The Impact

Acts 27:41
41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow struck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

Paul and the other prisoners had been put aboard a ship headed to Rome. Paul had already been on trial and asked to appeal to Caesar. He could've been set free as was determined by the king but Paul's assignment was to go to Rome. The ship had made several stops and Paul was allowed to visit with friends though he was a prisoner. Truly a sign of favor.  With all the stops it was determined that the group had lost a great amount of time and needed to make up for it in order to get to Rome. When the ship set sail again, Paul had received revelation from God that they were all in great danger. There would be damage to the ship and lives may even be lost. But no one listened. When the storm came and things got rocky, the crew finally accepted that they were going to wreck and prepared for the impact. The Lord warns of many things. Not in an effort to scare you but to get you to a position to brace for the impact. Some things are unavoidable. However, if you refuse to listen to God when He provides the warning, the impact will be much greater because you didn't prepare for it. Preparing for impact with life's circumstances can be as simple as prayer or as complex as establishing a plan of action as directed by God. But to simply ignore God as if to say there will be no impact, is as foolish as saying there is no God.  When God gives a warning that the impact is coming, listen and believe. When God gives a plan of action to prepare for it, listen and believe. When God says you will come through it, listen and believe. The impact may be unavoidable only because God wants everyone to know, especially you, that He is sovereign and can keep you in the midst of it.

 P.S.  Books-A-Million event is postponed for a future date. But God! I will be at Family Christian Bookstore on Saturday, August 25th from 12pm-4pm in the Gateway Overlook Shopping Center in Elkridge, MD just off Rt. 175 near the Beltway. I hope to see you as you come out and show your love for the Word of God and the woman of God He's been delivering messages through!!!!