I Believe God

I Believe God

Acts 27: 19-26

Have you ever heard someone say, “It does not matter what I believe it will not make any difference to anyone else?” Or have you ever heard some one say “it doesn’t make any difference what I believe as long as I believe something?” Both of those statements are dead wrong! What you believe does make a difference to others and it does make a difference to you.

Billy Bob goes to a diner for breakfast, buys a coffee a sits down to drink it. He looks on the side of his cup & finds a peel off prize. He pulls off the tab & yells, "I WON! I WON! I WON a motor home, I WON a motor home!"

The waitress looks to the owner wide-eyed, knowing that the biggest prize given away is a bicycle. They both approach Billy Bob with the problem saying, "You couldn’t possibly have won a motor home because we don’t offer that as a prize!"

Billy Bob replies, "Nope, no mistake, I WON a motor home, I WON a motor home!" Looky here...& hands the prize ticket to the manager which reads, "WIN A BAGEL."

You may believe that you have won a Winnebago motor home but all you end up with is a BAGEL

As a matter of fact, what a man believes has profound and widespread social consequence. It affects the lives of all he comes in contact with. It inspires or depresses them. And all this is more beautifully illustrated in the story of the shipwreck of Paul than perhaps in any other piece of Scripture. Acts 27:19-26

Act 27:21-26 Since many were going without food, Paul stood up among them and said, "You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss.

Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship.

For this night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me,

saying, ’Don’t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And, look! God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’

Therefore, take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.

However, we must run aground on a certain island."

I. Paul’s belief made him useful on that ship.

A. A brief word of the details leading up to the ship wreck.

1. The reason Paul was on the ship

2. Paul warned them not to sail

3. The storm came up and lasted for 14 days

4. In the middle of the storm Paul said I told you so.

5. An angel stood by Paul and told him no lives would be lost only the ship.

B. Paul said I believe God and what he says will happen

1. There were a total of 276 on board

2. Imagine the feeling on board

3. The ship was about to sink

4. It was dark, no sun, moon, or stars to give them their position

5. They had not eaten for 14 days.

6. By this time the morale on board was pretty low.

7. In fact some men tried to leave the ship on the pretense of getting in a life boat and putting out anchors.

II. What Paul believed was an example to every man on that ship

A. It does make a difference to others what you believe.

1. Look at the life of Jesus. His faith in God caused him to work miracles on the homeless, the helpless and the hopeless. He healed the sick, gave courage to the weak, fed the hungry and raised the dead, all because of His perfect unwavering faith.

2. Note the faith of the apostle brought new hope to every one on board

One moment there was not a star in all their sky. They were drifting on to certain death. The best of them would be crying to their gods; the worst would fall to cursing and blaspheming. And then, like the first faint flushing of the dawn, hope came stealing into every heart because there was one on board who believed God. Things were just as dark as they had been before. There was no cessation of the raging storm. They were still drifting on to an iron shore, their ship the sport and plaything of the elements. But one man believed God and because of that was radiant and serene, and it brought hope into the heart of everybody.

B. Does it not matter what you believe.

1. If you do not have faith in God that lack of faith will affect others

2. You will influence them not to have faith.