What lessons can we learn about decision-making from Acts 27:13? Setting the Scene – A Gentle Breeze That Seemed Right Acts 27:13: “When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained their objective; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.” Immediate Circumstances Can Be Misleading • A soft wind looked like confirmation, yet a hurricane (v. 14) was hours away. • Proverbs 14:12 reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” • External ease is not an automatic green light; storms often hide behind fair conditions. Consult God’s Word, Not Just the Weather • Paul had already warned them (v. 10), speaking under divine inspiration. • When circumstances appear favorable but contradict God-given counsel, choose the counsel. • Psalm 119:105—“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Discernment Over Impulse Ask before acting: 1. Does this align with clear Scriptural principles? 2. Have I sought godly counsel? (Proverbs 11:14) 3. Am I rushing because conditions feel ideal? (Isaiah 28:16—“He who believes will not act hastily.”) When Counsel Conflicts With Conditions • The sailors trusted their senses; Paul trusted God. • James 1:5 calls us to seek wisdom from above, not merely read the wind. • Galatians 5:16—walk by the Spirit, and flesh-level indicators lose their sway. The Ripple Effect of Choices • One hasty decision endangered 276 lives (v. 37). • Our choices rarely affect only us; family, church, and community may ride the ship we steer. • Romans 14:7—“For none of us lives to himself alone.” Key Takeaways for Today • Favorable signs are invitations to prayer, not shortcuts around it. • Weigh every breeze against the anchor of Scripture. • Wise decisions combine observed reality with revealed truth. • Patience preserves; impulse imperils. |
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