Don't Miss a Divine Appointment This Week!

Acts 10:34-48

34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Peter has a life changing experiencing when God gives him a vision to go and visit Cornelius, the Centurion.  Though Cornelius was a Roman military leader of a cohort of 100, he was also a God fearer and gave to the poor.  God saw that Cornelius was seeking Him, and  he saw that Peter needed to understand that the Good News was for all people, both Jews and Gentiles.  We might call this a "divine appointment".  It was clear that God knew that Peter needed to learn that the Good News of Jesus was as much Cornelius' houshold as his own. 

I wonder if God arranges divine appointments in our lives from people we need to learn from. I think he does and in fact I have experienced it. Though someone may be different than you, God may guide you to them to show you just how deep and wide His love is.  By being obedient to go to the people God leads us to is life changing both for you and them.  I think there is a tendency among Christians to get comfortable with hanging out with other Christians that look like us and talk like us.  The problem is we miss out on the beauty of the Church of Jesus Christ, and what heaven is going to look like.  

Living in Irvine whose demographics has changed dramatically our church has been able to attract and interact with more and more people of different ethnicities. They are mainly Asian, but also a good amount of Persians from Iran.  Our church has been mainly a white, middle to upper class church for its first 50 years.  It has been so fun to see our members getting to know people of other cultures and welcoming them to our church.  And it has been equally satisfying to see how excited our new friends are to learn about Jesus and the Gospel. They want to get involved and give back to God and the church.    

Make sure you don't miss out on any divine appointments this week.  It will bless you and the other person and God's Spirit will be poured out upon both of you.