Leaping for Christ!

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
(Act 3:1-10)


I'm always amazed at what the Holy spirit Brings to mind when I read God's Word. In my last post I wrote that I think we are missing out on some of the power of the Holy Spirit. I think that we are so afraid of sensationalism that we have fled from it completely to an equally unscriptural point, but in this passage we see evidence of this power in two ways:

1. We see evidence of this power in the healing of the lame man.

2. We see evidence of this power as this man turns immediately from a beggar at the gate to a man that is praising God.

I find the power of God amazing. Not only did he heal this man, but it says he began to "leaping." God didn't just make this man able to walk. He made him able to leap.

When you look to God what are you expecting from Him? Are expecting Him to leave you as you are? Perhaps you're just praying He'll let you crawl.

That is not who our God is. Our God doesn't just heal, He causes His people to leap.

I'm not just referring to physical healing, though I do believe that our God is still the same today and does heal. I'm talking about healing your lame heart. Your dead decaying evil heart. He can make your heart leap to life and cause you to praise Him.

Think about it. This man wasn't looking or expecting to be healed. He just wanted another hand out. He had no faith in himself. His heart was as lame as his legs. But God had something for this man. God did a work first to physically heal him and then to regenerate him that he could praise God.

All of this was a work of God. The man had nothing to do with it. Peter and John had little to do with it themselves other than being simple vessels.

But when God got a hold of this man He gave him more than he dared to dream. God gave the man Himself (and as a side note He healed the man's legs).

So what about you? Are you leaping for Christ? Or are you still a lame beggar at the gate?

If you are still waiting at the gate then I urge you seek Christ. Cry out to Christ. And don't stop crying out until He causes you, just as He did the lame man, to leap with praises for who He is.