Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ⁴  And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?”  And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

 ⁵  “Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

 ⁶  he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

 ⁷  When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,

 ⁸  and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.”  Acts 10:1-8. 

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Here is Cornelius, a man who had every excuse to not be devout.  He was a Gentile.  He was a soldier.  He was a commander of 100 soldiers called the Italian cohort.  He was stationed some distance away from Jerusalem, the center of religious activity.  

Yet, today’s Scripture calls Cornelius “a devout man and one who feared God”.  And, Scripture adds that he was so “with all his household”.  Moreover, Cornelius “gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually”.  We also note that Cornelius chose a devout soldier to be one of his personal attendants and chose that devout soldier to go on this important mission in obedience to the angel in his vision.

The lesson for us today is to surround ourselves with prayers and people who are Godly.  “pray without ceasing;”  1 Thessalonians 5:17  “As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.”  Psalm 16:3

There are warnings of associating with bad people.  “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”  1 Corinthians 15:33  The following verses contain just a few examples.

Psalm 1:1
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”

“I do not sit with deceitful men,
         Nor will I go with pretenders. 
    I hate the assembly of evildoers,
         And I will not sit with the wicked.”  Psalm 26:4-5. 

Proverbs 20:19
“He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.”

Proverbs 22:24
“Do not associate with a man given to anger;  Or go with a hot-tempered man,”