Well, we're back here again, Pilgrim, in the Book of Acts, chapter 27 today. And, you know, I read from the English Standard Version. I don't know what version you have in front of you there, but I hope it's open and you're reading along. Chapter 27, Paul's little trip to Rome. Not a very pleasant voyage. And he wasn't on a cruise ship either. And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some of the prisoners to a Centurion. He was from the Augustan cohort. His name was Julius. And embarking in a ship of Andromedium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea. We were accompanied by Aristarchus. Macedonian from Thessalonica. And the next day we put in at Sidon and Julius treated Paul kindly and he gave him, gave him leave to go to see a bunch of his friends to be cared for. And so putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. What they're doing here is sailing up, up along the coast of Asia. There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria. So we got off one ship and got on another, sailing for Italy and put us on board. And we sailed slowly for a number of days, light wind. and arrived with difficulty off Nidus. And as the wind didn't allow us to go farther, we sailed under the Lee of Crete, up Salmoni. Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lacey. So to sail around the island, sort of. And since much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous because even the fast was already over, the weather's starting to get bad for the winter. Paul advised them saying, sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury, much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives. But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot. and to the owner of the ship. Yeah, the owner of the ship, he had a big cargo in there and he wanted to get that thing to where it was headed and get it off and get his money. Anyway, because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter and the majority decided to put out to sea from there on the chance that someone, somehow this ship could reach Phoenix, the harbor of Crete. going around Crete, facing both Southwest and Northwest. It's been the winter there, safe harbor. But now when the South wind blew gently, what a wind, it keeps changing. South wind blew gently, supposing that they had kind of like the Holy Spirit. You don't know where he's coming from, where he's going. Now, when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore, to keep them safe. But soon the tempestuous wind called a nor'easter, yep, came down from the northeast, struck down from the land, and when the ship was caught, could not face the wind, now they couldn't go the direction they wanted to go, too much wind, so running under the lee of a small island called Cotta, We managed with difficulty to secure the ship's boat. After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship, put ropes around it, and fearing that they would run aground on the Sirtis. Okay. They're headed for Rome, right? Should have been going west. Well, we're going south near, clear down close to, close to Africa, North Africa, Libya. And fearing that they would run aground on the surdice, a bunch of sand they never knew how deep it was, they lowered the gear and thus they were driven along. Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo, throw the stuff overboard. And on the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. Whoa, that didn't leave much left, did it? parts of the ship. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned, and the sailors were given up. Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them, and he said, Men, you should have listened to me. I told you so. Man, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Well, when you say I told you so, you should have, you should come up with a, with something positive. Well, Paul did. Man, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart. For there will be no loss of life, no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night, there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong. The angel of God to whom I belong. I like that. To whom I worship. I belong to him, and I worship him. And he said, don't be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. So you're gonna get there. And behold, God has granted you and all those who sail with you. So take heart. Take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it'll be exactly as I've been told. But we must run aground under some island. God's plan. It'll go away to the, go, it'll happen the way God plans it. It's all in his hands. Your life is, my life is. When the 14th night had come, two weeks in this storm, as we were being driven across the Adriatic, about midnight, the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. Well, they'd gone south to Africa, North Africa. Then they went up northerly. Now they're up in the Adriatic. Part of the Adriatic now that has another name. If you look at the map, you can find all this. The Ionian is the name today. So they took a sounding and found 20 fathoms. They're headed west. A little farther on, they took a sounding again and found 15 fathoms. And they feared that we might run on the rocks. So they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. Oh Lord, get us through the night. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, they lowered the ship's boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow. They were getting tricky. They were going to escape and leave everybody else. But Paul says to the centurion and the soldiers, unless these men stay in the ship, you can't be saved. No one's quitting. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and they let it go. Their lives were in God's hands. As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food saying, today is the 14th day that you've continued in suspense without food, haven't taken nothing. Therefore, I urge you to take some food for it'll give you strength. We're not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you. And when he'd said these things, he took bread and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and they began to eat. communion. Anyway, they finally ate. They're going to need their strength for a swim in a storm. Then they all were encouraged to eat some food themselves. We were in all 276 persons in the ship. Well, there was a cohort, so there were a hundred soldiers, so I suppose it could be a lot of folks. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. No more cargo, no more money for the owner, no ship. Now when it was day, They didn't recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach on which they planned, if possible, to run the ship ashore. Let's run it aground on the beach, let's not have to swim. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. And hoisting the foresail and fo'c'sle to the wind, they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground, The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. What a sight. The soldier's plan was to kill the prisoners, lest they should swim away and escape. You know, they didn't, in those days, if you let a prisoner escape, you paid for it with your own life. They were taking care of that, but they were talked out of it. But the centurion wishing to save Paul kept them from carrying out their plan. A centurion, he had faith in Paul who had faith in God. He urged those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land and rest on planks hanging on to chunks of wood or whatever would float or pieces of the ship. So it was that all were brought safely to the land. God said he'd bring him through and God did bring him through and he'll bring you and me through to the celestial city. I'm going to follow Christian on his walk, on his journey up that trail. We'll probably stray once in a while, but God will get us back on the path. We'll make, well, Paul on Malta, that's next. Seems that's where they went ashore on their cruise. What a cruise. What a cruise. Lots of excitement. Well, God bless Pilgrim. Have a blessed day with our Lord.