THE SHIP IS GOING THROUGH

God saved them all. With

Paul’s directives and the

Roman Centurion Julius,

cooperation finally ended

their 14 day ordeal.

28:1, 2. A Praise Service on a Stormy Morning.--When the roll was called, not one wasmissing. Nearly three hundred souls--sailors,soldiers, passengers, and prisoners--stood thatstormy November morning upon the shore ofthe island of Melita. And there were some thatjoined with Paul and his brethren in givingthanks to God, who had preserved their livesand brought them safe to land through theperils of the great deep (LP 270).

Anchor of the Soul

• Hebrews 6:17 Wherein God, willing moreabundantly to show unto the heirs of promisethe immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it]by an oath: 6:18 That by two immutablethings, in which [it was] impossible for God tolie, we might have a strong consolation, whohave fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hopeset before us: 6:19 Which [hope] we have asan anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,and which entereth into that within the veil;

Anchor of the Soul

• There are two immutable realities whichforms the basis of our hope.

• God’s oath to Christ

– He will be a Priest forever after the Order ofMelchizedek

• Impossible for God to lie

– There is power in God’s word to perform all thatHe says.

Anchor of the Soul

• When our minds are stayed uponthese two immutable realities,there is nothing in earth or heaventhat can cause us to be moved.

• This anchor of the soul is themystery .

The Mystery

• Rev. 10:7 But in the days of the voice of theseventh angel, when he shall begin to sound,the mystery of God should be finished, as hehath declared to his servants the prophets.

• Rom. 9:28 For he will finish the work, andcut [it] short in righteousness: because ashort work will the Lord make upon theearth.

What Is The Mystery?

• 1Tim 3:16 And without controversygreat is the mystery of godliness:God was manifest in the flesh,justified in the Spirit, seen of angels,preached unto the Gentiles,believed on in the world, receivedup into glory.

God Manifest in the Flesh

• The anchor of our souls then is God manifestin the flesh.

• That which will keep us through every stormof life is the fact that God was manifest in theflesh.

• Satan’s aim is to divert our minds from ouranchor and cause us to drift out into thestormy seas of life and become shipwreckupon the rocks of sin.

We become shipwreck

• Upon the rocks of infidelity

• Upon the rocks of discouragement

• Upon the rocks of doubt

• Upon the rocks of sexual immorality

• Upon the rocks of illicit drugs

• Upon the rocks of materialism

• Upon the rocks of the cares of this life

Let the Anchor Hold

• Regardless to the tempest

• Regardless to the storm

• Regardless to the tornado

• Regardless to the flood

• Let your anchor hold to the fact that God ismanifest in the flesh, He is a Priest foreverafter the order of Melchizedek, and it isimpossible for Him to lie.

• He makes good what He has promised.

Paul Says,

• 1Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God inhim [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto theglory of God by us.

• All the prophets of old held to this anchor.

• This mysterious anchor kept them, comfortedthem, secured them, stabilized them, assuredthem, insured them, protected them,strengthened, consoled and encouragedthem.

• In all your circumstances hold to your anchor.

Mary Held to the Anchor

• Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angelGabriel was sent from God unto a city ofGalilee, named Nazareth, 1:27 To avirgin espoused to a man whose name wasJoseph, of the house of David; and thevirgin's name [was] Mary. 1:28 And the angelcame in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou thatart] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee:blessed [art] thou among women.

Mary Held to the Anchor

• Luke 1:29 And when she saw [him], shewas troubled at his saying, and cast in hermind what manner of salutation this shouldbe. 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fearnot, Mary: for thou hast found favour withGod. 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive inthy womb, and bring forth a son, and shaltcall his name JESUS.

Mary Held to the Anchor

• Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall becalled the Son of the Highest: and the LordGod shall give unto him the throne of hisfather David: 1:33 And he shall reign overthe house of Jacob for ever; and of hiskingdom there shall be no end. 1:34Then saidMary unto the angel, How shall this be,seeing I know not a man?

Mary Held to the Anchor

• Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and saidunto her, The Holy Ghost shall come uponthee, and the power of the Highest shallovershadow thee: therefore also that holything which shall be born of thee shall becalled the Son of God. 1:37 For with Godnothing shall be impossible. 1:38 And Marysaid, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be itunto me according to thy word.

Those Who Are Anchored

• We see from the case of Mary that God cannotaccomplish His mystery on earth outside ofman’s involvement.

• Those who are anchored are a peculiar people.– They are virgins

– They have favor with God

– The Holy Ghost is upon them

– The power of the Most High has overshadow them

– They produce only that Holy Thing – The Son of God

– Their lives are lives of impossibility

– And they give willing consent to God as vessels.

Peter Says,

• 1Pet 2:9 But ye [are] a chosengeneration, a royal priesthood, anholy nation, a peculiar people; thatye should show forth the praises ofhim who hath called you out ofdarkness into his marvellous light.

And Nothing Can Cause Us To Be Moved

• This is the watch word of a true reformer. Beit unto me according to thy word.

– If I have to stand alone

– If I am persecuted for thy sake

– If I am reviled for you

– If I am evil spoken against

– If I am misunderstood

– If I am misrepresented

– If I am treated spitefully

I am Anchored

• Mysterious things happen to those who areanchored with the mysterious anchor.

• Being anchored involves suffering.

• Trials, tribulations, temptations, sorrows,persecutions, dangers, cannot break thechain affixed to our anchor, It strengthens thehold.

Paul Says,

• Phil 1:28And in nothing terrified by youradversaries: which is to them an evidenttoken of perdition, but to you of salvation,and that of God. 1:29 For unto you it isgiven in the behalf of Christ, not only tobelieve on him, but also to suffer for his sake;1:30 Having the same conflict which yesaw in me, and now hear [to be] in me.

Let’s Consider Those

• Heb. 11:33 Who through faith subduedkingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtainedpromises, stopped the mouths of lions,11:34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped theedge of the sword, out of weakness weremade strong, waxed valiant in fight, turnedto flight the armies of the aliens. 11:35Women received their dead raised to lifeagain: and others were tortured, notaccepting deliverance; that they might obtaina better resurrection:

Let’s Consider Those

• Heb. 11:36 And others had trial of [cruel]mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover ofbonds and imprisonment: 11:37 Theywere stoned, they were sawn asunder, weretempted, were slain with the sword: theywandered about in sheepskins and goatskins;being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 11:38

(Of whom the world was not worthy:)they wandered in deserts, and [in]mountains, and [in] dens and caves of theearth.

They Were Anchored

• Being anchored there lives were lives ofimpossibility.

– Elijah caused it to rain and outran a chariot

– Elisha caused iron to float

– Peter walked upon water

– John basked in a caldron of boiling oil

– Luther stood against the Goliath of the medievalworld.

– Huss and Jerome Sang as they were burnt.

And the Stories Continues

• All of the books in the world cannot containthe exploits of those who were anchoredwith the mysterious anchor.

• However, we have enough witnesses, wehave enough testimonies, we have enoughvoices echoed through the ages

That The Anchor Holds

• Ask Abel – He being dead yet speaketh

• Ask Abraham – He knew his son would liveagain

• Ask Isaac – He knew God had a well for him

• Ask Jacob – He knew the ladder reach God’sthrone and he prevailed with the angel.

• Ask Joseph – He knew all things worktogether for good.

• Ask Moses – He went to the mountain topand saw the promise land.

Men who Lived the Mystery can Testify

• Ask Joshua – He conquered Jericho by takinga walk. Besides he had power over the sun.

• Ask Gideon – His army was 300 with emptypitcher, trumpets and lamps.

• Ask Daniel – He stopped the mouth of Lions

• Ask the three Hebrew men – They enjoyedcompany with Christ in the fiery furnace.

• Ask John the Baptist – He lost his head aftersix months of ministry.

Men who Lived the Mystery can Testify

• Ask Peter – He chose to be crucified upsidedown to honor His Master

• Ask Paul – After God used His brain he loosedhis head

• Ask the early Christian Martyrs, theWaldenses, the reformers

• These all testified that the anchor holdsthough the ship is battered.

• Let your witness join their testimony.

They Were Anchored

• Their ship was anchored to the Rock. Note:

• In this situation we have the ship, the chain,the anchor and the rock.

• The security of the faithful in the past wasthat– God manifest in the flesh was their chain

– God manifest in the flesh was their anchor

– God manifest in the flesh was their Rock

• They did not hold the anchor, the anchor heldthem! And it will hold us today!

When Brought into Temptation and Trial Remember

• Ps. 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mineheart, that I might not sin against thee.

• Ps. 26:3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfectpeace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]:because he trusteth in thee.

• Heb. 13:5 [Let your] conversation [be]without covetousness; [and be] content withsuch things as ye have: for he hath said, I willnever leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Absolute Security

• Ps. 91:2 I will say of the LORD, [He is] myrefuge and my fortress: my God; in him will Itrust. 91:3 Surely he shall deliver theefrom the snare of the fowler, [and] from thenoisome pestilence. 91:4 He shall coverthee with his feathers, and under his wingsshalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shieldand buckler. 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraidfor the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow[that] flieth by day;

Absolute Security

• Ps. 91:6 [Nor] for the pestilence [that]walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction[that] wasteth at noonday. 91:7 Athousand shall fall at thy side, and tenthousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall notcome nigh thee. 91:8 Only with thine eyesshalt thou behold and see the reward of thewicked. 91:9 Because thou hast made theLORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the mostHigh, thy habitation;

Absolute Security

• Ps. 91:10 There shall no evil befallthee, neither shall any plague comenigh thy dwelling. 91:11 For heshall give his angels charge overthee, to keep thee in all thy ways.91:12 They shall bear thee up in[their] hands, lest thou dash thyfoot against a stone.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• Job 1:8And the LORD said untoSatan, Hast thou considered myservant Job, that [there is] none likehim in the earth, a perfect and anupright man, one that feareth God,and escheweth evil? 1:9 Then Satananswered the LORD, and said, DothJob fear God for nought?

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedgeabout him, and about his house, and aboutall that he hath on every side? thou hastblessed the work of his hands, and hissubstance is increased in the land. 1:11 Butput forth thine hand now, and touch all thathe hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• Job 1:12 And the LORD said untoSatan, Behold, all that he hath [is] inthy power; only upon himself putnot forth thine hand. So Satan wentforth from the presence of theLORD.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle,and shaved his head, and fell down upon theground, and worshipped, 1:21 And said,Naked came I out of my mother's womb, andnaked shall I return thither: the LORD gave,and the LORD hath taken away; blessed bethe name of the LORD. 1:22 In all this Jobsinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• Unexplainable things happen to those whoare anchored. Things will become plain inglory.

• The question, “Why Me” is often asked.

• The answer, “Why not Me” returns to us.

• Though anchored we will have to part wayswith Property, Family, Comfort, Health andLife it self

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• No Problem!!!

• This world is not my home, I’m just passingthrough.

– My treasure is not here, it is in glory.

– My hope is not here, it is to come.

– My life is not here, it is hid with God in Christ.

– I have to loose it all, so that I can gain everything.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

• I therefore will welcome thetesting trials – They are myfriends, my helpers, my aidsfor without them I will not beprepared for my inheritance.

Peter Encourages,

• 1Pet. 1:7 That the trial of yourfaith, being much more preciousthan of gold that perisheth,though it be tried with fire,might be found unto praise andhonour and glory at theappearing of Jesus Christ:

Again He Says,

• 1Pet. 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hathsuffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselveslikewise with the same mind: for he that hathsuffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 4:2

That he no longer should live the rest of[his] time in the flesh to the lusts of men, butto the will of God.

Total Cleansing When Anchored

• Truth must reach down to the deepestrecesses of the soul, and cleanse awayeverything unlike the spirit of Christ, and thevacuum be supplied by the attributes of Hischaracter who was pure and holy andundefiled, that all the springs of the heartmay be as flowers, fragrant with perfume, asweet smelling savor, a savor of life unto life.{FLB 18.5}

A Storm is Approaching

• Its now time for inspection. Your boat may beleaky, your boat may be creaky, your boatmay be battered, your boat may be worn, but

– Test your chain

– Test your anchor

– Test your Rock

• If God manifested in the flesh is not yourchain, anchor and Rock, then your ship willbe lost.

• Paul was sure of His anchor.

His Anchor Held fast to the End

• 2Tim 4:6For I am now ready to be offered,and the time of my departure is at hand. 4:7

I have fought a good fight, I have finished[my] course, I have kept the faith: 4:8

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crownof righteousness, which the Lord, therighteous judge, shall give me at that day:and not to me only, but unto all them alsothat love his appearing.

Stephen’s Anchor Held Fast

• Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the HolyGhost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, andsaw the glory of God, and Jesus standing onthe right hand of God, 7:56 And said,Behold, I see the heavens opened, and theSon of man standing on the right hand ofGod.

Hebrew Worthies Anchor Held Fast

• Dan. 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, andAbednego, answered and said to the king, ONebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful toanswer thee in this matter. 3:17 If it be[so], our God whom we serve is able todeliver us from the burning fiery furnace, andhe will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, Oking, that we will not serve thy gods, norworship the golden image which thou hastset up.

What About Our Anchor

• Like every body we would like to live a longlife, longevity has it place.

• But that doesn’t matter now. We are afraid ofno man.

• We are not afraid of the power of the church.

• We are not afraid of the power of the state.

• We are not afraid of the power of Satan.

• We are not afraid of all the demons of hell.

What About Our Anchor

• For in Christ we have been to the mountaintop, and we have seen the promise land.

• So nothing in earth or heaven will distract usfrom our anchor. We will continue to lookand live.

• We will continue to press on in thebloodstained path of Prince Emmanuel.

What About Our Anchor

• Forgetting those things that are behind, wepress forward to the mark of the high callingof God in Jesus Christ our Lord.

• Therefore, there is nothing that can cause meto fear, for my eyes have seen the glory ofcoming of the Lord.

• Our Anchor Holds though the ship bebattered

The natives on Malta helped to save those from the shipwreck but then objected to

Paul. Once they had heard Paul’s message of Jesus resurrected they brought their ill

and infirmed to Paul who heeled them all.They people on Malta gave the men all

they needed to get to the mainland.

Paul would remain in Rome for two years.

The last verses ofActs

Acts 28: 28-31

“Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the

Gentiles; they will also listen.’ When he had spoken these words, the Jews

departed, having a great dispute among themselves. And he stayed two full

years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him,

preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ

with all openness, unhindered.”

Paul was granted house arrest-allowing him to move

freely around Rome preaching.