Universal Utterings
for April 27, 2026
A Godcast
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04-27-2026 Acts 11 v0118 Who Was I To Be Able To Hinder God
The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 11 Verse 1 thru 18
1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcised believers confronted him, 3 saying, “You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.” 4 Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying, 5 “I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when in a trance I had a vision, something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered from the sky by its four corners, and it came to me. 6 Looking intently into it, I observed and saw the four-legged animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir, because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time a voice from heaven answered, ‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky. 11 Just then three men appeared at the house where we were, who had been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He related to us how he had seen (the) angel standing in his house, saying, ‘Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 14 who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 As I began to speak, the holy Spirit fell upon them as it had upon us at the beginning, 16 and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift he gave to us when we came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, “God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”
Acts 11:1-18 recounts a pivotal moment in the early Christian church, illustrating the expansion of the Gospel beyond Jewish boundaries. The passage begins with the apostles and believers in Judea hearing that Peter had visited Gentiles and even eaten with them, which caused significant controversy among the Jewish Christians. This was a pivotal concern, as dietary laws and purity norms were central to Jewish identity.
When Peter returns to Jerusalem, he faces scrutiny and criticism for his actions. However, he recounts his experience in a vision, where God reveals to him that no food is unclean. Peter shares how he was commanded to go to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, and upon preaching the message of Jesus, he witnesses the Holy Spirit descending upon Cornelius and his household. This moment highlights a transformative understanding of God’s grace — that it extends to all people, regardless of ethnic or cultural backgrounds.
Peter’s defense is powerful; he emphasizes that the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentiles just as it was to the Jewish believers. His account culminates in a recognition that if God has accepted the Gentiles, then who is he to deny them entry into the fellowship of believers? The other apostles and believers come to a striking conclusion, praising God for granting repentance that leads to life even to the Gentiles.
This passage is significant as it marks a crucial shift in the early church, affirming the inclusive nature of the Gospel. It challenges prevailing societal norms and sets the stage for the mission to the Gentiles, underscoring that faith in Christ transcends ethnic divisions and is an invitation to all humanity. Acts 11:1-18 encapsulates the essence of the early church’s struggle and triumph in understanding the universality of God’s love. Amen.
Join me as we pray our daily prayer of forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer.
At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
I am sorry Lord. I believe You died and rose for me. Please forgive me as I forgive others. I share You as my Lord and Savior seeking to live your Will in all things. Prayers for wife Toni and my mother Betty pray for our children especially our two oldest Alexandra & Allen Son in Law Mark Stern; Julian, Gabriel and Jeffrey and our grandchildren Oliver, Julian and Elliott. We pray for those we’ve said we’d pray for and those who’ve asked us to pray for them. We pray for the dying as we do each day Lord give them peace in their last breath. We pray for Holy Mother Church. Our prayers for our niece Brittany. Novena Day Two for Marco’s business. In Jesus Precious Blood by His Name we pray. Amen.
I am a poet obedient to Christ,
Catholic Evangelist Thomas Cruz†Wiggins
†Spirit led God inspired Christ fed†®
Ephesians 6:17-20
04-27-2026 Acts 11 v0118
**Who Was I To Be Able To Hinder God**
In scattered lands where faith took flight,
The news of grace began to ignite.
A vision given, a voice so clear,
Peter, the bold, cast away his fear.
In Joppa’s port, on a rooftop high,
A sheet descended from heaven’s sky.
Creatures of every shape and form,
Challenging customs, breaking the norm.
“Rise, Peter, kill, and eat,” it said,
But laws of old filled his heart with dread.
“Not so, my Lord,” he fervently spoke,
“I’ve never tasted what’s deemed unbroke.”
Yet thrice the call, with a mighty command,
“Do not call unclean what I’ve made to stand.”
A divine intent to open the door,
For Gentile hearts to seek evermore.
In Jerusalem, news traveled fast,
“Why have you mingled with the unclean at last?”
Yet Peter stood firm, recounting the tale,
Of a Spirit-led journey, a baptismal gale.
“Who was I to hinder God’s grace,
To limit His love, to define His embrace?
Cornelius was chosen, a family in need,
And through our connection, we’re all freed indeed.”
In awe they considered, their doubts fell away,
“God grants repentance, the Gentiles to sway.”
With hearts now united in praise to the King,
For His boundless mercy, the Savior’s sweet spring.
So let us remember, from this passage unfold,
In Christ there’s no Jew, no Gentile, no mold.
All are invited to share in His light,
Embracing each other, in love burning bright. Amen.
© Thomas Joe Cruz†Wiggins
April 27, 2026 @ 04:47 AM EST
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