"I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."
Acts 11:5-9
This is an interesting story. Peter had lived his whole life by a specific religious code in the Law of Moses that restricted what he could eat, and then he dreams this same thing 3 times. His dream turns out not to be about food, but about people, but the principle carried over. The gospel, just like Peter's diet in the dream, needed to expand. Peter and the early church had been expanding, but only to a specific group of people, because they had been chosen by God in the past. Here, God expresses his wish to also choose others.
I think sometimes we are like Peter in this. We are kind of blind to people outside the groups that we belong to, not willing, or at least not usually *as* willing to reach out and help and lift and share with people that don't "fit" the gospel in our minds. And yet, God is the God of the whole earth, and everyone in it. And he loves all of us.
Today, let's be willing to follow God's promptings, even when they lead us outside our groups and comfort zones. Let's do as Peter did, and open our hearts and minds to others, and be instruments in God's hands to bring kindness, compassion, love, and the joy of the gospel to everyone, everywhere... not just the people that are like us. :)
Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."
Acts 11:5-9
This is an interesting story. Peter had lived his whole life by a specific religious code in the Law of Moses that restricted what he could eat, and then he dreams this same thing 3 times. His dream turns out not to be about food, but about people, but the principle carried over. The gospel, just like Peter's diet in the dream, needed to expand. Peter and the early church had been expanding, but only to a specific group of people, because they had been chosen by God in the past. Here, God expresses his wish to also choose others.
I think sometimes we are like Peter in this. We are kind of blind to people outside the groups that we belong to, not willing, or at least not usually *as* willing to reach out and help and lift and share with people that don't "fit" the gospel in our minds. And yet, God is the God of the whole earth, and everyone in it. And he loves all of us.
Today, let's be willing to follow God's promptings, even when they lead us outside our groups and comfort zones. Let's do as Peter did, and open our hearts and minds to others, and be instruments in God's hands to bring kindness, compassion, love, and the joy of the gospel to everyone, everywhere... not just the people that are like us. :)
Believe in the Holy Ghost,don't be stubborn like Peter did.
ReplyDeleteI always test the spirit of any instructions that comes from any leader if it has the backing of the Holly Angel or the Holy Ghost.
As yu have known Peter was scared of the Jewish brothers in the church.
.Umm!@-talking about a leader who might lead U astray.
The Holy Ghost is the best.Lolo😊.