Ken Crawford

“The reason that most major goals are not achieved
is that we spend our time doing second things first.”
— Robert J. McKain

Read About It
[To his disciples, Jesus continued,] “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.”
— John 9:4 NLT

Look It Up
John 13:21-30, James 4:13-16, John 11:9-10

Think About It
Jesus recognizes that his time on earth is short. He feels a sense of urgency to get the work of God completed. He also shares the importance of getting that work done with his disciples. Many of us have all sorts of distractions crowding into our lives. Some of these distractions seem important to us. Others, we recognize as insignificant intrusions. The real question, however, is this: How well are we doing with placing God’s priorities first in our lives regardless of the apparent importance of possible distractions?
Do we feel a sense of urgency to get God’s work done?
Is God’s work our focus or just another item to check off our
“to do” list crowding into our busy lives?

Pray About It
Holy God, help me better know how to order my priorities.
Please help me be more confident of the things you want most for me to do. Father, I gladly submit my will to be led by your Spirit and commit to live my life for your glory.  Please guide my way. In Jesus’ name, I ask it. Amen.

“To the world, you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world.”
— Author Unknown

Read About It

“As I began to speak [to Cornelius, along with his family and friends],” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'” 
Acts 11:15-16 NLT

Look It Up

1 Peter 3:15 and Matthew 3:11

Think About It

Jesus promised his disciples that the power of the Holy Spirit would help them become witnesses to people all over the world (Acts 1:8). Luke emphasized that Jesus kept this promise, and made clear his acceptance of new groups of people, through the coming of the Holy Spirit. At this God-designed intersection of grace and God-seeking Gentiles, once again Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit, this time on Cornelius, his relatives, and friends – all of whom were Gentiles. The Good News message included Jewish people from all over the world on Pentecost (Acts 2:5-12). Now, by showing his favor through sending the
Holy Spirit, Jesus was leading his disciples to include non-Jews.
One of the great functions of the Holy Spirit is to open new pathways
for Jesus’ disciples to reach people never reached.
But, are we praying and expecting the Spirit to do that today?

Pray About It

Lord Jesus, I ask that you pour out the Holy Spirit with power and guide us to the groups of people whose hearts are yearning to know the hope that is in Jesus. I pledge to you, O Lord, that I am waiting in expectation to do what I can to reach them with your love and grace. But, Lord, I believe that we need your help to awaken us to our opportunities and your promise to use us as witnesses. Amen.

“Somebody is waiting on the other side of your obedience.”
— Tim Storey

Read About It

[Peter related what Cornelius said to him:] “He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!'” 
Acts 11:13-14 NLT

Look It Up

Acts 1:8 and Daniel 12:3

Think About It

Luke emphasizes the theme of salvation in his gospel and in the book of Acts. We should not be surprised that he points explicitly to what hangs in the balance for Cornelius in Peter’s visit: “He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!” The salvation of non-Jews is the issue. Do Gentiles first have to become proselytes (converts to Judaism) to be considered Christians? No! They need to believe in Jesus, turn from their life of sin to live for God (repent), receive the Holy Spirit, and be baptized.
If they do those four things – the same four things that happen on the day
of Pentecost with Jewish believers (Acts 2:36-41) – then they are disciples
of Jesus and saved! They don’t need to become converts to Judaism
to be faithful followers of Jesus!

Pray About It

Dear Father, I ask that you not only forgive us for the many ways we sometimes erect barriers to people becoming followers of Jesus but that you also change us. Please use the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to these unnecessary barriers so that we can remove them and invite others to believe in Jesus as Lord, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit. Use us to make new disciples and then love them into full fellowship in our families, groups, and congregations.
I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved.”
— Henri Nouwen

Read About It

[Peter recounted what Cornelius said when he arrived at Cornelius’ house:] “He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 
He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!'” 
Acts 11:13-14 NLT

Look It Up

1 Peter 3:15 and Matthew 5:14-16

Think About It

When Peter met with Cornelius, Peter was a considerable distance from Jerusalem and away from the normal places we saw him during Jesus’ ministry. However, God used his traveling – his “going” – to great advantage. Because of Peter’s obedience to Jesus’ final words (Matthew 28:18-20), God moved him into a position where he could work for the inclusion of Gentiles in the family of God. This initial case designed by God to include Gentiles in his family of faith began with Peter being willing to go on mission for Jesus to places outside his normal range of familiarity and his normal places. Let’s follow his example and do the same: Let’s intentionally step out of our usual range of familiarity and our usual places so we can reach others with the Good News of Jesus.

Pray About It

Open my heart, dear Father, to the opportunities I have each day – and especially today – to move outside my comfort zone so that I intentionally journey into areas that are new to me and spend time among people who are unfamiliar to me.
Use me to reach others with your grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

“The reason that most major goals are not achieved i
s that we spend our time doing second things first.”
— Robert J. McKain

Read About It

[Peter continued telling the story of Cornelius’ conversion:] “The Holy Spirit told me to go with [the messengers Cornelius had sent] and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us.”
Acts 11:12 NLT

Look It Up

Matthew 28:19-20 and Proverbs 11:30

Think About It

God had used all sorts of ways to reveal his desire for Peter to go and speak the Good News of Jesus to Cornelius and his relatives and friends. With the arrival of Cornelius’ three messengers (Acts 11:11), the Holy Spirit made sure the message was clear. The Spirit said, “Go! Don’t worry that they are Gentiles!” Heaven expended great effort to awaken Peter and the early church to Jesus’ last words: “Go!” Following Christ is not primarily about just trying to attract people to a church building but about our going to them with the message and love of Jesus. And for Jesus, our “going” is not limited to nearby; it involves going “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
We are to go as witnesses with the message of Jesus. Going is a vital part of our DNA as disciples of the Son of God who came to us, for us!

Pray About It

Dear Father in heaven, may your Kingdom come on earth. May the world see your will being done through our actions here on earth. Inspire us and empower us to go and take the message of Jesus into all the world. Use us to bring your grace to those who have not heard and your love to those who
are trapped without hope. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“I don’t see the big picture. I don’t have a clue. But I know God does.
I’m going to declare that, even if I don’t feel it right now.”
— Steven Curtis Chapman

Read About It

[Peter continued explaining what happened with Cornelius, saying:]
“Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived
at the house where we were staying.”
Acts 11:11 NLT

Look It Up

Joel 2:28-22 and 2 Corinthians 5:20

Think About It

God used three messengers, visions, and messages in his plan of leading Cornelius to conversion. In addition to sending Peter the same vision three times (Acts 10:9-16), God also directed Cornelius to send messengers to convey his desire to learn God’s truth, and Cornelius sent three men
(Acts 10:7-8). This combination of visions, human messengers, angelic messengers, and the leading of the Holy Spirit made clear to Peter that God was at work in what was happening with Cornelius. The sequencing and timing of these events showed the Lord’s hand in orchestrating them.
God’s guidance and timing convinced Peter. The combination of all the factors also proved to be essential in overcoming the skepticism of critics and questioners in Jerusalem. Jesus had promised his message would be unstoppable because the Holy Spirit would empower his disciples to be his witnesses. Peter stepped into the center of the Spirit’s fulfillment
of Jesus’ promise in the life of Cornelius.

Pray About It

Almighty God, my loving Father, thank you for Luke’s story of the early church in Acts. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for opening the way for Gentiles to come into God’s family and for God to graft them into his chosen people. Please use whatever means are necessary to awaken us from our lack of vision, passion, and commitment to reach the lost world with the message of Jesus.
We invite you to work through us to bring your promises to fulfillment in our day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.