OUR DAILY BREAD : DRIVEN BY GRATITUDE

[cimi]

April 23
Wednesday


DRIVEN BY
GRATITUDE

READ:
acts 20:22-24
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What's the greatest novel ever written? Many readers would vote Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, which, depending on the edition, can run well over 1,000 pages. Even after his novel was finished, Tolstoy continued to write--often until he was on the brink of exhaustion, unable to sleep, and on the verge of a breakdown.

One day a friend asked him why he kept writing and driving himself to the edge of exhaustion. He reminded Tolstoy that he was a wealthy Russian count with servants at his beck and call, and that he had a secure future.

Tolstoy explained that he kept writing because he was the slave of an inner compulsion and had a consuming desire deep within his bones. He felt that he had to keep writing or else he would go mad.

The apostle Paul experienced a similar compulsion, except that his drive was God-motivated. As he explained to his friends in Corinth, "the love of Christ compels us" ( Cor. 5:14). His was a burning passion, an emotional fire, a spiritual force that made him share the good news of Jesus and His death and resurrection.

Such dedicated zeal has characterized many of our Lord's followers throughout the year. May a spark of that fire burn in our own hearts. __Vernon Grounds.
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`````````````````Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God,`````````````````
````````````````````In every part with praise,````````````````````
`````````````````That my whole being may proclaim```````````````
`````````````````Thy being and Thy ways. __Bonar````````````````
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The good news is too good to keep to yourself.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ acts 20:22-24*************

22 And see, now I go
bound in the spirit to
Jerusalem, not knowing the
things that will happen to
me there, 23 except that the
Holy Spirit testifies in every
city, saying that chains and
tribulations await me. 24 But
none of these things move
me; nor do I count my life
dear to myself, so that I
may finish my race with
joy, and the ministry which
I received from the Lord
Jesus, to testify to the
gospel of the grace of God.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

At the end of his third missionary journey (Acts 18:23-21:14), Paul
was determined to go to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21; 20:16) even though
he knew opposition (Rom. 15:30-31) and imprisonment (Acts 20:23)
awaited him there. The prophet Agabus, who had earlier predicted a
severe famine (Acts 11:27-28), prophesied and dramatically enacted
how Paul would be arrested and imprisoned in Jerusalem (Acts
21:10-11). Although many pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem
(v.12), Paul was convinced that the spirit was leading him there
(Acts 20:22). __Sim Kay Tee