New Life

It has been years ago now that I met this man; it was at a youth camp in Blairsville Ga. I was there with a group of youth from our Church as well as to help in the weeks meetings. There was a man who was to give his testimony that night, a close preacher friend of mine had become his pastor by leading him to the Lord. In this man’s testimony I found out that he had been a member of a Large Church in Knoxville Tennessee for some time. He said in his testimony that he was never taught how to be saved but what he said next was just totally unacceptable for a Church. The man went on to tell us that he had become a millionaire more than once and that was all his former Church cared about. Then he said that his present Pastor who didn’t know who he was took the time to tell him about the Lord and lead him to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. You see it’s not about money it’s all about Jesus and this man's former Church was in the uplift business when they should have been in the New Life Business. Is this not what we see happening in Acts Chapter three?

Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.Here we read of two men that were on their way to pray not to sacrifice but to pray; you are always on the highroad to a blessing when you are on your way to the house of God to pray. But as they got there something else got their attention.

Act 3:2  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 of them that entered into the temple; What did they find but a lame man not in the Church but outside of the Church or Temple. So what do Peter and John do? I know you have heard this saying “What Would Jesus Do?” Well what do you think Jesus would do? Does the Bible give us a clue to what He would do? I think so for we read this in

Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 

Jesus came to preach and give life to the Broken hearted, The Bound, The Blind and The Bruised and here we see a lame man laid at the Beautiful gate. Here was a lame man wanting nothing more than some money from some good Church going people. But he asked Peter and John to give him something they didn’t have; money.They had something better than money and it would last a whole lot longer too.

Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 

Well, well what do you think this poor man did after not receiving any money? We don’t have to guess we are told. 

Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. I told you what he was getting was better than money. Wonder what’s most important to you and I Money or the Master? Think on that this week and help someone else who may be getting an uplift when what they really need is a New Life.