March 29: Following His Guidance.
HIS BENEFIT.
The people on the island who had diseases were coming to him.--Acts 28:9
Having grown up outside the United States, I didn't know the meaning of Murphy's Law. I learned later that it is the principle that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and usually at the worst time. It is credited to Edward Murphy Jr., who was an aerospace engineer, born in 1918, and who actually had a totally different meaning for it. He had originally stated the principle that you need to imagine the worst possible scenario in order to prevent it or prepare for it.
Today I want to tell you that our God is much more powerful than Murphy's Law, and that He can turn even a worst-case scenario into a blessing for His people and into honor for His name. Perhaps you, or someone you love, have been in a progression of calamities, thinking, "What else can go wrong?" If you are, please read Acts 27, 28. Paul started his sea journey to Rome with a violent storm that lasted many days. The wind took them away from their course, and they were shipwrecked, having to swim to land. Whew! At least he made it! Who cared if they were on the wrong island? At least they were alive! They ended up in Malta, and the natives of the island kindled a fire for the castaways (Acts 28:1). Paul, probably bruised and exhausted, started gathering sticks for the fire, and a snake bit him! Seriously? It must have been known as venomous because the people were expecting Paul to swell up and die. What else could possibly go wrong? Well, they thought that he must really be a bad person, because even though he survived the storm now he was getting justice through the viper (verses 3-6). When he survived, they changed their minds and thought he was a god! (That's how volatile popular opinion is.) Yet God turned all these tragedies into blessings for the people of Malta through the presence of Paul, who stayed on the island for three months, performing many miracles of healing and surely sharing the gospel with them as well. Tragedies are not more powerful than God! He will turn difficulties into a spiritual benefit for your soul. That's what He did on the cross: when sin tragically ruined everything, He stepped in and bestowed His grace upon us!
My Response:_________________________________________________________
HIS BENEFIT.
The people on the island who had diseases were coming to him.--Acts 28:9
Having grown up outside the United States, I didn't know the meaning of Murphy's Law. I learned later that it is the principle that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and usually at the worst time. It is credited to Edward Murphy Jr., who was an aerospace engineer, born in 1918, and who actually had a totally different meaning for it. He had originally stated the principle that you need to imagine the worst possible scenario in order to prevent it or prepare for it.
Today I want to tell you that our God is much more powerful than Murphy's Law, and that He can turn even a worst-case scenario into a blessing for His people and into honor for His name. Perhaps you, or someone you love, have been in a progression of calamities, thinking, "What else can go wrong?" If you are, please read Acts 27, 28. Paul started his sea journey to Rome with a violent storm that lasted many days. The wind took them away from their course, and they were shipwrecked, having to swim to land. Whew! At least he made it! Who cared if they were on the wrong island? At least they were alive! They ended up in Malta, and the natives of the island kindled a fire for the castaways (Acts 28:1). Paul, probably bruised and exhausted, started gathering sticks for the fire, and a snake bit him! Seriously? It must have been known as venomous because the people were expecting Paul to swell up and die. What else could possibly go wrong? Well, they thought that he must really be a bad person, because even though he survived the storm now he was getting justice through the viper (verses 3-6). When he survived, they changed their minds and thought he was a god! (That's how volatile popular opinion is.) Yet God turned all these tragedies into blessings for the people of Malta through the presence of Paul, who stayed on the island for three months, performing many miracles of healing and surely sharing the gospel with them as well. Tragedies are not more powerful than God! He will turn difficulties into a spiritual benefit for your soul. That's what He did on the cross: when sin tragically ruined everything, He stepped in and bestowed His grace upon us!
My Response:_________________________________________________________
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