Do You Want to Get Up and Walk?

In Acts Chapter 3 we see a man that had been crippled from birth.  There are those today, maybe you can physically walk, but, in many ways you have been crippled since birth.  The circumstances you were born into, the situations that you have had to endure, the pains and betrayals that you have had to face have left  you crippled in this life.   We can come to the point that we just want to sit down and quit, we no longer want to get up and walk. 

Acts 3 says: 1  One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.  6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus hrist of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.


They were going to the temple at the hour of prayer.  We wonder why we don't see more miracles than what we are seeing today in a majority of our churches.  It is because we do not go to the temple at the hour and times of prayer.  When you see miracles and healings taking place it is because someone went to the house of God during the hour of prayer.  This was their custom, they didn't miss prayer time.  We miss our prayer times over and over again, and then we complain that God doesn't do much for us.  Shame on us for accusing God when we were the ones that failed.  We don't miss our place at the dinner table.  We don't miss our favorite sports team.  We don't miss our doctor's appointment.  But we think it nothing to miss our time of prayer.  This is why we as a nation are ripe for judgement. 
 
We see a cripled man begging at the temple courts.   He could have stayed home and waited on a government hand out.  He could have said, "Just let me die, it's better than beggin'"  He could have said no use going up there, I don't get much and it ain't worth the effort.  How many people today become infirmed and just sit in a heap and give up.   God never blesses a passive faith.  A passive faith is one that says, "I guess I will just sit in one spot and eat worms until God does something for me."  Get up off your pitty potty and get an active faith.  An active faith is someone that presses in daily because they still have a will to go on. 
 
We have a powerful combination here.  Men who made their daily prayer time, and a crippled man who hadn't yet given up on life.   He asked Peter and John for money, and those guys didn't have a dime to split between them.  Don't go whining around about how you ain't got no money in your pocket.  I see two men with no money and they ain't cryin' like some little baby, they are going to the house of God because it is time for prayer.  Peter wanted this man to receive a miracle.  He didn't pat the man's hand and say, "I'll be praying for you brother."  He didn't take a prayer request and start a prayer chain.  He didn't pray for him right there on the spot either.  He told the man to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ!  He didn't have money for him but he did have a miracle for him.  Peter had the power of God on his life and he didn't have to ask God, "Do you want this man to be healed?"  Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give."  He didn't ask God to heal the man, he simply told the man to get up and walk and took him by the hand to help him up.
 
Why do we spend hours trying to 'make sure' God wanted us to do this, or do that? There are hurting people all around you.  Take them by the hand and tell them to get up and move ahead.  We quit reaching out to  others in the power of God for two reasons.  First we don't go to the house of God at the time of prayer.  Second, we don't want to take anyone by the hand and help them up.  We are lacking in the love of God and the power of God that we need to make a difference in this world.