Peter's dream

Acts 10
9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

21Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"

22The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Contrast Peter's vision to Cornelius' dream...an angel tells Cornelius to send for Peter, and he does it. Immediately. What does Peter do? Peter sees the vision, hears the voice...and says No. Peter had baggage that Cornelius didn't, a lifetime of rules about what he could eat and what he couldn't, an understanding of Israel as God's chosen people. What does God do? He says yes. 3 times he says yes. I think 3 is Peter's magic number because that's what it took...well, that and the spirit and the "coincidental" arrival of Cornelius' men.

God is awesome, right? And merciful. Peter's vision was just the beginning. He was going to be doing some growing along with Cornelius. Peter had to spread the gospel to the Jews...and someone else was going to reach the rest of us. And Peter's face to face with Cornelius and his family...just the beginning.

The centurion Cornelius

I'm going to be leading another Bible study beginning Thursday this week. And for some crazy reason, I decided to try something I've never done before. I'm not using a study guide...well, other than the Bible. And that's the ultimate study guide, right?

Luckily, my Sunday school lesson is helping me out a little. We're studying Acts, which is kinda the history that Paul is talking about in Galatians...the book I picked to teach. In order not to lose any of my fascinating plans for the Bible study, I'm doing my best to stay away from Paul. He's a big deal for Galatians, being the writer and all.

Our lesson this week was on...Peter, my favorite, specifically Cornelius and Peter. In Acts, we see Peter growing...and in Galatians, Paul showed that Peter had a whole lot more to do.

Here's where Cornelius comes in:

Acts 10
Cornelius Calls for Peter
1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.

The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."

7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

What do we know about Cornelius?
1. He was important, a leader, a Roman
2. He was devout, feared God, prayed to Him. Cornelius was a good person.
3. Cornelius couldn't save himself. And neither could the angel. God had a plan for Peter.
4. Cornelius was obedient. Immediately.

For some reason, this time, the more we study Acts, the more I understand what amazing things the early church accomplished. I've heard this before, but now it's real. I think it comes from studying Galatians at the same time. I understand Paul better and I see the church at work. Jesus brought the message, but these men did the work. And Satan helped. By persecuting these men and scattering them, Satan caused the spread of Christianity beyond Jerusalem, beyond Judea.

A difference

Act as if what you do makes a difference.
It does.
William James

Gracious

Luke 4:22
And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips

This weekend I started reading Self Talk, Soul Talk by Jennifer Rothschild. I was suspicious at first. I was afraid it was a self-help book masquerading as biblical truth. Self-help books don't seem to be a good use of paper most of the time.

This one is good so far. Rothschild says at one point that she sure she wouldn't stand for someone else talking to her the same way she talks to herself. And I'd say on the other side that I would never in a million words say some of the things that I think about myself to anyone. Ever. I don't really even think those things about other people. Most of the time.

How does that happen? Why do I have a different standard for myself?

Graciousness and power, that was what people heard when Jesus spoke. Truth with compassion and kindness and you know he was tested...Peter alone was probably enough to test Jesus' graciousness.

The idea of Self Talk Soul Talk is that this internal monologue is natural and most of us have things that we say to ourselves that we shouldn't. And while we can't eliminate those, with God's help, we can replace them with better things, things to build up instead of tear down, things to draw us closer to God.

Transparency

Proverbs 23:7 (New American Standard Bible)
7For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

Do you ever wonder how the world sees you? I'm a thinker. I'm happy to listen to conversations flow around me and think, to observe the people around me and think. I don't have to be the center of attention. In fact, I'd prefer not to be. I think this quietness or reserve gives the people around me an idea of who I am that may just be a little off.

I know people who think my halo is untarnished...I never think a bad thing, say a bad thing, do things I shouldn't because I'm a Christian, a good person, a good girl. Unfortunately, that just isn't true. I worry about those people a little. As soon as I stumble with them, I become just another hypocrite. You know, the reason people can't go to church...all the hypocrites. You've heard that, right?

So I try my best not to represent myself as flawless...but that's such a battle because perfection is really all that's acceptable. For me, anyway. I want to fake it, to pretend perfection. Clearly, my thoughts are different than my actions. And together, my brain and my mouth are dangerous.

Of course, there are some things that are easier to admit to...and I'm willing to be transparent there. There are some things that only God knows, even with an untarnished halo. And there's so much more work to do with whole "renewing of my mind" business.

Some advice

Do not be discouraged at your faults; bear with yourself in
correcting them, as you would with your neighbor. Lay aside this
ardor of mind, which exhausts your body, and leads you to commit
errors. Accustom yourself gradually to carry prayer into all
your daily occupations. Speak, move, work, in peace, as if you
were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be.

-- François Fénelon

(Wikipedia says Fran was a French guy and part of the Quietist movement. I had never heard of Quietists but they were frowned on by the Catholic church. I'm probably not going to become a Fran follower or Quietist. I already think too much.)

From Wiki:
Quietism is a Christian philosophy that swept through France, Italy and Spain during the 17th century, but it had much earlier origins. The mystics known as Quietists insist with more or less emphasis on intellectual stillness and interior passivity as essential conditions of perfection; all have been officially proscribed as heresy in very explicit terms by the Roman Catholic Church.

Cool enough

I like this song by Scott Krippayne and it sorta goes along with the topic this week.