Category: Devotions

Your name
Acts 10: 3
“One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

We already know Cornelius was a man of prayer. Luke writes it was 3pm, the time of prayer for the Jews. In fact Cornelius would say it was this time in his testimony to Peter later. So when Cornelius was praying something happened ……..
Are we surprised?
This was not a dream but it was as vivid as it could possibly be, so much so that Cornelius would say a man stood in front of me. For him, it was definitely happening. God had come. How God comes to us which is varied isn’t the issue, what He says to us is.
“Cornelius!”
That the infinite far and beyond God, the creator of the whole earth, Almighty God, should be bothered with a man on earth enough to know his name and to call it is actually amazing.
And what is true of Cornelius is true of you.
He knows your name today and has called it many times. He knows all there is to know about you. And all of this is held in the fact that He loves you. Amazing!

The religious influencers

Acts 10: 2
“He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”

Cornelius, tired of empty religious rituals, turned to Judaism hoping he and his family could find salvation.
They became devout, worshippers of God, givers of alms and a family who prayed. They were good people. They were religious people. But they were not Christ-followers, they did not know Jesus.
Now think for a moment ….
1. Can you believe with me that there are still more influential people that God has called for His Kingdom. He has his hand on them now. People like:
a. The ‘Big Bang Theory’ star Mayim Bialik studies Jewish texts and keeps the Sabbath even to the point of not using social media during that time
b. Jennifer Lawrence of ‘The Hunger Games’ is quoted as saying “it would be weird for me to go to sleep without praying.”
c. Angelina Jolie after directing the film ‘Unbroken’ said “there’s something greater than all of us and it is uniting and beautiful.”
These are just people in the entertainment industry but they are influential in every sector of society. They may not yet have come through into full faith, they may not yet be full on disciples of Jesus and they may get lots of criticism for their many mistakes. But can you believe that God has ear-marked such people to be His people?

2. Can you believe with me that the most religious person you know who doesn’t have the relationship that you have with Jesus is a candidate for a supernatural encounter with God? Maybe your neighbour is a Muslim (and a practicing Muslim at times appears more devout than a Christian) and is carrying out religious duty every day. Can you believe that God is going to miraculously encounter them very soon? It is happening all over the world right now!

3. Can you believe that God has heard their prayers and will respond to them? Can you believe that God hears the unsaved with their wishful praying in the same way He hears your praying?

If you can believe these three things then how exciting is the future?!!
If you can believe these three things then will you pray for them?

Who is your Cornelius?

Acts 10:1
“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.”

There was a man who lived in a prominent Roman city, Caesarea, on the Judean coast.
His name was Cornelius and he was an officer in the Roman army.
The Roman army were the oppressors of the Jews and Cornelius was a key officer in that task.

So in effect the verse should read: At Caesarea there was a man hated by the majority of Gods people.
We are going to find out what happens to him. But today remind yourself that there are people caught up in a system, in an organisation, political and religious and who may carry out injustices and unethical practice who are doing their jobs. But at the end of the day they are a man and a woman with a family just like you and me. Real people with real feelings. Just because they are within a framework which you may hate doesn’t mean they are a man or woman who should be hated.
Choose love not hate.

Prejudice
Acts 9:43
“Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.”

A most interesting verse!
The number one preventative and killer of cross cultural mission is prejudice by people who can give evidence that they are not prejudiced.
Acts 10 gives the reason why the apostles had not gone to the world even though Jesus had asked them to do so 14 years previously: they were prejudiced.
Peter would be reprimanded by God over his thoughts of the Gentiles and the subsequent family conversion of the Italian family changed all that.
The reason why this was so shocking to Peter was that he didn’t think he was prejudiced. This verse shows how he stayed in the home of a tanner named Simon. The tanner worked with the skin of dead animals making him ceremonially unclean and Peter is with him. If anyone asked Peter if he was prejudiced he would say NO. And so would many people. Not many admit to being prejudiced. But many prejudge others without knowing their story first.

The big event

Acts 9: 42
“This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.”

Can you imagine one event that is known all over a city? A lot easier than in the days of Philip within Joppa. Today through social media we have statuses, uploads and downloads within seconds and even as the action is happening. Live now in Joppa, woman raised from the dead speaks!

Can you imagine one event leading to many new believers?
Lord let an event take place today that will shake our villages, towns, cities and nations.
One global event can send tremors throughout the world.
Can you imagine the Spirit doing such a global event?
Lord let such a global event take place today!

Will you pray for such events?
Will you participate?
Will you GO?

Mission is not compicated

Acts 9: 41
“He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.”

The process of mission:

1. Offer your hand to someone. Be a friend.

2. Help them up. Give them dignity.

3. Call the Church. Introduce similar journeys to your friend.

4. Call those who weep. Showing with God anything is possible.

5. Present the greatest miracle statement:
I was dead but now I am alive!

The process of change.
Acts 9: 40

“Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning towards the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.”

Copying Jesus who would send people out of the room before he healed them, Peter does exactly the same thing.
When you have an idea of something good happening then the last thing you need is a room full of weepers whose only thought is negative. So get rid of the distraction.

Peter then shows his reliance on Jesus and not himself by kneeling and praying. We don’t know what he prayed. But sometimes a person’s position is more important than what is prayed. Peter was on his knees of surrender.

Them Peter tells Tabitha to do what she could not do, because she was dead. Leaders have to reverse the trend. They have to stand up and declare the opposite. When people say it cannot be done, sometimes leaders have to say it can.

When it’s over
Acts 9: 39
“Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.”

When your life is over what will you have left behind?
For Dorcas, it was the things she had made with her hands, robes and other clothing.
For Dorcas, it was a group of crying widows. Most likely the women she was good to and perhaps the poor she had helped.
What have you made? What have you produced in your life? Go on, look around, be thankful for the abilities God has given you that you have used for the good. Keep on using your gifts and skills for one day you will leave them.
Who have you invested in? Who will stand crying because they grieve for you? Go on, name them, people you have spent time with, encouraged, strengthened, given to. Keep on pouring into these people for one day you will leave them and they will be there reflecting on your life.

Call
Acts 9: 38

“Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

Recently a film has been released that was popular in my youth.
“If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood
Who you gonna call? (ghostbusters)”

Do you have someone you can call?
Would you call them if you had?
Dorcas is dead, the disciples hear Peter is close by, so they send 2 men, presumably 2 are more convincing than one.
Some people won’t look to anyone for help.
Some people don’t have anyone they can turn to.
Pride. Hurt. Ignorance. Don’t let anything stop you calling out for help.
Some circumstances are bigger than you can handle yourself.
It is not a sign of weakness that you have called for someone.
So today, do it, maybe a Pastor/leader, family member, friend, call them. “I need you. Today.”
So who you gonna call?

Acts 9: 37
“About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.”

Sometimes the good people who do good have bad things happen to them, as did Dorcas.
She died. She was ceremonially washed. She was placed aside.
The important 3 words in this verse are the first three.
A really good person and servant of the Church died during that time. What time? The time of seeing Peter on mission.
The missionary often comes across bad things happening to people.
The missionary sees sickness and death.
The missionary lives in a groaning world.
But if it all goes wrong for you then rather it be when it is time for mission. If you are a Dorcas then look around for your Peter.
Today you may be on mission wherever that may be, in your neighbourhood or further afield, friend, Dorcas will be there. It is about that time.