One Life Changed by the Power of God…

 

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.—Acts 3:1-10

—Peter and John go to the temple at the hour of prayer…

—Their eyes look outward and upward as Jesus’ did and they see the hopeless and helpless beggar laying at the Gate Beautiful and have compassion.  

—-Peter and John have empty hands and empty pockets but their hearts have Jesus.

—They give the beggar what they did have.  They gave Him Jesus.

—And by the faith that comes from Him…by the power of God…healed the man who was lame.

—One life changed…

—One life changed gave Peter an opportunity to preach Christ

—One life changed confirmed some in belief and others in their sin

—One life changed by the power of God yielded much fruit

In Acts Chapter 2 Peter proved by the Scriptures (Joel 2:28-32) that God had raised Jesus from the dead. In Acts 3 a lame man was healed in His name. 

—In Acts 4 they were arrested by the Sadducees who were greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 

Verse 3 of Acts 4 says this

And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

Verse 4 this..

However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Praying today that we as believers would walk in those works that He has prepared beforehand for us. That we would walk like Peter and John looking outward and upward with hearts of compassion for the hurting and lost. That we would not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.  

Oh Father…by Your Holy Spirit make these precious words from the book of Philippians come alive in each one of our lives. 

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.—Philippians 1:9-11