Love

Acts 27
Paul, being a prisoner, sought to save the lives of those with him - including those who held him captive.  

They did not heed his warning:  "And [Paul] said unto them, 'Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, also of our lives.'  Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul."  Acts 27: 10-11

Yet - Paul still cared for the ones who did not heed his warning, even his captors. And he still sought to minister to them and bring them peace:  "But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, 'Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, 'Fear not, Paul:  thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.  Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.'" Acts 27: 21-26

Those on the ship did not heed Paul's warning originally and instead, chose to sail even though warned by him not to do so.  

Did Paul say, "You get what you deserve to them" ?

 No, he extended love and peace to them instead. 

A few verses later, those on the ship are in danger of being plundered to death against rocks.  Does Paul want to see those who did not heed his original warning die?  No - instead he seeks to keep them safe from the sure death that would result outside of the ship:  "And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurions and to the soldiers: 

 "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."  Acts 27: 30-31

Glory to God, they listened and remained in the ship where they were kept safe and kept alive. 

Oh, how the Lord is showing me the power of His Love IN us.  We, because of His love within us (believers), will warn others of the dangers of abandoning the only Ship that can save us.  

His Love within us will not be driven by pride or condescension, but instead will be driven by a great Love from the Creator Himself to point others to safety.  

• It is the kind of  Love that wants to encourage others to choose life when the devil breathes thoughts of suicide in a person's heart. 

• It is the kind of Love that prays silently for others not to be ensnared by the devil's lies when he whispers to them that sin is permissible. 

•  It is the kind of Love that weeps for the division on the "boat".  

• It is the kind of Love that will endure the rejection of man if it means one will be saved.

• It is the kind of Love that will not relent in this battle against the liar, the thief, the murderer - Satan.  

• It is the kind of Love that comes only from, in, & through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great I Am.    

Charity (Love)
1 Corinthians 13:
⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
⁸ Charity never faileth:

May we keep our eyes on Him and continue to minister even when rejected. 

 Love endures all things.