Welcome to Our Living Bible Study

Friday, October 9, 2026 — Acts Chapter 10

If you couldn’t join us, welcome! We gathered for prayer, worship, Scripture, and conversation about how to live what we learn.

📖 Read the Word

Tonight we read Acts Chapter 10 (NIV), the story of Peter and Cornelius. It’s not a huge amount of reading. Read it at your own pace and come back for our discussion.

What Happened in Acts 10?

Cornelius was a Roman centurion who prayed and helped others. God told him to send for Peter. Meanwhile, Peter had a rooftop vision that challenged his assumptions about what was clean and unclean. Peter came to understand that God was teaching him not to exclude people from hearing the Gospel. He went to Cornelius’s home and spoke about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and forgiveness through faith. While he was speaking, the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentile listeners—people who were not Jewish.

What We Discussed

Don’t judge a book by its cover

Kirk asked whether we’ve ever changed the way we saw someone. His point was to look deeper and get to know people. Cornelius was a Roman soldier, but also a generous, spiritually searching man. God was preparing Peter to reach beyond familiar boundaries.

What stops us from sharing our faith?

We talked about barriers such as fear, race, culture, language, politics, religion, education, and social class. Sometimes people think they need every answer in the Bible before speaking about Jesus. But sharing God’s love can begin with a simple, sincere “Jesus loves you.”

Listen, go, and trust God

Kirk emphasized that Peter responded to God’s direction even when he might have felt afraid or uncertain. God brought Peter and Cornelius together. The message was not for one group alone: Jesus is for everyone. Kirk also pointed us toward Romans 10 and the importance of people hearing the Gospel.

Live it

James encouraged courage, prayer, and trust in God working in people’s hearts. Kirk reflected on reaching people in difficult circumstances. Sister Carolyn and Sister Karen reminded us to keep showing faith through our actions, even when conversations are difficult. The message is not only to talk about God’s love but to live it.

❤️ What Kev Is Learning

I’m still learning, and that’s one of the reasons I enjoy our Bible studies. Tonight I learned that God was teaching Peter to bring the message of Jesus to everyone—not just people who shared his background. I don’t have to know every answer before sharing kindness or saying, “Jesus loves you.” Especially with family, I can demonstrate faith through patience, forgiveness, generosity, and consistent love. My takeaway: be courageous, welcome everyone, and LIVE IT!

🙏 Prayer and Community

We pray for people facing illness and hardship in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for churches and outreach in Los Angeles, and for people affected by homelessness and addiction. We keep individual prayer requests private unless someone agrees to share them publicly.

Meet Our Bible Study Contributors

James helps guide our Bible study and shares experience in Christian teaching and ministry, including connections to Los Angeles and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kirk joined our discussion and shared thoughtful interpretations of Acts 10. We hope to add fuller introductions and information about their outreach after they have reviewed and approved the details.

❤️ This Week’s Takeaway

Think of someone you might ordinarily overlook. Listen without judging, offer encouragement or practical help, and ask: Who is God sending me to help today?

🙏 Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us together to study Your Word. Help us learn from Peter and Cornelius. Remove fear and judgment from our hearts. Give us courage to reach people from every background and show Your love through our actions. Strengthen those who are struggling and guide us toward the people You want us to help. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Living Bible Study

These articles are living documents. We can correct, expand, and improve them as we learn together. We hope to share more about ministry and outreach in Los Angeles and the Congo, including verified ways to support the work, once details and contact information are approved. No donations are collected through this article.

Read It. Learn It. LIVE IT! ❤️

This article summarizes our notes; it is not a word-for-word transcript. Personal stories and biographies will be expanded with the speakers’ permission.