King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Saturday, December 14, 2019
Chapters: Acts 26-28
Message: Every Hair Is Accounted For
Hello My Friend,
There is one person responsible for the affliction we face as faithful, saved, born again Christians, and that is Satan, and he will do anything to try to prove to God that we would forsake Him as soon as affliction comes. Sometimes his afflictions get to the point where they are life threatening, but just like Jesus said, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” – Matthew 24:13. We are going to face a lot of challenges in this life as Christians, but we always have this promise awaiting us. As Paul continues to appeal his case before one counsel after another he makes his way to king Agrippa, where he was eager to give his testimony.
“I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” – Acts 26:2-9.
“that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” You see, before we understand exactly what Christ did for us personally, we live life contrary to what we have been taught. Let me tell you, if there was anything I could have changed about my life it would be that we were brought up as Baptists rather than Catholics. However, while it is awesome to grow up in a church that does teach the true Gospel, there is a grave concern among those who get saved early in life before understanding what it all means. This leaves them to constantly question their salvation until the finally come to that knowledge. My nephew received Christ as his Saviour when we was six, then again when he was fifteen, and he just recently told me, while in Bible college, that he got saved. Now, we only get saved once, but I suspect he was going through the same thing I went through when I got saved at thirteen, it was not until years later that I understood what salvation was about, got convicted, and received Him as my Saviour once and for all. Personal conviction is the only way we can truly understand that we are sinners, and need Jesus. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” – II Corinthians 7:10.
If we love God, and want Him in our lives, we will come to the knowledge of the Gospel when we are ready to receive Him, and that is when Jesus will make a testimony out of us. As Paul continues to speak, he recalls the day that Jesus met with him as he set out to capture Christians to be persecuted, and told him that He was going to use him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.
“But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.” – Acts 26:16-18,22-25.
“and from the power of Satan unto God,” Religion is actually what Satan uses to keep us from knowing the truth of the Gospel. Praise God, that He saw something in me that, like Paul, He turned me away from whatever religion I was following, and to the truth. “much learning doth make thee mad.” Well, Festus was right in some ways, too much learning does get us thinking some crazy things. As I go through page after page of information about different religions it angers me to no end, I wonder how people can believe the nonsense they are being taught, but I was one of them, so, I can understand. When we first get saved we are babes who want to learn how to do things as Christians, and if we are not careful we can end up with the wrong doctrine. When I first started reading the Word of God, I was like everyone else, I did not understand something so I turned to the “experts”. What I learned is that not everything written about the Bible is true, even those who read King James. It is for that reason that we need to get around those of likeminded faith, and not bounce from religion to religion or even church to church of the same religion as there is often differences between them. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 15:5-6.
There is something that we may not realize when we are reading the Book of Acts, this is Luke writing it, so, he has been on this journey with Paul the entire time. That means when Paul was on a prison ship bound for Italy, he was there with him. It did not take long for their journey to become life threatening when a storm brewed.
“And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band. Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.” – Acts 27:1,9-11,14,19-22.
“called Euroclydon.” It is strange sometimes what God points out to me, this was the name of the hurricane, which means, a violent agitation. Now, I was not aware of this until recent years that a hurricane and cyclone is the same thing, the difference in the name is based on what part of the sea or body of water that it is on. The Euroclydon is a very violent and life threatening wind on the Mediterranean, it is also called the levanter as it can also produce squalls of rain to pour down along with the violent winds. This reminds me that sometimes life is a violent agitation because we do not always listen to God’s warnings, but as I said earlier this week, our choices cannot change fate, if God has called us to do something, it will happen one way or another. “But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them,” Paul was still on the ship, he watched them in silence while they were in their panic. God used this opportunity to show Christ to the men on the ship as they were in the midst of a hurricane for days. Paul ensures the men that God is with them and that they would survive as long as they stayed on the ship.
“Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.” – Acts 27:29-37.
“Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” Jesus is the ship that we must be on in order to be saved, if we do not abide in the ship we cannot be saved. What are we saved from? Death, hell, and the lake of fire. Whether we believe that or not, if we want to be saved from what is much worse to come. The choice us ours.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:4-8.
Paul never lost his faith in God being right there with him, he witnessed the Gospel to anyone the Holy Spirit led him to no matter what he was going through. One of the main reasons why God allows tragedy in our lives is to remind us that He is always with us. While the ship tore apart and everyone ended up in the water, not one person lost their life, many getting saved themselves. Paul finally arrived in Rome, while he still remained a prisoner, he had his own place to live for two years, ministering to the people, many getting saved themselves.
“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” – Acts 28:23-31.
“with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” Jesus would use Paul for two years in Rome, preaching the Gospel, until the day of his death. Jesus will give us the power, wisdom, and words to speak about Him, wherever we are, we just have to be the willing vessel He needs because the harvest truly is plenteous. We may not always understand where Jesus takes us, and sometimes we do face persecution for our faith, but we must understand that everyone of the hairs on our head is numbered, and accounted for by Jesus. Amen! “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 10:30-33.
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for saving my life, You did the hard part when You died on the cross for me, my part was easy, all I had to do was believe in You. Thank You for seeing something in me that I never saw in myself, You have a purpose for me, and for that I am forever thankful, grateful, and humble as I know I am who I am because of what You have done in my life. Lord, forgive me for my frustrations through my challenges, I know that You love me, and have a purpose for what I am going through. Give me Your power and strength to stay in the ship, moving slow and steady by faith. Lift up my spirits, restore unto me the joy of my salvation, so that I may be of good cheer, and become a further witness wherever you send me. Help me to remove all the obstacles that keep me from hearing You, and let me not fear what man can do to me, but trust what You have done for me. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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