Saturday, December 21, 2024
[The ship on which Paul was sailing bound for Rome as a prisoner began to break up in the horrible wind and waves of the storm.] The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn't swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn't let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held onto planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.
Can you think of a more powerful example of the power of a godly man in the middle of life's messes than this? There cannot be many! The Roman commanding officer spared all the other prisoners because he wanted to spare Paul. All were saved because Paul was saved. While yeast is often used as a metaphor for evil getting into a pure batch of dough and ruining the whole batch,* Jesus came and demonstrated that the opposite is also true — that one godly person can come into the middle of what is unclean and cleanse and save it — that a godly person can be the good yeast that changes the whole batch of dough for good!** Paul was that godly yeast that saved the whole batch.
Your decision to live faithfully, righteously, and compassionately matters. You may never know till you stand before Jesus all the lives that you impacted. Know, however, that your faithfulness matters!
* See the first set of Related Scripture Readings.
* See the second set of Related Scripture Readings.
Righteous Father, please use me to be a redeeming blessing to those around me. Fashion my influence and place me among people whom I can influence toward Jesus. Holy Spirit, continue to fill me and give me words to say to those around me, words that will bless them and open their hearts to Jesus. I ask all of this through the Holy Spirit's intercession and in the power of Jesus' name. Amen.
![Illustration of Acts 27:42-44 NLT — [The ship on which Paul was sailing bound for Rome as a prisoner began to break up in the horrible wind and waves of the storm.] The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn't swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn't let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held onto planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.](https://img.heartlight.org/overlazy/creations/24604.jpg "Illustration of Acts 27:42-44 NLT — [The ship on which Paul was sailing bound for Rome as a prisoner began to break up in the horrible wind and waves of the storm.] The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn't swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn't let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held onto planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.")
Unstoppable! is a one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage, a reflection and a prayer. The reflection opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges one to live for Jesus.
Unstoppable! is written by Phil Ware.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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