WHEN TROUBLE STRIKES

Proclamation:

"Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.  The islanders showed us unusual kindness.  They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.  Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.  When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, 'This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.'  But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.  The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god."  Acts 28:1-6 (NIV)

Explanation:
Application:

Under the guidance of The Holy Spirit of God, Luke, the physician and frequent travel companion of the Apostle Paul, recorded this event which occurred after the ship wrecked during a severe storm on their way to Rome.  Paul was a prisoner on the ship.  He was being transported to Rome to be heard by Cesar because he had appealed the results of an earlier trial.  When the poisonous snake bit Paul, he did not panic.  He shook it off, and kept on doing what he was doing.

When trouble strikes, don't panic, shake it off, and keep on working for The Lord.  Don't panic, when we panic, we tend to get emotional, which clouds our judgment, and we tend to make bad decisions, which make our situation worse.  Shake it off, grabbing the head of a snake or trying to pull it off will do more damage to us.  Most of our troublesome situations will not be solved by force or the use of our strength.  We need to treat most of our problems like water on a duck's back.  Trouble, like most storms, won't last very long. (Psalms 30:5)  Keep on working for The Lord.  All of us are part of God's plan, and He has something for us to do.  The Church is the body of Christ, and all believers have a function to perform. (1 Corinthians 12:12 and 12:27)  So, keep on working, or get busy and start working for The Lord.  If we are doing His will, all things will work out for our good. (Romans 8:28)