MAY 7 READING…ACTS 3
It is incredible to see the amazing transformation of the followers of Jesus after Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit…no one changed more than Peter. It seems Peter’s heart has been changed, along with his understanding of what it meant to be a genuine follower of Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives this kind of clarity. He is able to make us into much more than we ever were on our own. We praise the Lord for the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us eternal life…and we should. But, we also ought to take time to consider the work of renewal the Holy Spirit does in our hearts and lives. Peter encounters a beggar in the area of the Temple…the man is begging for money, thinking that was the best he could hope for. The Holy Spirit, alive in Peter, gives the man more than he ever thought possible. It was not just money he would receive, but God would raise him up from his infirmity and make him to walk. The Holy Spirit then gives Peter the boldness to preach the Gospel of salvation to the people who were gathered at the Temple. He told them that they needed to repent of their sin, much done in ignorance…and then to believe in Jesus as Messiah and Savior. Peter reminds them that their Patriarchs are directly tied to Jesus, and that they had faith in God to bring about the very day that these people were living in. Peter tells them that even Moses spoke of Jesus…and every Prophet from Samuel on spoke of Jesus. They had been looking for the Messiah…Peter was telling them that He had come…and that He is risen from the dead. We need no other…Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of all who will believe in Him. My prayer is that everyone reading this has put their trust in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of sin and eternal life. If not, do what Peter said, “repent and believe in Jesus”.
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…ACTS 4