Devotional - Week of the 3rd of March 2025 – Break on through to the other side (Jim Morrison and Star Trek too)
MONDAY
Passage: Acts 10:9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord ! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Commentary: God was preparing the Apostle Peter to break on through to the other side and this vision was the first step. Peter’s mind had to be prepared first and God was taking him on a new road, a road that would lead him to do something that he had never done before and was totally contrary to his nature and habits. What are we going to do when God does that with us ? Are we going to stay stuck in our ways or let God have us “boldly go to where no man has ever gone before ?” Normal paths lead to normal lives and results, exceptional paths lead to exceptional lives and results. We will go to where God leads us, even if it is to where we are not expecting or what we are not used to or we might very well condemn ourselves to an average life, that will not happen !
Prayer: Lord, we pray that we boldly go to where You lead us and we are not afraid to embrace new and exciting challenges You have for us, nor do we back away from them, but we follow You in them instead and attain the glorious and amazing things that are on the other side.
TUESDAY
Passage: Acts 10:17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Commentary: God had prepared the Apostle Peter for something different and novel with the vision, which he saw three times, now the rubber hits the road: He is asked to go to the house of a Gentile, something which was a big “no, no” for a Jew in those days. Yes, this Gentile has a good reputation amongst the Jews and he fears God, but he is still a Gentile. I suppose this made everything more palatable, but the Apostle Peter still had to break on through to the other side and he did and this is one of the things that make him special. He invited those men in and lodged them and on the next day went with them to meet Cornelius, the Gentile, breaking the rules of the time. Although the Apostle Peter was breaking on through to the other side, let us not forget, however, that he was not being irresponsible. After all, he had seen the vision three times, so God was obviously trying to show him something and the people, who arrived at the house he was staying in gave him an account of what Cornelius had experienced and how he was instructed by God to go and get Peter. These were important signs and a confirmation that he was on the right track, the Apostle Peter was not acting “unhinged”, but it was still a very bold and courageous thing to do. If it is God, Who wants to go on a totally different and unexpected route, there will be signs and circumstances confirming this to us, otherwise this is not of God and we will end up in the ditch.
Prayer: Lord, we pray that we are always courageous and bold in following You, even if this entails doing something much different from the norm and we always read your signs along the way, thank You.
WEDNESDAY
Passage: Acts 10:24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me ?”
Commentary: I like this passage very much, because the Apostle Peter was the Apostle Peter and he had to do this whole walk by faith. God the Father or our Lord could have easily told him what they had in mind, but instead they just gave Peter the dots and he had to connect the dots ! Peter’s statement in verse 29 is very telling for what reason have you sent for me ?” He still does not have a clue why he is there. He knows that he had to go with these men, but not why. We too will face such moments. God will ask us to step out in faith and do something extraordinary and we will not know what it is until we connect all the dots and until then we must do the walk of faith.
Prayer: Lord, please help us always walk in faith and in obedience to You, until all that You want for us is revealed, thank You.
THURSDAY
Passage: Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. … 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Commentary: The Apostle Peter keeps connecting the dots and the next dot in the puzzle was preaching the gospel of salvation to the Gentiles. Whilst he is doing that, the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles, much to the Jews’ astonishment. It is because the Apostle Peter took this bold and courageous step in obedience to God that we are all here today !!! God wanted the Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit and all this was necessary for that to happen. The divide between Jews and Gentiles had to be crossed and it was due to Peter’s bold and courageous step of obedience to God that this happened. Had the Apostle Peter stuck to his way of thinking and had he not allowed God to get him off the track that he was used to, we Gentiles would never have received the Holy Spirit. As we can see, exceptional courses of action lead to exceptional results.
Prayer: Lord, we pray that we always follow You where You lead us to, even if it is down a path that we are not used to or that we have ever heard of before, thank You.
FRIDAY
Passages: Luke 3:21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. … 13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. 14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Commentary: Jesus had just been baptised, the heaven had opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. He was fully empowered by the Holy Spirit and was about to start His ministry. However, before He could do that, He was led by the Holy Spirit to be tested by the devil. Our Lord was about to have a great ministry, but before He could embark on it, He had to undergo His test and only then did He commence His ministry. We will never have anything great without being tested first and not even our Lord was an exception to this. So next time we go through a testing phase in our lives, let us not be discouraged, because this could very well be the prelude to something excellent and great to come and we would not want to miss it by failing our test, so let us embrace it and do well in it. One more thing, it is usually the case that the bigger the test, the bigger the prize.
Prayer: Lord, we pray that we always do well in our tests and pass them, so that we also lay hold of the blessings and the great things that come after those tests, thank You.
SATURDAY
Passage: Exodus 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.” 2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” 3 So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labour.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labour !” 6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labour in it, and let them not regard false words.” 10 And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfil your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” 14 Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?” 15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? 16 There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” 19 And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.” 20 Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. 21 And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” 22 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.
Commentary: So Moses and Aaron do want God wants them to and things backfire ! The people of Israel instead of being liberated from their bondage are oppressed even more ! And not only that, the people of Israel also turn on Moses and Aaron and blame them for this ! This was not pretty. Now, Moses could have given up in the face of this acute opposition and then the people of Israel would not have been liberated or God would have chosen other means to do so and Moses would not have received any of the credit, apart from being credited of having been chicken and not having had the faith in God to carry out his God given task. Applying this to us, sadly a lot of people never achieve the great things that God has for them, because once there is some opposition on the way they quit. This is exactly what the enemy wants. Opposition is to be expected ! Opposition is contained in the job description. As I wrote earlier in the week, if the great things were easily attainable, then everybody would have them, everyone would have a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, a yacht or a private jet, for example, can you image that ? God has great things for all of us, He loves us all, after all, the question is, who will have the faith and the courage to vanquish the opposition and adversities and attain the great things that He has for us ? We do, I pray.
Prayer: Lord, we pray that we always have the faith and the courage to face our adversities and opposition, we never give up, endure all, fight well and always believe, so as to achieve the great things that You have for us, thank You.
SUNDAY
Passage: Mark 10:35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So, Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
Commentary: I like this passage very much and I commend James’ and John’s attitude. They aspired for greatness and were willing to pay the high price for it. They both knew that what they wanted was very special and worth paying the high price for it. Not only that, our Lord confirms that they would both actually pay the high price for such greatness, which shows that they had what it took to be great and that they were men of great character. The road to greatness is open to everyone and although most people would like to be great or have great things, not everyone will have the character or willingness to tread the hard and difficult road that takes us there. It is all worth it, though. James and John knew this and we do well to follow their example and show the character and the predisposition to do what is necessary to achieve such greatness and/or great things.
Prayer: Lord, we pray that we are always willing and ready to tread the hard and difficult road that will lead us to greatness and/or great things, as it is worth it, thank You.