"Acts 10:11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”"
Then we learn about Cornelius the Centurion. Here was a man who was righteous and a believer in the one true God. Part of me wonders if Cornelius knew or had any contact with the other centurion who's faith impressed Jesus. Maybe it was the same guy. I never found where it mentions the first Centurion by name. He and his family are the first real public Gentile conversions and I think THE first Gentiles who received the Holy Spirit. Notice it even happened before they could baptize them. So it was O Happy day. I'm sure even Peter was walking on clouds on the way back home. Till he got there and realized how upset everyone was at him. What they realized in one fell swoop was that their little club was going to get much, much bigger. You know... this type of attitude is the reason why so many prominent denominations are dying out. If you are holding on to your doctrine instead of your Savior then you will soon be fighting God's will instead of doing it. I believe the reason why we're growing so much as a church is simple. If you go to Pastor Benny and ask to do something the answer will always be.... "Show me chapter and verse....". I love Peter's answer to the followers who questioned him in chapter 11.
Acts 11: 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized witha]">[a] water, but you will be baptized withb]">[b] the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Who was I to think that I could stand in God's way? Wow. As believers I wish we could totally get that. We seem to accept the world much easier than we accept God and his Word. Catholics, United Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, etc. have accepted homosexuality as a lifestyle and eliminated Jesus as the only way to Heaven, but just don't take out the organ or their hymns. See? In the end we just have to let God move. His word will never contradict itself. God desires/demands our worship and praise. He desires/demands our walk with him and his word. And in the end he knew we would have trouble over it all so he sent the helper/comforter to come and empower us over the world. God is awesome in his design. The further you dig and get to know him, the more his glory shines though. If you took enough time to read this then I hope you will take a little more and just pray for the helper to come into your life. Ask him to come and burn out the thorns and dead wood that has long enslaved you and hindered your walk with the Risen Savior. Ask that your heart be open to God's way and that you not try and stand in his way but to promote and follow it. Just open your heart and mind and invite the Holy Spirit in and let go of the restraints we've all put in place to keep our world right side up. As Ryan preached before and Josh and Travis sung about, lets turn the world upside down for Jesus. I really enjoyed this chapter.
The key to turning the world upside down, is to *know* that the world *needs* to be turned upside down.
ReplyDeleteWhat hit me in Acts 10:14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
Peter had never thought to question the law!! The thought of eating unclean items had never even occurred to Peter! Are we not the same with the world?
We are brainwashed with words like EQUALITY, DISCRIMINATION, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, in to believing that in presenting the gospel is somehow stepping on rights. We need to turn that upside down!!
Last night I saw a man with a poppy on his lapel. I asked him if he was from Canada. Once he spoke, I knew the answer, England. We talked about Flanders Fields, Remembrance Day and eventually I asked him how he ended up at Rock Springs last night. He was following the Colonel who spoke and began to tall me he was part of a foundation: Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. They are preaching the word in Iraq. So I was a typical American Christian and asked the conversion rate of the ministry. He said they have had 15 to convert, 13 of which were killed. KILLED for converting.
He rocked my world! That is 86%! This world needs to be turned on its’ head!!
And to think... we believe we're being persecuted for not being able to pray in a public school. LOL. How full would our churches be if we were persecuted like the original church was? Would I even be there?
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