Good morning, everyone.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 10:23, “Then he invited them in to be his guests. The next day Peter went away with them, and some of the believes from Joppa went with him.”
Of all the subjects that may get debated concerning the Christian faith, few would argue against the claim that when a person gives their life to Jesus, changes should occur. Habits and priorities, thoughts of the mind and actions of the body, things once pursued and things once neglected. Most or all of these will be affected in a dynamic and noticeable way once the Holy Spirit takes up dominion in the new believer’s heart. Additionally, the shaping and reshaping done by God is not limited to the moment regeneration takes place. Rather, we are sanctified both at the moment of conversion and continue to be more so as we seek Jesus and become more like Him. Peter was an excellent example of such growth. His initial encounter with Jesus took him from being a fisherman to a fisher of men. From there, Peter went on to know moments of great joy and fellowship with Christ, but he also fell flat on his face a number of times. After Jesus ascended, Peter’s fear was replaced by a boldness that proclaimed the gospel willingly and openly. Even so, he still had room to grow. God wanted to address his issues of hypocrisy and racism as expressed through Peter’s views of the Gentiles. Through a vision, God showed Peter that He makes all and makes all clean. And Peter takes the message to heart.
In fact, Peter does like Peter always does and jumps in with both feet. Immediately he not only greets them as travelers, but he welcomes these Gentile strangers, including a Roman soldier, into his home as favored guests to spend the night. The change that God had affected on Peter’s heart and mind was manifested in his display of grace and hospitality. This transformation was nothing new to the believers who sold possessions and donated to other needy believers, or to Saul who stopped persecuting and killing Christians and started preaching Jesus was the Christ and was beaten and imprisoned for it. You may have changed years ago, but you’re now stuck in how you have been, and for far too long. Jesus still does makeovers, but you’ll have to come to Him and lay down the excuses and blame. But He will replace them with a renewed mind full of His peace.
As we seek Him today, let God change something about you that isn’t as it should be, that isn’t like Him.
Have a refreshing Tuesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
