The Book of Acts: Message Eighty
Four
By Dr. Michael
Guido, D.D.
While leading
the singing for Dr. Harry Ironside I heard him make
an interesting statement. He said, "When
studying Chinese many years ago, I was struck by the
remarkable make-up of the Chinese word for 'faith.'
It's partly made up of the character for 'word,'
itself very interesting. The lower part is the figure
that stands for a mouth, and then above it are
several lines indicating something coming out of the
mouth. After all, that's what a word is! And isn't
that what faith is - a man standing by the
Word?" Paul stood by the word. He declared,
"An angel of God stood by my side and said,
'Stop being afraid, Paul. You must stand before the
Emperor; and listen! God has graciously given to you
the lives of all who are sailing with you.' So keep
up your courage, men, for I have confidence in my God
that it will come out just as I was told."
Mark the
protection. Day after day and night after night Paul
and his companions had no glimpse of sun or stars.
They were in the grip of the gale, and the captain
and crew gave up all hope of being saved. But Paul
looked at Christ and not the conditions, and said,
"Not a hair of anyone's head will be lost."
When the ship ran aground, the soldiers decided to
kill Paul and the prisoners, but the centurion
stopped that. So it came true that everyone reached
the shore in safety. But there on Malta a viper
fastened itself on Paul's hand. But he shook it off
without suffering any ill effect. You see, God kept
His word to His servant. He saved him from the storm,
the soldiers and the serpent. Once you have a word
from the Lord, depend upon it, don't doubt it. Though
all the forces of sinners and Satan, earth and hell
combine, He'll keep His word. He'll not fail.
"Though
dark be my way, Since He is my guide,
'Tis mine to
obey, 'Tis His to provide;
Though
cisterns be broken, and creatures all fail,
The word He
hath spoken shall surely prevail."
Mark his
presence. When Paul was at Malta the governor's
father was very sick and he went to see him. After
praying, he laid his hands on him and he got well.
Because of this, the rest of the sick folk on the
island kept coming to him and were cured. No doubt
many were converted. Do you know what I think? They
never forgot Paul. Years later, as they sat by their
fires and talked about the storm and shipwreck in
terror, they must have talked about the servant of
God in tenderness. Why? Because of the blessing he
was to them. How is it with you? Is your life like
the storm that blights, or is it like the servant of
God that blesses? Are hearts holier and homes happier
because you've been there? Do you carry an aroma of
the Almighty wherever you go? He was a missionary in
Japan and came home on furlough. One day the Royal
Family visited him. After they left, another group
from Japan called. Said one, "You've been
entertaining royalty today." "What makes
you think so?" asked the missionary.
"Ah!" said the visitor. "There's a
perfume manufactured in our country for the exclusive
use of the Royal Family. No one else is allowed to
use it. Its fragrance is in evidence in your home. We
can tell you've had members of the Royal House to
visit you here." Do you, as members of the Royal
Family of Heaven, leave behind you a fragrance that
bespeaks of Jesus, the Rose of Sharon?
Mark the
pleasure. When Paul came to Rome, his friends heard
of his arrival and they came to meet him. It's
written in Acts 28:15, "whom when Paul saw, he
thanked God and took courage." An English
magazine offered a prize for the best definition of a
friend. Among the thousands of answers received were
the following: "One who multiplies joys, and
divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable."
"One who understands our silence." "A
volume of sympathy bound in a cloth." "A
watch which beats true for all time and never runs
down." The winning definition read, "A
friend is the one who comes in when the world has
gone out." That's what these folk were to Paul.
In that time of trail and testing, when the whole
world had gone out, and he was about to be martyred,
those Christians came in. Then he took courage. Be a
friend to someone today! Encourage and enhearten
someone today!
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version.
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to the next message in this Sower Scripture Study on
the book of Acts.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
