Taking Risks for the Gospel

May 16

(Acts 10:23 NIV) "Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.”

(Acts 10:28 NIV) ““He (Peter) said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection.””

(2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NIV) "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. {25} Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, {26} I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. {27} I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. {28} Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."

Peter took a great risk by letting Gentiles stay in his home. He took another great risk by going to Cornelius’s house to visit him. It was against Jewish law. Jews were not to enter the houses of Gentiles, let alone stay the night. Christians violating Jewish law were already being killed. Peter could have easily been next. Spiritually and politically, the Romans were despised and hated in Israel. They were usually polytheistic and were considered unclean. Peter was contaminating and condemning himself by going there, but he took the risk. If we are going to be obedient to our calling, and take the gospel with us wherever we go, we are going to have to take some risks. To save lives, we must often risk our own. If we refuse to take risks for the gospel, we are doomed to be sterile believers. We cannot fulfill the commission Christ gave us unless we are willing to take some risks. Will you do that? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

Servant Hearts

May 15

(Acts 10:22-23 NIV) ““The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." {23} Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.””

(Colossians 1:3-7 NIV) “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, {4} because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-- {5} the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel {6} that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. {7} You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,”

(Titus 1:1 NIV) "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness--"

(James 1:1 NIV) "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings."

(2 Peter 1:1 NIV) "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:"

(Jude 1:1 NIV) "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:"

The Church of Jesus Christ would not have grown without those who had a heart to serve the King of kings. People with a servant’s heart went to get Peter for Cornelius. People with a servant’s heart went with Peter to the house of Cornelius. Paul, James Peter, and Jude preached the gospel, discipled new believers, and wrote letters to the churches that have survived to this day… because they had servant’s hearts. Their pay was minimal -- their investment was huge. They and millions of nameless servants down through the ages endured hardships, faced danger, and sacrificed their lives so that we could have a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to pass it on. “Non-serving Christian” is an oxymoron. How are you serving the Lord? In big ways and small ways, find some way to serve the Lord today. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day   

No Coincidence

May 14

(Acts 10:17-21 NIV) “While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. {18} They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. {19} While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. {20} So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." {21} Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for.”

(Habakkuk 2:3 NIV) “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

(Proverbs 19:21 NIV) “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.”

(Romans 8:28 NIV) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

The word coincidence is not in God’s vocabulary. It was no coincidence that Peter’s vision of unclean animals immediately preceded a visit from some “unclean” Gentile servants of Cornelius. Peter decided that the timing of these events was not a coincidence. When dealing with “God stuff”, pay attention to timing. God may send us messages in multiple forms. When the Lord wants to move us, He often uses more than one vehicle. Pay attention to the timing of events in your life. Sometimes, multiple people will give us the same message. Sometimes, what we perceive as a negative event takes us to a new place in our life, and when we arrive we realize that it was a “God thing”. Sometimes, when doors close, others can open at almost the same time. Pay attention to timing -- that series of coincidences may not be coincidental at all. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

God’s Thing is New Things

May 13

(Acts 10:11-16 NIV) ““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 of the earth and birds of the air. {13} Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." {14} "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." {15} The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." {16} This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.””

(Isaiah 43:19 NIV) “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

(Revelation 21:5 NIV) ““He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.””

God’s thing is new things. We crave consistency -- God is continuously making things new. It is His prerogative -- He is sovereign. Who are we to dispute His desire, or His object of change? God had been clear about clean and unclean foods, but in a vision He told Peter that this was changing. Peter could now eat foods that were previously forbidden. The vision was a preview of the new concept that God’s ultimate food, Jesus, the Bread of Life, was to be available to everyone, even those who had been formerly declared unclean. The Roman Centurion and all other Gentiles were declared worthy of God’s grace. God does not change, but the practices of His people can change. The church tends to enshrine practices and close their eyes to new vision. It should be the other way around. The Lord can do a new thing whenever He wants. Let’s make sure we don’t get in His way. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day