1 00:00:02,670 --> 00:00:13,420 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hello, and thank you for listening to your 2 00:00:13,460 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: daily Bible verse, the podcast that examines the Bible each 3 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:19,020 Speaker 1: day to help us learn more about God and His 4 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,700 Speaker 1: will for us. I'm your host, Shaka Hines, and after 5 00:00:22,770 --> 00:00:26,210 Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, we'll dive into today's 6 00:00:26,270 --> 00:00:42,050 Speaker 1: Bible verse in Acts 27, verse 25. Today's Bible verse 7 00:00:42,110 --> 00:00:47,090 Speaker 1: is Acts 27-25. Paul says, So keep up your courage, men, 8 00:00:47,530 --> 00:00:50,650 Speaker 1: for I have faith in God that it will happen 9 00:00:50,990 --> 00:00:56,270 Speaker 1: just as he told me. In 2011, I accidentally set 10 00:00:56,350 --> 00:01:00,630 Speaker 1: our kitchen on fire. The kitchen was destroyed and the 11 00:01:00,690 --> 00:01:05,169 Speaker 1: entire house suffered smoke damage. I put my husband, our 12 00:01:05,250 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: four young children, and myself in a hotel for two 13 00:01:09,330 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: months while my husband worked every night after his day 14 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: job to rebuild. And as I fell to my knees 15 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: on that day in my neighbor's driveway and listened to 16 00:01:19,740 --> 00:01:23,780 Speaker 1: the firefighters break through the kitchen windows, I was devastated. 17 00:01:23,980 --> 00:01:28,179 Speaker 1: I mean, I burned up my house, right? Later, We 18 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 1: came to find that the large beams supporting the ceiling 19 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,500 Speaker 1: were rotten. And if the firefighters hadn't discovered it when 20 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,500 Speaker 1: they hacked up the roof, we would have remained unaware 21 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,930 Speaker 1: of the structural danger above us. Do you know how 22 00:01:40,990 --> 00:01:44,230 Speaker 1: much that changed my perspective on the fire? I went 23 00:01:44,270 --> 00:01:49,730 Speaker 1: from devastated to thanking God. From how could this happen 24 00:01:49,750 --> 00:01:54,150 Speaker 1: to God was looking out for us. A clearer understanding 25 00:01:54,230 --> 00:01:57,510 Speaker 1: of the truth of a situation can change how we 26 00:01:57,630 --> 00:02:01,050 Speaker 1: view the storms of life. And God's word is the 27 00:02:01,250 --> 00:02:05,770 Speaker 1: ultimate truth on which Paul stood. In Acts 27, we 28 00:02:05,830 --> 00:02:09,470 Speaker 1: find ourselves toward the end of the recorded biblical history 29 00:02:09,550 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: of Paul's journey to Rome. He's under arrest in Caesarea 30 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: for preaching about Jesus as the son of God. And 31 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,180 Speaker 1: because of a plot against his life by some Jewish authorities, 32 00:02:20,730 --> 00:02:24,109 Speaker 1: He exercises his legal right as a Roman citizen to 33 00:02:24,169 --> 00:02:28,169 Speaker 1: appeal to Caesar and escape the ambush set for him 34 00:02:28,490 --> 00:02:32,650 Speaker 1: should they send him to be tried in Jerusalem. Now 35 00:02:32,930 --> 00:02:35,650 Speaker 1: we find Paul, he's a prisoner on a ship bound 36 00:02:35,710 --> 00:02:38,910 Speaker 1: for Italy. While at a port in Crete, Paul does 37 00:02:38,970 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: warn them of a disaster ahead for the ship cargo 38 00:02:41,910 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: and lives if they set out again. But because of 39 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,500 Speaker 1: the weather... They've made such slow progress, and since the 40 00:02:48,540 --> 00:02:51,829 Speaker 1: current port wasn't suitable for wintering, the Bible says, the 41 00:02:51,950 --> 00:02:56,510 Speaker 1: pilot and the centurion in charge decided to continue the voyage. 42 00:02:57,410 --> 00:03:01,150 Speaker 1: Paul was correct, and the ship ran into hurricane-force winds 43 00:03:01,190 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: that battered them so severely, they began throwing cargo overboard 44 00:03:06,139 --> 00:03:09,130 Speaker 1: and finally gave up hope of being saved. After almost 45 00:03:09,190 --> 00:03:12,740 Speaker 1: two weeks, those aboard the ship with Paul are despairing. 46 00:03:13,340 --> 00:03:17,500 Speaker 1: They're hungry and exhausted, and Paul addresses them at this 47 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,620 Speaker 1: low point. He tells those aboard that an angel had 48 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: visited him the previous night and told him that only 49 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: the ship would be destroyed, but every life on board 50 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:32,020 Speaker 1: would be preserved. And Paul says in verse 25, So 51 00:03:32,139 --> 00:03:35,650 Speaker 1: keep up your courage, men. For I have faith in 52 00:03:35,750 --> 00:03:38,770 Speaker 1: God that it will happen just as he told me. 53 00:03:39,670 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: The Greek word translated as courage here means to take heart. 54 00:03:43,580 --> 00:03:46,620 Speaker 1: And in this context, taking heart means choosing to face 55 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: danger and fear with confidence. To take heart, they must 56 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:57,130 Speaker 1: adapt their perception to this new understanding and allow it 57 00:03:57,170 --> 00:03:59,910 Speaker 1: to shape how they respond to the events around them. 58 00:04:00,550 --> 00:04:03,630 Speaker 1: Acts 27 indicates that some of Paul's companions are on 59 00:04:03,670 --> 00:04:06,390 Speaker 1: board with him, but likely most of the 267 on 60 00:04:07,470 --> 00:04:10,750 Speaker 1: the ship are not believers in Jesus. But because of 61 00:04:10,870 --> 00:04:14,750 Speaker 1: Paul's great confidence in God's promise, he even calls them 62 00:04:14,830 --> 00:04:17,950 Speaker 1: to take heart and view their circumstances in light of 63 00:04:18,010 --> 00:04:22,310 Speaker 1: the truth he's heard from God. And Paul doesn't issue 64 00:04:22,330 --> 00:04:27,219 Speaker 1: a rallying cry based on emotional fervor or anger. hopeful, 65 00:04:27,260 --> 00:04:31,300 Speaker 1: wishful thinking, he says, so keep up your courage for 66 00:04:31,700 --> 00:04:36,090 Speaker 1: I have faith in God. Faith in God is the 67 00:04:36,130 --> 00:04:39,990 Speaker 1: basis for Paul's call to courage. Paul shows what it 68 00:04:40,130 --> 00:04:43,469 Speaker 1: means to have faith in God. It is to take 69 00:04:43,690 --> 00:04:47,950 Speaker 1: God at his word and believe everything will happen just 70 00:04:48,089 --> 00:04:51,700 Speaker 1: as God says it will. The ship will be lost, 71 00:04:51,779 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: but Paul and his shipmates will be saved. And events 72 00:04:55,620 --> 00:04:58,260 Speaker 1: happen just as God told Paul they would. The ship 73 00:04:58,350 --> 00:05:01,970 Speaker 1: is lost, but despite the storm, the lives of everyone 74 00:05:02,130 --> 00:05:05,669 Speaker 1: on board are spared. When we have faith in the 75 00:05:05,750 --> 00:05:09,390 Speaker 1: promises of God, we can be courageous. And we can 76 00:05:09,570 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: even call those who may not have faith or might 77 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,300 Speaker 1: have very little faith in Jesus to face their circumstances 78 00:05:16,700 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: with more confidence because of what we know to be true. 79 00:05:21,300 --> 00:05:26,650 Speaker 1: Believing God's promises change lives. our perceptions, how we interpret 80 00:05:26,710 --> 00:05:29,770 Speaker 1: the storms of life. It allows us to take heart 81 00:05:29,890 --> 00:05:35,070 Speaker 1: and face our circumstances with courage and not despair. Consider 82 00:05:35,089 --> 00:05:40,590 Speaker 1: a few of God's promises to us through Jesus. John 3.16, 83 00:05:40,589 --> 00:05:42,710 Speaker 1: For God so loved the world that He gave His 84 00:05:42,850 --> 00:05:45,250 Speaker 1: one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall 85 00:05:45,310 --> 00:05:50,820 Speaker 1: not perish but have eternal life. Eternal life. John 14, 27. 86 00:05:50,820 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. 87 00:05:53,460 --> 00:05:55,730 Speaker 1: I do not give to you as the world gives. 88 00:05:55,750 --> 00:05:58,610 Speaker 1: Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not 89 00:05:58,670 --> 00:06:03,469 Speaker 1: be afraid. We have Christ's peace. Matthew 28, 20. And 90 00:06:03,529 --> 00:06:06,190 Speaker 1: surely I'm with you always to the very end of 91 00:06:06,210 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: the age. John 14, 16 through 17. And I will 92 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: ask the Father and he will give you another advocate 93 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,860 Speaker 1: to help you and be with you forever. The spirit 94 00:06:15,940 --> 00:06:20,529 Speaker 1: of truth. Matthew 6.33, but seek first his kingdom and 95 00:06:20,570 --> 00:06:23,190 Speaker 1: his righteousness, and all these things will be given to 96 00:06:23,210 --> 00:06:26,370 Speaker 1: you as well. Food, drink, clothing. He's talking about our 97 00:06:26,410 --> 00:06:32,270 Speaker 1: provision here. John 14.2, in my Father's house are many rooms. 98 00:06:32,410 --> 00:06:34,450 Speaker 1: If it were not so, would I have told you 99 00:06:34,490 --> 00:06:36,670 Speaker 1: that I'm going there to prepare a place for you? 100 00:06:37,630 --> 00:06:40,950 Speaker 1: He's going ahead of us. He's there preparing a place. 101 00:06:42,029 --> 00:06:46,050 Speaker 1: Meditate on these promises. Imagine the reality of them. Let 102 00:06:46,110 --> 00:06:49,550 Speaker 1: them change how you see the storms in your life 103 00:06:49,610 --> 00:06:54,289 Speaker 1: so you will take heart and believe that everything God 104 00:06:54,450 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: promises will be done. He is faithful to his word. 105 00:07:02,420 --> 00:07:07,180 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Father, thank you so much that you are 106 00:07:07,380 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: faithful to your promises and your promises are plentiful in 107 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,970 Speaker 1: the Bible. Abba, would you open our hearts so these 108 00:07:17,050 --> 00:07:20,750 Speaker 1: promises that we find in the Bible will cease to 109 00:07:20,790 --> 00:07:24,620 Speaker 1: be head knowledge and become heart knowledge, that we would 110 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: stand on your promises as our firm foundation, the way 111 00:07:29,220 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: that Paul stood on your promises and was able not 112 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,580 Speaker 1: only to be courageous, but to call out courage in 113 00:07:36,620 --> 00:07:39,740 Speaker 1: the men that were around him. Father, help us to 114 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:43,270 Speaker 1: be courageous in the face of the storm. as we 115 00:07:43,610 --> 00:07:46,870 Speaker 1: stand on your promises and to call out courage in 116 00:07:46,910 --> 00:07:52,060 Speaker 1: those around us. Abba, we love you. Thank you so 117 00:07:52,150 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: much for your word. And we ask these things in 118 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,020 Speaker 1: Jesus's name. Amen.