5/11

Acts 3:6

⁶But 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!"

Peter and John were on their way into the temple to pray. A man who had been crippled since birth sat near the entrance of the temple to receive charity. Peter uttered our verse for today, grabbed the man's hand, and pulled him to his feet. Not only were the crippled man's muscles and nerves made whole, the man had balance and coordination to walk and leap. Here was another miracle that gave the apostles the opportunity to share the message of salvation through faith in Jesus. The result was the conversion thousands and a chance to testify to the ruling Jewish council members.

The apostles were given the gift of healing and miracles to verify that their message was from God. This was a major turning point in God's revelation of salvation, and the people needed signs to help them accept it and believe. Signs and miracles happen today in cultures that are entrenched in false beliefs. Today God's witnesses pray for the sick and they are healed, the dead are raised, and prayers are miraculously answered. The day of miracles has never ceased, though the anointing on the apostles was for that particular time.

In our day, some teach that everyone we pray for will be healed, as if healing alone were the goal. They ignore the majority who leave in the same condition they came, claiming those people did not have enough faith. Did this lame man give any expression of faith? Peter pulled him to his feet. If we were all healed every time a believer prayed, we'd never pass from this life. I've seen God do wonderful acts of healing. I've heard testimony of the dead being raised. But I also know that in countries that know the gospel, miraculous healings only occur in a small percentage of those for whom we pray.

Consider: Pray for the sick (James 5:14). Trust God to heal whom He chooses to heal. Know that God can work through an illness in a person's life just as powerfully as He can through a miraculous healing.