Fervor (Acts)

Right now I am reading through Acts, and reading about Paul and his travels and his life of such fervor for the will and gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing and inspiring to see how drastically Jesus changed His life and used Paul.
So I'm going to cheat tonight and share a couple verses...WHOOPSIE! hope you don't mind. It's God's word, so its truth!


Acts 20:24
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."
Is my focus, or have I allowed the grace of God to have such an impact on me, that i consider my life worth nothing to me...and am so focused on testifying of God's grace and goodness....?!?! I think in this day and age, we are too focused on ourselves, on our lives and what we want...we forget that God has bestowed on us this abundant sea of Grace that we constantly swimming in...we somehow forget that...and testify to our trials, our circumstances...and not of this amazing grace.
Our focus needs shifted. We need to really allow the grace of God to change us and to open our eyes and to praise God for that. Set our hearts on things Above.

Acts 20:27
"For I have not hestitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God."
How often do we hestitate to tell people the whole will of God? For ourselves, for others?! Why do we let fear hold us back?


Acts 20:31
"So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears."

This scripture comes after when Paul was talking to the Ephesian Elder's and warning about False Teachers and those turning and distorting the truth...
i love the fact that it says, for 3 yrs...nonstop...Paul warned them. I don't know if I can actually comprehend what this looks like...because I am like a golfish and forget constantly even just the little things, unfortunately. This is something I am praying through too. Our minds need to be sharp, so that we can warn people, so that we can remember and be aware of the things around us and the people in our lives and to serve them the best we can, and to speak God's truth.


Lastly:
Acts 21:14
"When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, 'The Lord's will be done.'"

This is when the ones who were with Paul, were trying to plead with Paul from going into Jerusalem becasue a Prophet came to Paul and basically (in short) said that theJews will find Paul and hand him over to the Gentiles. Then Paul says this...
"why are you weeping abd breaking my heart? I amready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." (verse 13)

Paul was ready, he didn't hestitate or seem to think twice. He was ready for whatever was to come, whatever the LORD had for him. People tried to tell him otherwise, to not go forward because of what was to come...and Paul was so persistent in what he was supposed to do, that they finally gave up becasue they realized Paul was not going to change his mind. He was going.
How often are we the people who plead to run away from the oppression or trouble?!
How often does it take us to "give up" after much pleading, and say...'The Lord's will be done.'??


Just some things to think about.
May we be a people of fervor(passion, earnestness). Focused on the grace of God, His will, the life of Jesus Christ. Proclaiming His truth, in love.