16th July 2021

Checking into God's Presence...   "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Acts 10: 1-4 Gaining the salvation of Jesus Christ requires the need to experience spiritual growth in the Lord that will often display spiritual maturity! Cornelius, the centurion, was described as a devout man who feared God with his household. Cornelius prayed to God constantly; he also showed much love to the people, giving them alms in a manner that pleased God. It was an ongoing ritual that brought him in contact with God "in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Let me assure you that it is a faithful saying that God can select people He wants to use for His purpose, but such a person must first put the Lord in their plan for selection to be guaranteed. God puts Cornelius through the test of giving alms; he also learned the habit to fear God by praying unto Him regularly and without fail. Cornelius had so much trust and belief in God's Name and gained from his level of interaction with God due to spiritual growth and the level of maturity in him. An angel of the Lord appeared and assured him that God had seen his conduct and his prayers answered.  Interestingly, we all know what is wrong with our behaviours and the bad habit we have cultivated. Let us remember that those self-acclaimed destructive conducts cannot travel the journey with us to seek salvation in Christ Jesus. Therefore we pray unto You, oh Lord, to make us pass with distinction and empower us to reach the next phase of maturity in the Lord. Like Cornelius, enable us to use part of the substance given us to win souls for Christ through the act of giving in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen Http://testimony-times.blogspot.co.uk Just Checking into His Presence…