Age of
Grace® is a subsidiary of Fair Havens Publications,
a limited liability company in Texas. The name comes from
Acts 27:8. Fair Havens is a port city on the southern coast
of the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea. When the
Apostle Paul was under arrest and being transported to Rome
to stand trial before Caesar, the merchant ship on which he
was sailing came to Fair Havens. Winter was approaching and
the season for sailing was nearly over. Paul advised them
to remain in Fair Havens, but the captain, the pilot, and
the ship's owner decided to sail further down the coast to
a better harbor for riding out winter storms. Shortly after
they set sail, a hurricane force wind blew them out to sea.
After several days of struggle and terror, the crew lost hope
of ever being rescued. Then Paul told them that an angel from
God had appeared to him and revealed that the ship would wreck,
but the lives of the crew and passengers would be spared.
There is a spiritual lesson
to be learned from Paul's experience. The angel also revealed
to Paul that his life would be preserved until he fulfilled
his purpose in God's plan. Men often ignore the counsel of
godly men like Paul, and they end up being blown about by
the storms of life. On the other hand, faithful servants of
God like Paul end up in storms through no fault of their own.
Yet, there is hope in God's grace. Paul's word to men in the
midst of a storm was, "…Keep up your courage, men,
for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told
me." (Acts 27:25 NIV) God has revealed much in His Word
about His plans for the future. He did not reveal them to
satisfy our curiosity, but to give us hope when for all outward
appearances we feel certain that we are doomed to destruction.
No matter what happens, God is still in control. He has a
plan for those who have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. He
will guide and preserve them through even the stormiest circumstances
until that plan is accomplished. In the meantime, we can spare
ourselves needless pain and loss by heeding godly counsel
and being obedient to the Word of God, the Bible.
In the book of Acts, Fair Havens
was a sanctuary, a place where a man of God gave wise counsel.
The purpose of Fair Havens Publications is to point people
to a place of safety in stormy times where they can receive
wise counsel. That place is the Word of God and faith in Christ.
Fair Havens Publications is dedicated to producing quality
books, booklets, teaching literature, videos, audiotapes,
and electronic documents that inform and inspire people to
faith and courage. Its primary focus at this time is in the
areas of Bible prophecy, Christian apologetics and evangelism.
It is a for-profit company, organized by Christians, dedicated
to biblical moral and ethical standards, and committed to
serving and honoring Jesus Christ in all of its operations.
Fair Havens does not solicit or accept donations. Its continued
operation depends on its ability to market useful materials.
The founder and President of
Fair Havens Publications is J. Ray Smith. He is a graduate
of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama (Bachelor of
Arts), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (Master of
Theology), and Dallas Theological Seminary (Sacred Theology
Master). For over 20 years, he served as pastor of churches
in Alabama and Texas. In addition, he was an instructor and
Chairman of the Pastoral Studies Department at Dallas Bible
College. Before starting Fair Havens, he helped to establish
and operate a Christian bookstore in the Dallas area.
