Acts 9:32-35, 37 ESV
Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
What if you had an appointment with the Lord?
In this passage, all we are told is that Aeneas was bedridden for 8 years, and paralyzed. That is it. As Peter is moving throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria, he comes to Lydda to visit those who follow Jesus the Christ. Does Aeneas even know anything about Peter's coming? It seems that, all of a sudden, this guy walks up to him and lets him know that Jesus Christ heals him, as if it Peter is the messenger delivering a letter that has already been written. Would it not be quite incredible to have your problem handled (I refer to the one most obvious to you, about which you most often think and/or pray. Or maybe you have stopped praying, giving up hope on an area of life in which you no longer expect anything notably positive to be done.)? Moreover, what if it is handled quite unexpectedly? You have yet to pray today, at least not about that. You have yet to obsess over it today, at least not as much as you did the last time. Then, it is finished. You sit up, make your bed, and realize your Lordthe Lord--has taken care of you...yet again. I say again because, well, for starters, it is not as if you have been dead since the development of this problem. There is always something for which you can and should thank the Lord. Maybe that is for another time, though.
Now consider this: what if you have been given the privilege of being Jesus Christ's messenger?
You are going about your way, impacting the world for the Lord in your spheres of influence, when you reach a certain place. There may or may not be anything special about the place in its own right, except that as you are on the way, you meet someone with an ailment, in whatever form it may be presented. Then, the Lord himself gives you notice, "This is the one I have a message for at this time. Let them know I heal them." What do you do? Your options are there. Will you obey; take glory for what has been done by the Lord's word; continue on your way as if nothing is happening ; because who knows if God even said anything to the target individual; or will you falter in your faith because you do not think God would really tell YOU to do something like THISeven though perhaps is is one of the things you wold like to believe is alive and well in God's kingdom?
In the scenarios to both questions you are blessed with an appointment with the Lord. So that means you need to pay attention to what you are doing, listening for the voice and direction of the Lord. Whether you are giving the message God has given you, or receiving the notice that God has given someone else, is it not a great thing to both tell and hear, "Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed"?
Oh and by the way, Jesus Christ sent me to tell you he HAS healed you of your former condition, called being dead. Accept it. Acknowledge him as Lord. Believe that God raised him from the dead. Rise (you were once dead) and make your bed.
Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
What if you had an appointment with the Lord?
In this passage, all we are told is that Aeneas was bedridden for 8 years, and paralyzed. That is it. As Peter is moving throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria, he comes to Lydda to visit those who follow Jesus the Christ. Does Aeneas even know anything about Peter's coming? It seems that, all of a sudden, this guy walks up to him and lets him know that Jesus Christ heals him, as if it Peter is the messenger delivering a letter that has already been written. Would it not be quite incredible to have your problem handled (I refer to the one most obvious to you, about which you most often think and/or pray. Or maybe you have stopped praying, giving up hope on an area of life in which you no longer expect anything notably positive to be done.)? Moreover, what if it is handled quite unexpectedly? You have yet to pray today, at least not about that. You have yet to obsess over it today, at least not as much as you did the last time. Then, it is finished. You sit up, make your bed, and realize your Lord
Now consider this: what if you have been given the privilege of being Jesus Christ's messenger?
You are going about your way, impacting the world for the Lord in your spheres of influence, when you reach a certain place. There may or may not be anything special about the place in its own right, except that as you are on the way, you meet someone with an ailment, in whatever form it may be presented. Then, the Lord himself gives you notice, "This is the one I have a message for at this time. Let them know I heal them." What do you do? Your options are there. Will you obey; take glory for what has been done by the Lord's word; continue on your way as if nothing is happening ; because who knows if God even said anything to the target individual; or will you falter in your faith because you do not think God would really tell YOU to do something like THIS
In the scenarios to both questions you are blessed with an appointment with the Lord. So that means you need to pay attention to what you are doing, listening for the voice and direction of the Lord. Whether you are giving the message God has given you, or receiving the notice that God has given someone else, is it not a great thing to both tell and hear, "Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed"?
Oh and by the way, Jesus Christ sent me to tell you he HAS healed you of your former condition, called being dead. Accept it. Acknowledge him as Lord. Believe that God raised him from the dead. Rise (you were once dead) and make your bed.
posted from Bloggeroid
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thoughts
Get some. Give some.