A select place…a better gift..

 A select place…and a better gift…

Traveling to various places, both here and abroad, there have been beggars who have strategically placed themselves in a place most passed by… a hotel door, a street corner, a tourist attraction…

Apparently this beggar in Acts, chose a gate that was a popular entrance to the temple…he begged as Peter and John came through it…not having silver or gold, they both looked at this man and gave him a better gift, that of walking instead of begging….

“And he was walking and jumping and praising God”. 

There are times when we can choose the better gift or give the better gift after looking over the selections…it many not be monetary or something you can hold in your hand…it may be a hug, a listening heart, a note, a prayer, a word of encouragement…and the gifted may not walk or jump with glee, but quietly or exuberantly give thanks or not…

We are gifted by the Holy Spirit to build up others…that gifting manifests itself in hundreds of ways…we just need to be willing to do it and not hide it under a proverbial “bushel”…blessing others and ourselves…there is joy in giving…

Thank YOU…

 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 

Now a man who was lame 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. 

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 

Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 

So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. 

Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 

When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 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. 

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. 

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? 

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. 

You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 

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.

Acts.3.1-16

 Micah 6:8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Tb4-riE7o