This is a blog that I posted a couple years ago in BigChurch.com. As I went through some of my old posts, I realized that I needed to hear it again. So I figured there might be someone out there that may need the message today. But let me pray before I copy it below...
"Dear Jesus, thank You, I needed this message today. Sometimes I think I have come through an issue... Then something happens and I realize that I'm NOT through it yet. There are still some remnants that aren't dealt with. Please help me through it. Also, Father, I believe there is someone in blogland that I feel may need this message. Bring them to it, prepare and open their heart to receive what You have to say to them today. In Jesus name I pray... Amen."
Acts 3... "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being 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 of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes on him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed to them, expecting to receive something of them. 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. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength..."
While studying this story back in the 1990's God opened up my understanding to 3 things:
1) The man's feet were not healed until he took the action of standing up. Often, I want the guarantee first, then I would act on it... but that isn't the way God tends to work... He wants the faith/action first.
2) The man was lame from birth and he was laid at that same gate every day... That meant that Jesus walked by that man uncountable times during his 3 years of ministry. How many times had he even asked Jesus for alms? And even after that, how many times had the apostles walked by him after the resurrection? Yet, in all that time and from so many possible life-changing encounters, the man was not healed!!! Why? And this is what the Holy Spirit dropped into my spirit that day... The man was not ready. Peter fixed his gaze on the man that day in Acts 3 because he knew that the man had the faith to be healed at that moment.
It was this revelation that opened up my eyes and heart to rest and wait on God. Even though I had come so very far in my healing process through emotional codependency and different abuses from childhood, my greatest desire was still to die and escape the pain of facing each new day. God was reassuring me that He was in control and that healing would come when He had everything set in place and when my faith was ready for that healing. I would be ready for my healing when I was ready, and not one second earlier. It took the guilty feelings, for not being further along, out of my heart and put some compassion in its place. It was like God was validating my efforts and gently reminding me that He was in control.
3) The man heeded Peter because he was expecting something. He may not have received what he expected... but he still expected to receive!!! How many of us pray, but never expect to receive? How many of us like Rhoda (the servant that answered the door when Peter was miraculously released from prison) are surprised when we do receive an answer?
These are some powerful truthes that I was reminded of ... (Thanks Dundeal) And I just really wanted to share them with you. Pray tonight with expectation... If you haven't received your healing (or your answer) yet, don't give up. God is still at work, and when He knows you are ready, the faith will be there for you to receive... But remember, the answer/gift will come in the way that God knows is best for us... Not always in the way we expect.
God bless you...
"Dear Jesus, thank You, I needed this message today. Sometimes I think I have come through an issue... Then something happens and I realize that I'm NOT through it yet. There are still some remnants that aren't dealt with. Please help me through it. Also, Father, I believe there is someone in blogland that I feel may need this message. Bring them to it, prepare and open their heart to receive what You have to say to them today. In Jesus name I pray... Amen."
Acts 3... "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being 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 of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes on him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed to them, expecting to receive something of them. 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. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength..."
While studying this story back in the 1990's God opened up my understanding to 3 things:
1) The man's feet were not healed until he took the action of standing up. Often, I want the guarantee first, then I would act on it... but that isn't the way God tends to work... He wants the faith/action first.
2) The man was lame from birth and he was laid at that same gate every day... That meant that Jesus walked by that man uncountable times during his 3 years of ministry. How many times had he even asked Jesus for alms? And even after that, how many times had the apostles walked by him after the resurrection? Yet, in all that time and from so many possible life-changing encounters, the man was not healed!!! Why? And this is what the Holy Spirit dropped into my spirit that day... The man was not ready. Peter fixed his gaze on the man that day in Acts 3 because he knew that the man had the faith to be healed at that moment.
It was this revelation that opened up my eyes and heart to rest and wait on God. Even though I had come so very far in my healing process through emotional codependency and different abuses from childhood, my greatest desire was still to die and escape the pain of facing each new day. God was reassuring me that He was in control and that healing would come when He had everything set in place and when my faith was ready for that healing. I would be ready for my healing when I was ready, and not one second earlier. It took the guilty feelings, for not being further along, out of my heart and put some compassion in its place. It was like God was validating my efforts and gently reminding me that He was in control.
3) The man heeded Peter because he was expecting something. He may not have received what he expected... but he still expected to receive!!! How many of us pray, but never expect to receive? How many of us like Rhoda (the servant that answered the door when Peter was miraculously released from prison) are surprised when we do receive an answer?
These are some powerful truthes that I was reminded of ... (Thanks Dundeal) And I just really wanted to share them with you. Pray tonight with expectation... If you haven't received your healing (or your answer) yet, don't give up. God is still at work, and when He knows you are ready, the faith will be there for you to receive... But remember, the answer/gift will come in the way that God knows is best for us... Not always in the way we expect.
God bless you...
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