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TRUST JESUS TODAY

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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Example (07/25/13)
In Act 3:1-11, we find the story of Peter responding to a man who had been “lame from his mother’s womb (KJV).” Peter healed the man as Jesus had taught him using the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a marvelous act which demonstrated Peter’s spiritual power. Peter was following the example of Jesus. “And all the people saw him (the lame man) walking and praising God…and they were filed with wonder and amazement (KJV).” We see in this incident a demonstration of how Jesus wanted his disciples to spread the word.

When we study the training exercise found in Mark, Chapter 6, we note that Jesus did not tell his disciples to use his name when they did a miracle. The implication was that Jesus wanted his disciples to do their spiritual thing on their own; be surrogates of Jesus and take full responsibility for their actions and the results of those actions.

In today’s world, very few of the followers of Jesus will even attempt to do a miracle. Some religious professionals will lay hands on one who is sick and pray, but they usually put the responsibility for the miracle on God. What a cop out! A religion without conspicuous supernatural power is little more than organized superstition.

On this occasion, Peter did what we all feel prone to do and became the first New Testament cop out. It must have been the pressure created by the crowd of people who saw the incident and wanted to upgrade Peter’s status, which would not have been bad, after all; and I sincerely believe that had the disciples been willing to go forth and do miracles and take responsibility for their effort, the cause of Christ would have advanced.

Granted, things are different today. The medical profession doesn’t want or need our help most of the time. The big challenge for us is to think and maintain a close relationship with the Holy Spirit. The question is, how can we use the spiritual power within us to follow the example of Christ and do the kind of miracles that will move the cause of Christ forward? Let us remember, God doesn’t do what we ask God to do, God does what we expect God to do.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
08/05/13
Amen. Great message that all can benefit from reading...thank you.

God bless~
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
08/08/13
Hmm this is an interesting perspective. I'm not sure all people would agree with you, but that's okay because it will cause people to think and pray and God will place his word on people's hearts and that is always a good thing. The one thing you might want to do is explain more why you think Peter was copping out because I'm not sure if everyone will totally understand it. I do agree God does do miracles still today and people can go out and use many things as ways to glorify Jesus. His miracles and love are all around and in us.