ion might have worn off. Peter went down to meet them, not knowing what he would find, or who they would be. He only knew that the Holy Spirit had told him to go downstairs. The message of God was still fresh in his mind. Do you know this directing, guiding, leading power of God in your life? Do you sense that He knows the end from the beginning and works out all things in your life for His glory and your good? If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, this can be your daily experience. STRENGTH FOR THE DAY Give me Thy strength for my day. Lord, That wheresoe'er I go. There shall no danger daunt me And I shall fear no foe; So shall no task o'ercome me, So shall no trial fret, So shall I walk unwearied The path where my feet are set; So shall I find no burden Greater than I can bear, So shall I have a courage Equal to all my care; So shall no grief o'erwhelm me, So shall no wave o'erflow; Give me Thy strength for my day, Lord, Cover my weakness so. —Annie Johnson Flint Chapter Three N ow in Acts 10:23 we see that Peter prepares for his trip to Caesarea. “And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.” Why do you suppose Peter took these friends with him? No doubt since there were a number of Christians in the early church who felt just as he did, that is, that fellowship with the Gentiles was wrong, he wanted some witnesses. Looking on to chapter eleven we see that Peter was brought before the oth er apostles for some sort of an explana tion. There is an amusing story told of a Christian father and his little son who were walking down the street of 20
The Holy Spirit (continued): business plans!” How much insincerity, inconsistency and superficiality there is in our Christian circles. We talk so big and yet we act so small. We make large promises to the Lord but when He comes to collect, we say, “Oh no, Lord!” God straightened out Peter in a hur ry. “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (verse 15). Here is a lesson for many of us today. How easily we judge, criticise and find fault with other believers who love Jesus Christ as much, if not more, than we do. They may worship in a different way, or their skin color, dress, and mode of living, may differ from ours. These people may listen to a sermon and yet they never try to find some thing for their own spiritual welfare. They sit there like vultures waiting to swoop down on any point in the preach er’s message which doesn’t strike them just right. (I do not refer to vital points such as the denial of the deity of our Lord, or salvation by grace, or the bodily resurrection, or the second com ing.) This is the attitude which says in effect, “My mind is made up; please don’t confuse me with the facts!” What some of us need to hear is what the Lord said to Peter, “What I have cleansed, don’t you dare call common or unclean!” When God saves a person, that person does not necessarily become a carbon copy of you and me. (Thank God he doesn’t!) It is not our responsi bility to judge and condemn the strag glers, but to help them along in Chris tian love. This was the lesson our Lord taught Peter in the vision of the sheet full of animals. Don’t you think all of us could heed a little of this advice from the Lord now and then? Just as God speaks, Cornelius’ men arrive at the door asking for Peter. How perfect God’s timing is. Every lit tle detail falls into place just at the right moment in the lives of those who are trusting the Lord. If these men had come a few minutes earlier, Peter’s preparation would not have been com plete. If they had come just a little later, possibly the vividness of the vis
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