Breitling is the world’s first wristwatch with a built-in dual frequency Personal Locator Beacon, the Emergency serves both to issue alerts and to guide search and rescue missions.  Representing an unprecedented technological feat, this electronic multifunctional titanium chronograph asserts itself as a safety and survival instrument for professional and adventurers.  (According to their website http://www.breitling.com)

I watched the video on their website and was immensely impressed.  What looked like an air force pilot started to crash, he suddenly ejects his seat from the plane.  Then it shows a man rock climbing and slips the video also turns into a life raft in the middle of the ocean.  Flashes of a man pulling a string out of his watch go across the screen, and here comes the coast guard.  That is defiantly a watch for an adventurous person.

I see it now my ship had sunk; I am on a blow-up raft with sharks circling my float.  I pull the string in my watch to send out a distress signal.  A shark bites my arm off and the coast guard spends the day trying to follow a moving signal.  All kidding aside, I really think it is awesome, that help is just a beacon signal away when you wear this watch.

Being shipwrecked makes me think of Paul, the Apostle.  He was shipwrecked three times according to II Corinthians 11:25.  The awesome thing about Paul is he had such a relationship with God, sometimes he knew when the ship was going to sink before he got on the boat.  One of his shipwrecks is detailed in Acts chapter 27.

Paul was a prisoner, under the charge of a Centurion commander named Julius.  The ship set sail to Italy, with a plan to sail by the coasts of Asia.  Their first stop was Sidon; upon departure, they mapped a path toward Cyprus.  Unfortunately, the winds and the waves were against them and they had to take the long route along the coast while trying to reach the island.  Due to the weather, they were forced to change course again and sail southwest to the island of Crete expecting to find calmer waters.  Disappointingly, they found the exact opposite and ended up in a small village on the island named Fair Havens.  The book of Acts does not say exactly how much time they spent there while waiting on the weather in Fair Havens; we know it was a considerable amount.

It did not take too long before the crew was ready to leave the small town, it was not quite big enough to settle in for winter.

God revealed to Paul that if they set sail, the voyage would be disastrous.  There would be a storm; they would lose the cargo, the ship, and their lives.  Paul warned the crew and Julius about the revelation he had from God.  This caused a conflict, some agreed with Paul to stay, and others wanted to move on.  However, because of the disagreement, they were subject to a democracy, and the men took a vote.  The majority vote was to sail, regardless of the warning from God.  They agreed to try to sail to a Phenice a haven of Crete, which only takes a day in good weather.

Keep in mind Paul is a prisoner, imagine how he felt, not many people would not have wanted to get on that boat after God said their fate was to sink.

The weather broke and the crew was ready to set sail without hesitation.  They quickly pulled the anchor, raised the sails, and headed to Crete.  Their luck would be short-lived as the treacherous winds came in with no warning.  Acts describe them as being extremely tossed by violent winds.

They came under the shelter of the small island named Claudia, and managed to get a lifeboat ready and reef the sails.  However, rocky shoals prevented them from getting close.

The next day, the storms were still raging and the boat was badly damaged now by the storm, they dumped the cargo overboard.  The third day the sailors lightened the ship further by throwing off all the tackle and provisions.  That had not seen the sun or the stars in days.  Wind and waves were battering them unmercifully, and they lost all hope of rescue.

Paul spoke up and said, “You really should have listened to me.  We could have avoided all this trouble.  Nevertheless, there is no need to dwell on that now.  From now on, things are looking up!  I can assure you that there will not be a single drowning among us.  Although I cannot say, as much for the ship, it is doomed.

Last night an Angel of the God I serve stood at my side, saying to me, ‘Don’t give up, Paul.  You’re going to stand before Caesar, and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.’  So, dear friends, take heart.  I believe God will do exactly what he told me.  But we’re going to shipwreck on an island.”

On the fourteenth night, adrift somewhere on the Adriatic Sea, at about midnight the crew sensed that they were approaching land.  Afraid that they were about to run aground, they threw out four anchors and wished for daylight.

With dawn about to peak, Paul encouraged everyone to eat meat, He broke bread, gave thanks to God, passed it around, and they all ate heartily.  With the meal finished and everyone full, they lightened the ship further by dumping the rest of the food overboard.

At daybreak, they tried to steer the ship to the sandy beach instead the ship hit a reef and began to break apart not far from shore.  The crew and prisoners swam to shore safely, all 276 of them.

When you have a relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit becomes your personal emergency beacon.  This beacon put out a signal so strong, that people who use it have a 100% survival rate with the promise of everlasting life.  That sounds better than a watch that calls the coastguard.  My internal beacon has a direct link to God.

Paul had such a relationship with God he endured hardship joyfully.  I believe he talked to Satan like this,  “Bing it on Satan, show me what you got!  No matter what you do to me I am still promised eternal life with Christ, you cannot take that away!”

Think about that boat, if you knew it was going to sink, they would have had to drag you on kicking and screaming the whole way.  I hear it now, “Help! Help! These people are crazy! The boats going to sink! Please don’t make me go! God, God, hello, God, where are you?  I just talked to you last night stop these madmen!  I don’t want to go.”

When the storm did come would you have prayed for their lives or said, God, kill them all and just spare me!  Imagine the despair everyone could feel, this was supposed to be a one-day trip; they were stuck in tossing winds for 14 days!  Think about the ones that got seasick; there is not enough Dramamine in this world to keep me calm in a storm like that.

It almost seems like Paul was ready for the storm.  He probably prayed to save those men, just so he could brag about God, and the Angel.  Imagine how he stood with confidence when he said, “ I tried to tell you, if you would have listened to me you would not have lost all your paychecks when all the cargo went overboard.  I told you so!”  It is our human nature to love it when you are right and say I told you so.  I would have probably addressed the crew with a smile on my face and a little arrogance in my voice.

Even after all that, Satan was still hard at work trying to take Paul’s life.  The soldiers wanted to shoot the prisoners so none could escape by swimming, but the centurion, that was determined to save Paul, stopped them.  Paul was probably thinking these soldiers are idiots!  In case you do not know what an idiot is, it is a person with a lack of understanding.  Paul just showed the power of God through him, and they wanted to kill him so he did not try to escape.  Paul’s prayer is the only reason they were alive.

I know some people who would have prayed, “God send a shark to eat them on the way to shore, I am beginning to believe there is not hope for these idiots.”

Paul knew his ministry was not to wish any ill will, but to win as many souls as he could.  He was the sound of a beacon in the silence.  He wanted them to know that even after their disobedience God would forgive them and save their lives.

He was not scared of death.  Are you scared to die?  Is the Holy Spirit your beacon?  They never had to send a distress signal; God knew where they were the whole time.  He is the master of the wind.

If you are scared to die because you do not know what your eternity holds, it is time to reevaluate your life.  Unless your heart is right, there is a reason to fear.  Paul walked on that boat, knowing it was going to sink and never lost faith in God.  He knew he had a direct communication with the man that created and controlled the sea.  No matter what his fate, He knew God was in control.  He always chose God that is how he ended up a prisoner, to begin with.  I wonder how many men out of the 276 came off that boat and accepted Christ that day.  I am sure there were many lives changed after that shipwreck.  An emergency watch cannot save you from the choices you make in your life.  Although it may look good on your wrist, a link to Christ is the only beacon you will ever need.  That link is accomplished by asking him in your heart and confessing to him that you are a sinner.  If you feel like you have lost your link to Christ or you never had one pray with me now.

Dear Father,

I know I have done things in my life that is displeasing in your sight.  I am deeply sorry for my sins and need your forgiveness.  I want to change my life, and become the follower that you desire of me.  I completely surrender my whole life to you.  I know now that it is not me but Christ that lives within me, from this moment on.  My old life is gone, and my new life will be transformed to bring you glory.  Help me to grow in your word, and build a strong relationship.  I want to have a direct link to you, Lord.  I know now that you are the only one you can cam the stores that may arise, in my life.  You always know where I am at and you are only a prayer away.  Thank you for your filling my life with your presence. Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins; that I may have eternal life.

Amen