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| Whosoever will - Acts 10: 1-48 | |
Scripture
For God so loved the world that He gave Hisone and onlySon, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal Life. For Goddid not sendHis Son into the world to condemn but to savethe world through Him (John 3:16,17 NIV.)
Devotional
The Christian faithis God’s message for all people. Christianity is a world faith. It cannot be confined to one people, one race or one culture. It embraces the world. It speaks to the person in the great metropolis or the child dying in abject poverty in the Sudan. It is good news for the whole world. It brings light and hope in our world of pain and strife. The Christian faith is the message of Jesus Christ. Its banner is; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him might not perish but have everlasting life.”
The first followers of Jesus were Jewish men and women. For many years the gospel was confined to the Jewish nation. If this continued the church faced the possibility of being just another Jewish sect. The command of Christ was that the gospel be taken to the gentiles - to the world at large. Yet, the barriers between Jew and gentile seemed to prevent this from happening. Then came the Cornelius' experience which forever changed the character and destiny of the church. The Gospel was brought to the Gentile World. Acts chapter ten give the account of the conversion of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. This would mark the beginning of a new day for the Christian faith. The era of world evangelization was about to begin. The story of Acts recounts how a devout gentile name Cornelius had a vision from God. He was told in the vision to summon a man name Simon who is called Peter. He would be found in the nearby city of Joppa. This man would show Cornelius how to find the way of salvation.
The record in Acts ten tells us that at the same time, Peter also received a vision. It was rather strange. He saw something like a sheet coming down from heaven. It contained all kinds of animals, even reptiles and birds. Peter was commanded to get up, kill and eat what was on the sheet. He refused. Some of these animals were considered unclean by the Jews. Peter would not violate the Jewish laws concerning unclean food. But he is told three times to arise and eat. It was at this moment that men arrive from the house of Cornelius to ask Peter to come to the home of Cornelius. Ordinarily, Peter would not do this. Jews did not enter the homes of gentiles. But the vision of the unclean food changed all this. Peter learned his lesson. God had shown him that he should call no person impure or unclean.
Peter came to the house of Cornelius and he brought with him the message of the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Now for the first time the Gospel would be preached among gentiles. The Scripture would be fulfilled which declared that Christ was a light to the gentiles - the peoples of the world. The gospel had moved from being merely the faith of the people of Israel. It was for all people. It could now be said that in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor gentile. The faith of Christ removes all barriers and unites people of different races and various cultures into a new people - the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The story of the conversion of Cornelius brought the gentile world into inclusion in the church of Christ. Thank God, the Gospel cannot be confined to one group or culture. It is for all people. The message of Christ’s redemptive love is extended to all the world. You and I are included. The Gospel of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ comes to us. No matter what our background might be. We all can know the redeeming power of the cross. We can all become a part of a new creation in Christ.
Prayer
Heavenly Father thank you for loving us so much that you would send your Son to save us and give us Eternal Life. Forgive me to day of all my sin against you and make me your child .Help me to spread the message of your wonderful salvation to my neighbour. Amen
Meet the Author.
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Rev. Ronald Osmond is a pastor with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Nfld.Some of theplaces he pastoredare Corner Brook and St John's, Newfoundlandas well as Vancover, British Columbia. He is a pastor and teacher as well as a radio speaker. Ronald and his wife Betty have five children all of whom are ministering with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and the Assemblies of God,U.S.A. They are now retired and live in St.John's, NL. They may be reached at Ronosmond@aol.com |
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Healing
Psalms 103:3
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Proverbs 11:21
[Though] hand [join] in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
Isaiah 57:18
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Matthew 4:24
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Matthew 8:16, 17
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Matthew 10:1, 7, 8
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease…And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Matthew 13:54-58
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Matthew 17:14-20
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you
Mark 16:17-20
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Luke 9:1, 2, 6
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick…And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
1 Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Additional Scriptures
Healing Ps. 6:2; Isa. 6:10; Acts 9:34; 14:8-10; 1 Cor. 12:9; James 5:16
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