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.

To write, or not to write

I finished my master's program, work is wrapped up for the academic year, the boys are home for the summer, and I am not writing much these days.... I am learning a new way of living - one with much less pressure and much more focus on the boys. I am also needing to establish my summer routine of daily quiet time. I had a great system going when there was some place to be every morning by 9:00. Slowly, but surely I am adjusting to a simpler, more peaceful daily existence.... Ahhh.

When I was too busy to think straight, the Lord gave me words to write like a faucet running at full tilt. Now... not so much. It is June 15th, though so I have my second memory verse of the month to share; the 12th memory verse of the year; the mid-point in my goal for 2009. It is an appropriate verse, I believe:

"Just say what God tells you to. Then it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit" Mark 13:11b (NLT).

This is it, my friends. This is where I am right now. Relaxing, enjoying, absorbing, reading, listening, thinking, but not writing/speaking much, and this is just fine with me. Keep checking in, if you choose because one never knows when the faucet will begin running again. You never have to make yourself known in this venue, but I always enjoy hearing from you!

Questions

The diversity of thought in this world is overwhelming! I relate with Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 12:12:

"But, my child, be warned: There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting" (NLT).

I believe many people are exhausted with the opinions expressed in our culture. As a human, I feel limited. How can I possible impact something like world peace, for example? What about hunger, poverty, homelessness, health care, education, Spirituality, and the list goes on.... When I see pictures of third world living conditions, when I hear of human right abuses, when I see the hurt in my own community, I am simply overwhelmed. Even to consider helping the child in my son's class goes far beyond a meal, clean clothes, and care expressed between the hours of 9:00am and 3:30pm. He needs parents who know how to love, who know how to unselfishly live, who are interested in climbing out of the pit they are caught in.... We all need a personal, transforming, passionate relationship with Jesus Christ!

Yet, even amongst our "brothers and sisters" in Christ, there is a lack of unity. If the people of God can not get along, then how can anyone get along in this world?

Just Checking In....

I feel like today deserves a blog entry. Today is the day I officially completed my master's degree. It is a momentous day, but my energy and creativity are simply gone. So, I think I will do something completely brainless and watch TV with a boy or two.

Matthew West: The Motions

My new favorite song:



Love it!

Apollos' Telling Reaction to Truth

Acts 18:24-28

²⁴ Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. ²⁵ He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. ²⁶ When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.

²⁷ Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him. When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. ²⁸ He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.

Apollos catches my attention for several reasons. First, he was a scholar, an orator, and a debater. When he began preaching, he lacked "the rest of the story" in that he did not know of Christ as the Messiah. Priscilla & Aquila approached Apollos to "fill him in," and his response is quite telling. I love what Apollos DID NOT do:

• Apollos DID NOT reject the new message or the messengers;
  
• he DID NOT express anger or jealousy over another person's knowledge;
  
• he DID NOT feel criticized; and
  
• he DID NOT feel embarrassed.
  

Apollos listened and responded. This is an example of John 8: 31-22 (NLT):

³¹ Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. ³² And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Apollos recognized the Truth, accepted the Truth, and the Truth freed him to spread the "new and improved" message with even more passion! Often a person's reaction to instruction is a open door to recognizing whether or not they are teachable, open-minded, and honestly seeking Truth. If a person is not teachable, open-minded, and honestly seeking Truth, then beware of their ability to discern God's message in contemporary terms.

In I Corinthians, we read about Apollos' charismatic leadership. The human race really likes charismatic leaders! The danger with this type of leadership, however, is that followers interchange the message and the man; followers begin to worship the man. Apollos, or any other human, should not be lifted above God's message.

In all areas of thought, we must become lifelong learners and critical thinkers in order to be teachable, open-minded, and Truth seekers. Then, we will experience the freedom God promised through His Truth.

"There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed.
Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting."
Ecclesiastes 12:12 (NLT)

2009 Goal - June 1-15

Okay, I know I said Apollos was next, but it's June 1st. May I present you with my next memory verses:

"Give me an eagerness for your decrees; do not inflict me with love for money! Turn me eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word." Psalm 119:36-37 (NLT).

and

"Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is the duty of every person." Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NLT).

So, I couldn't choose one.... I am LOVING all of Psalm 119 - it is speaking my language at the moment. The Lord is using His Word in my life in a way I can not even explain or understand. All I know is that it is beyond me! Pastor Lightcap quoted another of my blogs in yesterday's sermon. As I listened, I thought, "Those are not my words; I did not write those words...." And, I wonder, God, what are you doing?

A friend of mine, who I once taught in Caravans (!), is writing a new blog entitled A Wanderer's Repose. Lightcap quoted Heather, too. Somehow, I had already happened upon Heather's blog and I was blown away by her writing. She and I had a compliment fest as I shared with her how much I enjoyed her blog, and she shared with me that my blog inspired her to write in this forum again. And, I wonder, God, what are you doing?

My mom is asking me to teach a class, or sorts, for her friends in Medford, Oregon this summer regarding Christ, critical thinking, and our culture. And, I wonder, God, what are you doing?

I had already prepared for June 1st by choosing Psalm 119:36-37. Then, I went to church on May 31st. The second half of Ecclesiastes 12 jumped out of the sermon and sat in lap; I could not ignore it. I am certain I will refer to these verses in upcoming posts as God continues to reveal what He is up to in and around my life.

Until then, will you read Psalm 119 and Ecclesiastes 12? Come on - join Him in this journey.