The Power of Christ

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then 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." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.  Acts 3:3-8

So let's back up a bit from yesterday.  In this passage, we see how Peter and John got to the facts of verse 19 in the first place.  (Remember yesterday's verse?  "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.")  Now we realize that Peter and John had approached the temple, finding a beggar who asked them for money.

There are three actions that Peter performed to help this man, and these are ways that we can help others, and ourselves, today.

First, Peter firmly said, "Look at us!"  Why do you think he did that?  He commanded the beggar's full attention.  God demands our absolute concentration, too.  Giving thought half-heartedly, impatiently, apathetically, is completely unacceptable.  Just ask any 7-year-old!


What was about to happen was important, and Peter wanted to make sure that Joe the Beggar was ready for it.  Have you ever felt God do that to you?  Kind of thump you on the forehead and say, "wake up!  Pay attention!"  He does that because He wants to do BIG things for us, and so often He's working all around us, but our heads are down and we aren't paying attention.  We miss the signs that he has planted around us.


Have you ever seen the movie, "Signs"?  I love that film!  Without giving too much of the plot away, it's kind of a sci-fi thriller, in that aliens have come to Earth.  (I knew it!!  lol)  But when it comes down to one-on-one combat, with fear, death, and defeat in front of him, it turns out that the keys to victory have always been around the main character, whose name is Graham.  The signs include his wife's dying declarations ("swing away"), half-empty water glasses all over the house, and an asthmatic son who was attacked by the alien's gas.


There were signs everywhere, so that when the battle began on a personal level, they realized they were ready to fight.


How can we be ready to fight for God if we aren't looking at Him?  When our shoulders are slumped, our heads down, our eyes closed . . . we are sure to be conquered like that, aren't we?  Satan wants to see us like that!  But warriors have their shoulders back, heads up, eyes wide open -- ready to fight!


Look at God.  Look at Him!  And be ready to see the signs of Him everywhere.


Tomorrow's action that we'll discuss is disappointment.  Peter and John did not give the beggar what he asked for, did they?  Something to think about until I see you tomorrow.