Your Name Keeps Coming Up

Acts 10:4 your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

When you do well, make a positive impact, do good for the community your name will keep coming up in conversations. Your name is all that you have. A good name is worth far more than silver and gold. Your reputation precedes you. It’s important to invest in your name by consistently doing good by others. Just like a felony stays on your record so do bad decisions stay on your name. When your name comes up in conversation you want to make sure it’s for good not bad.

Cornelius' name kept coming up in the Jewish community because he was a Roman but he was friendly towards the Jews. He was a good dude, or what the folks in the country would call, “good people.” The bible says in Acts 10:2, he was a devout man who feared God with his whole household. He gave alms generously to the people and prayed continuously to God. Alms were monetary gifts to the poor. He wasn’t a Jew but he feared God. He didn’t go to the Temple (church) but he prayed regularly. As a result his name went up higher than local barber shop chatter, his name went up higher than church gossip, and his name went up higher than Capitol Hill. The bible says his name ascended to the throne room of God.

God sent an angel directly to him. The angel was so magnificent, Cornelius stared in Terror. He was able to mutter some words to the angel, “What is it Lord?” The angel said, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God, now send for Peter in Joppa and listen to all he has to say to you.” As a result, Peter went with his servants to the Centurion's house and his whole household spoke in tongues and were baptized in Jesus name.

There are two things that made Cornelius' name come to the attention of God and they will also make your name come up.

1. Prayer. The Bible says that he prayed constantly to God. In order for your prayers to ascend they have to keep coming up. You should pray without ceasing. That means to be consistent throughout the day, to be in an attitude of prayer. It’s the consistency of our prayers that make a trail into heaven.

2. Alms. He gave alms generously. He wasn’t greedy. He wasn’t even Jewish but he gave to the Jewish community. This is what you call storing up your treasures in Heaven. When we give to those least in our community we are really giving to Jesus for he said, “as you do to the least of these you also do unto me.” Only what you do for Christ will last.

When we pray and give consistently our names keep coming up before God.

Dear God, help me to be consistent in my prayers and my giving. I want them to be a memorial or a reminder that I do love you and I’m making a difference with the life you’ve given me.

In Jesus Name,
Amen