Good afternoon, everyone. I pray that you are having a beautiful week as you each press into God and allow Him to move mountains through you. That’s a wild thought, moving mountains. I mean, we believe that God can do anything, but can I? I have received and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and in doing so I have inherited the Holy Spirit, whom God works through to do His will. Who can God use to perform signs, wonders and miracles? Anyone He chooses! Do you actively walk with the power that has been bestowed upon you? And even if God doesn’t choose to let you act in ways that you think are miraculous, does the depth of your heart still trust that He can? Better yet, if He does choose to use you to perform implausible acts, who gets the glory?
We started out the 3rd chapter of Acts this week. It’s a fairly familiar story, as Peter tells the lame man to walk, he suddenly gains strength and begins running, jumping and praising in the temple. The power of the Holy Spirit, alive in Peter, gave the crippled man strength to, not only stand, but to do it quickly! Do you recall teaching a toddler to walk? That is no quick process. Yet with confidence in the healing that had been blessed upon him, this man could jump with joy! He didn’t show up asking for a miracle, but when it was offered, we see that he chose to stand (as instructed) and God immediately strengthened him. He had to first stand up, believing that he would receive the miracle that had been spoken. In this instance, I believe that we can all learn quite a bit from Peter as well. He had been so tuned in to God, that he didn’t just walk by the beggar at the gate, he was moved to speak a supernatural act over the man.
We see Peter give glory to God for the act of allowing the lame mane to walk. -the same Redeemer that these people had rejected, denied and ultimately killed. Peter had the boldness to cast appropriate accusations. But notice how his accusations turn to a more kind tone. Peter uses this opportunity to ask onlookers to repent, to turn from the ways of wrongdoings and be forgiven for their sins. We know this to mean a true turning and walking away from sin, it is not a license to sin freely. It’s a staggering look at Christianity as a whole. Christians are called to love people, as Jesus did. When your heart is aligned with God, you will know the divine allowance for calling out sin here on earth. But you will be quick to follow with the invitation of forgiveness through God’s grace.
I pray that our walks with Christ may be a reflection of these two types of belief. First, let us open our hearts to God, so that He may reveal opportunities for us to bless those around us. Ask Him, in your prayers, if you are participating in the world, using your gifts in the way that He has intended for you to do. Submit to God’s plan. Second, may we have the faith of the crippled man, to choose to stand up and accept the blessings that God has so graciously offered upon our lives. This is an act of faith in itself, He will often call us into the unknown. Are you willing to go, trusting in His divine goodness, even when it doesn’t look the way we thought it would look?