Stay in the Boat!

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Salvation is in the boat.

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Acts 27:30-31

And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, … they would have cast anchors out of the ship,

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

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Bible accounts of boats

1. When Paul was being transported to Rome on a ship, a sudden violent storm arose.

There were 276 people in the boat.

The first reaction of the sailors was to stabilize the boat and put down anchors, but it did not help.

The first reaction of the soldiers on board was to kill the prisoners, to prevent escape, as if the prisoners could escape into the violent waters and live.

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There was no way to save the boat, yet Paul told them that unless they stayed in the boat, they could not be saved.

The boat could not save them, because eventually it would be broken up, but God would keep them safe until they got close enough to shore.

Then, when it was time to leave the boat, the boat was broken up, and the men were able to swim or float on boards to shore.

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2. Noah and his family were told to build an ark and get into the boat at the proper time. He also could not leave the boat until God showed him it was the right time.

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2. When the apostles were on the Sea of Galilee, a storm arose with Jesus sleeping in the boat. They thought they were going to die until Jesus calmed the storm.

Even though they initially thought they were going to die in the boat, the only safe place was in the boat with Jesus, who could change the storm.

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When to leave the boat

None of the people in the above stories left their boat until they could see the shore ahead of them.

Timing is everything.

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Bible stories and our own personal storms

There are so many cases of people leaving situations when things got difficult.

Although it seemed they escaped that situation, the storm followed them wherever they went.

So they did not really escape, but relocated the storm.

They “jumped ship” at the wrong time, and got hurt anyhow.

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Storms come so we can learn to overcome them, and be victorious.

How can we face and endure perilous times ahead, if we cannot even handle the storms of life common to all people?

Divorce,

child custody battles,

rebellious children,

missing children,

job problems or job loss,

sickness,

danger in neighborhoods,

poverty,

death or loss of loved ones,

war,

personal enemies

etc.

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This is where we have to trust God to get us through the situation. He will help us gain victory if we give it to Him.

In every storm, God will give us some kind of boat to climb into.

It may be a person, a group, a supporting situation, a church, but there is always some security somewhere that opens up, even if it appears small to us.

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We are to grab hold of that “boat” and stay there, and trust God.

He is our real boat.

The physical support (boat) is only secondary.

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Perilous times

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People talk now about escaping to somewhere unknown because perilous times are coming.

This is especially true of those that live in cities. They want to escape to the rural areas.

If they leave where they are at, how do they know where they are going?

Or if the new location is any safer than where they are?

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We have to understand the devil and his minions are everywhere, so any location could be unsafe, even if it appears safer than the current situation.

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It is best to hold your place, until you have directions to leave, and God shows you

1. When it is finally necessary to leave

2. Where you are going

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Shelter where you are at

The Lord knows that not everyone can just leave where they are.

In fact, most people will not be able to relocate, because they are just not able to do this.

Issues of age, disability, finances, etc.  prevent relocation.

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God will build you a boat where you are at, even if it is the most dangerous place on earth.

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Troops will be coming down the street, and killing everyone, but they will skip your house, because God has his angels around it.

Psalm 91:7

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee.

A tornado will wipe out a neighborhood, yet your house will remain safe.

A famine will hit your area, yet God helps you find food.

A plague, a highly contagious disease, will spread, but you will remain healthy.

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Have Faith in Him who Reigns over all things

The Lord reigns.

He who submits to Him will abide under His wings.

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Read Psalm 91:

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High 
  

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

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² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, 
 

my God, in whom I trust.”

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³ Surely he will save you 
  

from the fowler’s snare 
  

and from the deadly pestilence.

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⁴ He will cover you with his feathers, 
 

and under his wings you will find refuge; 
  

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

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⁵ You will not fear the terror of night, 
  

nor the arrow that flies by day,

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⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, 
 

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

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⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, 
 

ten thousand at your right hand, 

   but it will not come near you.

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⁸ You will only observe with your eyes 
  

and see the punishment of the wicked.

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⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” 
 

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

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¹⁰ no harm will overtake you, 
 

no disaster will come near your tent.

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¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you 
  

to guard you in all your ways;

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¹² they will lift you up in their hands, 
  

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

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¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra; 
  

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

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¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; 
 

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

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¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him; 
  

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

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¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
  

and show him my salvation.”