Description: What happens when a prepared messenger meets a prepared heart? A spiritual explosion that changes the world. This devotional focuses on the climax of Acts 10, where Peter preaches the Gospel to Gentiles and the Holy Spirit falls, proving once and for all that salvation in Jesus Christ is for every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Scripture: Acts 10:34-36, 43-45

Explanation: This is one of the most significant turning points in the book of Acts, often called the 'Gentile Pentecost.' Having had his prejudice shattered by the vision from God, Peter stands in the home of a Roman officer and makes a monumental declaration: 'God is no respecter of persons.' This means God does not show favoritism based on race, nationality, or social status. He then preaches the kerygma—the essential Gospel message: peace with God is available through Jesus Christ, who died, was resurrected, and is the Judge of all. The core of the sermon is that forgiveness of sins is granted to 'every one that believeth on him.' The proof of God's acceptance came in a dramatic, undeniable fashion. Even as Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were 'amazed' because this was the exact same sign they had received at Pentecost. This event irrevocably opened the door of the church to the entire world.

Parable: Let me tell you about the 'Founder's Grove,' an exclusive golf club in the Carolinas. For a century, membership was an unspoken birthright, passed down through a handful of prominent families. The current club president, Arthur Harrington III, embodied this tradition. One summer, he hired a new head of landscaping, a man named Luis, an immigrant from Guatemala with a quiet faith and a strong work ethic. Luis started a small Bible study with the grounds crew in the maintenance shed during their lunch hour. One afternoon, a sudden, violent thunderstorm rolled in, toppling a massive, ancient oak tree right onto the 18th fairway, trapping Arthur in his golf cart. Luis and his crew, seeing the accident, rushed over without hesitation and worked with chainsaws and brute strength to free him. As Arthur lay there, shaken but alive, he saw a peace in Luis's eyes that defied the chaos. 'How can you be so calm?' Arthur asked. Luis simply replied, 'Because my Lord is in control of the storm.' In the following weeks, as Arthur recovered, he couldn't shake that moment. He invited Luis to his office and asked him to explain his faith. Luis shared the simple, powerful Gospel of Jesus Christ. A few weeks later, Arthur called an emergency meeting of the club's board. He stood before them, a changed man, and said, 'For one hundred years, this club has respected persons, and we have been wrong. The character of a man matters more than his last name.' He proposed they abolish the old, unwritten rules and open membership to anyone in the community of good character, starting by extending a full, sponsored membership to Luis and his family. The board was stunned into silence, amazed at the undeniable work God had done.

Moral: The profound truth of this passage is that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. God's invitation for salvation is not exclusive. It extends to the corporate executive and the janitor, the religious and the irreligious, the native-born and the immigrant. Our mission is to carry this message to 'every nation,' without prejudice or favoritism, trusting that the Holy Spirit will confirm His Word in the hearts of all who believe.
'And Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.' Acts 10:34-35 (ASV)
'To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.' Acts 10:43 (ASV)

Description: Prejudice can build walls that seem impossible to tear down. In this devotional, we join the Apostle Peter on a rooftop in Joppa as God uses a strange and powerful vision to shatter his deeply held biases and prepare him to take the Gospel to an unexpected place. It’s a lesson in letting God define what is clean and who is worthy.

Scripture: Acts 10:9-16

Explanation: In this pivotal moment, God directly confronts Peter’s lifelong beliefs. As a devout Jew, Peter adhered strictly to the kosher laws outlined in the Old Testament, which forbade eating certain animals deemed 'unclean.' These laws were not merely dietary; they were a core part of Jewish identity, creating a distinct separation from the Gentile nations. So when the voice from heaven commands him to eat from a sheet filled with unclean animals, his response is instantaneous: 'Not so, Lord.' It was unthinkable. But God's reply is revolutionary: 'What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.' This vision was repeated three times for emphasis. The Lord was not simply changing the menu; He was changing the mission. This was a divine object lesson to prepare Peter for the visitors who were about to arrive. God was teaching him that the barriers between Jew and Gentile were being demolished in Christ. The Gospel was to go to all people, and Peter could no longer consider any person 'common or unclean.'

Parable: Let me tell you about Pastor John Miller. He pastored a small, traditional Baptist church in rural Georgia, a church his grandfather had founded. They were good, loving people, but their congregation was as white as the building's clapboard siding. A new chicken processing plant had opened nearby, bringing in many Hispanic families. John prayed for them, of course, but he held an unexamined belief that they were 'just too different' to ever fit in at his church. Their music was different, their food was different, their culture was different. One Saturday, while wrestling with a sermon on the Great Commission, he felt a wave of exhaustion and dozed off in his study. He dreamed he was at the annual church potluck, but the tables were laden with strange, unfamiliar dishes he couldn't even name. A warm, authoritative voice spoke in his dream, 'John, I have blessed this food. Eat.' He recoiled in his dream, thinking, 'But Lord, this isn’t our food. This isn’t what we eat here.' The voice replied, 'What I have blessed, do not call foreign.' He woke with a start, the words echoing in his mind. Just then, there was a timid knock at his study door. It was a man named Carlos, a foreman from the plant whose children had attended their vacation Bible school. With his hat in his hands, Carlos asked, 'Pastor, my family… we want to know the Jesus your children sing about. Can you teach us?' In that moment, the dream became clear. The potluck wasn't about food; it was about people.

Moral: The lesson here is a powerful one for every believer. We all carry biases and prejudices, walls we have built between 'us' and 'them.' But the Gospel is a wrecking ball to those walls. God’s vision for His church is far more diverse and glorious than our limited, comfortable view. We must be willing to let the Holy Spirit search our hearts and expose any attitude that would label a person or people group as 'common or unclean,' for Christ died to make them holy.

'And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.' Acts 10:15 (ASV)

'And he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean.' Acts 10:28 (ASV)

Description: Have you ever wondered if God hears the prayers of those who don't yet know Jesus as Savior? In this devotional, we explore the story of Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion, and learn how God takes notice of every heart that sincerely seeks Him, making a way for them to hear the saving truth of the Gospel.

Scripture: Acts 10:1-6

Explanation: This passage introduces us to a remarkable man named Cornelius. It's important to understand his position: he was a centurion, an officer in the occupying Roman army, making him a Gentile and an outsider to the Jewish faith. Yet, Scripture describes him as 'devout,' one who 'feared God,' was charitable, and 'prayed to God always.' He believed in the God of Israel but had not yet heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God did not ignore his sincere heart. The angel's words are profound: 'Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.' Cornelius's piety did not save him, but it caught heaven's attention. God saw a man earnestly seeking righteousness and initiated the divine appointment that would lead to his salvation. This demonstrates that God is actively drawing people to Himself and will move heaven and earth to bring the message of His Son to a heart that is truly open and searching for the truth.

Parable: Let me tell you about a man named Frank. Frank was the plant manager at a large manufacturing facility in Ohio. He was known for being firm but fair, a man of his word. He wasn't a churchgoer; he'd had a bad experience as a kid and never went back. But every morning, before the sun came up, he'd sit in his worn leather chair with a cup of black coffee and just talk to the sky. He didn't know the right words, so he’d just say, 'God, if you're really up there, show me the way. There's got to be more than just this.' He also had a soft spot for the folks on his assembly line. When one of the workers, a young single mother, had her car break down, Frank anonymously paid for the repairs through the HR department. He never sought credit for his charity. One day, a young Christian engineer named David felt a strange prompting, a nudge in his spirit he couldn't shake, to talk to his intimidating boss about his faith. Terrified, but obedient, David knocked on Frank's door after his shift and invited him to a men's steak-and-Scripture night at his church. To David's shock, Frank didn't laugh or get angry. He just looked at David with weary eyes and said, 'Son, I think I've been waiting for this invitation.' That night, Frank heard the clear Gospel message for the first time in his life, and his heart’s longing was finally met in Jesus Christ. God had seen his memorial all along.

Moral: From this, we see a beautiful truth. God is not distant or indifferent. He sees the heart that sincerely seeks Him, and He honors the desire for truth. While good works and prayers cannot earn salvation, they are like a fragrance that rises to heaven, and God in His mercy will always make a way for that seeking soul to hear the saving name of Jesus. As the angel told Cornelius, his prayers were not in vain.

'And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.' Acts 10:4 (ASV)

'For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.' 1 Peter 3:12 (ASV)