Choices are for the Living August 29
Acts 3:1-8, “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled 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 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.
A couple of things went through my mind as I read this passage such as; why didn’t anyone ever take this man inside the beautiful he was on their way, he was on their way to their prayer group, he was on their way to their worship, and to their God. If this would have happen in this day and time it wouldn’t have cost them any extra gas money. No, they placed him outside the gate; given it was the busiest entrance where he would make the most money, but really his needs far outweighed silver and gold. The passage says the cripple, lame man was put outside the gate every day, EVERY DAY he was there to get just enough to get by on; the word never says he had enough from yesterday to skip a day, No! He was taken there every day to receive just enough to survive another day. Readers, I see this all the time sitting in the pews at church, people who come every Sunday just to get enough to get by on until next Sunday. They don’t open their bibles during the week, you won’t catch them praying to God during the next six days, No! They are living on just enough to get by on they have resorted to a, “just enough mentality way of living.” People who have anorexia take one bite just enough to get by on, not enough to be nourished just enough to survive and for many not even enough to survive. There is anorexia Christians who just feed on just enough of the word to get by on. Accept another coin in bucket and expect to be in the same place tomorrow.
I talk to people everyday who are living in their past excepting just enough healing to get through another day, not enough to be whole, not enough to be restored, just enough to get by on. There are alcoholics out there drinking just enough not enough to die, just enough to wish they would, just enough to remain what they have become. How many of you are settling for just enough in your marriages? You say things like, well my marriage isn’t perfect but no one else’s is either. Just accept another coin dropped into your bucket go ahead sit outside the Gate called beautiful and settle for just enough love to get by on, not enough to thrive, not enough to mentor anyone else’s marriage, just enough to stay together.. How many of my Readers have settled on substantial relationships with their parents? You are still wounded from your childhood walking around with just enough forgiveness to stand to be around them on for the Holidays. Go ahead, do it, accept another coin and soon enough you’ll have just enough to get by on another day. Listen, why are you settling for just enough when Jesus came to give you more than enough? How many times are you going to let the silver and gold drop in the bucket before your enter in to the Gate called beautiful? How long are you going to let your life represent the lame? Many of you are lying outside the gate of God’s provision. We serve a God who is more than enough yet many of us live with just enough mentalities. Joseph Prince said, “God has more supply than we make demand of.” It’s selfish to only want enough to get by on, but not enough to help anyone else. Do you know what you would have to offer others if you would walk in more than enough love, forgiveness, joy, healing, restoration, reconciliation, hope, patience, and kindness? Do not set up your tent outside the Gate called Beautiful depending on someone else for your relationship with your God, go in, walk the walk of faith believing your Father in Heaven will meet you at the altar, be healed, restored, and renewed by His presence. Choices are for the Living.
Living inside the Gate called beautiful…..If you want to check out the video I made to go along with this teaching go to my face-book page at Michele Davenport or my ministry face-book page Faith Builders Ministries, Inc.
To order my book, “Ripened on the Vine,” is a true story about my life or you can listen to my teaching by going to fbministries.com
