OUR DAILY BREAD : COURAGEOUS AND CONSISTENT

[cimi]

July 28
Monday


COURAGEOUS
AND CONSISTENT

READ:
Acts 28:11-16,30-31
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When Paul saw them
he thanked God and
took courage.
Acts 28:15
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While reading the obituary of Eugene Patterson, Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Atlanta Constitution from 1960 to 1968, I was struck by two things. First, for many years Patterson was a fearless voice for civil rights during a time when many opposed racial equality. In addition, he wrote a column every day for 8 years. That's 2,922 newspaper columns! Day after day, year after year. Courage and consistency were key factors in the impact of his life.

We see those same qualities in the apostle Paul. Acts 13-28 records his bravery in one harrowing situation after another. After being shipwrecked on his way to stand trial before Caesar, he landed south of Rome, where many brothers in Christ came to meet him (Acts 28:11-15). "When Paul saw them," Luke wrote, "he thanked God and took courage"(v15). During the next 2 years as a prisoner, Paul was allowed to live in his own rented house where he "received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence" (vv.30-31).

Every follower of Jesus can be a consistent giver and receiver of courage. The Lord can use us today to encourage and strengthen each other. __David McCasland

`````````````````````O keep up your courage, each day to the end;`````````````````````````
``````````````````````````Go forth in the strength of the lord;````````````````````````````
```````````````````````Trust wholly in Jesus, thy Savior and Friend,````````````````````````
``````````````````````And feed on His own blessed Word. __Miles`````````````````````````
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When people share their fears with you,
share your courage with them.

******************************Today's Bible Reading __ Acts 28:11-16,30-31**************************

11 After three months we
sailed in an Alexandrian
ship whose figurehead was
the Twin Brothers, which
had wintered at the island.

12 And landing at Syracuse,
we stayed three days.

13 From there we circled
round and reached
Rhegium. And after one
day the south wind blew;
and the next day we came
to Puteoli, 14 where we
found brethren, and were
invited to stay with them
seven days. And so we
went toward Rome. 15 and
from there, when the
brethren heard about us,
they came to meet us as far
as Appii Forum and Three
Inns. When Paul saw them,
he thanked God and took
courage. 16 Now when we
came to Rome, the
centurion delivered the
prisoners to the captain of
the guard; but Paul was
permitted to dwell by
himself with the soldier
who guarded him....

30 Then Paul dwelt two
whole years in his own
rented house, and received
all who came to him,

31 preaching the kingdom of
God and teaching the
things which concern the
Lord Jesus Christ with all
confidence, no one
forbidding him.

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

Today's passage chronicles one of Paul's journeys and how he and
his companions were received and shown hospitality. It is easy
to forget that this was not a luxury cruise with an exotic island
destination. During this trip, Paul was a prisoner and he and his
companions (soldiers included) were met by and stayed with
Christian believers. It is possible that Paul was allowed to live in his
own rented home under house arrest and share the gospel (vv.30-
31) because the soldiers were impressed by the hospitality that had
been shown to them.