Cornelius
Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Regiment, was a very unusual Gentile. Despite not being raised in the Jewish tradition, Acts 10 says Cornelius helped
| "He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly." - Acts 10:2 |
It’s little wonder, then, that the Lord sent an angel to Cornelius telling him, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God” (10:4). The Lord then sent Peter to tell him that his sins could be forgiven if he believed in Jesus. That very day, Cornelius became the first Gentile Christian. What a delightful surprise!
A military man, Cornelius led a life of prayer and faithfulness to God that dramatically altered his life. Now ask yourself. How could you be changed by committing to daily, faith-filled prayer for the U.S. military? Hebrews 11 promises that God “rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Intercede habitually for our Troops, and you might find His responses to be wonderfully surprising as well.
- Adam Colwell
Recommended Reading: Hebrews 11:1-12
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.
3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.
5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 10 Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
11 It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
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