February 5-Meditating on God’s Word
Here is the passage for the week:
Acts 3:11-16, While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
Praying the Word: “Lord Jesus, the lame man was healed! It caused quite a stir when they entered the temple courts and found the beggar now walking and praising God. It gave yet another opportunity to bring praise to You. It was another sign that You were glorified by the very God that these Jews worshiped. It was another opportunity to give testimony to what happened as You, the author of life, was killed but then You were raised from the dead. It is faith in Your great name, Jesus, that makes the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the sinner to be saved. It is faith in the power and authority that comes in Jesus’ name that heals us in every possible way. I believe, help my unbelief. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
February 6-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:11, While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
Observe what it is saying.
The man didn’t hold on to Peter and John to hold him up because we’re told earlier, “Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” He wasn’t letting the ones who had been used by heaven to restore his legs out of his sight. We can only imagine that he wasn’t only healed physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. As we saw in Jesus’ ministry with His many signs and wonders, now we find the same response as Jesus is working through the apostles. The people excitedly ran from all over the temple area because word had gotten out that the lame man by the gate was walking and praising God. When was the last time we ran with excitement to see what the Lord Jesus was doing?
Relate it to your life.
I need to joyfully respond to the supernatural ways in which Jesus is still at work in His church.
Do something.
“Lord Jesus, give me eyes to see and a heart that is moved to run and give You praise. Amen.”
February 7-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:12, When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Observe what it is saying.
Peter doesn’t understand the commotion of the crowd who came running to see the lame man walking. From our perspective, it’s big news and is worth the look. Peter had dramatically changed from the high priest’s courtyard where he ashamedly denied knowing the Lord three times. Now, he’s walking in confidence in the Spirit-filled holy loving presence of Jesus. For him, this miracle shouldn’t be seen as a big deal because he knows it wasn’t by his power or righteousness, but should be seen as normal operating procedure for living by faith in the Spirit.
Relate it to your life.
The supernatural work of God should be expected as a common outflow of the Holy Spirit.
Do something.
“Jesus, give me the eyes of faith to see and believe what You are doing all around me. Amen.”
February 8-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:13-14, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter took an opportunity to tell the people that the very Jesus that God had glorified through the resurrection and ascension was the one they were responsible for having killed. In contrast to the belief of the patriarchs of the God who elevated Jesus, these people handed over, disowned, and asked for a murderer to be released in his place. It was unthinkable what they had done. However, this isn’t biblical grounds to have ill-feelings towards our Jewish friends but to remember we’re all complicit in Jesus’ death. All have sinned and fallen short.
Relate it to your life.
I am as guilty as the next person in putting Jesus on the cross.
Do something.
“Jesus, I struggle to admit it, but I am as guilty as anyone for Your death. Amen.”
February 9-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:15, You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter bluntly told the people that they killed Jesus, the author of life. What a contrast. The author of life was killed by the very ones to which He gave life. Again, as we said yesterday, this is meant for all of us. We’re all complicit in Jesus’s demise. In spite of what man does, God has the last word. He is never defeated. God has the ability to work for good in the middle of all things. Resurrection reminds us that there’s no greater power than God. God’s will and way is always victorious.
Relate it to your life.
To follow Christ is to be assured of eternal victory.
Do something.
“Jesus, I surrender my all to You now so that I will stand with You in the end. Amen.”
February 10-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:16, By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter made it clear. It wasn’t him or John that healed the man. It was Jesus. It was activated by their faith in Jesus’ name, by his authority over every other power. Because they were absolutely certain that Jesus had resurrected from the dead and were filled with the Holy Spirit, their faith was as pure as anyone’s has ever been. There was no doubt in their minds that speaking in Jesus’ name that this man would walk again. The lame man also expressed faith by willingly participating in the simple request. This first wonder-working miracle following Jesus’ ascension created much attention that something special was at work among Jesus’ followers.
Relate it to your life.
There’s something about the name of Jesus that is wonderfully beautiful.
Do something.
“Lord Jesus, I want such pure faith to trust that You can accomplish what is far beyond what I could ever ask or imagine. Amen.”
Here is the passage for the week:
Acts 3:11-16, While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
Praying the Word: “Lord Jesus, the lame man was healed! It caused quite a stir when they entered the temple courts and found the beggar now walking and praising God. It gave yet another opportunity to bring praise to You. It was another sign that You were glorified by the very God that these Jews worshiped. It was another opportunity to give testimony to what happened as You, the author of life, was killed but then You were raised from the dead. It is faith in Your great name, Jesus, that makes the lame to walk, the blind to see, and the sinner to be saved. It is faith in the power and authority that comes in Jesus’ name that heals us in every possible way. I believe, help my unbelief. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
February 6-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:11, While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
Observe what it is saying.
The man didn’t hold on to Peter and John to hold him up because we’re told earlier, “Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” He wasn’t letting the ones who had been used by heaven to restore his legs out of his sight. We can only imagine that he wasn’t only healed physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. As we saw in Jesus’ ministry with His many signs and wonders, now we find the same response as Jesus is working through the apostles. The people excitedly ran from all over the temple area because word had gotten out that the lame man by the gate was walking and praising God. When was the last time we ran with excitement to see what the Lord Jesus was doing?
Relate it to your life.
I need to joyfully respond to the supernatural ways in which Jesus is still at work in His church.
Do something.
“Lord Jesus, give me eyes to see and a heart that is moved to run and give You praise. Amen.”
February 7-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:12, When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Observe what it is saying.
Peter doesn’t understand the commotion of the crowd who came running to see the lame man walking. From our perspective, it’s big news and is worth the look. Peter had dramatically changed from the high priest’s courtyard where he ashamedly denied knowing the Lord three times. Now, he’s walking in confidence in the Spirit-filled holy loving presence of Jesus. For him, this miracle shouldn’t be seen as a big deal because he knows it wasn’t by his power or righteousness, but should be seen as normal operating procedure for living by faith in the Spirit.
Relate it to your life.
The supernatural work of God should be expected as a common outflow of the Holy Spirit.
Do something.
“Jesus, give me the eyes of faith to see and believe what You are doing all around me. Amen.”
February 8-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:13-14, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter took an opportunity to tell the people that the very Jesus that God had glorified through the resurrection and ascension was the one they were responsible for having killed. In contrast to the belief of the patriarchs of the God who elevated Jesus, these people handed over, disowned, and asked for a murderer to be released in his place. It was unthinkable what they had done. However, this isn’t biblical grounds to have ill-feelings towards our Jewish friends but to remember we’re all complicit in Jesus’ death. All have sinned and fallen short.
Relate it to your life.
I am as guilty as the next person in putting Jesus on the cross.
Do something.
“Jesus, I struggle to admit it, but I am as guilty as anyone for Your death. Amen.”
February 9-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:15, You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter bluntly told the people that they killed Jesus, the author of life. What a contrast. The author of life was killed by the very ones to which He gave life. Again, as we said yesterday, this is meant for all of us. We’re all complicit in Jesus’s demise. In spite of what man does, God has the last word. He is never defeated. God has the ability to work for good in the middle of all things. Resurrection reminds us that there’s no greater power than God. God’s will and way is always victorious.
Relate it to your life.
To follow Christ is to be assured of eternal victory.
Do something.
“Jesus, I surrender my all to You now so that I will stand with You in the end. Amen.”
February 10-Meditating on God’s Word
Write out the Scripture.
Acts 3:16, By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
Observe what it is saying.
Peter made it clear. It wasn’t him or John that healed the man. It was Jesus. It was activated by their faith in Jesus’ name, by his authority over every other power. Because they were absolutely certain that Jesus had resurrected from the dead and were filled with the Holy Spirit, their faith was as pure as anyone’s has ever been. There was no doubt in their minds that speaking in Jesus’ name that this man would walk again. The lame man also expressed faith by willingly participating in the simple request. This first wonder-working miracle following Jesus’ ascension created much attention that something special was at work among Jesus’ followers.
Relate it to your life.
There’s something about the name of Jesus that is wonderfully beautiful.
Do something.
“Lord Jesus, I want such pure faith to trust that You can accomplish what is far beyond what I could ever ask or imagine. Amen.”
Posted in Daily Devotionals