Obedience to the Vision

May 11

(Acts 10:3, 5-8 NIV) ““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!"… {5} Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. {6} He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." {7} When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. {8} He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.””

(Acts 16:9-10 NIV) ““During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." {10} After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.””

Cornelius had a very specific vision. He was to send some men to bring Peter to his house. He obeyed the vision, but if he had complied with the customs of his day, he would never have done so. Roman Centurions did not usually invite Jews into their homes. The Romans had conquered the Jews and considered them a weird and strange people. But Cornelius was obedient to the vision, and it changed the history of the church. Paul also had a vision about going to Macedonia. He too obeyed, and once again, history was changed. Obedience to the vision God gives us is crucial to the Kingdom of God. You don’t have to be a mystic to receive vision -- just read the Bible. God’s word can speak plenty of vision into our lives today. We can receive direction from God on a daily basis. Will you be obedient to the vision God gives to you? If so, you could be involved in changing history. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Our Memorial Offering to God

May 10

(Acts 10:3-4 NIV) ““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!" {4} Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.””

(2 Corinthians 9:6-9 NIV) ““Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. {7} Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. {8} And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. {9} As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.””

(Revelation 5:6-8 NIV) “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. {7} He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. {8} And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

The wise Christian thinks of eternity daily, for we live with one foot on Earth and the other in Heaven. We consider our earthly legacy, but more importantly, we are mindful of our eternal legacy. We consider what is of worth in God’s sight and how God will remember us. Scripture lists at least two things that constitute the kind of memorial noticed by God -- our prayers and our giving to the poor. The time we spend with God because of our love for Him, and what we give away to help others, are like putting our best foot forward into heaven. God noticed these two things about Cornelius. When done with the right heart today, these two things still rise like incense to Heaven as a pleasing aroma before the Lord. How are you doing in these two areas? Do you pray because you love God? Is your giving to the poor memorable? Intimate prayer and generous giving still please God. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Religious, But Not Related

May 9

(Acts 10:1-5 NIV) ““At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. {2} He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. {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!" {4} Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. {5} Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.””

(Matthew 8:5-13 NIV) ““When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. {6} "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." {7} Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." {8} The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. {9} For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." {10} When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. {11} I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. {12} But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." {13} Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.””

(Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- {9} not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Cornelius, a Centurion in the Roman army, was a good man. He was devout and religious, and he had gotten God’s attention because of his generosity and compassion. But he still lacked one vital thing -- he did not yet know Jesus. He was religious, but not yet related. God wanted to see him receive eternal life, but in spite of all his goodness, the Centurion was not ready to face God. He needed more than goodness and religion. The same is true for us. We need more than religion, kindness, generosity, and compassion. We need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can be a good person, go to church, be generous, and treat others with compassion, but we can still die lost if we have never really met the Savior and become a disciple of the Lord Jesus. As we will see, God sent Peter to Cornelius, and Cornelius believed the gospel. We would be wise to do the same. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Hospitality

May 8

(Acts 9:43 NIV) "Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon."

(Romans 12:13 NIV) "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

(Romans 16:23 NIV) "Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings."

(1 Peter 4:8-9 NIV) "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. {9} Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling."

It would be easy to skip over Acts 9:43 as an insignificant addition to a miraculous story of healing and resurrection. But it’s an important detail. It highlights the hospitality of a common working man named Simon. He was a tanner, and probably good at his trade, but he is not immortalized for excelling at his craft. He is known because he hosted Peter for “some time”. The early apostles depended on hospitality wherever they traveled. The gospel was not a money-making business, and they had no “travel benefits”. It is safe to say that the gospel would not have prospered like it did in those early days had there not been people willing to host those who were fearlessly preaching. Common everyday people, most of them nameless, helped propel the name of Jesus onto the world stage, by sacrificing to practice hospitality. Take a moment today and thank God for their work. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day