It is one of the ten best days. It is my kind of day. Praise the Lord. This morning I'm looking at Acts Chapter 10. How the Lord of grace and power, might and mercy captured stubborn Peter and seized his heart and mind and brought about a great transformation from within. Very often we are stubborn and obstinate, set in our sin and self. It takes Divine intervention to bring about the change in our lives. The Lord transformed the life of Peter and used him to bring transformation to others through the ministry of word and deed. Few people realize how important it is to love not just in word, but in deed and in truth. Research experts tell us we communicate only 7% with our words, 35% with our tone of voice and 58% with our actions. Peter knew that it was easy to say the right things but difficult to live them out - especially with a visit to the house of a Gentile - Roman centurion. Peter’s visit to the house of Cornelius communicated more than a thousand sermons and with much greater effects. The apostle’s visit to the house of Cornelius sent ripples of acceptance, love and spiritual empowerment to most of the Gentile world. Peter’s presence meant that the truth of the gospel was about to overcome difficult social, political and religious barriers. According to Jewish law, Peter was prohibited from entering in to a home of a Gentile. Peter’s visit took great courage, faith and obedience. Healing could now begin because of one single person’s willingness to prove Christâs love through a visit. It can also happen in your lives this week. Never underestimate the power of a loving word, a kind note, a phone call, an email or a word of appreciation. Let us ask the Lord to help us to use more than just words to communicate love, truth and the power of the Gospel to others. Peter risked being labeled as one who was ceremonially unclean by his own people because of his visit to the house of Cornelius. Peter was fully cognizant of the fact that the Jewish leaders would now try to inhibit him from worshipping in the temple. Let us ask the Lord to help us risk friendships, associations and connections for the sake of the Gospel. Let's remember that God’s purposes, processes and power are able to replace whatever is given up for Him. Let us not fear critical stereotypes. Critics often reveal more about their own narrow mindedness than they do about any deficiencies in you. Let's ask the Lord to help us be more willing to make the necessary sacrifices to see His purposes fulfilled in us and through us. When Peter entered the house of Cornelius, the Centurion fell at his feet to show respect, appreciation and acceptance. Acts of extending love over barriers is often a surprisingly positive experience. Many people have been pleasantly surprised by the way their acts of courage are able to accomplish more than they anticipated. Let us ask the Lord to help us to expect great things from God and attempt great things for Him. Peter learned that the best means to put away his doubt was to act on truth. When a person becomes so busy in applying God’s truth they tend to forget their troubles, fears and anger.
Let us ask the Lord to help us put away our doubts by acting on whatever we know to be true, wholesome and pleasing to the Lord. One act of kindness can build a lifelong habit of joy, satisfaction and greater faith. Peter learned that answers to his most perplexing questions came as he was in the process of obeying God’s truth. The more we obey the more God reveals truth to us. If we wait until we have all the answers to our questions it is doubtful that we will accomplish anything. Many people spend too much time acquiring information they never use. Let's follow the example of Peter and let the Lord answer our questions as we are in the process of carrying out His directives. Peter realized that the burden of his prejudices tended to melt away as He engaged in a ministry of love to the Gentiles. I t is hard to overcome one’s prejudices unless we are willing to start to express love for those we dislike. Peter wrote, "But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity." (2 Pet 3:18) Let us concentrate on growing in greater maturity regarding our God’s all sufficient grace to replace every weakness, burden or problem we have. Let us find our answers to every problem in the praise of the attributes of God. Find greater power, purpose and perspective when you praise God for the fact that He gives us every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph. 1:3) Even though all of Peter’s questions about ministering to the Gentiles were not answered until after the Jerusalem council in Acts 15, the burden of ministering to them was lifted in the process of his obedience. Let's ask the Lord to deliver us from the pressures, stresses and burdens as we trust and obey. Peter’s activity stopped the brooding, anger and doubting in his mind. The best remedy for our anger, fears and broodings is to act on what we know to be true. We may not have all the peace we would like but as we obey God gives us the grace just in the nick of time. Let us ask the Lord to help us to move ahead with the information we have and He will stop the brooding, anger and doubting fears that are troubling your mind. Dr. J.B. Gambrel tells an amusing story from General Stonewall Jackson’s famous valley campaign. Jackson’s army found itself on one side of a river when it needed to be on the other side. After telling his engineers to plan and build a bridge so the army could cross, he called his wagon master in to tell him that it was urgent the wagon train cross the river as soon as possible. The wagon master started gathering all the logs, rocks and fence rails he could find and built a bridge. Long before day light General Jackson was told by his wagon master all the wagons and artillery had crossed the river. General Jackson asked where are the engineers and what are they doing? The wagon master’s only reply was that they were in their tent drawing up plans for a bridge.
Have a wonderful day in the Lord.
Pastor Brown
God, to redeem us at the deepest portion of our nature - the urge to love and be loved - must reveal His nature in an incredible and impossible way. He must reveal it at a cross.
E. Stanley Jones
Here he tells us that the new birth is first of all 'not of blood'. You don't get it through the blood stream, through heredity. Your parents can give you much, but they cannot give you this.
E. Stanley Jones
If the Holy Spirit can take over the subconscious with our consent and cooperation, then we have almighty Power working at the basis of our lives, then we can do anything we ought to do, go anywhere we ought to go, and be anything we ought to be.
E. Stanley Jones
In conversion you are not attached primarily to an order, nor to an institution, nor a movement, nor a set of beliefs, nor a code of action - you are attached primarily to a Person, and secondarily to these other things.
E. Stanley Jones
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