What Lame Excuse Are You Using to Keep From Serving God Part 1

Acts 3:1-10-Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the [a]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 [b]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 [c]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.

 

How many beggars do you know today would scoff at you for giving them the word of God over the hand out they were expecting?  I have seen people get pissed off at the fact that you won’t hand them any money but you will take them to the store to get them what they are asking for.  I have seen people get upset because they ask you for money and you offer to take them to go apply for a job to be able to supply their own needs.  How many people run to the pastor for prayer instead of praying for themselves and get salty when the pastor tells them I can pray for you but you are gonna have to pray for yourself?  You gonna have to do something for yourself….

 

Now in this scripture we have a man who has been by this gate called Beautiful for many years.  He even has someone take him there to beg the people for money.  So he had people enabling him to stay in his current condition.  And he was comfortable in his current state.  Never wanting or expecting anymore than to just sit there and beg.  I wonder if anyone EVER offered to take him into the temple/or offer his Christ before Peter and John came along?

 

How many people in the church do we have in this “lame” condition?  They come to sit on the pew, listen to the word of God being preached and leave out the same way they came in.  They want the promises of God but are to lazy to put in the work to get the blessings.  They want healing but don’t want speak the word of God over their lives.  They want prosperity but don’t want to put the biblical principals of stewardship to work in their lives.  Peter had to let down his net to get the fish to put in the boat….Abraham had to leave his father’s house to get to Canaan.  Joseph had to show himself faithful in both Potifphar’s house and the jail to be promoted to second in command of Egypt.  David had put the rock into the slingshot and throw it in order it to hit Goliath and kill him.  Each of these feats required the person to do something….Why are we content with sitting in the pew thinking that is good enough?  Why are we satisfied with status quo or just getting by?  WE DON’T SERVE OF GOD THAT WANTS YOU TO BE CONTENT WITH JUST GETTING BY!!!!!!  He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  So why are we ok with ‘just making it?”  Let’s take a look at another instance of “just getting by.”

 
John 5:1-9 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in [a]Hebrew [b]Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [[c]waiting for the moving of the waters; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] 5 A man was there who had been [d]ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus *said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

 
In this scripture this man wanted to be healed but had no one to put him in the water.  Such a pitiful site I know.  By nature I want to get caught up in the hardship and the struggle and have sympathy for the man….but DUDE….you been in the same state for 38 years!!!!  Are you not tired yet???  Look…the woman with the issue of blood crawled on her hands and knees to just TOUCH…the hem of Jesus garment….That lady was TIRED…When are we as the body of believers gonna get tired of not experiencing God?  When are we gonna let the hunger and thirst for righteousness consume us to the point where we will stop at nothing until we are filled with the Holy Spirit?

 
I remember watching Underworld one time and the lycans had been looking for Michael Corvinus because of his blood line and they were looking to make a hybrid.  Lucian, the leader of the Lycans had bitten Michael but he had gotten away.  The genetic person working to merge the blood lines asked Lucian, the leader of the Lycans how are we going to find Michael?  Lucian looked at him and said, don’t worry…We won’t have to go looking for him.  Soon he will come looking for us.  When are we going to go looking for the God of our salvation?  When are we going to stop filling ourselves with the perishable things of this world that leave us hungry and unsatisfied and go get filled with the “living water” like the woman at the well so that we won’t thirst after the things of this world?  But you have to put in the work….Work requires sacrifice.  It requires inconvenience…

 
I am seriously fed up with church as usual….I am ready to see God high and lifted up.  I am tired of settling for a form of godliness that yeilds no power.  We as a body of believers need to press in.  Let’s press in and work to become what God has presdestined us to be.