PT-3 "Intro to Acts 3:1-11)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/25/2017 11:00 AM

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  PT-3 Intro to Acts 3:1-11

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 3:1-11

            Message of the verses:  1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!" 5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-walk!" 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement.”

            In our last SD we began to look at “A biblical understanding of the apostolic healing ministry includes the following points.”  We then looked at the first point and in today’s SD we will continue looking at these points beginning with point number two.

            “Second, Satan and his demonic hosts can produce counterfeit healings.”  These healings that they do are not only in what we would call false religions, but also in the guise of Christianity.  The Lord Jesus warned that this would happen in what we call his Olivet Discourse that is actually found in three places but we will look at Mark 13:22 “for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.”  In our study of the book of Revelation we saw recorded there false miracles done by the false prophet.  Let us look at what the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Thess. 2:9 “that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders.”    Matthew 7:22-23 we Jesus say “22  "Many will say to Me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ’I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”  As we look at those last two verses we can conclude that God is not involved in, nor does He approve of, everything done in His name.  We can pray in Jesus’ name, but if we are not praying for something that is in the will of our Lord and brings honor and glory to our Lord we cannot expect an answer.  God certainly does not desire testimony from demonic sources as we saw in our study of the gospels when we saw the demons stating that Jesus was the Holy One of God, Jesus rebuked them and told them to be quiet.  Paul and Silas refused to allow a demon-possessed girl even to testify to the truth that they were God’s servants “16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment.” 

            John MacArthur writes that “Believers must constantly be aware of the danger of satanic deception.  Paul warned the Corinthians of that when he wrote regarding some of the false teachers of his day:

‘13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.’

Satan is perhaps even more dangerous in his subtlety as a wolf in sheep’s clothing than as a roaring lion.”

            We will look at John MacArthur’s third reason in conclusion and then try and finish up our into in our next SD.  “Third, contrary to the teaching of many today, the early church was not a miracle-working church.  Rather, they were a church with miracle-working apostles.  The gift of healing in the early church was limited to the apostles and their close associates in ministry.  When they disappeared, so did the gift of healing.”  I believe that when MacArthur speaks of the gift of healing he is talking about people who had that gift, for we know that God still heals people.  I mentioned that my friend told me a long time ago as we were talking about this he told me that God heals you every time but the last time.  I have to agree with that.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Peter” (Luke 24:12).

Today’s Bible question:  “Which book sets forth the exultation of the Edomites over Judah at the time of the fall of Jerusalem (586 B. C.)?”

Answer in our next SD.

8/25/2017 11:25 AM