4 Anchors that Hold

Acts 27:23-29

23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”27 About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria,[a] the sailors sensed land was near. 28 They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep.[b] 29 At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight. 30 Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. 31 But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33 Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. 34 “Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.”

Four Anchors that Hold

1. God - Vs. 23 "I am God's" In this passage Paul knows that he is God's. There is such peace and overwhelming comfort that comes with this. And its not JUST that you are God's but that you are in His will for your life. We live best when we acknowledge and live for that which created us. Also reference Psalm 139.

2. Faith - Vs. 25 Paul states, "....I believe God." Without faith we have nothing. Hebrews 11:1 - 1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

3. The Ship - Vs. 31 "Stay on board." So often we get upset, frustrated or "derailed" in our lives because we feel that God is not around. When, in all reality, God is always there but we must stay with Him and continue on the course set out for us. Another translation says, "Abide in the ship." Stay in God, Abide in God.

4. Meat - Vs. 34 "Eat something." A word, or a scripture sometimes will stay on my palate for the longest of time. These are the things that must be taken with us to encourage and push us on through life.