May 31, 2024
Acts 11: 
11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

New International Version (NIV)
Our God is never early and never late. He is always right on time. At the very moment Peter was seeing his vision, men from Caesarea arrived in Joppa to invite him to return with them to Cornelius’s house. This means God had already been working in Cornelius before he even let Peter know. 

The Spirit sent an angel to Cornelius in Caesarea to offer him salvation. Meanwhile, the Spirit told Peter to go with them. As Peter preached, the Holy Spirit baptized them.  Peter was smart enough not to tell the Spirit what he should do. 

Peter won the critics over by telling them what God had done. They retracted their objections and praised God. Who knew God was going to save the Gentiles? The disciples in Jerusalem did not know. But God knew. 

Notice again the description of salvation:  God granted repentance that led to life. This is how he saved in the first century. This is how God saves in the twenty-first century. He enables us to change our minds and actions. When we turn to him he gives us life. Right on time. Right on God’s standard time.

Pray with me:
Father, we thank you for your punctual plan to save us. Take a look at our schedules today. If any of our plans are not your plans, feel free to erase them from the calendar. We surrender our calendars and our whole lives to you. Do with us as you will. Make us instruments of your peace and messengers of your salvation to the world. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 
Our Monday through Friday devotionals will start in the book of Acts this year.  We will not hurry through the book.  We want to see what the Holy Spirit did in the early church so that we may discern what he is doing in us and through us.  Join us for these devotionals as we learn together about our King and his Kingdom in the world.  

We also invite you to join us as we read through the Bible. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy here:
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