Inspired Sermons
from the Pulpit of
Pastor R.S. Riley

...and other assorted messages of faith

by R.S. Riley

Paul, the Apostle, was a prisoner on a ship headed for Rome. He and the others aboard ship came into a fierce storm. The winds blew hard. The waves tossed the ship from side to side. It became a very dangerous situation. But in the midst of the danger the angel of the Lord appeared to Paul and assured him that God would keep him safe, and not only that, but that God had given Paul the lives of all those who were on the ship with him. They would all be kept safe. Understand this correctly. Paul was the prisoner, yet in time of desperation he was the victorious one. It doesn't matter how the world may look at you. God rejects the proud, but gives grace to the humble. If you belong to Jesus the grace of God is yours. In the midst of true need, God is on your side, no matter what the situation looks like. They say that God is our crutch. Yes, He is, and when they come into a place of desperation, they will look for a crutch too. A crutch is something that you lean on for support when you're weak. God is one on whom we can lean in our weakness and He'll give us full support. Now thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus. Though Paul was a prisoner in the natural, yet in the spiritual, and that's where it really counts, Paul was the victorious one. If it hadn't of been for Paul being on the ship they would have all died in the storm. But because Paul was present, they were all kept alive, placed by God under Paul's spiritual leadership. You and I may get into some of the same predicaments, some of the same troubles, as those who don't know God. But we are the head and not the tail. If God be for us who can be against us? No weapon that is formed against us will prosper. This is our heritage in the Lord. Remember that. Just as the angel appeared to Paul and gave him a word of hope from the Lord, we have God's promises of hope. We have the Bible, full of promises for us. When we come into these times of trouble we should find the promises in the Bible and claim them for ourselves in prayer. Claim them for those around us. Remember, it's what we are in the spiritual that really counts. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He'll give you peace in the midst of the storm! - Randall Riley

Note: If you're in need of special prayer at this time, please go to our prayer page and submit your prayer request. We'll be happy to agree with you in prayer. God has an open ear, even in the middle of a storm.

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