Get God's Attention

Have you ever been desperate to get his attention? Have you ever felt like God wasn’t listening to you? Do you know what it takes to get his attention and to live in his favor? I pray that as you read this Encouraging Note today, you will be inspired to live a life that comes from faith and therefore obtains God’s attention?

To help us, I want to focus on a story in the book of Acts, where we read about a man named Cornelius who got God’s attention. Because of a few specific things in his life, Cornelius procured God’s attention and ended up with a powerful angelic visitation. This visitation from heaven was so significant that it changed the entire course of history on planet Earth. Here’s what the Bible says.

Acts 10:2-6 He (Cornelius) and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”  Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

The meeting Cornelius had with Peter was nothing short of miraculous! Because of that meeting, the entire Gentile world was granted the opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit and become children of God. Wow!

Think about it – though this man was not one of God’s chosen people, i.e., a Jew, he was devout, God-fearing, prayed regularly and gave generously to those in need. If you want to know what gets God’s attention, you can be sure that those things are a part of the equation! What was it that caused Cornelius to live such a life? I can assure you of this; Cornelius believed God! How do I know that? I know this from Hebrews 11:6, which says, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” It is faith that pleases God, and Cornelius was living his life based on what he believed. Unfortunately, many people have been misguided by teaching that focuses on our works instead of faith. God is not impressed by works alone but by faith that produces works. True faith always has corresponding actions! It is of utmost importance to understand that nothing happens in the kingdom of God without genuine faith!

Many people struggle with the idea of faith and how to get it. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Growing in the faith that causes a person to be devout, God-fearing, a generous giver, and a person who prays regularly come straight from God’s word. It is those who are constantly soaking upon the word of God that end up having life-changing, divine revelation from that word!

For some, reading the Bible is a religious duty that they really don’t enjoy. But those who go to the word of God out of a passion to know him will end up being endowed with the revelation that produces the faith of God!

It is essential always to remember that the word of God is God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Gaining the heart and favor of God requires taking the time to soak in who God is through His precious Word! The Word of God has the power to cause you to see the invisible and therefore do the impossible! It is the word of God that causes a person to release heaven’s purposes on earth! Romans 12:2 says that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

What we believe is the determining factor for what we will do and what we do determines our future. I often say that “if you change the way you think, it will change the way you feel. If you change the way you feel, it will change the way you act. If you change the way you act, it will change your entire destiny!”

The Bible makes it clear that Cornelius pursued the heart of God, and his faith drove him to be devout, God-fearing, a man of prayer, and one who gave generously to the poor. If you want to get God’s attention, carefully consider the life of Cornelius because what he did caused him to…

Get God’s Attention