God is No Respecter of Persons

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.  - Acts 10:34-35

Have you ever asked the question, ‘how could God love me, after all I have done?’. Will God forgive me for what I have done? I’ve messed up so many times, will God still love me? I do not have a degree in theology. I cannot speak eloquently. When we look at society, depends on your financial status, your family, your career, you are considered a somebody or a nobody.

Acts chapter 10 tells us of a man whose name is Cornelius, he was a Gentile. Yet, scripture says, he was a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. In those days the Jews did not fellowship or have a relationship with the Gentiles. The Gentiles were considered an outcast, a nobody. However, there were those who loved and worshipped God.

In a vision, Peter saw all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them. Peter was perplexed with the vision. Peter replied, as a Jew, we do not eat anything that is unclean.  Peter was about to have a revelation that would change his perspective on the love of God for others who were not Jews. The voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” God was saying to Peter, I sent my Son for the entire human race.

We know that God is no respecter of persons. It does not matter to God what ethnic group you belong to. His Son, Christ Jesus died for all. It does not matter what you have done. Even when Jesus was on the cross, one of the malefactors who hanged on the cross was worthy of death. Yet because he repented, Jesus said to him, today you will be with me in paradise.

For those of you who feel worthless, or feel you are the worst of sinner, know this, God is no respecter of persons. When Jesus came, it was said that He came for the lost sheep of Israel, but He also came to change the order of the day. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, John 3:16. Jesus came and died for all. That included Cornelius, the Gentile, and his family. That also includes you! You do not have an excuse, surrender your life to Him, today. 

Obey God's Commandments

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. Deuteronomy 6:6-7a

When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, He gave the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments to Moses to teach them. God made a promise to Abraham that his descendants will be given the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey.

The commandments were not given simple because God wanted to give them. They were given because the Israelites were to obey them when they enter the land to possess it; that it may be well with them, and that they may increase mightily. The people were to fear or have reference for the Lord their God by obeying the commandments.

God did not stop there. The commandments were not just for the adults, they were also for the children. To go a step further, once you have decided to serve the true and living God, you must obey His commandments. The commandments are not just written in the pages of the bible, but it should be reflected daily in our lives as children of God. We are also commissioned to teach our children the commandments of the Lord, that they too may observe to do them. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates; vs. 6-9.

We have a responsibility to teach our children the commandments of the Lord. Today our children and even us as adults are too distracted with social media and everything else. It is important our children have the mindset of God. To be able to stand the tests of life, our children must be God focused and have a mindset that is rooted in the wisdom and knowledge of God. We must prepare our children from an early age, so that they will not be influenced by the world systems and standards.

Let’s set aside time to learn and teach the commandments of the Lord. Not only, learn and teach, but most importantly, obey them. The word of God is the only source that will sustain us, that will keep us through the difficulties of life that lies ahead of us.

Study God’s Word To Succeed

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psa. 119:18 NIV

The key to Bible study is to do it daily, systematically, and prayerfully. The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” This involves three things:

(1) God will show you the truth about Himself. You will discover His nature, His opinions, and what He values. And if you grew up with an absent or abusive parent, you will discover that your heavenly Father is entirely different—lovingly different!

(2) God will show you the truth about others. You will begin to understand and appreciate their place in your life. You will also learn to recognize and anticipate their needs and the role God wants you to play in helping them. You see, when God blesses you, it’s always to make you a blessing to others (See Ge 12:1-2).

(3) God will show you the truth about yourself. You will start to grasp and appreciate how important you are to Him. Yes, He will point out your problems and weaknesses. But He will do more than that. He will show you the possibilities He sees in you and the plans He has for you (See Jer 29:11).

So, set aside time each day to study your Bible. And spend part of it simply reading, without trying to delve into complex theological concepts. Read and absorb what God has to say, and let His Spirit speak to your heart. And here is an additional thought: Since the Bible is the only book God ever wrote, and one day you’re going to stand before the Author Himself, wouldn’t you like to be able to tell Him you have read His book and how much it helped you survive here on earth?