Energized! [Part 1]

Pastor author and Bible teacher Alan writings what happens here is pivotal in world history, the world changes because of acts chapter 10 when a Gentile non-Jew receives the gospel Alan Wright another message of good news. Life in a whole new light.

I'm Daniel Britton excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series limited as presented at renewal of the church in North Carolina are not able to stay with the entire program to make sure you know how to get our special resource. Right now you can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at pastoralan.org Pastor Alan.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program right now.

Let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright God can make anyone clean anyone no matter the past matter behaviors and thoughts. What happened to someone God can make anyone anyone clean where in acts chapter 10 and this is I know I say this week after week as we go through the book of acts, but it's not just a pivotal chapter in the book of acts, not just a pivotal chapter in the Bible, but this chapter and what happens here is pivotal in world history, the world changes because of acts chapter 10 when a Gentile non-Jew receives the gospel when you see something that was inconceivable to Peter.

And yet, the Holy Spirit revealed to him and thus the power of the gospel fell upon Gentile Christians and I were going to pick up reading at verse one at Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius the centurion of what was known as the Italian cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household.

So centurion was a Roman soldier who had oversight of 100 troops and he feared God be developed God and of whatever he knew of God, and he gave almost generously to the people, and prayed continually to God about the ninth hour of the day. He saw clearly in a vision, an angel of God, and say to him. Cornelius and he stared at him in terror and said what is it locked and he sent him your prayers and your arms of ascended as a memorial before God. That's another image we see in the Scripture of prayer like they would've been familiar with the Jewish people of the that in the sense that the priests would burn at the temple that it's like it rises and you you breathe in an aroma you breathe in that were aroma of incense. Well, this is one description of how God receives prayer that is like prayer rises like incense and God breathes it in beautiful images that your prayers are breathed in by God. This angel God came and said in Cornelius, and he stared at him terrace and what is it, Lord, and he said your prayers and yawns of ascended as a memorial before God. Verse five and now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter his lodging was Simon a tanner whose houses by the seat and when the angel who spoke to him departed. He called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended them having related everything to them is in them to Joppa. Will the next day as they were on a journey in approaching the city. Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour enterprise. So it's noon and he's going up to the rooftop which is in many Middle Eastern houses that rooftop would be flat. It was part of their what we call outdoor living space and he became hungry and wanted to eat and while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and he saw the heavens open and something like a great sheet sending some of said that maybe this word conveys like a great sale of the ship, so a sailor she descending being let down by its four corners upon the earth, and in it, were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air all kinds and there came a voice to rise, Peter kill any but Peter said, by no means Lord front never eaten anything that is common or unclean. So as we talk about today. This sheet was full of all these ceremonially unclean animals school laws from Leviticus that said, you're not supposed to eat these animals and and hear the voice and rise. Peter kill any bidders that I know may have never eaten anything that's common or unclean.

So common is just another word for unclean and the voice came to him again a second time what God has made clean. Do not call, not verse 15 is going to be our focal point today what God has made clean. Do not call, this happened three times so it was something that vision that I guess God just wanted to get it through to Peter so I gave it to him three times. Same thing and sometimes God will do that because it just so want you to understand something you have that happen with people's economy.

So often the site pastor cannot believe what you preach about the day because that was the very thing I was studying my quiet time this morning on the way to church or that was the very thing that I heard another preacher speak about this week as I heard the same thing twice and I had a conversation with someone and then I came in you breach this was God doing what is I want to get this through to so happened three and happened three times.

It was taken up to heaven for 17 now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that each scene might mean. Behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house stood at the gate and called out to asked whether Simon was called Peter was lodging there.

While Peter was pondering the vision, the spirit said to them, the hold three men are looking for you.

Rise and go down a company that without hesitation, for I have sent them so here comes another vision from the Holy Spirit of God, is giving two different men visions and instructing them. This is how God is able to get what he wants done. Verse 20 rise and go down to come to them without hesitation. Five. Since that and Peter went down to the men and said I am the one you're looking for. What is the reason for your coming, and they said, Cornelius the centurion and upright, and God-fearing man was well spoken by the whole Jewish nation was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.

So he invited them in to be his guests and the next day he rose and went away with them and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied them. I will stop there. This is really in some ways, part one of two messages would come back to this tax on next week was the best bath you ever hacked I mean I'm not talking about like you have some fancy spa heads up the timeout like when the time you just felt like I can't wait to get a shower and then get your week. I was trying to think this way. What were the will of the best. If a couple is this came to my one was. I remember what it felt like to get a cool shower after the late August, three hour soccer practices we had in high school I would come home sweating for three hours and always something was a little bloodied and something was muddy. By that time caked on in the middle of the sweat and I get is remember the feeling of getting out of that drenched soccer outfit into step into a cool shower and just felt so good. Alan Wright will have more teaching moment from today's important series inspiration and practical help to grasp is that in conjunction with the exciting really suppressed Allen's new book, the power to classically put together some tools to get you started on the journey of speaking life and empowering the people you that the toolkit includes an idea message of Pastor Alan's recent sermon prime and mysterious blessings from them the marks at the gateway to understanding the power of all blessing also included in the kit is appropriately a list of scriptures that can be spoken directly as blessings blessing Scripture soprano pricing can easily access them for specific situations when you make your gift Alan Wright Ministries this month will happily send you the power to bless toolkit is our way of saying thanks for your partnership resources are available for immediate digital download or available in CD and a partner with us and be inspired and equipped to bless someone's life to the gospel is shared when you get to Alan Wright Ministries.

This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today. We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I thanks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor hour and got work days teaching now you once again is another. Another reason this part of my when I was a teenager I used to work at the tennis courts and one summer they used some of us teenagers is the labor in the resurfacing the softcore to call composition.

It is kind of what you might think of a select more clay like surface to a court and then it has a say in the dusty granular surface on it and we call composition and is kinda green and grayish and had is sorted dusty and has sort of Sandy. Next to it.

That's what that's what it and so all day long we would shovel that stuff into wheelbarrows and then you move the wheelbarrows in the 95° all day. Take it wherever they said we need to take a dump it and go and shovel up another one and by the end of the day swept all the sweat, and then that dusty gray green stuff is just all over your body in the day I look like a good Junior Holt, he noticed a green little man and I remember going home with just the just I feel is how it is that stuff all that was English but by far away. I'm sure the best shower I ever had was after a trip, a lifetime that so you've heard me tell about before that my daughter Abby and got to go and be part of a Bible dedication service at a little island off the northern coast of popular Guinea were Jeff and Sissy dig Ernest had spent 27 years learning the language of this people and living this little island that had no electricity, no running water, no transportation, no medical care. It was like a step back into some prehistoric time they had enough about the beautiful island were flying and you can see is just a beautiful lush island with beautiful waters and and upbeat, but it's very near the equator, and so the temperature is pretty constant year-round right around 90 to 95° and the humidity is pretty constant around 90 to 95% year-round. And you know how here we have those dog days of August, but in the evening you go. Finally, go cool off. It just kinda stayed the same loving only difference was it was of mood in the sky rather than outside and we had we had a good time with a were so kind to us. We had no language. We couldn't talk to any of the locals, but it was amazing what people learn to do these cheese trees. These little boys could shimmy up the tree, I mean like you think of semi that was worker only works up telephone poles and had mechanism just clambered up. They just do it with her bare feet just climb up to the top and no catch a coconut drink. The local girls let Abby in on how they weave their baskets and and that was fun. They were so kind to us also that some of the local most of them just slept on the beach is where they live their lives. They just slipped out under the stars on the beach and but some of one's head that I guess the more prosperous once had some heights and they let some of us stay in their huts, which my daughter observed had only half walls which are very they were not very conducive to privacy but they were conducive to blocking whatever breeze you might accidentally get in the middle of the night and so we were just lying there on these five dollar Walmart floats with a mosquito net over is trying to sleep and just sweating all night all night long. They were so kind to us though and they also let us use their bathroom there and so we had three days on this island. There is no source of fresh water available except for 1 Little Pl. where it trickled down onto the beach like a spring. The counter trickled out of Little Rock and Qingdao to beat and it made about a 2 foot pool that was about 6 inches deep and that's what the locals used to go in and get fresh water to drink or they go and scoop it up and put it over their heads and we just felt bad about even going and trying to get into that. Not knowing what were doing.

If you muddy that water was very inconsiderate. So bottom line. The only way you could get cool was to get in the ocean, but you get out of the ocean and in your stickier than you were before you got in and saltier than you were before you got in and I did this for three days we had the time of our lives watching the people get the Bible in their language for the first time, but on the way back on that little missionary plane that flew back over to the highlands of Papua New Guinea in a place called Luca Rumbaugh at the mission headquarters there. All Abby and I could talk about was which one of us is will get the first shower.

I think she got it but I didn't care.

When I finally got in there and three days of just living in sweat and being slathered in mosquito repellent and to finally get and that that cool water coming out with the best back you ever had with if you can envision what it feels like to get clean physically then good.

You're very close to understanding what the Bible means by being clean spiritually and the way in which we are washed clean is not by any physical act, but it is by a spiritual act of God and what is required is a spiritual revelation that is received by faith someone of focus in on this verse that says what God has made clean.

Do not call common in the context of this remarkable story that was one of the greatest paradigm shifts in any spiritual leaders history. When Peter began to realize that the Gentiles God was now not calling unclean, but wanted him to preach the gospel, starting with Cornelius and all the Gentile was later setting here. This is a Roman centurion who is God-fearing and a man of prayer and a giver of all homes, prayer, and the giving of almost very important to the Jewish people.

So this is a way of indicating that this was for all he knew of God. A godly man.

He lived in Caesarea, which is a beautiful city and on the coast in Caesarea is a beautiful place to visit today.

There's a there's a amphitheater that's there. The water for beautiful King Herod really built up Caesarea because well he lived there most of the time. The nice climate all but also he made a big port city so all of the traffic had to come in through the seat through Caesarea, where he could tax heavily everything coming in Caesarea.

Also, being a lovely place indicated that if you were a centurion, overseeing 100 troops and you were stationed at Caesarea, then you were well thought off because it was a popular place to be.

He has this vision and like most people, I have a vision or see an angel. At first he's terrified.

And the angel instructs him to send some men to Joppa which is on the coast.

Also, about 30 miles to the south and goes down to. He sends them down and if they're making their journey. Peter is up on the rooftop at noon time and he's praying. Well I guess like most of his.

It makes me feel more at home trying to spend a season of prayer, and he starts getting hungry and so even having the great Peter and so he has told people know he's ready to eat somebody downstairs, therefore, is cooking a meal while he's praying on the roof and this is for the irony of this story is the meal that they would be preparing is a kosher meal. Now kosher.

It comes from a Hebrew word and it means prepared properly. It means the appropriate food and what this means for the Jewish people is been very precious over the centuries is that God in Leviticus chapter 11 when he was laying out ceremonial holiness laws described some clean and unclean food and by unclean what it means is that if you eat it, then you are being disobedient to the law and you are yourself ceremonially unclean and there are many different states of uncleanliness for the Jewish people, but if you're in a state of being unclean. Then you would have restrictions as to your participation in temple worship and so these laws and a Leviticus 11 we will take time to read them, but essentially said that animals that had cloven hooves and chew their cud like a cow are okay to eat, so I'm very happy that God validated my ribeye steak and it listed several animals just distinctly. That said, do not eat them there considered unclean. The camel, the badger the hair rabbit commit rabbit and of course, famously the pig so most people are familiar with the Jewish people don't eat pork. It's from Leviticus chapter 11. There also animals that are listed there that that there not to eat and is specified in amongst the things that are in the ocean if it has fins and scales you know Mikey Mikey tuna tilapia then you're welcome to eat it but if it doesn't have fish and scales then donated so vast sad thing is that ruled out my calabash popcorn shrimp and scallops and oysters and rock Maine lobster is out so but fish is good for you and amongst the birds of the error is certain of the birds that you you glad they're counted as is. You should need it. Some of the majestic birds like the Eagle you know you can't eat and the scavenger birds like the vultures can eat reptiles, lizards, geckos, all that can't eat and all this is specified in Leviticus chapter 11 people have conjectured you know over the years Jewish scholars have Christian scholars have many people is a will. One of these, about because some have noted that there are some health benefits to the dietary laws yeah you probably better off eaten some pan seared tilapia, then you are that good Lexington barbecue Allen right. Today's good news message energize difference between zeal for the Lord in zeal for the law is in our series titled Unlimited and Pastor Alan is back with us in the studio, sharing his parting good news thought for the day.

Stick with this inspiration and practical help to grasp is that in conjunction with the exciting release of Pastor Alan's new book, the power to classically put together some tools to get you started on the journey of speaking life empowering the people you that the toolkit includes an idea message of Pastor Alan's recent sermon on the mysterious blessing of Efrain and the marks at the gateway to understanding the power of all blessing also included in the kit is appropriately a list of scriptures that can be spoken directly as blessings blessing Scripture soprano glycine can easily access them for specific situations when you make your gift Allen Wright ministries this month will happily send you the power to bless toolkit is our way of saying thanks for your partnership resources are available for immediate digital download or available in CD and click partner with us and be inspired and equipped to bless someone's life to the gospel is shared when you get Allen Wright ministries this broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today. We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I thanks from Allen Wright ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor hour and.org.

Thank you. Down the studio with pastor out in our parting good news thought for the day and this method is about being energized and some of us we do little more energy these days there's a there's a temptation for us to try to find our energy through thinking I'm going to become a better person by conforming to the law. There is a temptation to think that the way to energy is to just try harder and be better but the real source of energy in the the actual working out of the power of God.

It comes not by a commitment to law, but by the infilling of grace and by zeal for the Lord himself.

So this is what the Lord wants is for us to find energy not through the law but through the Lord himself and this comes from an inward passion of thirst for the living water, and so I pray for… The day that God would put you in touch with your deepest thirst, zeal to know the Lord himself. If you only caught part of today's teaching. Not only can you listen again online but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free. Find out more about these and other resources@pastor.org that's pastor out and.org. Today's good news message is a listener supported production Allen Wright ministries