One good man
Acts 27:25"Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.
One good, god-fearing, faithful, righteous person in the midst of some ‘hardcore’ soldiers and prisoners in the ship would definitely make a lot of difference. Paul was being sent as a prisoner by Festus to Rome, look what Paul said: ‘for I believe God that He will keep His Word’. We need someone with such thorough knowledge about God and about His steadfast faithfulness.
The Bibles says:Joshua 23:10
‘One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.’
Jeremiah 5:1"Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war."
Song of Solomon 3:2
I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and squares. I will seek the one I love. So I sought him but did not find him.
Ezekiel 22:30
I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one.
Let me give you a glimpse of the kind of people who travelled with Paul, there were prisoners, soldiers and the sailors – 276 passengers. The sailors were selfish people who were slyly ready to escape and abandon the others, (27:30) the soldiers were stone hearted and brutal who were ready to kill the prisoners, because the Roman law is very strict and capital punishment would be given for supervisors if the prisoners under their charge escape. (27:42) But Paul was the only light for the them in the most darkest period of their journey.
We hear some people say: “ I am the ONLY ONE saved in my family, what can I do?’, this message exactly comes to you. I was the first one to get saved in my family, though born in a Christian home, not many of us had salvation experience, we were worse than secular people: however, I started having a tsunami experience with God. My transformation moved many in my family: my daughter, maid, husband, mother, mother in law, sister in law, brother in law, friends….the list goes on, many of them got saved and took immersion water baptism. While working in a bank, I started part time ministry, 2004 resigned my bank job to join full time ministry while my kids were still studying in school. Many thought I was taking a big risk, I would like to repeat the words of Paul here again: ‘for I believe God that He will keep His Word’ As I write this message on March 12, 2021, my daughter has completed B.Tech, MBA and now pursuing M.Div while serving the Lord along with us , my husband is now a pastor and my son is also a pastor.
God puts us in the midst of the dark so that we shine like stars and help them find the way. Are you listening? God did not want you to mix with them and get drowned with them, every journey in our life has a purpose. Don’t say,” I joined the wrong office with many corrupted people’…no….no….no..you are in the right place to share the Gospel. Tell the addicts there is a way out, tell the adulterers ‘ please come out of this life style’, tell the cheaters and thieves ‘ this is not right.’ Stand boldly like Paul! He taught them to be calm in the storm! The need of the hour is not smart people, super heroes but godly men and women who would tell the lost world, ‘believe God’!