| Acts 3:1; Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, [being] the ninth [hour]. You know brethren; there is a time to pray as the preceding verse specifies that there was an hour of prayer. Have you set aside a specific time to pray or do you just do it spontaneously at a whim? Even so, there is a time to pray and there be a time to act. Some people are still praying over things when they know they need to mobilize and do what they know they should do. 3:2; And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Lame from his mother's womb suggests that this man never walked, so he was carried and placed at a location where people passed by so that he can beg. This was customary for several reasons. One, he wasn't allowed in the temple due to his condition. Two, this was his only means of support and his friends would carry him at the end of the day and attend to his needs, while taking a few coins for themselves for providing a service. Since the man never walked his leg muscles were limp, never having been used or exercised. Try going for several days without walking and see how difficult it is to get up. 3:3; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. This would have been typical since his purpose was to beg for money. He must have thought, surely these men have a few coins to bless me with. 3:4; And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. It was necessary to get the man's attention, but there was a little more to this than what most people see. They made direct eye contact with the man but what the man saw was the eyes of Jesus. What do people see when they look at you? Do they see the image of Christ or do they see something else? 3:5; And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. He looked them right in the eyes because he just knew he was going to get something. If we are going to receive something we have to be expecting it. What are you expecting? Get ready to receive more than what you expect! 3:6; Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Peter didn't have what the man wanted, but he had what the man needed. Sure he could have given him a coin or two but the man would have continued in the same condition day by day. Peter was full of the Holy Ghost and power. Just what the man needed. How many people do you pass by daily that need a touch from God but you just go about your business? You see them day by day feeling sorry for them but you don't do anything about it. That makes you a part of the problem! 3:7; And he took him by the right hand, and lifted [him] up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. The man was expecting something but Peter expected something also! He took the man by the hand and activated his faith by lifting him up. The man's legs and his feet and ankles immediately received strength. For someone that never walked that was a miracle in itself. We don't act on our faith because we worry that we would be giving people a false sense of hope, but they continue in their condition. Your lack of faith hurts you just as much as it hurts them! 3:8; And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. Now you have to really look at this objectively. For someone that never walked it would have taken some effort to get up and walk. It would take a massive effort for someone that was sitting on the floor to suddenly leap! So much Holy Ghost power went into his legs and feet that the energy catapulted him into the air! If Peter had not been holding his hand the man would have taken off! Glory to God! It's one thing for the man to just walk, but the man leaped! Imagine what the people standing there must have thought when they saw that? 3:9; And all the people saw him walking and praising God: This was a sight for sore eyes. Here was this poor crippled beggar that everyone knew from seeing him at the same place all the time suddenly walking and leaping for joy! He couldn't go into the temple before so now he had a reason to praise God! The ability to praise God is another miracle because it's not something that is normal for the flesh to do! This started a commotion because this was certainly out of the ordinary. 3:10; And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. How would you react if you saw something like that? Sure, there are things that may catch our attention, but this would definitely qualify as one of those things that would really spark your curiosity! People run to look at the stupidest things, but this was something to really look at. 3:11; And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
The man had to hold Peter and John because of all the excitement. How were Peter and John going to keep this man from leaping and praising God? That man not only got healed but he got baptized in the Holy Ghost! People started running because this was so amazing. Everybody knew the man. Now that there was an audience Peter started to preach.
How long have you been praying over a situation expecting results? Are you acting upon your faith? How many times have you asked God to use you but you are still praying and are not doing what you know you should do? What, do you need more confirmation? You want God to show you by some supernatural means or write it in the sky with his finger? Maybe that is the reason you are going through some stuff right now. Have you considered that the trial you may be going through is the result of something God is trying to get you to do? I'm not talking about trials that God uses to produce perfection in someone or to increase their faith. We all go through that. I mean isn't it about time we took a leap of faith and got off our knees and acted on what we believe God for? Don't take too long thinking about it. You already know what you should be doing. It's about time you just went and started doing it. I like the Nestea iced tea commercial that says "take the plunge", the Nestea plunge! Leap into action and watch how people respond! An old Nike commercial said "Just do it". Imagine if this is what people need to see in order to spark their curiosity so that you can tell them about how Jesus did it? Hebrews 12:12-13; Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. It's time to stop with the cheap lame excuses and stop praying already. There is a time for everything. Stop shuffling your feet and twiddling your thumbs like you don't know what you are supposed to be doing. You are not going to get anywhere by being lazy. Yes I did just say lazy because you are not even close to where you should be. How many times does God have to keep telling you? One of these days he is not going to tell you anymore and then wham. You get hit so badly with stuff that you won't know what to do. Do yourself a favor so that you can avoid any repercussions. TRUST AND OBEY! Shalom | 
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