BIBLE BREAKFAST (#338) 02/26/20
“God’s attitude towards our prayers…”
? Acts 10:1-4
1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2. a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
3. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4. And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
▪️Cornelius- a Roman army officer, serving in Israel as a commander in the Italian Regiment and having 100 Roman soldiers.
▪️In all likelihood, serving here in Judea and being a pagan, as all the Romans were, he met the God of Israel and as a result, him and his whole family began to serve Him.
▪️His life radically changed and was different from all others including Romans, officers, soldiers, and those living in Judea.
▪️His character says much: “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always”.
▪️And this was not only the opinion of people, but of God. I want to turn your attention to these words: “your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God”.
▪️This is not called: “God forgot and then all of a sudden remembered”, but this is called: “for God, every one of our actions and every prayer do not go without trace. There is just a time for everything”.
▪️The fact that all of our actions are considered, being that we will give an answer before God for all of our actions, we have, to some degree, come to an understanding of this. But unfortunately, we do not always consider this, because if we did, we would have a more serious attitude towards our actions.
▪️When it comes to prayers, which God also remembers, like he does our actions, from one standpoint, this inspires us. However, from a different standpoint, this also keeps us alert.
▪️Inspires in the way that God remembers everything that we tell Him, everything that we ask for, and he doesn’t miss a thing: “what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? ” (Psalm 8:4)
▪️This encourages us in our prayers! God is faithful in everything: “For God nothing will be impossible”. (Luke 1:37)
▪️Keeps us alert in the way that we understand God’s attitude toward our prayers. If God has this attitude toward our prayers, then how seriously should we act towards our prayer life by giving the proper time to prayer and by paying attention to the words we use.
▪️I think Cornelius was not only afraid when he saw the angel, but was also surprised when he heard how God reacted towards his prayers and alms. Especially considering the fact that he was a simple man and not even a Jew…
▪️This was confirmed by God through the encounter, which was initiated by God, of Peter and Cornelius, which led to his whole family and many more pagans receiving the blessing of God. (vs. 44-48)
44. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
45. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
46. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,
47. “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? “
48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
▪️All of this is a result of Cornelius’ serious and correct attitude toward prayer.
? Have a good day and inspiration in your prayers, and also a serious attitude towards prayer knowing God’s attitude towards them! (With prayer, Valeriy Bayko)
P.S. If needed, share this with others. Thank you for the re-post.