The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 767

 

The Devotional – Search the Scriptures – 767

Today’s Kick Start! – (NKJV) Ephesians 3 ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Personal Obedience—Walk in the Spirit and you will not carry out the deeds of the flesh.

Acts 10 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.

 JESUS CHRIST: He IS the same Yesterday, He IS the same Today, He IS God Forever!

 Being born-again, the most wonderful miracle of God experienced by a human being. The wretchedness of the heart of mankind is not totally known, but it is totally experienced. Some like Cornelius and possibly some in his family are honorable, but they too carry in their heart the deceitfulness of sin. It is the human nature of all people; we are born with this fallen condition of death. Peter presented the gospel of grace. The Holy Spirit is witnessing the souls touched with the conviction of sin.

 This is just what the Holy does; John 16 ^7-11 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

 These three elements of ‘conviction’ must be in every presentation of the gospel of grace. When we are intentional or absent-minded and leave out these truths, the Holy Spirit will not do the work of conviction. Here in the Cornelius compound we see Messiah working with man (Peter in this case) to bring salvation to the gentiles. Confirmation is the release of Spiritual Power on the people who believed. Peter along with the Jewish believers observe the unfolding of God’s grace to the gentiles. To the Jews Peter states. ‘Now, with me; you have seen this event unfold. We are eye witnesses, can anyone of us conclude that these gentiles should not be baptized?

 Of course none of the group with Peter refused and then Peter commanded that the men and women in the household of Cornelius to be baptized. While some today may feel that baptism is not an essential part of the grace gospel, I would say that they are wrong, the whole council of God must be present to complete the gospel of grace. Acts 19 ^1-7 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples ² he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 

 ³ And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. ⁷ Now the men were about twelve in all.