T.C.U.P.T. (Part 15): Having vision

1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

Acts 10:1-8 (KJV)

 Cornelius was not looking for a vision, but sent a vision to this certain centurion.  Although Cornelius was afraid, he knew that the vision was from the Lord.  The reason that Cornelius knew that this vision was from the Lord because the vision was revealed to Cornelius at the ninth hour of the day.  Many scholars have concluded that Cornelius was the centurion that saw Jesus die on the Cross in Luke 23:44-47.  In this text, Jesus died at the ninth hour on the day of His crucifixion.

In Acts 10:4, the angel explains to Cornelius why the vision was sent to him.  The reason is that Cornelius prayed and gave to the poor.  Many people are seeking to receive a vision from God without doing these two necessary things.  Pray and give to the poor so that you can receive a vision from God.