Rise Up and Walk

Have you ever heard of Peter and John? They are two servants of the Lord; two ministers. They are going to the temple.

Many people are walking this same way. Near the temple a man is sitting on the ground. Why? Doesn’t he want to go along to the temple? He wants to but he cannot, because he is crippled. He has sore legs.

This happened long ago. There weren’t any wheelchairs then. This really happened and the story is written in the Bible.

Every day this man is carried to this place. The Bible says: “Whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple.” The gate had a name; it was Beautiful. The man does something. He stretches out his hand and asks for alms (money). This crippled man cannot work. He has to have money for food and clothes. He knows that many people pass by this place and therefore he sits here. Some people look and give him something. Maybe others walk past him.

Doesn’t this man receive money from the deacons? At that time there weren’t any deacons. The people were to take care of each other. Ideally, no one was to be a beggar. The people are all going to the temple to listen, but they are not doing what the Lord says. In the Bible it tells us that there should be no beggars, for they must help each other.

The people forget to do what the Lord requires of them. Remember this. You must not only listen to what the Lord commands, but you must always ask, “Lord, teach me to do Thy will.”

The man sees Peter and John and asks: “May I please receive some money?” Peter and John stand still. Peter says: “Look on us.” The man thinks: “Good, now I will receive something.” Does Peter reach for his billfold? No, he talks. Listen. Peter says, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” What does the man receive? Food? Clothes? No, Peter doesn’t have anything in his hands. But... Peter has a God in heaven. He believes and is confident that that God can perform a wonder—now, today, in this place and to this man.

The Lord also can forgive your sins. He can also give faith in your hearts. Ask for it.

The man does not have any strength in his legs. The Lord will show later what His strength is. He can do what no man can do. People can carry the man, but the Lord can heal him. In his heart Peter believes this, but Peter cannot do it of himself. Peter may do a wonder in the Name of his Lord Jesus, and he takes the man’s hand and says: “Rise up and walk.”

Suddenly the man stands up. It doesn’t go slowly. At once the crippled man receives strength in his legs. He can walk and leap! He is healed and happy. That is a wonder. He can go along to the temple.

He sings and praises the Lord, and the people see it. Is that the crippled man? Yes, “Look” they say, “he is walking and singing.” How can that be? They are surprised. They talk together about it. Everyone says, “The crippled man is walking again. Look, he is going to the temple.”

He walks next to Peter and John. More people are coming to see him, and Peter sees this. He says, “Don’t look so surprised at us. We didn’t make this man better. We might do this wonder in the Name of the Lord Jesus, in the Name of Him that was on earth. The Lord Jesus did many wonders, also here in this place. You have seen and heard Him, but you have cried out, Crucify Him, away with the Lord Jesus. You have not believed in Him. The Lord Jesus died on the cross, and was buried in the grave. He has also risen. The Lord Jesus lives, not any more on earth, but in Heaven. We may tell about Him, and we may do wonders in His Name. The crippled man believes that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God. The wonder which took place is the work of the Lord God.”

Peter says more. “Brethren, the Lord also can forgive your sins. He can also give faith in your hearts. Ask for it. Repent. You are not blessed if you do not know the Lord Jesus. You are blessed if you learn to know Him.”

wonder can also happen in your heart. Do not continue to live in sin. Do not continue to do evil and bad things. Do you think you have sinned too much? The love of the Lord Jesus is so great!

Do you think: Can I also become so happy? Can I...I also become a child of the Lord Jesus? Listen to the message of the Bible.

Listen to the message which Peter told the people, a message that also today, the Lord tells you. “I can bless you! I, the Lord, have so much power. But then...listen to Me!” The crippled man had to look to Peter, and he was healed for Jesus’ sake.

Look on high, higher than the blue skies, where the Lord lives. Ask: “Lord, forgive my sins—for Jesus’ sake.”

—RQ

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