Earthly needs, free gift of Jesus Christ, rejoicing in the Spirit, people marvel at physical healings.

Acts 3:1-10

• Needy expecting physical needs from the followers of Jesus Christ.
• Christians may not have excess of money, but we have Jesus Christ to share.
• Rejoicing in the Spirit but people marvel at the physical healing.

Needy expecting physical needs from the followers of Jesus Christ.
“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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 from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. Acts 3:1-3

The “ninth hour” is about 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon. This was the hour of prayer when Peter and John went to the temple. Today, we are the house of prayer because our body is the temple of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit, as quoted, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

There was a lame man from birth, who laid at the gate of the temple, but was not carried into the temple. This symbolizes those who have not yet said “Yes” to Jesus Christ and are not living in the presence of the Holy Spirit. These are people who are “crippled” in their walk with Jesus Christ but seek donations from those who are living as the temple of the Holy Spirit and walking with Jesus Christ. The crippled man was also carried to the gate of the temple by others for the sole purpose of collecting contributions from those entering the temple.

In today’s culture, many people, including the homeless, see Christians as a money machine. They think by pushing the right emotional buttons they can persuade us to give them cash or other material needs. There are also those who will use the difficulties of others to solicit money and other worldly stuff from “well-meaning” individuals. They are not walking with Jesus Christ and have no relationship with the Holy Spirit. They see the followers of Jesus Christ as an easy target, someone they can have their way with, and would even ask for the shirt off your back if they felt they could. These are people who when you offer them a hot meal, the next thing they need is money, a place to stay “for one night”, then wants the keys to your car, then to overtake your home. While we want to help those in need, we also want to beware of wolves who are predators seeking to pounce on the sheep. We are to be harmless as doves but as wise as serpents.

Around where I live, a majority of the stores and gas stations have an option to donate to a Christian organization called “St. Jude’s Children Hospital”. This is for everyone who is paying with a credit card! Cash paying customers are not asked to donate. The cashiers are quite sweet when they ask for donations to St. Jude but when I mention my faith in Jesus Christ the sweetness flees and they become much less friendly. I figure there are plenty of people I see every day that I can help in some way, but most of the time they reject any type of help. That’s weird!

I saw a homeless man [in the age of late 20’s] in a wheelchair that didn’t seem to be eating nor drinking through the day [I could see him every day from my window]. I bought him a breakfast every day for a while and even gave him a Bible. He didn’t want to talk sincerely about Jesus Christ but wanted to keep me around for the benefits. Then, one day he told me he receives Social Security benefits [which he had been receiving over the years], and they are deposited on his card every month [probably more than I receive]. From that day, he didn’t want my assistance anymore. He left the area, and I have never seen him since.

There was another homeless man [in the age of early 20’s], sleeping in the same vicinity in very cold weather. I gave him a sleeping bag that was very warm and designed for frigid weather 30 below zero. He always kept his face hidden under some blankets, so I dropped the sleeping bag off and received an “OK” voice reply from him. I also dropped off some tuna packets and crackers from time to time, with his same response of keeping his head covered and the usual reply of, “OK”. He was arrested by police officers, placed in handcuffs. and put in the back of the police cruiser. I saw this happen from my window as three police cruisers pulled up, required him to show his face, was made to stand up, arrested and hauled off. He must not have had any I.D. because he didn’t show any and that’s the first thing police officers ask for. We live in dangerous and lawless times when even helping a “crippled” person could become a risky endeavor.

There was another homeless man [age of 30’s or early 40’s], in the same vicinity, and the weather was becoming chilly, but he didn’t have a jacket. I spoke to him [wearing my Jesus shirt], seemed like a sensible man, and I asked him if there was anything that I could do to help, he firmly replied “NO!”. Even then, I returned to my apartment, grabbed a blanket and gave it to him, which he received gratefully. The next day he no longer had the blanket! I haven’t seen him since.

I try to help the less fortunate when I can, but not to the point when I see the wolf trying to “con” the sheep out of his wool. The work of the Holy Spirit is to lift up the name of Jesus and to share his Gospel, not to be a social service agency, and definitely not to be someone’s personal ATM machine. In the next section, Peter brings healing to the crippled man, he begins to walk in the name of Jesus and enters the temple of God.

Christians may not have excess of money, but we have Jesus Christ to share.
 “And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” Acts 3:4-7

Peter and John caught the attention of the crippled man, and he expected to receive money or some other gift to meet his physical needs. As soon as a needy person [homeless etc.] sees a follower of Jesus Christ, they would expect to receive something to feed them, keep them warm, etc. Most who do not know Jesus Christ nor the Holy Spirit defines Christians as an independent arm of the Goodwill, Red Cross or an ATM [money machine]. We want to help those in need, but we are much more than a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, etc.

In today’s culture, we who live for the way of Jesus Christ has to be prepared to say what Peter said to the crippled man, “Silver and gold I do not have…” Prosperity is reserved for those who serve the community goals through the beast that gives people what to speak, do, think, and feel. Money and resources go to those who do not seek to spread their “disposable income” with people who have been made outcasts of the social network. Today’s atheistic culture expects people to turn to government agencies for their needs. This serves to turn the needy to the beastly entity that governs through thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors and away from Jesus Christ. This is why the digital currency is being implemented globally, which is to create a cashless society. Individual charity through the Holy Spirit is being made extinct. In 2025, the United States president declared to make the America the “crypto capital of world”. He signed an order called the “GENIUS Act” to establish the framework of making that happen. Click here for a post on the “GENIUS Act”.

While we do not have plenty of money and worldly resources, we can say with Peter to those in need, “…but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” What we do have to share, which is far more valuable than materialism, is the testimony of Jesus Christ. What we have is far more valuable than the healing of the physical body, we know someone who can give them the Holy Spirit. In contrast, those who give through government and community agencies [manmade churches included] have a form of Godliness but deny the power of Jesus Christ. However, we can give people the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that they can rise up in their belief in God and walk with Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Those riches include eternal life in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and earth. We can strengthen others to walk in the Spirit and not to live by the flesh.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Rejoicing in the Spirit but people marvel at the physical healing.
“So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.” Acts 3:8

The crippled man was healed outside the temple, by the gate, and he leaped up, walking into the temple praising God. When we come to Jesus Christ, we learn to walk with Him and we enter into the presence of God within the temple of our soul, praising Him. We come to understand that we are the temple of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let us learn to walk with Him, then experience leaping in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and filling us with praise to God.

“And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.” Acts 3:9-11

The healed man had been crippled from birth, setting at the gate outside the temple, asking for hand-outs year after year. The people inside the synagogue had been giving money and other charity to the man for years but never presented Jesus Christ to him. They focused on the physical needs of the cripple but never thought to concern themselves with the man’s spiritual needs. In today’s atheistic culture, they will talk about people’s needs for health, food, shelter, safety, security, housing, social integration, dignity, respect, and self-identification. What they never talk about is the need of the soul to believe in God, to acknowledge the need for the forgiveness of unbelief through Jesus Christ, and living in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

All the people ran towards Peter, John, and the healed man, not to come in praise to God through Jesus Christ, but in amazement of the physical healing. They never gave a thought about glorifying God in the name of Jesus Christ. In today’s culture, there is an entity with power over every cell of physiology and is able to physical healings. This is the same beast that has the power to give people what to speak, do, think, and feel and all the world follows him, “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Revelations 13:3-4 This is the beast of the image and mark of the beast. Other translations of “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” include “We see!”, “We know!”, We can be!”, “You can’t be!” etc.

 “So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” Acts 3:12

We are sinners saved by the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ. The righteousness in our own efforts is nothing, but filthy rags, compared to the righteousness we have in the eyes of God by believing in Jesus Christ. When God sees Jesus in us, He considers us as righteous because His Son is righteous. As Peter said,“…why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” It is not because of our Godliness that anyone comes to Jesus Christ, we are merely a messenger of the testimony of Jesus [through the Holy Spirit]. Our born-again experience is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on our heart. If we are going to marvel, wonder, or boast about anything, let it be in Jesus Christ, “But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.” 2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Barnabas was with Paul when he healed a cripple man in Lystra, and everyone wanted to sacrifice to both of them as gods, but Paul said, “We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless [idols] to the living God…” Acts 14:14-15a Click here for the posts from Acts 14:8-20

A physical mind only sees physical healings and does not recognize the healings of the Holy Spirit.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11