Grace Church San Diego

I rarely expect God to do anything when I travel.  Getting there in time is about all I want.  Departing from the plane having preached the Gospel to everyone is not on my list of ambitions or expectations.  But that is what God did when Paul and his two friends boarded a ship for Rome. 

He was a prisoner, in chains, on a multiple week voyage, with 273 pagans on board.  7 months later, he arrived in Rome, having preached Christ to all on board and to an island population where they were shipwrecked.  In between they travelled through a hurricane for two weeks and lost all hope of survival. But God's Gospel was proclaimed.

How did this happen?  Was Paul an exceptional man?  Are we to be impressed with Paul?  Absolutely not.  Paul was used by God and pleasing to God because he trusted in God.

Paul believed in the God who ordained all the details of his life.  He believed in the God of storms and winds. He believed in Jesus who had crushed the power of death.  In the midst of the storm, he leaned his heart into the glory of God and found peace and freedom to serve.  He knew the storm was all about the advance of the Gospel.  He knew God was working all things for good.

Unbelief hinders our usefulness, turns us inward, and stirs fear in us.  Faith, even baby steps of faith, is pleasing to God and he uses those who trust in Him.

How is such faith possible?  It is a work of the Spirit in our lives.  This is not self-generated faith in Paul -- it is Spirit generated faith.

Ask for the power of the Spirit.  Consider the character of God.  Put unbelief to death.  Trust in God by the power of the Spirit.

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