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     

Double Vision

May 12

(Acts 10:9-17 NIV) ““About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. {10} He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. {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 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. {17} 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.””

(Acts 26:19-23 NIV) ""So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. {20} First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. {21} That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. {22} But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen-- {23} that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.""

Soon after Cornelius received a vision from the Lord, Peter received his own vision. It was a case of “double vision”. Peter was to begin to consider as “clean” anything that God had made “clean”. He would soon discover that this included people as well as food. Just to be sure Peter got the message, God repeated it three times. Like Cornelius, Peter was obedient to his vision and took the gospel to the house of a despised Roman Gentile. Later Paul the apostle would also receive a vision to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Jesus has died for the sins of the world, not just for the Jews. All of these men obeyed their visions and took action. They went where God told them to go at great risk to themselves. Their obedience is why we have the Church today. Have you been obedient to the vision God has given you? He sends us to those who need to hear the truth. Obey and go! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

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