Paul is a great hero

Read Acts 17:16-34

Paul is known for being bold and speaking his mind. He presented his facts well and persuaded many to listen to the words of love God wants to speak into every heart.

On one occasion while visiting Athens, he was preaching in an area where non-believers were interested in the latest ideas. Paul was creative enough to use an object those people were familiar with to help them understand the God they didn’t know. By mentioning the altar of the unknown god, he illustrated how God draws people closer to his love without them even realizing that it’s God who’s drawing them.

Paul’s creativity stirred new thoughts in these people. The deep truths of God warmed their hearts. And they became believers.

A hero is someone who risks his life to save someone else’s. Paul went to prison several times for preaching the truth, but he never gave up. His persistence and creativity make Paul a great hero.

Today

Today is not a 24 hour period. When 12:01 am comes, the date may have changed but it’s still today.

If someone asks you to do something today and you put it off until tomorrow, you’re still going to do it today. You can never do anything tomorrow. Whatever you do, you do today.

Today is a life-changing day. Yesterday may have been great, but today is better. Today has potential. You can change your routine and do something unusual or different today. The possibilities are endless.

Plan today well. Don’t let treasured moments pass by without a glance. Focus on making today the best you can make it.

Today you can make a decision that will affect your future. You can begin a relationship that will mean more to you than anything else. You can set aside time for the one who made today and gave it to you.

Genuine love is memorable. It is sought after. It is valuable. The Creator of Today waits for you to receive and enjoy the love he holds in his hand. His genuine love is for you.

There’s no better time to get to know Him than today.

Courageous and Determined

Heroes in comic strips are often drawn with bulging muscles. However in novels, that isn't always the case.

I like to see heroes that take on a challenge, knowing they aren't the superhero type. They stand up to the villain without extrordinary powers and use the gifts they have (and which a lot of normal people have) to defeat him.

Most heroes share the same two qualities found in humans everywhere: courage and determination.

My "Heroic Qualities" post of July 2006 lists ten qualities that I think are common to popular heroes. The first one I list is bravery. A hero must be "brave enough to face the danger". Anyone who flees at the sight of danger cannot be hailed as a mighty hero. Courage is a necessity.

The third one on the list is basically determination. A hero must be "driven to keep going against all odds. If you give up before reaching your goal, you'll never win. A hero must persist as if something inside is driving him like a madman until the goal is achieved.

I say "like a madman" because I mean that he doesn't let the gasps of onlookers affect him. If anyone tells him he'd be insane to oppose the villain, he might answer that he's just crazy enough to do it. This attitude is where the audience cheers, expecting a thrilling victory.

And they usually get it.