The Sermon Led By The Holy Spirit by David McGee
Jan 12, 2014
Led By The Holy Spirit (38:24)
Referenced Scriptures: Acts 27:9-44
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Acts 27:9-44
9) When much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them,
10) and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."
11) But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul.
12) Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to put to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast.
13) When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.
14) But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euroclydon.
15) When the ship was caught, and couldn‘t face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along.
16) Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat.
17) When they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven.
18) As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.
19) On the third day, they threw out the ship‘s tackle with their own hands.
20) When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small tempest pressed on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away.
21) When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the midst of them, and said, "Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.
22) Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23) For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve,
24) saying, ‘Don‘t be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.‘
25) Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me.
26) But we must run aground on a certain island."
27) But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.
28) They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.
29) Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.
30) As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow,
31) Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you can‘t be saved."
32) Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33) While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.
34) Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for there will not a hair perish from the head of any of you."
35) When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.
36) Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took food.
37) We were in all in the ship two hundred seventy-six souls.
38) When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
39) When it was day, they didn‘t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.
40) Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
41) But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.
42) The soldiers‘ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape.
43) But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go to the land;
44) and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.
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Is because of the vaccine that was given and so the same is, we pray for individuals. We just pray that the right chemicals the right solution. They find it so that it's able to attack the cancer the way that it needs to be to shrink it then destroy it. So it's important that we pray and that's important that we understand that God is always with us, and that it's in it's in a place of security that we pray it's a from a place of security that we ask God to be with us. It's from a place of security in our solvent in our life that we approach life. We don't approach it with fear and trembling. We approach life from a perspective that God is with me, God is with me. If God is with me. Then we then the next step in this is our message today walking in the spirit, how do we walk in the spirit. Hardly walk in the knowledge that God is leading us and guiding us now. There are extremes to everything and there are in the extreme. It says now it's all up to me in my abilities to see the novel and to make decisions and other people. It's about all God and I don't make decisions, God makes them all for me. While neither one of those are correct to read today and asked after twenty seven or eight, and it's a long portion of Scripture, but I wanted to see how Paul here has made the declaration has been. He was then arrested and he made an appeal to Caesar that he needed to go to Rome and so he was being sent to Rome for his trial. Now he probably could have gotten out of this, but he felt that God had decided for him to go to Rome make this appeal. While in this hall setting of him the Rome we have today's Scripture and recited verse nine of acts chapter twenty seven. By this time we had lost a lot of time. So the first verses of chapter twenty seven. They had been there, been on ship it, but on board and things that maybe they just haven't been on schedule again the ship and leave the time was supposed to do when they took longer to get going and reports that they stopped in the base of the stop longer than what they had expected. And so that's why we start with verse nine. By this time, we lost a lot of time, we had passed the autumn equinox, the world body, whether from now on through the winter too dangerous for sailing, home warranty says RAC only disaster had for the cargo and the ship, to say nothing of our lives if we put out to sea now. So Paul puts out this warning to the then commander into the ship 's captain, but it was not the best harbor for staying the winner, Phoenix, a few miles further on was more suitable. This insurance that Paul's warning aside and let the ship 's captain and shipowner talk him into trying to go to the next harbor when a gentle southerly breeze came up. They weighed anchor, thinking it would be a smooth sailing, but they were snow sooner out to see than a gale force wind, the infamous nor'easter struck my lost all control of the ship. It was a cork in the storm. I like that Corcoran store your division South at Sub Pop out of it. So when you're sixteen, which came under the Lee of the small island name caught up and managed to get a life already and reef the sails, but rocky shores, prevented us from getting close. We only managed to avoid them by throwing out the drift anchors next day, I have badly damaged now by the storm. We dumped the cargo overboard so easy it's progressing. It's getting worse. The third day, the sailors lined the ship further by throwing off the tackle, and the provisions edited many days since we had seen neither sun nor stars wind and waves battered us unmercifully, and we lost all hope of rescue with our appetite for both food and life long gone. Paul took his place in the midst and said friends you really shouldn't listen to me back in Crete, we could have avoided all this trouble in trial but there is no need to dwell on that now from now on, things are looking up. I can assure you that they'll not be a single drowning among us, although I can't say as much for the ship. The ship itself was due last night the angel God 's angel stood by my side, and the angel of this God I serve said to me don't give up all your going to stand before Caesar yet and everyone sailing with you is going to make it so dear friends, take heart. I believe God will do exactly what he told me, but were going to shipwreck on some islands or other on the fourteenth night. Fourteen days they been a cork on the speak on the seat. I draft somewhere in the Adriatic Sea. At about midnight, the sailors sensed that they were approaching lands sounding. They measured the depth of one hundred twenty feet. Shortly after that ninety feet, afraid they were about to run aground. They threw out for anchors and pray for daylight. Some of the Messiah. Some of the sailors tried to jump ship, they let down the lightbulb pretending they were going to set up more anchors for the bile, Paul saw these guys under the guise and told the centurion and his soldiers. If these sailors don't stay with the ship were all going to drown. So the soldiers cry. Still, the soldiers cut the lines. The lifeboat and let it drift off with Don about the break. Paul called everyone together and proposed breakfast. This is the fourteenth day. We've gone without food. None of us has felt like eating, but I urge you to eat something now you'll need strength for the rescue ahead, you're going to come out of this without even a scratch. He broke the bread, gave thanks to God passed around, and they all ate heartily two hundred and seventy six of us, so this is no small boat with the meal finished, and everyone pull the ship was further lightened by dumping the grain overboard at daybreak. No one recognized the land, but they but then they did notice a day with a nice speech, they decided to try to run the ship up on the beach. The company anchors loose the teller raise the sale and ran before the wind toward the beach, but we didn't make it still far from sure we hit a reef and the ship began to break up the soldiers decided to kill the prisoners so that women could escape by swimming, but the century and determined to say Paul stop them. He gave orders for anyone who could swim to dive in and go for and for the rest to grab a plank. Everyone made it to shore safely, my story should write a spot right a book about that right while walking by the Spirit policies. This is as you read this. It's an adventure. Quite an adventure for Paul. While did a venture because we know the outcome before it's an outcome. It's a great trial when you're eleven yet if the trial on any of our route, the scene. Nobody knows what delivered I and it's not up for grabs units. The best we can do is to try and stay afloat and see what happens. So Paul had policy rested. We said he was arrested. He was placed in chains, and he was shipped off to Rome, and it was Conair that he was flying, but the movie colony, but it wasn't Conair was conscious. So anyhow, they find that ship headed for Rome and in the process of Joe, I'm going there. Paul has this warning inside of him. I see disaster ahead. You say that there is a problem going to happen now. Paul was aware that his trip is not right, but Paul knew he had to go to Rome. Here's the challenge. Paul knows he has to go wrong. Okay, God said appeal to Caesar. So you go around, so he knows he has to go wrong, but he's getting on the ship. He knows this is the wrong ship, but Paul can't change flights to get changes to get why he's a prisoner, and he's lost his influence with the people are making the decisions made just a convict is a convict who is this preacher. This missionary who has an analyst named inside of him that is connected to God, and he knows he supposed to go to Rome and he knows the ship is doing wrong ship right direction, general something before it happened. The most you ladies go, yeah, I know that now can I why did it and I am like that in all that you are. I know CC get out. She does that way when I thought you about that kind of knowing that I is not like the lady with every night told her husband for thirty years to get up there is a robber downstairs and after thirty years, he went down one night there. He was the robber and he started to run out the door and the guys did not, although runaway, but wife's waiting thirty years to meet you there. So now sometimes there is, or the pessimist is that El Paso is. It's always wrong and having a one foot on a banana peel and one in the grade they know something bad is going to happen. That's not what this is about the feeling of something about the happen, and it's a divine thing, it's a checking of your spirit at the checking inside. It's not often lack the other not laugh, but there it. We read a basketball game was a girls basketball game and one of the mothers won't watch her daughter shoot foul shots because she knows if she watches shall miss her so she don't watch as you can watch all answer daughter was six for six. I mean, you know that all doesn't like just like that crazy beer commercial or something else where they know that if a certain song is playing that the team is going to win and if they live. It's not play they do bad so they play the song in our people are always looking for radio about hockey players bellwether is no people. They were the same socks. They were of the same jersey. They wear whatever thing of insisting they where all the time. It's time like a security blanket. It's a security if you do this you win if you don't do it, you lose the people become all caught up in this and what when you lose why must not put them on right Dragon watch them right right. I wash them. That was the problem in our welcome the feeling of something about the happen to be good. It can be bad. There's something going on here. While if you feel a certain thing and it doesn't happen. The idea is what is God saying what is God doing why would God be in the question is why would God be leaving us in that direction. What is it that God is trying to tell us because it isn't so much whether it's good or bad your we would look at this situation with with Paul, and with it. While this is a pretty bad situation. Now he's on his way to Rome, he done wrong ship, something God has messed something up. Now God has messed anything up. And because we know something difficulties ahead of us doesn't mean that we're not supposed to take that route if it are many reasons why God allows us to know certain things before it happens. Now this is about relationship with God. This isn't about you know you play these certain numbers you ever win the lottery is not about that. It is about knowing that God is leading you in a certain way in your life, and that God is going to take care of you. There is a security in the position that you are entering the security is in the relationship with God and God is letting you know it's okay. So Paul knows that that this may shorten sail the ship, but Paul also knows God is going to abandon him. Paul knows that they are going to face storms and difficulties, but Paul knows that he is safe. Paul knows that Shepherd will be lost with two hundred and seventy six manner going to be say. Now Paul has this awareness inside of them, because God is speaking this to his heart, so he is facing the difficulties and and the difficulties in presenting hope to the people around him. So in our life, we are seeing how that God is going to deal in 's with us through us and that we are to be at peace in the midst of the difficulties. Now, if we don't have the assurance it doesn't mean that God there like Paul in the ship was headed for disaster, and no one would listen to him and he had no choice. He was a prisoner note you can get off, guys. Can I get the now I like to take the next ship out guilt around because you know this one's not going to make it. Well, what was he to do. He is a prisoner even changed has no influence. So what is Paul doing these riding out the outcome is writing the outcome is writing it out while they should get off the care he should change course. You can there certify things are set in motion, and we've got to go through them. We've got to continue them. But it doesn't mean that we're not a piece that we know that God is with us and he is going to see us through. Most often, whenever we seek guidance. We take about what you think we should have what you think and you know I always whenever one are counseled not always but I would still be without I know what I should do this once a distance& its Isaac, you know what to do. You're right question in the newspaper and ask people to stand there, yes or no answer to this address and let people decide what you should do nobody ever did so now if I were putting it up for about for everybody to make a decision. We seek guidance in many ways dry knowledge and that's a good thing we we seek guidance through what we see what we understand no preparation. All the signals are good things walking by the Spirit is not canceling out what were you thinking now is not that that we know certain facts we know certain things and were going a certain direction. But in that moment, there is this check in our spirit says no, don't go there now. Don't do that, that's when we had that challenge now again been with people. Why made a mistake once and never make a mistake again. That's not a check of the spirit within that sphere. The resists of these individuals, and this is in Texas. Many years ago and there was a financial firm and they were investing in any was in Houston and they were investing, they were approached to invest lots of money with other top. They have a list of all the people in town that were participating in this business venture and everything looked great. Ebenezer. These are big wheels, big deals and everybody who's anybody was on that list and so these individuals. Their farm was going to know jump on board with the rest of the people. But before they made their decision. They pray and before they make a decision. They prayed and God inside. They said, you know what everything is great. Everything looks good. We can't see anything wrong with this. But you know what were going to pass on this a few years later, the this is a major lawsuit. There was it was a big major hassle. Whatever the stand that someone had put on and below. Of course, these people have lost millions of dollars, but the people who said had to check in their spirit, new, not to do this using the check of the Spirit is not feelings. It's not the stars, if not the cards. It's what God says to us on the inside they're just there is this like you know what I just don't feel right about that. And whenever we make that decision we have to make it a decision based upon our spiritual relationship with God, not because a while some bad is going to happen always does. That's not that's totally different than God speaking to our heart seat. We judged by our senses. We judged by our experiences we look at what we perceive outcomes to be. And those are all good. I mean, they're all there are all part of life, and if we think were able to somehow walk in the spirit that we never make another decision in every decision were to make is only God 's way of thinking. Only God 's way of doing things, and that's all that's good be, and it's going to be disasters. There was a group that we were familiar with years ago they were like this. I mean, there was a group and they were the most spiritual people in a community and you couldn't you really can talk to them without them telling you, God told me to do this, God told me to say that God told me how do you dispute someone comes up to you and says, you know what God told me to tell you this. It's like if I disagree with them. I'm disagreeing with God that's not what this is about because of five have to say to you, God told me that God told me to tell you this that you have no alternative. The no out. That's not God. Seek God has away and see if God speaks of my heart and says he a lot Steve and Steve is the right upper stave you should give me a thousand dollars and now stand and thought about that yet. I'll will guess what he's not supposed to do that because he's not supposed to follow my direction, but if I said in his debut to what I think God has been talking to you about getting a thousand dollars to whatever not to me, but that whatever entity says how did you know that feedback to confirmation, not a direction of confirmation and when God uses us to confirm things in people 's lives. That's what walking in the Spirit is walking in God is speaking to our hearts, and there are times in our life. Like Paul years ago peacemakers appealed to Rome. Now, there are some individuals who think that Paul was off base because the next chapter twenty one versus ten, eleven, is after several days of visiting a proper from Judea by the name of Agnes came down to see us and he went right up the Paul took Paul's belt, and, in a dramatic gesture, tied Paul up his hands and his feet. He said this is what the Holy Spirit says the just going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and hand them over to the godless unbelievers this was a warning to Paul before he went to Jerusalem people say Paul missed the will of God), Nana Paul knew that was what he was supposed to do. Paul knew that this time he was going to be arrested. He knew that this was going to happen and it was a cut and was a confirmation that all this is what's going to happen. And Paul says I'm still going because this is what I'm supposed to do now from our perspective at that time, perhaps with able Paul. He made a mistake, we would not have almost half of the New Testament had Paul not going to roll the prison most of Paul's writings are from prison and hits his imprisonment that gives us direction for most of the New Testament, and so the warnings where I confirmation to Paul that this is going to happen and is not, it's not that God has lost control. If that God is in control, and he's letting them know before it happens that this is going to happen. So here's Paul, you know on this ship and we know that God can interrupt our logic, we know that God can interrupt our thinking. No, we put things out there, you know, make, make decisions and week we do things. We also always have room for God to interrupt God by those in authority in Iraq to message is not an interruption is that the divine appointment. God doesn't have interruptions, his divine appointments that we intersect and in our lives. God is intersecting and bringing together certain things in certain ways that totally make deference to my wife and we don't know how they're going to happen, how they're going to transact how it's going to play out through work out, but we know that God is with us and him, that God being with us. We have an assurance that it's okay will not get the okay, the ship is not saying it's okay now. Everything on the board the ship is going to be lost, okay, y'all were going to make it. God is going to see us through. So the N-word witness is that you are praying for certain decision you are praying for certain direction, a certain path and we know that God will direct us dislike the individual. This morning, saying enough is surprising how that all the intersections of all the people that I need to meet and need to work with the need to for four things the pen out of my life has suddenly taken on a different direction. Plus it was exactly what I must be gone this morning at church because of an IPO about the message, so something on the inside that directs a certain action that is the inward witness the N-word intuition. Now we have it over everything in our life. Now, can you this group that costly, said God told him that Scott told him that they said one while they pray and when a plow the driveway. They are Scottish, or they turn left or right. You know when they come the intersection to go left or right, should they know every, every everything is like Gaudio six will want to use your head for health warriors logic for what he is raising for it easy that's not what God had in mind by being led by the spirit, when Paul on his missionary journey. He's he's taken off the on this particular journey, and he stops at this port, but I didn't think of this is a story using vital. Remember, the city, but he thought that this port, and he wants to go to the other side, but he is forbidden God tonight. Think other is a change in plan, but the buyer plans the other wall and the plans working out the plans. He stopped and during that night. He has a dream install the Macedonian call. There is a man from Macedonia and St. Paul come here and Paul changed his plans at that seaport to go a different direction. So God led him to that point and then his plans were in place. No, he is the person who fails the plan plans the fail of the zig Ziegler. You must make plans, you must plan to do things you have a course that is set you out. You can't change the course of the ship when it's setting in harbor you can spin the wheel all you want but nothing changes so we set our course and that course. God has a way of saying you know what David this is where you need to go, but thought I might should I make my cut my charts laid out the builders like aces. None of this is the way and there are those checks and there are those in that inward intuition than inward knowing so going a certain direction doesn't mean that that's the last decision. Whatever may is a direction to go and visit his decision to go in a certain direction. The children reach another point, Paul Hunter presents you tank is on a prison ship well we would say fall down go while the ship is going to think all that go guess what Paul has to go to the never say you see when decisions does not when decisions are made and it doesn't work out the way you want. We don't sit around and think why should the .net because when we made the decision we felt it was God 's will. Paul on the road is going to sink doesn't say you know what I blew it. I made a wrong choice. You see Paul could have been released and never been on the boat and never been on his way to Rome if he hadn't appealed to Caesar, but he felt at the moment. That's what he should do so. We make a decision, and we run into difficulty, our logic says Ron Joyce that decision. And you know, we try to set it straight. Paul warns the captain not the sale the second, the second-guessing of Paul. I should've never appealed to Caesar, I would be free but God has a purpose for Paul and Ron the ball has to go there. Paul, in word and are warning confirmed that a violent storm, a ship going to be lost at sea. And so it doesn't just happen. He has fourteen days of a cork on the seat. They threw everything overboard. They cover. They like to ship and everybody's frightened. They've given up eating. They given up hope of living as to elaborate in my seventy six men on board and everybody knows they're all going to die and verse twenty one men, you should have listened to me all the saying not saying guys I told you so. Not saying that because what he says if I told you that the ship was going to sing. I told you I see me as I told you, not the sale and he's using that as an affirmation in his statement, I tell you now that no one of you is going to die. They didn't come up and say I told you so. God doesn't do that. Paul says I told you about the sale that was this that did now we know why I I had that on my heart not to do this, but I'm also telling you now by the same God who told us about the sale and telling you that God has told me not what it used to be lost the courage, the word of God in the encouragement of God, the encouragement cartridge of God comes from that intuition inside of our spirit that is the spirit of God confirming with our spirit that this is right that it's okay that it say that it's going to be all right. What about the time or what about the fourteen days, it's a date. They threw ropes around the ship and they tied to ropes around the ship to hold it together so Wednesday and verse twenty three Paul says this last night an angel of God, who is I am in whom I serve the past the security of the relationship, an angel of the godly Mahfouz. I haven't had my serve stood beside me and said, do not be afraid, Paul, you must stand trial before Caesar. You didn't make a wrong choice. This is the right course right course for privacy. That's right course, and God has graciously you know lives of all who sail with you. His life was more than about himself. It was about all the people on board. So Paul was making the journey, not just to get the realm, but the same all the people on the boat data never been there, had he gotten another ticket, you and I being where we are at going through what were going through is not only about our life is about the lives of everybody around us and knows us and touches us and that we influence there is this touch of God influence of God upon our heart and sometimes doesn't happen every day may not only a maybe happened once or twice in a lifetime may happen every week. God has a way of affirming confirming what's going on on the inside, and this is exactly where Paul needed to be in a violent storm on a ship lost at sea and people afraid for their lives and there is Paul saying everything is as it should be. Everything is as it should can't see the stars gone for fourteen days can see the sun don't have ninety idea were whereat, Robin and I know are not all okay. Everything is as it should be. How do you know that I know it in here. I know it in here in my heart. See, that's much more important than knowing it here in our heads, having all figured out with our logic. We need all of that but the greatest affirmation, as the affirmation of the Holy Spirit in our heart. We learn to know the peace of God in the spirit of God in the midst of our trials. God will guide you on the affairs of life, financial, physical, spiritual, all of them, he will guide us. It is the affirmation of his spirit, God is building his church. You're his church gates of hell will not prevail against it. Nothing can stop it. Nothing can hinder it. God has a purpose. We must depend upon that spirit path, as I perceive I perceive there is a perception in my heart didn't say I know in my head. I got it figured out. I perceive in my heart the spirit man knows the truth and that's being led by the spirit of God walking in the spirit God leads us by his Spirit through our spirit, our spirit is in communion with him. He is our friend. He is our Savior, God will guide us. Paul, I perceive I know it's going to be all right. Well, what happened should say all were saved in the story now. You'd think after all of this calling been through enough. Now the ship they go into the news. We read they go into the coven. It busts up and breaks up and yell, they all get the short two hundred seventy six people are alive and are all saved and their gathering wood to build a fire and have a fire going, so they can get warm and Paul reaches and pulls up a bag of bundle of Ross style of sticks and what happens the most poisonous viper latches onto his arm and everybody safe because it's right there in the fire and what's the plot. He's a wicked man is getting his due reward God and Paul holds the snake over the fire dropsy, and wafer appalled by I perceive that this is the will of God. And when he didn't die. He began to tell everybody about the message of Christ and who crisis to him. See, it isn't the trials if the knowledge that we have on the inside. I perceive God affirms to my heart. And that's where our strength lies. I perceive God 's spirit touching our spirit giving us the strength and no matter what happens. No matter how bad it looks at Cork on the CD doesn't matter. I perceive in my heart I know God said to me it's okay, we can go on is going to be all rights. Amen, I perceive, day that I perceive, and that is our affirming what God has spoken to our heart, so is the father, we thank you that it is your spirit speaks with our spirit is it is an affirmation that we are safe, no matter what the difficulty. No matter what the trial, no matter what the circumstance, no matter what our head says no matter what anybody else says no matter what the weather says the matter what happens. There is a perception. There is an understanding there is an affirmation in our spirits, but it's okay and it's run hero God that I make my choices I make my decisions and I walk with you. Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus speaking to my heart. Thank you God for affirming your love to me, your forgiveness, your grace, your mercy, your direction. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord for your spirit, amen, amen, unless youIs because of the vaccine that was given and so the same is, we pray for individuals. We just pray that the right chemicals the right solution. They find it so that it's able to attack the cancer the way that it needs to be to shrink it then destroy it. So it's important that we pray and that's important that we understand that God is always with us, and that it's in it's in a place of security that we pray it's a from a place of security that we ask God to be with us. It's from a place of security in our solvent in our life that we approach life. We don't approach it with fear and trembling. We approach life from a perspective that God is with me, God is with me. If God is with me. Then we then the next step in this is our message today walking in the spirit, how do we walk in the spirit. Hardly walk in the knowledge that God is leading us and guiding us now. There are extremes to everything and there are in the extreme. It says now it's all up to me in my abilities to see the novel and to make decisions and other people. It's about all God and I don't make decisions, God makes them all for me. While neither one of those are correct to read today and asked after twenty seven or eight, and it's a long portion of Scripture, but I wanted to see how Paul here has made the declaration has been. He was then arrested and he made an appeal to Caesar that he needed to go to Rome and so he was being sent to Rome for his trial. Now he probably could have gotten out of this, but he felt that God had decided for him to go to Rome make this appeal. While in this hall setting of him the Rome we have today's Scripture and recited verse nine of acts chapter twenty seven. By this time we had lost a lot of time. So the first verses of chapter twenty seven. They had been there, been on ship it, but on board and things that maybe they just haven't been on schedule again the ship and leave the time was supposed to do when they took longer to get going and reports that they stopped in the base of the stop longer than what they had expected. And so that's why we start with verse nine. By this time, we lost a lot of time, we had passed the autumn equinox, the world body, whether from now on through the winter too dangerous for sailing, home warranty says RAC only disaster had for the cargo and the ship, to say nothing of our lives if we put out to sea now. So Paul puts out this warning to the then commander into the ship 's captain, but it was not the best harbor for staying the winner, Phoenix, a few miles further on was more suitable. This insurance that Paul's warning aside and let the ship 's captain and shipowner talk him into trying to go to the next harbor when a gentle southerly breeze came up. They weighed anchor, thinking it would be a smooth sailing, but they were snow sooner out to see than a gale force wind, the infamous nor'easter struck my lost all control of the ship. It was a cork in the storm. I like that Corcoran store your division South at Sub Pop out of it. So when you're sixteen, which came under the Lee of the small island name caught up and managed to get a life already and reef the sails, but rocky shores, prevented us from getting close. We only managed to avoid them by throwing out the drift anchors next day, I have badly damaged now by the storm. We dumped the cargo overboard so easy it's progressing. It's getting worse. The third day, the sailors lined the ship further by throwing off the tackle, and the provisions edited many days since we had seen neither sun nor stars wind and waves battered us unmercifully, and we lost all hope of rescue with our appetite for both food and life long gone. Paul took his place in the midst and said friends you really shouldn't listen to me back in Crete, we could have avoided all this trouble in trial but there is no need to dwell on that now from now on, things are looking up. I can assure you that they'll not be a single drowning among us, although I can't say as much for the ship. The ship itself was due last night the angel God 's angel stood by my side, and the angel of this God I serve said to me don't give up all your going to stand before Caesar yet and everyone sailing with you is going to make it so dear friends, take heart. I believe God will do exactly what he told me, but were going to shipwreck on some islands or other on the fourteenth night. Fourteen days they been a cork on the speak on the seat. I draft somewhere in the Adriatic Sea. At about midnight, the sailors sensed that they were approaching lands sounding. They measured the depth of one hundred twenty feet. Shortly after that ninety feet, afraid they were about to run aground. They threw out for anchors and pray for daylight. Some of the Messiah. Some of the sailors tried to jump ship, they let down the lightbulb pretending they were going to set up more anchors for the bile, Paul saw these guys under the guise and told the centurion and his soldiers. If these sailors don't stay with the ship were all going to drown. So the soldiers cry. Still, the soldiers cut the lines. The lifeboat and let it drift off with Don about the break. Paul called everyone together and proposed breakfast. This is the fourteenth day. We've gone without food. None of us has felt like eating, but I urge you to eat something now you'll need strength for the rescue ahead, you're going to come out of this without even a scratch. He broke the bread, gave thanks to God passed around, and they all ate heartily two hundred and seventy six of us, so this is no small boat with the meal finished, and everyone pull the ship was further lightened by dumping the grain overboard at daybreak. No one recognized the land, but they but then they did notice a day with a nice speech, they decided to try to run the ship up on the beach. The company anchors loose the teller raise the sale and ran before the wind toward the beach, but we didn't make it still far from sure we hit a reef and the ship began to break up the soldiers decided to kill the prisoners so that women could escape by swimming, but the century and determined to say Paul stop them. He gave orders for anyone who could swim to dive in and go for and for the rest to grab a plank. Everyone made it to shore safely, my story should write a spot right a book about that right while walking by the Spirit policies. This is as you read this. It's an adventure. Quite an adventure for Paul. While did a venture because we know the outcome before it's an outcome. It's a great trial when you're eleven yet if the trial on any of our route, the scene. Nobody knows what delivered I and it's not up for grabs units. The best we can do is to try and stay afloat and see what happens. So Paul had policy rested. We said he was arrested. He was placed in chains, and he was shipped off to Rome, and it was Conair that he was flying, but the movie colony, but it wasn't Conair was conscious. So anyhow, they find that ship headed for Rome and in the process of Joe, I'm going there. Paul has this warning inside of him. I see disaster ahead. You say that there is a problem going to happen now. Paul was aware that his trip is not right, but Paul knew he had to go to Rome. Here's the challenge. Paul knows he has to go wrong. Okay, God said appeal to Caesar. So you go around, so he knows he has to go wrong, but he's getting on the ship. He knows this is the wrong ship, but Paul can't change flights to get changes to get why he's a prisoner, and he's lost his influence with the people are making the decisions made just a convict is a convict who is this preacher. This missionary who has an analyst named inside of him that is connected to God, and he knows he supposed to go to Rome and he knows the ship is doing wrong ship right direction, general something before it happened. The most you ladies go, yeah, I know that now can I why did it and I am like that in all that you are. I know CC get out. She does that way when I thought you about that kind of knowing that I is not like the lady with every night told her husband for thirty years to get up there is a robber downstairs and after thirty years, he went down one night there. He was the robber and he started to run out the door and the guys did not, although runaway, but wife's waiting thirty years to meet you there. So now sometimes there is, or the pessimist is that El Paso is. It's always wrong and having a one foot on a banana peel and one in the grade they know something bad is going to happen. That's not what this is about the feeling of something about the happen, and it's a divine thing, it's a checking of your spirit at the checking inside. It's not often lack the other not laugh, but there it. We read a basketball game was a girls basketball game and one of the mothers won't watch her daughter shoot foul shots because she knows if she watches shall miss her so she don't watch as you can watch all answer daughter was six for six. I mean, you know that all doesn't like just like that crazy beer commercial or something else where they know that if a certain song is playing that the team is going to win and if they live. It's not play they do bad so they play the song in our people are always looking for radio about hockey players bellwether is no people. They were the same socks. They were of the same jersey. They wear whatever thing of insisting they where all the time. It's time like a security blanket. It's a security if you do this you win if you don't do it, you lose the people become all caught up in this and what when you lose why must not put them on right Dragon watch them right right. I wash them. That was the problem in our welcome the feeling of something about the happen to be good. It can be bad. There's something going on here. While if you feel a certain thing and it doesn't happen. The idea is what is God saying what is God doing why would God be in the question is why would God be leaving us in that direction. What is it that God is trying to tell us because it isn't so much whether it's good or bad your we would look at this situation with with Paul, and with it. While this is a pretty bad situation. Now he's on his way to Rome, he done wrong ship, something God has messed something up. Now God has messed anything up. And because we know something difficulties ahead of us doesn't mean that we're not supposed to take that route if it are many reasons why God allows us to know certain things before it happens. Now this is about relationship with God. This isn't about you know you play these certain numbers you ever win the lottery is not about that. It is about knowing that God is leading you in a certain way in your life, and that God is going to take care of you. There is a security in the position that you are entering the security is in the relationship with God and God is letting you know it's okay. So Paul knows that that this may shorten sail the ship, but Paul also knows God is going to abandon him. Paul knows that they are going to face storms and difficulties, but Paul knows that he is safe. Paul knows that Shepherd will be lost with two hundred and seventy six manner going to be say. Now Paul has this awareness inside of them, because God is speaking this to his heart, so he is facing the difficulties and and the difficulties in presenting hope to the people around him. So in our life, we are seeing how that God is going to deal in 's with us through us and that we are to be at peace in the midst of the difficulties. Now, if we don't have the assurance it doesn't mean that God there like Paul in the ship was headed for disaster, and no one would listen to him and he had no choice. He was a prisoner note you can get off, guys. Can I get the now I like to take the next ship out guilt around because you know this one's not going to make it. Well, what was he to do. He is a prisoner even changed has no influence. So what is Paul doing these riding out the outcome is writing the outcome is writing it out while they should get off the care he should change course. You can there certify things are set in motion, and we've got to go through them. We've got to continue them. But it doesn't mean that we're not a piece that we know that God is with us and he is going to see us through. Most often, whenever we seek guidance. We take about what you think we should have what you think and you know I always whenever one are counseled not always but I would still be without I know what I should do this once a distance& its Isaac, you know what to do. You're right question in the newspaper and ask people to stand there, yes or no answer to this address and let people decide what you should do nobody ever did so now if I were putting it up for about for everybody to make a decision. We seek guidance in many ways dry knowledge and that's a good thing we we seek guidance through what we see what we understand no preparation. All the signals are good things walking by the Spirit is not canceling out what were you thinking now is not that that we know certain facts we know certain things and were going a certain direction. But in that moment, there is this check in our spirit says no, don't go there now. Don't do that, that's when we had that challenge now again been with people. Why made a mistake once and never make a mistake again. That's not a check of the spirit within that sphere. The resists of these individuals, and this is in Texas. Many years ago and there was a financial firm and they were investing in any was in Houston and they were investing, they were approached to invest lots of money with other top. They have a list of all the people in town that were participating in this business venture and everything looked great. Ebenezer. These are big wheels, big deals and everybody who's anybody was on that list and so these individuals. Their farm was going to know jump on board with the rest of the people. But before they made their decision. They pray and before they make a decision. They prayed and God inside. They said, you know what everything is great. Everything looks good. We can't see anything wrong with this. But you know what were going to pass on this a few years later, the this is a major lawsuit. There was it was a big major hassle. Whatever the stand that someone had put on and below. Of course, these people have lost millions of dollars, but the people who said had to check in their spirit, new, not to do this using the check of the Spirit is not feelings. It's not the stars, if not the cards. It's what God says to us on the inside they're just there is this like you know what I just don't feel right about that. And whenever we make that decision we have to make it a decision based upon our spiritual relationship with God, not because a while some bad is going to happen always does. That's not that's totally different than God speaking to our heart seat. We judged by our senses. We judged by our experiences we look at what we perceive outcomes to be. And those are all good. I mean, they're all there are all part of life, and if we think were able to somehow walk in the spirit that we never make another decision in every decision were to make is only God 's way of thinking. Only God 's way of doing things, and that's all that's good be, and it's going to be disasters. There was a group that we were familiar with years ago they were like this. I mean, there was a group and they were the most spiritual people in a community and you couldn't you really can talk to them without them telling you, God told me to do this, God told me to say that God told me how do you dispute someone comes up to you and says, you know what God told me to tell you this. It's like if I disagree with them. I'm disagreeing with God that's not what this is about because of five have to say to you, God told me that God told me to tell you this that you have no alternative. The no out. That's not God. Seek God has away and see if God speaks of my heart and says he a lot Steve and Steve is the right upper stave you should give me a thousand dollars and now stand and thought about that yet. I'll will guess what he's not supposed to do that because he's not supposed to follow my direction, but if I said in his debut to what I think God has been talking to you about getting a thousand dollars to whatever not to me, but that whatever entity says how did you know that feedback to confirmation, not a direction of confirmation and when God uses us to confirm things in people 's lives. That's what walking in the Spirit is walking in God is speaking to our hearts, and there are times in our life. Like Paul years ago peacemakers appealed to Rome. Now, there are some individuals who think that Paul was off base because the next chapter twenty one versus ten, eleven, is after several days of visiting a proper from Judea by the name of Agnes came down to see us and he went right up the Paul took Paul's belt, and, in a dramatic gesture, tied Paul up his hands and his feet. He said this is what the Holy Spirit says the just going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and hand them over to the godless unbelievers this was a warning to Paul before he went to Jerusalem people say Paul missed the will of God), Nana Paul knew that was what he was supposed to do. Paul knew that this time he was going to be arrested. He knew that this was going to happen and it was a cut and was a confirmation that all this is what's going to happen. And Paul says I'm still going because this is what I'm supposed to do now from our perspective at that time, perhaps with able Paul. He made a mistake, we would not have almost half of the New Testament had Paul not going to roll the prison most of Paul's writings are from prison and hits his imprisonment that gives us direction for most of the New Testament, and so the warnings where I confirmation to Paul that this is going to happen and is not, it's not that God has lost control. If that God is in control, and he's letting them know before it happens that this is going to happen. So here's Paul, you know on this ship and we know that God can interrupt our logic, we know that God can interrupt our thinking. No, we put things out there, you know, make, make decisions and week we do things. We also always have room for God to interrupt God by those in authority in Iraq to message is not an interruption is that the divine appointment. God doesn't have interruptions, his divine appointments that we intersect and in our lives. God is intersecting and bringing together certain things in certain ways that totally make deference to my wife and we don't know how they're going to happen, how they're going to transact how it's going to play out through work out, but we know that God is with us and him, that God being with us. We have an assurance that it's okay will not get the okay, the ship is not saying it's okay now. Everything on the board the ship is going to be lost, okay, y'all were going to make it. God is going to see us through. So the N-word witness is that you are praying for certain decision you are praying for certain direction, a certain path and we know that God will direct us dislike the individual. This morning, saying enough is surprising how that all the intersections of all the people that I need to meet and need to work with the need to for four things the pen out of my life has suddenly taken on a different direction. Plus it was exactly what I must be gone this morning at church because of an IPO about the message, so something on the inside that directs a certain action that is the inward witness the N-word intuition. Now we have it over everything in our life. Now, can you this group that costly, said God told him that Scott told him that they said one while they pray and when a plow the driveway. They are Scottish, or they turn left or right. You know when they come the intersection to go left or right, should they know every, every everything is like Gaudio six will want to use your head for health warriors logic for what he is raising for it easy that's not what God had in mind by being led by the spirit, when Paul on his missionary journey. He's he's taken off the on this particular journey, and he stops at this port, but I didn't think of this is a story using vital. Remember, the city, but he thought that this port, and he wants to go to the other side, but he is forbidden God tonight. Think other is a change in plan, but the buyer plans the other wall and the plans working out the plans. He stopped and during that night. He has a dream install the Macedonian call. There is a man from Macedonia and St. Paul come here and Paul changed his plans at that seaport to go a different direction. So God led him to that point and then his plans were in place. No, he is the person who fails the plan plans the fail of the zig Ziegler. You must make plans, you must plan to do things you have a course that is set you out. You can't change the course of the ship when it's setting in harbor you can spin the wheel all you want but nothing changes so we set our course and that course. God has a way of saying you know what David this is where you need to go, but thought I might should I make my cut my charts laid out the builders like aces. None of this is the way and there are those checks and there are those in that inward intuition than inward knowing so going a certain direction doesn't mean that that's the last decision. Whatever may is a direction to go and visit his decision to go in a certain direction. The children reach another point, Paul Hunter presents you tank is on a prison ship well we would say fall down go while the ship is going to think all that go guess what Paul has to go to the never say you see when decisions does not when decisions are made and it doesn't work out the way you want. We don't sit around and think why should the .net because when we made the decision we felt it was God 's will. Paul on the road is going to sink doesn't say you know what I blew it. I made a wrong choice. You see Paul could have been released and never been on the boat and never been on his way to Rome if he hadn't appealed to Caesar, but he felt at the moment. That's what he should do so. We make a decision, and we run into difficulty, our logic says Ron Joyce that decision. And you know, we try to set it straight. Paul warns the captain not the sale the second, the second-guessing of Paul. I should've never appealed to Caesar, I would be free but God has a purpose for Paul and Ron the ball has to go there. Paul, in word and are warning confirmed that a violent storm, a ship going to be lost at sea. And so it doesn't just happen. He has fourteen days of a cork on the seat. They threw everything overboard. They cover. They like to ship and everybody's frightened. They've given up eating. They given up hope of living as to elaborate in my seventy six men on board and everybody knows they're all going to die and verse twenty one men, you should have listened to me all the saying not saying guys I told you so. Not saying that because what he says if I told you that the ship was going to sing. I told you I see me as I told you, not the sale and he's using that as an affirmation in his statement, I tell you now that no one of you is going to die. They didn't come up and say I told you so. God doesn't do that. Paul says I told you about the sale that was this that did now we know why I I had that on my heart not to do this, but I'm also telling you now by the same God who told us about the sale and telling you that God has told me not what it used to be lost the courage, the word of God in the encouragement of God, the encouragement cartridge of God comes from that intuition inside of our spirit that is the spirit of God confirming with our spirit that this is right that it's okay that it say that it's going to be all right. What about the time or what about the fourteen days, it's a date. They threw ropes around the ship and they tied to ropes around the ship to hold it together so Wednesday and verse twenty three Paul says this last night an angel of God, who is I am in whom I serve the past the security of the relationship, an angel of the godly Mahfouz. I haven't had my serve stood beside me and said, do not be afraid, Paul, you must stand trial before Caesar. You didn't make a wrong choice. This is the right course right course for privacy. That's right course, and God has graciously you know lives of all who sail with you. His life was more than about himself. It was about all the people on board. So Paul was making the journey, not just to get the realm, but the same all the people on the boat data never been there, had he gotten another ticket, you and I being where we are at going through what were going through is not only about our life is about the lives of everybody around us and knows us and touches us and that we influence there is this touch of God influence of God upon our heart and sometimes doesn't happen every day may not only a maybe happened once or twice in a lifetime may happen every week. God has a way of affirming confirming what's going on on the inside, and this is exactly where Paul needed to be in a violent storm on a ship lost at sea and people afraid for their lives and there is Paul saying everything is as it should be. Everything is as it should can't see the stars gone for fourteen days can see the sun don't have ninety idea were whereat, Robin and I know are not all okay. Everything is as it should be. How do you know that I know it in here. I know it in here in my heart. See, that's much more important than knowing it here in our heads, having all figured out with our logic. We need all of that but the greatest affirmation, as the affirmation of the Holy Spirit in our heart. We learn to know the peace of God in the spirit of God in the midst of our trials. God will guide you on the affairs of life, financial, physical, spiritual, all of them, he will guide us. It is the affirmation of his spirit, God is building his church. You're his church gates of hell will not prevail against it. Nothing can stop it. Nothing can hinder it. God has a purpose. We must depend upon that spirit path, as I perceive I perceive there is a perception in my heart didn't say I know in my head. I got it figured out. I perceive in my heart the spirit man knows the truth and that's being led by the spirit of God walking in the spirit God leads us by his Spirit through our spirit, our spirit is in communion with him. He is our friend. He is our Savior, God will guide us. Paul, I perceive I know it's going to be all right. Well, what happened should say all were saved in the story now. You'd think after all of this calling been through enough. Now the ship they go into the news. We read they go into the coven. It busts up and breaks up and yell, they all get the short two hundred seventy six people are alive and are all saved and their gathering wood to build a fire and have a fire going, so they can get warm and Paul reaches and pulls up a bag of bundle of Ross style of sticks and what happens the most poisonous viper latches onto his arm and everybody safe because it's right there in the fire and what's the plot. He's a wicked man is getting his due reward God and Paul holds the snake over the fire dropsy, and wafer appalled by I perceive that this is the will of God. And when he didn't die. He began to tell everybody about the message of Christ and who crisis to him. See, it isn't the trials if the knowledge that we have on the inside. I perceive God affirms to my heart. And that's where our strength lies. I perceive God 's spirit touching our spirit giving us the strength and no matter what happens. No matter how bad it looks at Cork on the CD doesn't matter. I perceive in my heart I know God said to me it's okay, we can go on is going to be all rights. Amen, I perceive, day that I perceive, and that is our affirming what God has spoken to our heart, so is the father, we thank you that it is your spirit speaks with our spirit is it is an affirmation that we are safe, no matter what the difficulty. No matter what the trial, no matter what the circumstance, no matter what our head says no matter what anybody else says no matter what the weather says the matter what happens. There is a perception. There is an understanding there is an affirmation in our spirits, but it's okay and it's run hero God that I make my choices I make my decisions and I walk with you. Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus speaking to my heart. Thank you God for affirming your love to me, your forgiveness, your grace, your mercy, your direction. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Lord for your spirit, amen, amen, unless you