WEDNESDAY May 10, 2023

Connected to the Gospel Message

“Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Acts 10:5-8

In a vision, Cornelius saw an angel who gave him instructions. Angels serve God; they are under His authority. An angel can be sent by God to deliver a message. In the Old Testament, an angel was sent to Daniel. An angel gave him a message in response to his time spent in fasting and praying (Daniel 10). The angel Gabriel was sent to Zechariah in answer to his prayer for his wife. Elizabeth was barren, and he prayed for her to have a child (Luke 1:8-17). Gabriel was also sent to Mary. His message given to her was that she was chosen among women to become the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).

Angels do not understand salvation; they are puzzled by it: ...the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things (1 Peter 1:12 NIV). We are privileged to not only understand the Gospel, but we have a free will to accept or reject the message.

In Caesarea, one of the most beautiful places in the world, Cornelius had grown tired of myths and empty religious rituals, so he turned to Judaism in hopes that he could find salvation. God saw the heart of a true seeker, and through an angel, connected him to Peter so he could hear the Gospel.

God is so faithful; He sees the hearts of those seeking Him. God hears their prayers. He can divinely prepare hearts and arrange it to where people’s paths will cross. When a Christian crosses someone’s path and shares the Gospel with them, it is not by coincidence––it is God-ordained.

Light physical is said by Solomon to be sweet, but gospel light is infinitely more precious, for it reveals eternal things, and ministers to our immortal natures.
~Charles H. Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!