The word "Christian" is a cherished word to millions of Christians today but it is only used three times in the entire New Testament (Acts 11:25-26; 26:24-29; and 1 Peter 4:12-16.) The first many thousands of people who came to Christ were Jews. Today, as then, their transformation didn't mean in their minds that they were Christians. A Jew who received Christ as his or her Lord (Romans 10:8-11) was awestruck that they had found their Messiah. Thus, the term "Messianic Jew" is highly popular amongst them to this day. Messianic Jews are great people of prayer. The early Church was full of prayer too. The Jews were used to praying at 9 O'Clock in the morning, noon, and 3 O'clock in the afternoon. These three disciplined daily prayer times that lasted at least an hour each can't be overemphasized. Such prayer brought eternal results and set an environment for miracles. Acts 1:1 tells us Peter and John were on their way to the prayer meeting in the Temple at "the ninth hour." That didn't mean it was 9 O'clock in the morning but 3 O'clock in the afternoon. That's because the Jews had adopted the Roman belief that morning always began at 6 a.m. and the rest of the hours were counted from then. Peter and John were the two major leaders of the early Church. The man at the beautiful gate -- (a HUGE gate made of the most expensive Corinthian bronze) -- was, of course, begging for alms. Beggars were everywhere in Jerusalem. And the healing of this one man is not to be thought of as an isolated miracle. Dr. Luke who wrote the Book of Acts simply zeroes in on this moment as a prime example. He also connects the arrest of Peter and John with bringing Christ's healing to this particular man. The lame man himself "lame from birth" was more than forty years old (Acts 4:22.) That fact is given in order to let the reader know how terribly long this man had been a cripple. Being at the Temple gate "every day", this man was in the minds of the Jews a permanent fixture. Giving to the poor was a Jewish habit and this man might well have had at this moment more money than Peter and John COMBINED! Peter made it clear to him immediately that he wasn't going to give him any money. Health is always far more important than money. A rich man with poor health is robbed of his quality of life. Perhaps the most amazing fact of all in this story is that Jesus OFTEN went into the Temple during His three and a half years of ministry. That means He passed by this man OFTEN. Yet He never stopped and healed him! Peter and John had passed by the lame man even more OFTEN. Yet until this particular day, they had never offered him healing either. Why did they pass him by? A major reason no doubt was that he never asked Jesus nor any of His disciples to heal him. Another reason is that there is a time for everything as Ecclesiastes tells us. This was God's perfect timing (Acts 1:7) for this man to be healed. Peter told the lame man that it was "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene" that he was being healed. We will see in Acts 4:8-12 that Peter gives every bit of the glory and credit for the healing to his crucified Savior. He takes no credit for himself. He knew CHRIST did it through him. Once Christ healed this man with the power of the Holy Spirit in Peter, he walked and started leaping. Think about that. He was instantly healed and was fully able to walk and leap with Peter and John right into the Temple! After forty years, he didn't have a single moment when he had to learn to walk or leap! Take heart in this actual moment of history. Do you have a disease, an infirmity, an affliction, any physical need, painful or not? Have you given up seeking a total healing? NEVER GIVE UP. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BE TOUCHED BY CHRIST AND FULLY HEALED. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8.) In the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, be healed.

• published: 05 Dec 2013
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