Paul the Influencer

Paul the Influencer. 

This is a wrap~ 

Paul was one of the most influential teachers of mankind, multitudes in every century adopting from him their way of conceiving all the greatest objects of human concern.¹  No single event, apart from the Christ-event itself, has proved so determinant for the course of Christian history as the conversion and commissioning of Paul.² 

While we have traveled with Paul, peeking over his shoulder as he talked, taught, prayed, suffered and healed, what grabbed you?  Your answers:

‘Paul's undying FAITH. He was steadfast in his calling.’  Indeed,  Paul exhibited the faith to call forth miracles, and tough as things became, he never abdicated from that which God called him to do.

‘I love that Paul was obedient and feared the Lord. His passion for bringing the gospel to "us" showed his commitment to serving with all of his heart, mind and soul’…’I love, admire & respect how he 100% devoted his life to Christ. He wasn't "iffy" about it but stuck to his passion & covered those around him in that  desire. He truly cared about changing lives, right up to the moment he died.’ 

‘Paul pressed on toward the upward goal. He was on mission and was not easily swayed. Oh how I wish I did this better in my day to day life. Paul didn't allow the enemy's schemes to distract him. He kept His eyes on Father...each day, no matter what curve ball came his way in life.’ 

He was relational – we see this in his ardent desire for Timothy and Titus to come and be with him, in his mentioning of Luke there with him to the end, and also his hurt in being abandoned by several he loved.

Paul was courageous and adventurous.  He struck out, doing what had not been done before—he was the first missionary, traveling thousands of miles to tell folks about Jesus and then establish churches.  Even though he had been stoned and left for dead, beaten with rods three times, whipped with 39 lashes five times, attacked by an angry mob and received multiple death threats, he persevered.  “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”³

He kept his eye on Heaven, knowing we as Christians are citizens of that land,⁴ awaiting the reward of his Savior, not the approval of men.

Paul was a learner – when he was a child and when he was an old man, he clearly used his God-given intellect to study, learn and seek to understand the scriptures, and he never stopped learning!  Right up until the end of his life, he kept himself in the Word of God.

Something else I wish to model from Paul is his ability to hear from God, which means that he was a man of prayer and gave God room to speak into his life.  Then when he heard, he obeyed—whether it was to go or to stay, or even to change the city to which he was heading.

Paul lived life with passion!  Once Jesus got his attention on the road to Damascus,⁵ he endeavored to follow Jesus no matter what, no matter what it cost him, no matter what others said or did. 

A prayer for us~ “O Lord, this man of yours was such a sold-out individual!  Please God, give us the vision of Paul for Heaven,

  Some of his dogged determination to press on when times are tough

    A heart for those who are far from you

       The desire to know and study your Word,

           Including how to defend that which we believe!

           Build into us Paul’s passion for telling others of your great love

               And a desire to hear your voice and obey it,

                     To learn our spiritual gifts and use them to build others up,

                         And to use our words to encourage.

                            Let us live and walk in a manner worthy of you⁶.  Amen.”

Christine

^{1 – James Stalker}

^{2 – F.F}. Bruce

^{3 – 2 Timothy 3.12}

^{4 -} Philippians 3.20  - look this up!

^{5 – Acts 9}

^{6 –} Colossians 1.10 – pray this for yourself