OUR DAIY BREAD : WHAT A RIDE!

[cimi]

November 25
Wednesday


WHAT A RIDE!

READ:
1 Thessalonians 1
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The word of the Lord
has sounded forth...
in every place.
__1 Thessalonians 1:8
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Francis Asbury rode 6,000 miles a year on horseback for nearly half a century. Despite ill health, he drove himself tirelessly. He sustained himself with venison jerky--a food that wouldn't spoil during his extended travels. Asbury is remembered for travels. Asbury is remembered for introducing the Methodist "circuit-riding preacher: as an effective way
to capture the American frontier for Christ. Planting new churches in remote areas was central to his approach.

At the close of Asbury's ministry, he had recruited over 700 traveling preachers. In 1771, when Asbury arrived in the colonies, there were only about 600 Methodists in America. Forty-five years later, there were 200,000!

In many ways, Asbury's strategy for planting churches reflects the approach of the apostle Paul. To the church he had planted in Thessalonica, Paul wrote: "From you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place" (1 Thess. 1:8, see Acts 17:1-10).

The days of the "circuit-riding preacher" have come and gone. But each of us has a "frontier" where friends, relatives, and neighbors are our mission field. Can you think of someone today who needs to hear the good news? __Dennis Fisher
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```````````````````Lord, lay some soul upon my heart,````````````
`````````````````````And love that soul through me;``````````````
``````````````````````And may I nobly do my part```````````````
````````````````````To win that soul for Thee. __Tucker```````````
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Those who love Christ have a love for the lost.

***********Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Thessalonians 1*************

1 Paul, Silvanus, and
Timothy, to the church of the
Thessalonians in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ: Grace to you and
peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We give thanks to God
always for you all, making
mention of you in our
prayers, 3 remembering
without ceasing your work
of faith, labor of love, and
patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ in the sight of
our God and Father,

4 knowing, beloved brethren,
your election by God. 5 For
our gospel did not come to
you in word only, but also in
power, and in the Holy Spirit
and in much assurance, as
you know what kind of men
we were among you for your sake.

6 And you became
followers of us and of the
Lord, having received the
word in much affliction, with
joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so
that you became examples to
all in Macedonia and Achaia
who believe. 8 For from you
the word of the Lord has
sounded forth, not only in
Macedonia and Achaia, but
also in every place. your
faith toward God has gone
out, so that we do not need
to say anything. 9 For they
themselves declare
concerning us what manner
of entry we had to you, and
how you turned to God from
idols to serve the living and
true God, 10 and to wait for
His Son from heaven, whom
He raised from the dead,
even Jesus who delivers us
from the wrath to come.

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

Silvanus (the Greek form of Silas, v.1), key leader, emissary and
prophet in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:22,32), was Paul's primary
co-evangelist on the second missionary journey (Acts 15:39-18:22).
He was also a co-founder of the church in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-
10). The apostle Peter called him "our faithful brother" (1 Peter 5:12).
__SIM KAY TEE