Safety

On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley brought fierce destruction to areas of Florida. During the storm, 25-year-old Danny Williams went outside to seek protection under the branches of a 55-year old banyan tree. Friends and family said that the protective branches of the spreading tree had been a favorite peaceful place for the Fort Meyers man. But on that day, his place of safety became a death trap. The tree fell on Williams and killed him.

Sometimes, the places and situations we look to for protection can ultimately be the most harmful.

Ira Sankey, who for years led the music for D.L. Moody’s evangelistic meetings, was traveling by steamboat on Christmas Eve in 1875. He was recognized by some of the passengers, and they asked him to sing. Sankey agreed, and began singing “Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us.” When the song was done, one of the listeners stepped forward and asked, “Did you serve in the Union Army?”

“Yes,” Mr. Sankey answered.

“Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?”

“Yes,” Mr. Sankey said again.

The tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, rises more than 2,700 feet—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator that travels at 40 miles per hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

On January 12, 2010, a powerful earthquake devastated Haiti and left the country in shambles. Few people were fortunate enough to leave, but the Desarmes family was able to evacuate two weeks after the mass chaos began. They had family in South America so Pierre Desarmes, age 34, used his contacts in Port-au-Prince to secure passage for his parents, two brothers and their families, and three cousins—nine in all—to fly south. They arrived in Santiago, Chile on January 23rd and encountered one of the worst earthquakes in history just a month later on February 27th.

“Some people are very decisive when it comes to avoiding decisions.”—Brendan Francis

Penny Brown and Kevin Stephan both owe their lives to the other. Kevin was an 11-year-old batboy in July of 1999 when a player accidentally dealt him a severe blow to the chest with a bat while warming up. Kevin passed out, and his heart stopped beating.

Penny (a nurse) was at the game to watch her son play when she saw this transpire. She rushed down to Kevin and performed CPR which brought him back. Kevin’s mother said he was very fortunate because Penny was scheduled to work that day and had been given the day off at the last minute.

On June 28, 2008, Asia LeeShawn Ferguson went over two fences and entered a restricted area in Six Flags Over Georgia. The seventeen-year-old was hit and killed by the Batman roller coaster. It is not known why Ferguson climbed the fences; and his father said, “Nobody knows but my son and the Lord.”

Many people try to climb the fences their authority has placed around them, and they enter forbidden territory. It should not be a surprise to them when they get hurt.

Source: Chicago Tribune, June 30, 2008

Ira Sankey was traveling on a steamer down the Delaware river when he was asked to sing. He led the group in singing “Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us.” When he finished, a man stepped from the shadows and asked, “Did you ever serve in the Union Army?” “Yes,” Sankey replied, “in the spring of 1860.”

“Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?”

“Yes,” Sankey replied.

The mighty Niagara River drops 180 feet at the American and Horseshoe Falls. Above the falls there are violent rapids. Before reaching the rapids, where boats are still able to navigate, there is a bridge for pedestrians. There is a sign mounted to this bridge that says: “Do you have an anchor? Do you know how to use it?”

A Christian must have and use faith to avoid spiritual shipwreck.

Source: Today’s Best Illustrations, Vol. 2, Elesha Hodge

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Virginian Colonel Byrd was condemned to death by the Cherokee Indians. In that tribe there was a chief who had been a friend to him. That chief said, “This man is my friend; before you can get at him, you must kill me.” The Cherokees let him go free. 

The believer is held safely in Christ's hand. Before the believer could lose his salvation, Christ would have to be overcome; and that is impossible.

Source: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, Paul Lee Tan

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard, from Australia who preached very strongly on the subject of sin. After the service, one of the church officers came to counsel with him in the study. “Dr. Howard,” he said, “we don’t want you to talk as openly as you do about man’s guilt and corruption, because if our boys and girls hear you discussing that subject they will more easily become sinners. Call it a mistake if you will, but do not speak so plainly about sin.” The minister took down a small bottle and showing it to the visitor said, “You see that label?

A Japanese soldier by the name of Shoichi Yokoi lived in a cave on the island of Guam to which he fled in 1944 when the tides of war began to change. Fearing for his life, this man stayed hidden for twenty-eight years in the jungle cave, coming out only at night. During this long period of time, this self-imposed hermit lived on frogs, rats, snails, shrimp, nuts, and mangoes. He had carried a pair of trousers and a jacket from a burlap-like cloth made from tree bark.

A traveler upon a lonely road was set upon by bandits who robbed him of everything he had. They then led him into the depths of the forest. There, in the darkness, they tied a rope to the limb of a great tree, and bade him catch hold to the end of it. Swinging him out into the blackness of surrounding space, they told him he was hanging over the brink of a giddy precipice. The moment he let go he would be dashed to pieces on the rocks below. And then they left him. His soul was filled with horror at the awful doom impending.

In 1969, in Pass Christian, Mississippi, a group of people were preparing to have a “hurricane party” in the face of a storm named Camille. The wind was howling outside the posh Richelieu Apartments when Police Chief Jerry Peralta pulled up sometime after dark. A man with a drink in his hand came out to the second-floor balcony and waved. Peralta yelled up, “You all need to clear out of here as quickly as you can. The storm's getting worse.” But as others joined the man on the balcony, they just laughed at Peralta's order to leave.