21/06/2014 - WHEN GOD IS PLEASED

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And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Acts 11.15

Until that moment, the Gospel was being preached only to the Jews. The disciples hadn’t paid attention to the commandment the Master had given: go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mk 16.15). Their prejudice against the gentiles was so big that the Lord had to deal with Peter in a vision that repeated itself three times. Thus, the apostle went to the house of Cornelius, the gentile (Ac. 10).

While Peter was preaching about Jesus, God poured out the Holy Spirit as he had done so in Jerusalem. When he was watching it, Peter concluded that salvation was also for the gentiles. Notice that he wasn’t preaching about pouring out power – the baptism through the Holy Spirit –, a fact that teaches us that God works as He pleases. How good it would be if that always happened in our services, wouldn’t it?

I believe we can expect for something similar. It is clear that the Lord can change the order of the paths of salvation, which are repentance, the baptism in the water and in the Holy Spirit. As a ruler, the Most High can baptize in the Spirit before the baptism in the water. But, when he concluded it was coming from God, Peter ordered that everyone should be baptized in the water. He was clear that we have to fulfill all righteousness.

When the apostle had spoken of the most graceful history – the coming of Jesus -, the Lord poured out His Spirit. This shows He doesn’t need our eloquence to fulfill His promises, He needs our submission. The same experience can be repeated in miraculous works, as the healing of several diseases. The message has to come always from the Most High; without Him, we can’t do absolutely anything.

Peter and the ones who had gone with him were surprised. The truth is that everything the Lord does surprises us, since it is marvelous for our eyes. We need these heavenly “surprises”, which the Almighty fulfills His promises. We restrain Him to work when we give our message, and not His, which produces faith. Thus, every time we are going to speak about God’s love, we should ask for His help.

This is one more lesson that, if learnt, will make us wise and good workers. When God works, His activity is above what we ask or think (Eph 3.20). The cooperation between Peter and the Most High happened for speaking the Word. If we do the same, identical activities as God’s and others of no less important will happen amongst us. If our services are directed by the Lord, we will always see wondrous works.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares