No one would turn down an opportunity to minister to thousands of people—right?  Jesus did.  He dismissed the crowd!  Why?

Matthew 14:23 says, “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.”

Jesus said no to the important in order to say yes to the vital!  It wasn’t a selfish decision.  It was a deliberate choice to honor priorities.

If Jesus thought it necessary to say no to the demands of the crowds in order to pray—don’t you think you and I should to?

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Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar

Acts 3:1-11 (NLT)

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

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Bible Commentary:  The lame beggar asked for money, but Peter gave him something much better--the use of his legs. We often ask God to solve a small problem, but He wants to give us a new life and help for ALL our problems. When we ask God for help, He may say, "I've got something even better for you." Ask God for what you want, but don't be surprised when He gives you what you really NEED.

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"Summer rains always seemed to be rare in the heat of haying season when I was growing up. The weather report’s '50% chance' of rain usually translated into 'not a chance'. However, occasionally we were surprised by the unpredicted and unexpected. Dad and I went out to pick up the last load of hay bales from a field south of the home place. When we left, the temperature was close to 100 (it felt like 150), there was not a trace of a breeze, and there was only a trace of a cloud in the southwest. We were just about loaded when the wind picked up, the temperature dropped, and rain and hail began pelting us.

"Dad hefted a bale over his head with one hand, pulled me under it with the other and yelled, 'under the wagon!' Using the bale as an umbrella, we both scurried under the protective cover of the hay wagon. We sat watching and talking until the clouds gave up their tantrum and passed on by. There is something neat and beautiful about the smell of fresh alfalfa and rain cleansing the skies, watering the thirsty ground. When I’m out in the country, the whiff of fresh-cut alfalfa or the aroma of rain in the air brings happy, nostalgic memories to the surface.

"From the time our souls get a whiff of the baptismal waters, our Father encourages us to take shelter under His protective 'wings'. Though we may be pummeled by hail storms of this world’s weapons, God’s promised protection is always with us. Why not tuck yourself under God’s grace today?

"I'll walk this day in faith, dear LORD, no foe, no storms I'll fear; But trusting in Your precious Word I'm safe, for You are near."

John 14:17 says, “The world cannot accept him, because it does not see him or know him.  But you know him, because he lives with you and he will be in you.”

What does the Spirit do? Scripture says He comforts the saved.  He convicts the lost.  He conveys the truth.  Have you ever been convicted? Ever sensed a stab of sorrow for your actions? Understood a new truth?  Then you’ve been touched by the Holy Spirit.

What do you know?  He’s been working in your life already.

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It’s in the news:  Same sex relationships.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ON THESE RELATIONSHIPS?

Leviticus 18:22:  "Homosexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin."

Commentary: “There are several other abominations, or wicked things. listed near this verse - marrying close relatives; having sex with someone else's wife; burning children; having sex with animals. These practices were quite common to pagan religions and it is easy to see why God dealt harshly with those who began to follow them. Such practices are not only a source of disease; more important, they are extremely disruptive to family and social life. They reveal a low regard for the value of oneself and of others. Society today takes some of these practices lightly, even trying to make them acceptable. But they are sin in God's eyes. If you consider them acceptable, you are not judging by God's standards.”

Romans 1:24-29:  "So God let them go ahead into every sort of sex sin, and do whatever they wanted to--yes, vile and sinful things with each other's bodies. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they prayed to the things God made, but wouldn't obey the blessed God who made these things.

“That is why God let go of them and let them do all these evil things, so that even their women turned against God's natural plan for them and indulged in sex sin with each other. And the men, instead of having a normal sex relationship with women, burned with lust for each other, men doing shameful things with other men, as a result, getting paid within their own souls with the penalty they so richly deserved.

“So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness and sin, of greed and hate, envy, murder, fighting, lying, bitterness, and gossip."

Commentary: “Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Scripture. It is considered an acceptable practice by many in our world today--even in some churches. Many homosexuals believe that their desires are normal and that they have a right to express them. But God does not obligate nor encourage us to fulfill all of our desires (even normal ones). Those desires that violate his laws are wrong and are to be avoided.

“If you have this desire, you can and must resist acting upon it. Consciously avoid places or activities you know will kindle temptations of this kind. Don't underestimate the power of Satan to tempt you nor the potential for serious harm if you yield to these temptations. Remember God can and will forgive sexual sins just as he forgives other sins. Surrender yourself to the grace and mercy of God, asking him to show you the way out of sin and into the light of his freedom and his love. Prayer, Bible study, and strong Christian fellowship in a Bible-believing church can help you to gain strength to resist these powerful temptations. If you are already deeply involved in this sin, you may need to seek help from a trustworthy professional pastoral counselor.”

I Corinthians 6:9-11:   "Don't you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshippers, adulterers, or homosexuals--will have not share in his Kingdom. Neither will thieves or greedy peopled, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers. There was a time when some of you were just like that but now your sins are washed away, and you are set apart for God, and he has accepted you because of what the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God has done for you."

Commentary:  "Paul is describing characteristics of unbelievers. He doesn't mean that adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, or greedy people are automatically and irrevocably excluded from heaven. Christians come from all backgrounds, including these. They may still struggle with evil desires, but they should not continue in these practices. Paul clearly states that even those who sin in these ways can have their lives changed by Christ. However, those who say they are Christians but persist in these practices with no remorse should re-evaluate their lives to see if they truly believe in Christ.

“In a permissive society, it is easy for Christians to overlook and accept immoral behavior (sexual sins, greed, drunkenness, gossip, etc.) because it is so widespread. Although it surrounds us, we cannot take part in it of condone it in any way. Staying away from generally accepted sin is difficult, but it is no harder for us than it was for the Corinthian people. God expects his followers in any age to have high standards.”

I Timothy 1:8 -11:  "Those laws are good when used as God intended. But they were not made for us, whom God has saved; they are for sinners who hate God, have rebellious hearts, curse and swear, attack their father and mothers, and murder. Yes, these laws are made to identify as sinners all who are immoral and impure:  homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, and all others who do things that contradict the glorious Good News of our blessed God, whose messenger I am (written to Timothy by Paul).”

'When my girls were little, I’d come home, shout their names and watch them run to me with extended arms and squealing voices.  For the next few moments we’d roll on the floor, gobble bellies, and tickle tummies and laugh and play. We delighted in each other’s presence. They made no requests of me, with the exception of, “Let’s play, Daddy. And I made no demands of them except, “Don’t hit daddy with the hammer.”  My kids let me love them.

'But suppose they’d approached me as we often approach God. “Hey, Dad, glad you’re home.  Here’s what I want!”  “Whoa,” I would have to say.  “Why don’t you just climb up on Daddy’s lap and let me tell you how much I love you?”  Ever thought God might want to do the same with you?  How long since you let God love you?

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!”

~ (I John 3:1)

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Some say, “I have doubts—lots of them.  What I want to know is, how can I know I’m truly saved?”

You can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life! Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

First, confess that Jesus is Lord.  Say it out loud or quietly in your heart—just believe that Jesus was resurrected.  He’s not in the grave.  He’s God in the flesh, with power over death! Confess.  Believe.  You will have salvation!

But remember what the verse doesn’t say!  Live perfectly. Can’t do it.  Impossible. Just confess and believe.   Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

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The last years of my dad’s life were scarred by ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It took him from a healthy mechanic to a bed-ridden paralytic. He lost his voice and his muscles. But he never lost his faith. It wasn’t so much what he said, but more what he didn’t say. Never outwardly angry or bitter, Jack Lucado suffered with dignity.

After my dad’s funeral, a man told me it was because of my dad’s example that he became a Jesus follower. I’ve wondered, did God orchestrate my father’s illness for that very reason? Knowing the value God places on one soul—I wouldn’t be surprised. And imaging the splendor of heaven, I know my dad is not complaining!

“Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.”

(I Peter 1:6-7)

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