Today’s Scripture passage, which details events in the life of the apostle Paul, has a lot to teach us about finding peace in spite of our natural tendency to panic. I hope you will read it thoroughly. In these twenty-one verses it is not difficult to pick out three significant moments that normally bring anxiety. To begin with, in Acts 19:21 Paul is shutting down a very successful ministry in Ephesus.
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Vision
It’s a cartoon I’ve smiled at again and again. There are two Eskimos sitting on chairs, fishing through holes in the ice. The fella on the right has draped his line through your typical disk-like opening . . . about the size of a small manhole. The Eskimo on the left has his line in the water too. He also waits calmly for a nibble. His hole, however, is more like a crater, a Rose Bowl-sized opening that reaches to the horizon—in the shape of a whale.
Read MoreBe Joyful
EVEN THOUGH I DON’T LIKE IT, I’m tempted to stand back, shrug, and agree with the wag who wrote: This is the age, Of the half-read page, And the quick hash, And the mad dash, The bright night, With the nerves tight, The plane hop, With the brief stop, The lamp tan, In a short span, The big shot, In a good spot, And the brain strain, And the heart pain, And the catnaps, Till the spring snaps, And the fun’s done.
Read MoreAnchor of Reality
All those going through a storm need to be engaged in the process. No one is promised a magical escape clause. Passivity is faith’s enemy. It isn’t an acceptable option to fold our arms and wait for the storm to pass.
Read MoreAnchor of Renewal
Can you imagine fighting a storm for two weeks and getting virtually no nourishment? That’s what the men on Paul’s ship experienced. Even more amazing, that’s how most people respond to life’s storms.
Read MoreAnchor of Unity
The scene breathed life-threatening fears. Imaginations ran wild. Paul knew that staying together was the secret to their survival. The temptation was strong to abandon ship and let each person fend for himself.
Read MoreAnchor of Stability
The anchor of stability holds firm when your navigation system fails. It’s easy to lose your bearings in the storm. You can’t find your way through the circumstances you face. Life rolls along fairly smoothly until suddenly the seas grow rough.
Read MoreStanding Tall in High Places
Recently, I read a stirring speech delivered by the late Mother Theresa at the 44th National Prayer Breakfast—a prestigious event that occurred while Bill Clinton served as President.
Read MoreModern-Day Heroes
Momentarily forgetting the difference in rank and status, Paul now spoke face to face with Agrippa. He engaged him on his knowledge of the Scriptures. He then listened for Herod’s reply. It was a reply heard around the world.
Read MoreGrace Leads You Home
Long before my mother died, she and a neighbor friend compiled a book of God’s promises taken from the Scriptures. Each made her own. My mother used that little book as a primer for her prayers.
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