Company Profile
 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 , 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.
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