Being Diligent

DILIGENCE.
Fasting, praying, and feeding on the Word of God puts that sword in your hand and positions you to discern the difference between your thoughts and God's thoughts. There is no higher authority than to know the heart of God for a situation you are facing. HIS WORD IS FINAL NO MATTER WHAT!!!! excerpt from "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin.

A good example of a diligent person is Cornelius and his story is found in Acts chp 10 to chp 11:1-18. At this point in the Bible only the Jews had received the Holy Spirit. Cornelius and his family were devout and God fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day Cornelius had a vision. He say an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

About noon the following day, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. This happened three times and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. If God tells you something, do not go against it or try to put your own reasoning. If you do not understand ask Him for the interpretation. We have no right to call anyone unclean when God has made them clean. When we ask God to forgive us of our sins He does so. So when we are forgiven no one has the right to call us by our past sins.

When Peter got to Cornelius' house he found a large group of people waiting for him. He said to them, "you are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. I need to emphasize this point for myself- I have no right to call any man impure or unclean (or evil or not worthy of God's blessings). Write down your dreams and wait for God to reveal the meaning to you. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection.

vs 34...Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. vs 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. God will use any vessel so never look at someone and think the Holy Spirit cannot be poured on them.

Chp 11 The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them." Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened:... vs 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as He had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.

So continue seeking God's kingdom first and do not tarry for your good works are not being done in vain, God our Father sees our diligence Amen.