Take Action, Day 28 Everyone is talking. Read Acts chapter 28. As we end our time in the book of Acts, we read the final chapter and Paul’s arrival in Rome. The Jewish people there have not heard anything about Paul, and they don’t understand why he has been sent here, so he takes the time to explain. He wants them to know what he has been accused of and what his defense is. Interestingly, while the people have not heard of Paul, they have heard of Christianity. Everyone is talking about it, but they don’t understand it. And now they have someone here who’s able to specifically explain what…

Take Action, Day 27 Rescued by association. Read Acts chapter 27. Paul is a prisoner and is being transported to Rome, but this is not an easy journey. As his captor is negotiating the best way to get him to Rome, we see that they encounter significant difficulties. In this chapter, they are going through a storm that is going to ultimately crash and capsize the boat they are in. God tells Paul that he will be saved, and that everyone else on the boat will be saved as well, because of Paul. Do we recognize and understand that sometimes we, as believers in Christ, are the reason that blessings…

Take Action, Day 26 Are we so different that people think we are insane? Read Acts chapter 26. Paul shares his testimony. He basically walks through and explains what his life was like before Christ, his encounter with Christ, and what his life has been like since Christ. All of these elements are his experience. Through these, he is able to share with the leadership there what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, they don’t understand and tend to think that he is insane. When we are a follower of Jesus Christ, we will do things that other people will not understand and we will be…

Take Action, Day 25 So confused. Read Acts chapter 25. Poor Festus has taken over ruling this area from Felix. There was this prisoner, Paul, that was left and he just really doesn’t know what to do with him. Festus doesn’t release him and Paul appeals to Caesar. But, Festus doesn’t even really know what to write about him to send with Paul. People who don’t follow Christ can have a hard time understanding why Christians can be so passionate about certain issues. They don’t understand why they do certain things and don’t do other things. How can we better explain the Christian life to those around us who don’t…

Take Action, Day 24 A gospel of convience. Read Acts chapter 24. Paul was being held prisoner and the official who was holding him captive would call him out every so often to talk to him about the gospel. But, he would only call him out when it was convenient. It’s very interesting to think about the fact that some people only want to hear God’s word when it’s convenient to them. They are not interested in understanding the challenges or the difficulties. They don’t want to know about the problems. When we are talking with people about the gospel, it becomes much more about their convenience than the urgency…

Take Action, Day 23 Trying to understand. Read Acts chapter 23. Poor Claudius was so confused. He had a prisoner, Paul. Everybody seemed to be upset with Paul, and Claudius had no idea why this message was causing such an uproar. Claudius sought to understand and he listened to the message, but really didn’t get why everything was as bad as it was. He didn’t understand why people thought Paul was deserving of death. When we are sharing the message of Jesus Christ with those who don’t know anything about Jesus or God’s word, they can become truly confused why any of it matters? Why is this such a life-or-death…

Take Action, Day 22 Paul’s purpose. Read Acts chapter 22. Paul is sharing his testimony with the people. As we read through this summary of all that Paul has gone through, the people seem to be okay with everything about it until Paul explains his purpose. This one verse seems to absolutely drive them crazy. They are not okay with his purpose, and they do not believe that he should be going to the gentiles and speaking to them. Solely because of this they become so angry they try to kill him. Do we know and understand our purpose as clearly as Paul did? Do we seek to follow through…

Take Action, Day 21 Assumptions. Read Acts chapter 21. Paul has returned to Jerusalem. When he arrived the believers there were excited to hear his stories. They shared with him what had been going on in the city as well,. What we learn is that several of the Jewish Christians thought that Paul was not following all of the Jewish laws anymore. This was concerning to them. So when Paul started going around the city and in the Temple, those people started making up assumptions and sharing them with others. Assumptions can be disastrous to ministry. We can go into situations with the very best of intentions and through a…

Take Action, Day 20 Completion. Read Acts chapter 20. Paul shares about the hardships that he has gone through and those that he will continue to experience. As we read this chapter, we get reminded that the Christian life is difficult, but that we are to have the aim of finishing well,. It’s not enough just to start the race. We must finish the race. God has given us purpose and abilities, and he desires that we use those to further his Kingdom and share his message. As we close up 2024 and start the New Year of 2025, we need to take an inventory of how well we did…

Take Action, Day 19 The power of the moving of God. Read Acts chapter 19. As we continue to read through the book of Acts, we see another chapter where the power of God is demonstrated. People who are accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior experience meaningful and dramatic change in their life as a result of this decision. God still does meaningful and dramatic change in the lives of the people that accept him even today. We are to recognize that this world needs a desperate change, and God can provide that. He is the answer to the problems and issues that we have been facing. As…