May 17, 2016

Acts 15:8 NLT - "God knows people's hearts, and He confirmed that He accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us.

Commentary:

God knows all people - a truth emphasized over and over again through the Bible.  He knows us in our weakness.  He knows us with our faults and tendencies to fail.  He knows every sin we've ever committed!  He knows all our own efforts to try to improve ourselves and how miserably we've failed to do so.  He knows more about us than we know about ourselves.

But, "He confirmed that He accepts Gentiles..."  He accepts us!  With all that He knows about us He still accepts us!  More than that, He sought us!  Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." NKJV.  God knew all about us but He still pursued us with a fervor none on earth can match!  He came out of heaven to reach us!

Do you agree with God that He should accept you?  Do you see that you are accepted by God?  Do you accept yourself as being acceptable to God?  Now, I know we all want to say that we don't deserve such treatment.  But, don't miss the point that God says He accepted us!  If He did then we must!  If He accepted you, don't fight it.  And if He accepts all those who accepted Him, don't make it difficult for them to believe that.  Show God's acceptance by the way you treat them.