Beyond the Gospels: Acts

Today's Scripture: Acts 9:36-10:8
(Click on the link to read today's Scripture.)

He was a thoroughly good man. He had led everyone in his house to live worshipfully before God, was always helping people in need, and had the habit of prayer.

Let's look at Cornelius' example. He was a thoroughly good man. Merriam-Webster's defines thorough as "carried through to completion, complete in all aspects, having full mastery." Basically, he was a man whose spiritual life brought him to a place of completion. This Scripture tells us his secrets to getting to that place of completion:

... living worshipfully before God...
... helping people in need...
... a habit of prayer...

These things in and of themselves did not make Cornelius righteous or thoroughly good. Rather, God who met him in the worship, the helping, and the prayer is the one who brought him to completion.

Do you want to be complete... thoroughly good? Practice the secrets today.

Father God, teach me to live worshipfully before You.

Lead me to the people You want me to help and do not

let me miss an opportunity. Teach me to develop 

a habit of prayer. Complete me, Lord.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you

will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6 ESV