Tuesday, January 23, 2024

The big turnaround

And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.  Acts 27:35

Wouldn’t it be great in this life if you could take everyone around you to heaven with you when you go?  That everywhere you went, all people would have the opportunity to hear the message of salvation and then receive it?  That’s what happened with the apostle Paul, everywhere he was, he told everyone there about the good news of Jesus.  Some received salvation and some received seeds, but all receive something.

In today’s reading, it is truly amazing that Paul went from being the person on the ship that no one would listen to, to being the one making all the decisions.  After he spoke up and told the crew that an angel had stood by him, and reminded the leaders that his advice was to stay at the last port for the winter, he gained great credibility.  Now he was able to keep prisoners from escaping, got everyone to eat, prayed with them all and every life was saved on the ship.  Everything he said, they did because they believed his words. This was a big turnaround in this voyage.  If they had continued to go by their own wits and not heeded Paul’s advice, they all would have lost their lives out in that storm.

Paul depended on God to get him through the storm, but he also did his part.  He didn’t just tell people what to do, he told what he heard from God.  It didn’t always make sense and it wasn’t always easy, but he followed what the Lord showed him and he spoke what the Holy Spirit told him.

You can have a big turnaround in your life too.  By pressing in and listening to what the Holy Spirit is showing you today in your life, you can have an immediate change in your direction in life.  You will also bring those with you along.  Even if they have not yet received God’s great love for them, they will watch as your life transforms in front of them.  Following what you hear the Holy Spirit speak to your heart or what He shows you in the scriptures will not always make sense to those watching.  In fact, you may even experience some resistance as others give you feedback but stay the course and you will avoid tragic outcomes that your enemy is trying to lead you to.

Today I want to encourage you to move toward your great turnaround.  If you have been caught in a storm for a while or even if you just don’t have His peace in every area of life, step close to Him today by spending time praising and worshiping and listening intently to the direction He is pointing you.  Your storm may not stop immediately, but you will have His peace. Then ask Him for His empowering grace to get you through to your victory and thank Him that your great turnaround is on the way!

Today’s scripture reading: Acts 27:27-38

27 Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. 

28 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 

29 Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. 

30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, 

31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 

32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.

33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. 

34 Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” 

35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 

36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. 

37 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. 

38 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.