Daily Devotional for December 15, 2015
Acts 3
Scripture:
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 Christ 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. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they 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.
Observation:
I love doing projects around the house. These projects are usually very therapeutic and help me process stress. At my last house, I took on a project of rebuilding the deck in our back yard. For the most part I could tackle this project by myself, which is the way I preferred it. I wanted to be alone with my tools and a pile of lumber, and build—until I was faced with a step I could not accomplish alone. I was torn. Do I ask my wife for help? I knew she had no interest in helping me carry long, heavy pieces of lumber. In this moment I realized I needed to ask for help. I didn’t want to—but I did.
As men, we have a hard time asking for help. We are doers, and feel a sense of accomplishment when we finish a task. Unfortunately, not wanting to ask for help will limit our effectiveness spiritually. The greatest blessing that Peter could give existed in what he didn’t possess. If he had possessed money, he would have walked by, given a few coins to the crippled man, and gone on his way. Peter would have felt like that was the right thing to do. However, the miracle came because he did not have any money and could not help the man by himself. When Peter was unable to complete the task on his own, he called on God to help. The miracle was found in what Peter did not have and what he could not do.
God is not asking us to do it all. God is asking us to trust Him and obey. As a Spirit-empowered man, we must be willing to get out of the way, ask God for help, and give God the credit.
Application:
- Personal Application: Don’t be so quick to turn people away because you don’t have time or resources. Take a moment to pray and listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance to see what God may want to do through you. There may be a miracle waiting in what you don’t have.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Ask them if anything spoke to them as you read. Talk about their answers and show them one important aspect of this chapter is to trust that God can do the miraculous through us, even when we don’t have anything to offer. Pray for them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Ask God to help you look past the physical limitations of your life and to trust in Him when you can’t do it on your own, or don’t have anything to give.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that God will help your family see His miraculous power in their weakness and inabilities.
Three-Year Reading Plan for Sunday, December 13 – Sunday, December 20:
- Sunday, December 13: Acts 1
- Monday, December 14: Acts 2
- Tuesday, December 15: Acts 3
- Wednesday, December 16: Acts 4
- Thursday, December 17: Acts 5
- Friday, December 18: Acts 6
- Saturday, December 19: Acts 7
- Sunday, December 20: Acts 8
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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