June 2009: A Finish Line

Quite a number of important tasks have been completed in June 2009: the kids' 3rd and 5th grade school years; my two year journey in earning a master's degree; and my study of Acts. Today, as I complete the book of Acts, the ending reminds me of the beginning.

I started reading Acts because I felt the Lord urging me to study it with the idea of finding His Truth for engaging people in our culture as it currently is functioning (i.e., rather than lamenting how our culture appears to be crashing). In my journal, on November 3, 2008, I wrote a summary of ideas that I believe the Lord brought to the forefront of my mind prior to reading Acts. Here is the summary:

• Seek God First.
• Depend on God for Provision.
• Only those in Relationship with God will Hear & Understand Truth - Do not Expect More.
• Truth comes from Divine Revelation, not Human Minds.
• Christians are Responsible for Social Services.
• Transformation comes through the Power of Changed Hearts.
• Know God Better than any other in order to Discern His Plan.
• Special Interests Blind Men.
• Judges are Important in Terms of Providing Order.
• Christians are Foreigners.
• Christians are Ambassadors of Christ.
• Keep the Law as to Not Offend.
• Give the Government What is Theirs.
• Give God What is His: Life!
• God Allows His Children to Choose Bad Leaders.
• Respect Leaders.
• Always Obey God.
• Influence Peacefully & with Humility.
• Christians Must Unite.
• Christians Must Share.
• What God is Accomplishing CAN NOT be Stopped.

Today, on June 17, 2009, as I complete Acts, I note the following:

Whether free or in prison;
Whether on land or in a storm at sea;
Whether accepted or rejected;
Paul focused on His relationship with Christ, and
Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as Savior of All People.

While Paul frequently offended the "religious" of his day, he
earned the respect of unbelievers and new believers.
As a result, Paul's relationship with Christ,
and Paul's Godly wisdom received wide recognition.
God was glorified, God's power was recognized, and
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was amplified -
Just as God had promised.

Paul stood true and firm to the Truth of One God &
Jesus Christ as Messiah, but
he followed the rules of the government
while not offending
those who did not know the Truth.
The result: Paul was given many freedoms
to share Christ.

Paul shared Christ through continual care for others.
Paul positively impacted the lives of needy people.
As a result, Paul was respected and cared for by believers
and non-believers alike.

While Paul is known for
his ambitious missionary journeys,
his influential speeches,
his strong personality, and
his powerful witness for Christ,
the difference he made resulted from:
his love for people,
made possible by a Godly transformation,
and his ability to work with the opposition,
made possible by the almighty power of God.

Paul offers us a great example of a Godly witness in 2009.