Faith like a child, right? Man, I wish I had faith like a child. I wish I had faith like Peter and John demonstrated when they told the crippled beggar at the Beautiful gate that they didn't have any money but they could give him healing in the Name of Jesus Christ. I wish I had faith like Peter when he told the growing crowd, amazed at the healed beggar:
3:19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
Of course, the Sadducees got hacked off that Peter was preaching in the resurrection, and Jesus on top of that. I wish I had the faith to speak in boldness like Peter did, straight to their face:
4:12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
I wish I had the faith to sacrifice my own desires, to give up my rights to my own life and to give my all for the Kingdom, to be used in the Church according to the Holy Spirit:4:31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
I wish I had faith like that because the result would be God working miraculously through me:
5:12The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
To be honest, that sure doesn't look like anything I've seen in my congregation. It's probably because we're so buried in the American Dream that we can't see the real Gospel of Jesus Christ. If I just had faith like a child ... man, would things be different!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, please give me faith like a child. Lord, would you please lead me to give up my idols and religions so that I can know you and love you? Would you please show me that you are really more satisfying than anything in this world? Father, would you please call me to a life of holy obedience - to give up everything for the Name of Jesus Christ? Lord, would you please break through the callouses of my heart and revive me? Please fill me with your Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in boldness, to love people with your agape love, and to worship you in spirit and in truth. Please take my life and use me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, who was obedient, even to the Cross. Amen.
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