1131 who put their tru st in Jesus Christ, and not one jo t or tittle will pass un til it is fulfilled. I t is blessed to know God’s plan, and then to get into H is plan, and labor together w ith Him in the Gospel. God has given to Jesus Christ all those who believe on H is name (John 17:12; 6:37). No man shall be able to pluck them out of H is hand (John 10:28, 29). The sailors would have abandoned the boat and th e soldiers would have killed the prisoners. They would have been exon era te d for th is as th eir own lives would be forfeited if th eir charges escaped. But Paul prevailed, and so they all escaped. Some swam, some comm itted themselves to boards, and others to broken pieces of the ship,' bu t God brought them all to land. So it will be w ith each'soul comm itted , to the L o rd of Hosts. Some shall sail in w ith an abundant entrance (2 P et. 1:11); some w ill come on broken boards a n d 'b e saved as by.fire (1 Cor. 3:15); bu t thank God, all w ill get into the haven and the beautiful Land. W hat a gathering was th a t when the two hundred and seventy six souls came up out of the w ater, the roll was called, and all were present! PRACTICAL POINTS (1) There will be no day-dawn, nor shel tering shore, for the shipwrecked soul. (2) Contrast th e selfishness of sailors and soldiers w ith th e self-denying service of Paul. (3) W hat God promises H e performs through H is providence and power. (4 ) ’S afety for the sinner lies in his surrender to th e w ill of God, and obedience to the Word of God. (5) The d rift of the souls of men is down stream to eternal doon# (6) In a season of severe soul testing one man of God can be sufficient to quiet the fears of a multitude. (7) Point your vessel tow ard God’s port and give no heed to w ind or wave. (8) Paul prayed in the presence of the passengers, and gave^ w itness to the fu l ness of his faith .
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S " B e careful for nothing; bu t In everything by p ray er and supplication, w ith thanksgiving, let your requests be made know n unto God.” (Rom. 8:28) “ And we know th a t all things w ork together for good to them th a t love God, to them who are th e called of God according to his purpose.” This lesson affords a splendid oppor tu n ity to emphasize the value of personal influence. See w hat one man of faith, one Spirit-filled man, can do (Eph. 5:18). To one man came the vision and th e voice, and he looked beyond the circumstances surrounding him and saw Christ. Then he compelled others to recognize the power of Christ in his life. We need to close our ears to the many voices, and open them to the One (1 Sam. 3:10); See w hat one Joshua did,—one Samuel, one Joseph, one Daniel! Look around you and find some man or woman filled, w ith the S pirit and see w hat God is doing and can do w ith one soul, and then yield yourself to Him and let Him make you m ighty in word and deed for the glory of H is Son. (3) The Safe A rrival, vs. 39-44, “ They escaped all safe to la n d .” “ And so it came to p ass” not by chance, bu t by the grace of God. (2 Tim. 1:9) “ Who bath saved us and called us w ith an holy calling, not according to ' our works, bu t ac cording to his own purpose and grace, w hich was given us in C hrist Jesus before the w orld began.” (Eph. 1:9; 3:11) God had promised and God fulfilled. “ My counsel shall stand and I will do my pleasure” (Isa. 46:10). God knows the beginning from the end. (Acts 15:18) ?ik n o w a unto God' are all his w orks from the beginning of the w orld.” God works according to a specified plan. T h ere'is no chance, and there are no acci dents, in H is economy. God had promised P aul th a t he should testify in Rome. All the powers of earth and hell could not prevail| against God’s Word. God had promised Paul th a t a ll.on board should be saved, and S atan and all the powers of darkness m ight fight against it, bu t God must fulfill H is promise, and He did. God has promised to give the Jew s the land of Palestine, and the promise will be kept. God has promised te save those
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