<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Acts 27;39-44<div><br></div><div><b>39. &nbsp;Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to bring the ship ashore.</b></div><div><b>40. &nbsp;So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach.</b></div><div><b>41. &nbsp;But striking a shoal they ran the vessel&nbsp;aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the surf.</b></div><div><b>42. &nbsp;The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape;</b></div><div><b>43. &nbsp;but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their purpose. &nbsp;He ordered those who could swim to throw themselves overboard first and make for the land,</b></div><div><b>44. &nbsp;and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. &nbsp;And so it was that all escaped to land.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The centurion’s name was,&nbsp;Julius,&nbsp; of the Augustan Cohort. &nbsp;He was&nbsp;in charge of Paul and also&nbsp;commanded&nbsp;the soldiers charged with&nbsp;transporting the prisoners to Rome.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A Roman&nbsp;soldier entrusted with a duty was subject to death if he failed to fulfill that duty. &nbsp;(When the Lord sent his angel to deliver Peter from prison, Acts 12, Herod examined the sentries ordered to guard Peter,&nbsp;and then commanded&nbsp;them to be&nbsp;put to death. &nbsp;This was not unusual, Herod was indeed extremely cruel, but the expected&nbsp;punishment for failing to carry out an order was death.)&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>This is why the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners rather than risk&nbsp;any of them escaping. &nbsp;It was their own necks on the line. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Paul had proven himself trustworthy, and more than that, he had shown himself to be a man of God,</div><div>and that the Word of God in his mouth was true.</div><div><br></div><div>We may guess that Julius had been converted to the faith through Paul’s witness.&nbsp; His desire to preserve Paul’s life, ensuring Paul got to Rome according to the will and plan of God,&nbsp;caused him to order that none of the prisoners be killed. &nbsp;It was an ‘act of faith.’</div><div><br></div><div>His plan was to send those soldiers who could swim on ahead of the prisoners, so that as the rest arrived on the beach, the soldiers would be waiting for them and&nbsp;able to take them again into custody. &nbsp;The plan worked, all escaped to land, just as the Lord had promised Paul.</div><div><br></div><div>Was there ‘risk’ to Julius and the other soldiers, of course! &nbsp;Yet, faith and the desire to be used of God to accomplish the will of God, gives Believers courage to take risks, even risking of&nbsp;their own lives.</div><div><br></div><div>Faith demands action. &nbsp;What ‘risk’ is the Lord setting before you, what acts of faith,&nbsp;in order&nbsp;to accomplish his will?</div><div>Remember, we take these ‘risks’ in faith. &nbsp;Christian living is exciting, demanding courage.</div><div><br></div><div>We take these risks not to win salvation, but because we have been saved, and Christ by the Holy Spirit now indwells us.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, Satan seeks to prevent us from doing your will by using our fears against us. &nbsp;Increase our devotion to your will,&nbsp;increase our love,&nbsp;dear Father, that we dare to risk ourselves for your will to be done in and through us. &nbsp;In Jesus, we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><br></div><div><br><br><br><div><a></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Acts 27;39-44
39.  Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to bring the ship ashore.40.  So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach.41.  But striking a shoal they ran the vessel aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the surf.42.  The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape;43.  but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their purpose.  He ordered those who could swim to throw themselves overboard first and make for the land,44.  and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship.  And so it was that all escaped to land.
The centurion’s name was, Julius,  of the Augustan Cohort.  He was in charge of Paul and also commanded the soldiers charged with transporting the prisoners to Rome. 
A Roman soldier entrusted with a duty was subject to death if he failed to fulfill that duty.  (When the Lord sent his angel to deliver Peter from prison, Acts 12, Herod examined the sentries ordered to guard Peter, and then commanded them to be put to death.  This was not unusual, Herod was indeed extremely cruel, but the expected punishment for failing to carry out an order was death.) 
This is why the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners rather than risk any of them escaping.  It was their own necks on the line.  
Paul had proven himself trustworthy, and more than that, he had shown himself to be a man of God,and that the Word of God in his mouth was true.
We may guess that Julius had been converted to the faith through Paul’s witness.  His desire to preserve Paul’s life, ensuring Paul got to Rome according to the will and plan of God, caused him to order that none of the prisoners be killed.  It was an ‘act of faith.’
His plan was to send those soldiers who could swim on ahead of the prisoners, so that as the rest arrived on the beach, the soldiers would be waiting for them and able to take them again into custody.  The plan worked, all escaped to land, just as the Lord had promised Paul.
Was there ‘risk’ to Julius and the other soldiers, of course!  Yet, faith and the desire to be used of God to accomplish the will of God, gives Believers courage to take risks, even risking of their own lives.
Faith demands action.  What ‘risk’ is the Lord setting before you, what acts of faith, in order to accomplish his will?Remember, we take these ‘risks’ in faith.  Christian living is exciting, demanding courage.
We take these risks not to win salvation, but because we have been saved, and Christ by the Holy Spirit now indwells us.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, Satan seeks to prevent us from doing your will by using our fears against us.  Increase our devotion to your will, increase our love, dear Father, that we dare to risk ourselves for your will to be done in and through us.  In Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”



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