<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Acts 28;7-10<div><br></div><div><b>7. &nbsp;Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably&nbsp;for three days.</b></div><div><b>8. &nbsp;It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery; and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.</b></div><div><b>9. &nbsp;And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.</b></div><div><b>10. &nbsp;They presented&nbsp;many gifts to us, and when we sailed, they put on board whatever we needed.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The entire storm, loss of the ship,&nbsp;the saving of all the lives, and the arrival of Paul with all who were with him, was all for the salvation of<span>&nbsp;Publius and the people of the island of Malta. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>We hear nothing of the preaching of the Gospel to these people, but can you not&nbsp;imagine how the chief man of the island inquired of these ship wrecked people where they were going and why?</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Whom do you imagine Publius spoke to first? &nbsp;Most likely Julius the centurion. &nbsp;He was the highest official&nbsp;among the survivors. &nbsp;What do you think Julius told Publius? &nbsp;Certainly the whole story, everything. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>For three days Publius learned about this man Paul, (whom Julius was in charge of),&nbsp;and how everything he said came to pass. &nbsp;He learned how Paul was a servant of the Most High God. &nbsp;Paul proclaimed this One True God came&nbsp;&nbsp;to earth as a man&nbsp;according to all the&nbsp;prophecies of the Jews, was &nbsp;crucified dead,&nbsp;and three days later raised from death. &nbsp;And that&nbsp;Paul was willingly on his way to Caesar to proclaim the name of this true God and true Man, Jesus of Nazareth. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Then, after learning all this, Paul prays to this One true God, lays hands on Publius’&nbsp;sick father, and he is healed by that same name! &nbsp;Then, the power of&nbsp;this same name works healings amongst all the sick on Malta! &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>God’s love for the people of Malta&nbsp;caused this storm, the wreck, and the messenger of Life to be brought to a small island that could easily have been isolated from the Gospel for years, decades, who knows? &nbsp;The love of God and the Lord’s zeal to have his name proclaimed throughout the world brought about all this which we have read. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Paul would indeed yet travel to Rome as God promised him, but on the way God redirected Paul’s itinerary. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>When our plans are out of whack, and things don’t go as we intended….God is certainly in loving and powerful control. &nbsp;Be at peace, we&nbsp;are his servants too, we<i>&nbsp;“wait upon the LORD”. &nbsp;</i>(Isaiah 40;31)&nbsp;<i>&nbsp;</i>To ‘wait upon the LORD’ does <u>not</u>&nbsp;mean cooling our heals, tapping our toes, looking at the time, and wonder when Jesus will return!<u></u></span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>To ‘wait upon the LORD’ is to be available to do his will, to be directed and re-directed for his glory. &nbsp;It means remembering our merciful loving LORD&nbsp;desires his name to be proclaimed to our own souls, our&nbsp;family, friends, strangers, enemies, and all nations.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>What happens to those who wait upon the LORD? &nbsp;Just as with Paul and those who were with him, our<i></i></span></div><div><span><i>“Strength is renewed, we will mount up with wings like eagles, we shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint.”</i></span></div><div><span><i><br></i></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, grant that our faith and wisdom increase so that we indeed are <i>“called according to your purposes.” &nbsp;</i>(see, Romans 8;28&amp;29). In Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“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.”</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><b><br></b><br><br><div><a></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Acts 28;7-10
7.  Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days.8.  It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery; and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.9.  And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.10.  They presented many gifts to us, and when we sailed, they put on board whatever we needed.
The entire storm, loss of the ship, the saving of all the lives, and the arrival of Paul with all who were with him, was all for the salvation of Publius and the people of the island of Malta.  
We hear nothing of the preaching of the Gospel to these people, but can you not imagine how the chief man of the island inquired of these ship wrecked people where they were going and why?
Whom do you imagine Publius spoke to first?  Most likely Julius the centurion.  He was the highest official among the survivors.  What do you think Julius told Publius?  Certainly the whole story, everything.  
For three days Publius learned about this man Paul, (whom Julius was in charge of), and how everything he said came to pass.  He learned how Paul was a servant of the Most High God.  Paul proclaimed this One True God came  to earth as a man according to all the prophecies of the Jews, was  crucified dead, and three days later raised from death.  And that Paul was willingly on his way to Caesar to proclaim the name of this true God and true Man, Jesus of Nazareth.  
Then, after learning all this, Paul prays to this One true God, lays hands on Publius’ sick father, and he is healed by that same name!  Then, the power of this same name works healings amongst all the sick on Malta!  
God’s love for the people of Malta caused this storm, the wreck, and the messenger of Life to be brought to a small island that could easily have been isolated from the Gospel for years, decades, who knows?  The love of God and the Lord’s zeal to have his name proclaimed throughout the world brought about all this which we have read.  
Paul would indeed yet travel to Rome as God promised him, but on the way God redirected Paul’s itinerary.  
When our plans are out of whack, and things don’t go as we intended….God is certainly in loving and powerful control.  Be at peace, we are his servants too, we “wait upon the LORD”.  (Isaiah 40;31)  To ‘wait upon the LORD’ does not mean cooling our heals, tapping our toes, looking at the time, and wonder when Jesus will return!
To ‘wait upon the LORD’ is to be available to do his will, to be directed and re-directed for his glory.  It means remembering our merciful loving LORD desires his name to be proclaimed to our own souls, our family, friends, strangers, enemies, and all nations.
What happens to those who wait upon the LORD?  Just as with Paul and those who were with him, our“Strength is renewed, we will mount up with wings like eagles, we shall run and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint.”
Prayer:  Merciful Father, grant that our faith and wisdom increase so that we indeed are “called according to your purposes.”  (see, Romans 8;28&29). 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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