RTW November 11
Standing Against the Status Quo
“You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.
Acts 11:3
My Takeaways
Something Old
Cornelius obeyed God right away. God knew He could trust Him. Does God know He can trust me?
Something New
Peter recognized the importance of sensing where God is going and heading in that same direction, instead of trying to persuade God to go your direction.
- Do I sense where God is leading and working?
- Am I more persuaded by the Spirit or others?
- Am I willing cross over cultural, racial, and spiritual lines to make sure the message of the Good News is heard by all people, everywhere?
When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God. (Acts 11:18)
Something to Do
Stand against the status quo and dine with them.
“If we’re not sensing God leading and God working, we need to check our spiritual pulse” OUCH! Very convicting statement -thanks, Wendy
What stood out to me today was that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit as “Peter was saying these things” (preaching the Gospel). I wondered – how can this be when they hadn’t yet accepted Christ – they weren’t “saved” – they didn’t say some sort of “sinner’s prayer” or raise their hand at an “altar call” …. I love what Guzik writes about this “While listening to Peter, these people made a secret and invisible transaction in their hearts with God, by setting their faith in Jesus Christ”….
I didn’t raise my hand at church, I didn’t stand with someone and say a sinner’s prayer – but I believed in my heart and confessed Jesus is Lord when I got home after my first visit to a church 7 years ago and was saved – and then I was baptized. Although sometimes over the years I questioned it because there are people who believe it must be a public display and a certain prayer must be prayed. Praise the Lord that this is not so.