DCLM Daily Manna 7 August 2024 — The Challenge Of Change
DCLM Daily Manna 7 August 2024 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The Challenge Of Change
TOPIC: The Challenge Of Change (DCLM Daily Manna 7 August 2024)
Text: Acts 10:9-13
9On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
13And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
Key Verse:“And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat” (Acts 10:13).
Message
In a sense, there is truth in an anonymous writer’s assertion that “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change”. This brings to the fore the issue of perspectives – how we see things or people. It takes a change of perspective (which is not always easy) to have a change of attitude.
Also Read: Open Heaven 7 August 2024 – The Miracle-Working God
God had to use an extraordinary means to make Apostle Peter have a change of perspective and therefore, a change of attitude towards the gentile world. The gospel had been restricted to the Jews, but it was time for a transition from Jewry to the gentile space. In a trance, a hungry Peter was shown a vessel containing all sorts of four-footed beasts, creeping things and fowls of the air descending from heaven towards him. Then a voice ordered him to rise, kill and eat the animals. Of course, being a typical Jew, Peter was reluctant to act on the instruction; he would have nothing to do with anything regarded as common or unclean.
Those creatures were symbolic of the gentiles. It was done to prepare Peter to accept the opening of the door of salvation to them through him. The eventual conversion of Cornelius, a gentile centurion in Caesarea, launched the gospel to the outer world, which Apostle Paul came to fulfil. Indeed, as observed by William Cowper, “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform”. To walk with Him, we must keep His pace and willingly subsume our ideas, prejudices, preferences, assumptions and perspectives into His will and purpose.
When God sends us on an errand that lies outside our comfort zone, we should not yield to the temptation to resist the divine instruction. Divinely ordered change may be challenging but in the end, it bears the sweet fruits of God’s purpose.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
God effects a major change through us by changing our perspective.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
John 16-18
Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2024 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
