggest even though, so often it is ignored...could it be my delivery method?  I am in Acts 27, Paul is on a ship sailing for Rome.  He has just finished being grilled by King Agrippa and trials before Felix and Festus and all agreed Paul could go free had he not made his appeal to Caesar.  God has directed him to "testify in Rome".  What a lousy directive!  BUT God has a plan and a purpose to which Paul is obedient by faith.

On board the ship, Paul warns the centurion to not sail on the given date because  of the possible loss of cargo, the ship, and the prisoners.  The weather, the winds, and the rough seas make a trip on the Mediterranean Sea during the winter months challenging even though the ship sailed near the coast lines. Sure enough, they enter storms.  The cargo is thrown overboard, stars do not appear for days, the winds rage. Luke states that they "finally gave up all hope of being saved".

Paul is observing the men for they have fought the winds for a days without food, and he speaks, "Men you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete, then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.  But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.  Last night, an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul.  You must stand trial before Caesar and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.So keep up your courage, men for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.  Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island." 

I could not help but wonder...which I do so often...I note that Paul did not dwell and dig deeply and unmercifully on his "I told you so".  I mean he had a captive audience,and he could have unloaded, but he chose to remind them of his counsel, then he moved on to encourage and speak his faith. Which would the men remember...his reminder that he was right or the grace of encouragement that he gave?  When I am so desirous "to be right" am I willing to humble that "right" to the Lord Jesus and be an encourager? Which honors the Lord, my being right or my willingness to humble myself and speak encouragement?  Cheryl, be alert...being "right!!" is really about pride.  Drats!  Be encouraged!  Forever learning.  In process.  #IHAVETHREESONS     

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THOSE SEEING CAN BECOME BLIND

Image
John 9 is the story of the healing of the blind beggar.  Not only is it a marvelous story of the miraculous healing of the man as he is given his sight, but a sad story of the religious of whom Jesus said, "For judgment, I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind ." The religious have seen the miracle, even though it has taken place on a Sabbath, and they interview the man and his parents for their stories and understanding. I find it so thrilling that the healed man speaks so articulately and logically with the religious in their "interview" with him.  His statement, " Now that is remarkable!  You don't know where HE comes from, yet HE opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners.  He listens to the godly man who does His will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." What truth he has spoken to the religious wh...
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress...
Read more

A DONKEY SPEAKS!

Image
    Numbers has been full of repetitive accounts of the Israelites and their disobedience.  They have now made several laps around Mt. Sinai, many of the original people have died off, or been killed for their arrogant and presumptuous actions against the LORD, Moses, and Aaron. The overriding truth of the accounts is the merciful grace of the LORD! Moses is in his last days of leadership.  The forty years are coming to an end and they are moving toward a second attempt to enter the Promise Land.  They have been victorious in taking land, and they are moving further into the interior of the land of Moab.  The king and the residents of Moab are "filled with dread because of the Israelites.  The king of Moab, Balak, sends messages to Balaam, who is a sorcerer and is able to to place curses or blessings on others.  King Balak wants to know how to defeat "this horde" that is licking up everything around them.  Of course, he is desirous th...
Read more