Acts 10:34-36Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone.
37-38"You know the story of what happened in Judea. It began in Galilee after John preached a total life-change. Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.
39-43"And we saw it, saw it all, everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem where they killed him, hung him from a cross. But in three days God had him up, alive, and out where he could be seen. Not everyone saw him—he wasn't put on public display. Witnesses had been carefully handpicked by God beforehand—us! We were the ones, there to eat and drink with him after he came back from the dead. He commissioned us to announce this in public, to bear solemn witness that he is in fact the One whom God destined as Judge of the living and dead. But we're not alone in this. Our witness that he is the means to forgiveness of sins is backed up by the witness of all the prophets."
44-46No sooner were these words out of Peter's mouth than the Holy Spirit came on the listeners. The believing Jews who had come with Peter couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on "outsider" non-Jews, but there it was—they heard them speaking in tongues, heard them praising God.
no favorites.......I wonder how easy that is for others to believe? in talking to women, my own daughter one of them about what their husbands endure from people, while a verse like this gives me such hope..... but I have never suffered like their husbands have and pray for the truth of this to penetrate not only my heart but the hearts of all of us and that in confidence we would become more loving and responsively obedient Ex. 35:20..every one whose heart was roused, whose spirit was freely responsive..those kinds of hearts get things done, they collected enough voluntary offerings to build the sanctuary they were told to stop bringing offerings...that kind of heart can change things, that kind of obedience . I will today in wondering about that kind of heart look for opportunities to BE obedient.
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