1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at
three in the afternoon. 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the
temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going
into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked
them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look
at us!” 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from
them. 6Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7Taking him by the right hand,
he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8He
jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple
courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him
walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to
sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder
and amazement at what had happened to him. 11While the beggar held on to
Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the
place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men
of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own
power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him
over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided
to let him go. 14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a
murderer be released to you. 15You killed the author of life, but God raised him
from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man
whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that
comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
Meditation:
1. The crippled man was begging for some change, but Peter gave him something
much better – the full recovery of his legs. Similarly, I may wish that God
would solve some of my problems, but His plan is much bigger as he desires
to give me new life and help resolve the real problem. When I ask Him for
help, He may say, “I’ve prepared something better for you.”
2. Have I ever prayed to God for certain things but the result was totally
different? What was my response? Surprised or disappointed?
3. Tell God my feelings, and continue to listen to God’s words for me today.
Personal Note:
"Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Peter said this with conviction and power from the Holy Spirit. I see this passage from two views.
I see myself as the crippled man begging for change. I can be and was crippled by sins (greed, lust, envy...) and worries of this life (money, security, status, friends, comfort...) I was begging God to give me money, security, status, friends, comfort, etc... Before I know God, I was insecure most of the time. When I do not have the things I want, I felt angry and bitter and lowly and hopeless. When I had the things I want, I still feel insecure because I fear that I will lose them. When I see people having things I want, I greed, lust, and envy over them. I was pretty much crippled by my own sins and I was begging God to give me the things I want. God loves me and healed me and forgave me of my sins. He enabled me to walk alongside with Him and to walk with people to experience the loving grace of God.
I see myself like Peter. Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus, walk. When I had money to buy silver or gold, I invested in Tyndale instead. Now gold and silver are too expensive for me to buy. What I have is God's peace and joy through His Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I lead young people to walk with God's guidance.
Do I have faith that God has the power to free our teens from the bondage of the sins of this generation?
It is not how well I speak or how godly I am, but rather it is God's love and power that transform people's lives.
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