Acts 3:1-10 ESV

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

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Isang araw, sina Pedro at Juan ay pumanhik sa templo sa oras ng pananalangin, nang ikasiyam na oras. 2 At may isang lalaking lumpo mula pa sa pagkapanganak ang noon ay ipinapasok. Araw-araw siya'y inilalagay nila sa pintuan ng templo na tinatawag na Maganda, upang manghingi ng limos sa mga pumapasok sa templo. 3 Nang nakita niya sina Pedro at Juan na papasok sa templo, humingi siya ng limos. 4 Ngunit pagtitig sa kanya ni Pedro, kasama si Juan, ay sinabi, “Tingnan mo kami.” 5 Itinuon niya ang kanyang pansin sa kanila na umaasang mayroong tatanggapin mula sa kanila. 6 Ngunit sinabi ni Pedro, “Wala akong pilak at ginto, ngunit ang nasa akin ay siya kong ibinibigay sa iyo. Sa pangalan ni Jesu-Cristong taga-Nazaret, tumayo ka at lumakad.” 7 Kanyang hinawakan siya sa kanang kamay, at siya'y itinindig at agad na lumakas ang kanyang mga paa at mga bukung-bukong. 8 Siya'y lumukso, tumayo at nagpalakad-lakad; pumasok siya sa templo na kasama nila, lumalakad, lumulukso, at nagpupuri sa Diyos. 9 Nakita siya ng lahat ng tao na lumalakad at nagpupuri sa Diyos. 10 Nakilala nila na siya nga ang dating nakaupo at namamalimos sa Pintuang Maganda ng templo; at sila'y napuno ng pagtataka at pagkamangha sa nangyari sa kanya.


WHAT I DO HAVE, I GIVE TO YOU

At about 3pm of regular temple prayer, the lame beggar has asked Peter and John for alms while they were going to the temple (Acts 3:2–3). Actually, he's probably has done this day in and day out. He asked everyone who has come through the gate where he is stationed. And, Peter stopped and told the man to look at him. He did so, expecting Peter will hand over some coins.

Peter didn't. Why? He didn't have any money. What he has was faith in Jesus that will heal him. Doesn’t treat God like the lame man? That is, we are asking for a small thing when He wants to give us so much more. We ask for material things not knowing he offers us spiritual healing that will make our hearts soar.

The famous author, C. S. Lewis rightly said, "It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
When the man receives strong feet and ankles, did complain that he didn't receive a coin? In so much joy, he rose up, "walking and leaping and praising God" (Acts 3:8). May we all do the same when God gives us what we need, not what we ask for.

On the other hand, many believers feel miserable that they don’t have material riches as the ungodly have. Somebody said, “The poorest people in this world are those who have nothing else but money.” Have we realized how rich we are in the Lord? Paul said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”[Eph 1:3] Have we missed giving to the needy what we have – the gospel? The thought of billionaires engaging in ‘sari-sari’ stores is ridiculous, is it not? Such we are as citizens of heaven if we are bemoaning about the things on earth. I hope you and I are not, are we?

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