Nine Hours In The Life of A Beggar

New Years 2008 Message

There is only one hope for the despair of this world and that is the power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of the Holy Ghost. We cannot seek to find the solution of man's ills in humanistic psychology or any other means. The Purpose Driven Life does NOT hold the key to man's deliverance nor his salvation, nor does the self-help rantings and clamorings of the modern voices of new age humanism masquerading as preachers of the gospel. In this narrative of the man at the Temple in Acts 3, we see the Holy Spirit's answer to ALL of man's bondage and illnesses.

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: Acts 3:1-8
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. [2] And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; [3] Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. [4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. [5] And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. [6] Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. [7] And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. [8] And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Before we get to this message, we want to take this opportunity to wish each of you who visit Spirit Journals a blessed 2008 and beyond. Our website actually turns 10 years old this year having begun in 1998 during a time spiritually similar to the physical condition this poor beggar in our story found himself in during the days of Peter and John. You know, despair is an awful awful state for one to find himself in; despair means hopelessness, a state that most of the world gets up everyday with and feeling. Millions do not see anything better than they had the day before. Many are destitute yes, but despair is not just reserved for the poor. Those in business suits and millions of dollar in the bank can suffer from this malady as well.

Even in prosperous America, as blessed a nation as we are, we still report 20 million alcoholics annually. Last year in 2007 there were a reported 30 million drug addicts; addicts to cocaine, heroin, crack and even prescription drugs. Drugs have become a one BILLION dollar industry as man seeks hard to find the answer to the despair of his heart to no avail. Millions just want something to dull the mind and the senses to cure the hurting of their heart. Jesus addressed this problem standing in His home town of Nazareth as well as the solution:

Luke 4:14-18
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. [15] And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.  [16] And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. [17] And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, [18] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Man's problem is SPIRITUAL in nature and will never be solved through any other means than through a spiritual reformation of the heart and a change in the nature of man's being. That change and reformation comes only ONE way and ONE way alone and that is the transforming power of the HOLY GHOST through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Man cannot live by bread alone but by every WORD that proceeds from the Mouth of God! Man cannot save himself nor deliver himself from the darkness and bondage of sin. Man needs MORE than a 12-step program, a trip to the local rehab center, a piece of bread to solve a physical hunger without addressing the spiritual hunger of one's soul; man needs MORE than Rick Warren's 40 days of purpose or Joel Osteen's self-help tips on becoming a better "you." SELF is the new idol of the modern church and this idol is worshipped in earnest through the modern false preachers who are nothing more than WOLVES in sheep's clothing. Let me go ahead and get 2008 started in style. They are WORSE than wolves in sheep's clothing, they are full of the devil and spewing false doctrines that are sending MILLIONS spiraling to hell in a hand basket without any concern it seems from the spiritual leadership of the American church.

I say it again. Man's problem is SPIRITUAL, not mental, psychological, educational or even social. Man is a SINNER and whether he is laying on the side of the street begging for alms as the man in this story or dressed up in a business suit making millions of dollars his nature is bent to do EVIL and disobey God. NOTHING he seeks to do to solve this problem will change that and NOTHING these so called spiritual morons do to suggest that all man needs to do is "improve" their self will change that either. Everything else is secondary as we will see in this story of a beggar whose life would be changed in nine hours after an encounter with the name beyond all names - the name of Jesus Christ!

A Beggar At The Temple Called Beautiful In Need Of More Than Alms

Acts 3:2 - And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple

The man of our text is left nameless by the Holy Spirit but one does not need to read more than just the first verse or two to feel the pathos and heartbreak of his condition, a picture of the pathos and heartbreak of all humanity today without Christ. According to our text, he was crippled from his mother's womb yet the Scripture is silent on what caused the deformity in his legs and feet. Let me tell you this. When dealing with the human condition everything pertaining to Christ as it relates to our life is the core root of all problems as it pertains to LIFE, NOT just the need itself. The modern church tends to highlight the need instead of the solution. That is what drives most of the ministries in our city right now. They seek to meet physical needs, which is all well and good, but neighbor if we do nothing more but put food in the mouth of the hungry without giving them what they need through the ministry of the HOLY GHOST, then the individuals we minister to are STILL going to be bound by sin and if they don't repent wind up in a devil's hell. Hell is full of people who had physical needs met in LIFE but never had their SPIRITUAL life made right. Better to go to heaven hungry and right with God than to be filled with food on this Earth and die and go to hell. Don't take that statement to think this writer is being callous or un-caring to the plight of the hungry and homeless. I've dealt first hand these past two years with those in such state and understand quite clearly the need to do all we can to help people in need. Our first concern however is to present CHRIST, the BREAD OF LIFE, which alone can cure the hunger of their SOULS and not just their bellies!

A beggar is defined as "one who lives asking for gifts." That is how this man lived but the gift he was seeking was more than just alms; one day, he evidently heard a sermon and message regarding a man named, "Jesus of Nazareth." I'm sure he heard this Jesus opened blinded eyes; unstopped deaf ears; cleansed lepers; some say He may even be Israel's Messiah. His name "Jesus Christ," literally meant Anointed One. The beggar probably was aware of the stories of the Resurrection of the one called Jesus, who was called Israel's Messiah, and a "saviour" to the Gentiles. I can almost see this blind beggar tugging at person after person asking, "who are you talking about," and those who cared enough to stop and tell him saying "it's the prophet of Nazareth."

I can't state it enough but the World needs to HEAR the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified! This plight of the beggar seemed to be a daily occurrence which had taken place in one way or the other, the since the man was a child. Little did he realize that this would be the greatest day of his life, and little did the ones realized who carried him to the gate each day realize this would be their last day at this task. The beggar's only hope was based upon what he evidently heard of those coming into the Temple - the message of Jesus.

Peter and John

Acts 3:1, 3-4
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. [3] Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. [4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

This story must be understood through the eyes of two other men other than the beggar and those being Peter and John. Peter and John had become friends quite possibly through their partnership in the fishing business which they had pursued before being called by Christ. Now on this monumental day in eternity these two men would be spearheading to Work of God at the outset of the Early Church in performing one of the first miracles after the Day of Pentecost. Peter and John were fresh from the event in the Temple square where they, along with 118 others were baptized in the HOLY GHOST with the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gave them the utterance.  I want to say that again. Peter and John were not Baptists who don't believe in the power of God and claim all that which occurred at the Day of Pentecost is not for today or as some moronic preachers in our fair city claim "of the devil" or a ton of other such foolish thoughts. Neighbor let me tell you this without blinking. If your so-called thelogy don't embrace the power of the Holy Ghost YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A BIBLE-BASED THEOLOGY! So-called men of God get behind pulpits denigrating the baptism of the Holy Ghost yet laud and praise every self-help nuance in the world claiming these things (i.e. Purpose Driven Life, 12-step programs, rehab centers, etc) are the way to help sinners. God HELP US!

Last year the Southern Baptist Convention told their missionaries on foreign fields that if they were found to be praying in other tongues during their private prayer times they would be asked to leave the convention and lose their support. I'm sorry but I can assure you if I were a SBC missionary - I'd be LEAVING! How long you stiff-necked and hard-hearted Pharisees do you resist the POWER of the HOLY GHOST? How long oh, generation of vipers? How long do we keep resisting the Holy Ghost to the point that He is pushed out of every  ministry and every aspect of our spiritual lives and message that all that is left is some self-help message that makes the Lord want to vomit! Jesus Christ did not die on a bloody cross that man be given a 12-step program to be free. Jesus Christ died and shed His precious blood that we might be FREE and that freedom comes as a result of an encounter with the THIRD person of the Godhead who has Come to Earth to reveal the POWER and PERSON of Christ to the Church - the HOLY GHOST!

I am certain segments of the church today would have passed this beggar by without even offering him assistance but there would be other segments who would offer him help - just not the type help he needed. I'm sure some spiritual idiot would put a Purpose Driven Life book in the beggar's hand and be told "read this" and if you do then all your problems will go away.

THANK GOD Peter and John knew MORE than just the powerless principles of Rick Warren's stupidity and false doctrine. Thank God Peter and John knew MORE than the address of the local rehab center or the latest 12-step program to get this beggar delivered and healed. These two men were FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST and that is what the church needs to be today if we plan to reach a lost and dying world with the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

The Ninth Hour

The term "ninth hour" refers to three o'clock in the afternoon, which according to Jewish tradition was one of three hours of prayer. It is said that Jews had three hours of prayer a day, or at least times in which they would pray. They were 9:00 A.M., 12 Noon and 3:00 P.M. Jewish tradition taught that Abraham instituted the first; Isaac the second; and Jacob the last. (DAKE) As well, this particular hour was te time of the Evening Sacrifice. The Priest at this time offered the Sacrifice and burnt the Incense, hence the Psalm of David:

Psalm 141:2
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
 

None of the people in this time of history, including the Apostles, looked at themselves any different than any other Jews. Theirs, at least in the minds, was a completed Judaism, which in fact, it actually was! Yet Peter and John were so close to God, so full of the Holy Ghost, so sensitive to the Holy Ghost, so full of the power of God, so endued with POWER - all qualities SORELY lacking in the modern church world today including many so-called ministries - that even though they were strangers to this man - were moved on by the Holy Ghost to perform one of the first miracles of the Early Church. It was at this same hour the two Apostles fastened their eyes on Him and said "LOOK ON US," meaning, "we have your answer and it is the POWER OF GOD!" Peter wanted this man to hear what he was about to say. People who are truly Spirit-filled have something worth saying! I want to say that again. People full of the Holy Ghost have something worth saying. People who are not do NOT having anything worth saying even if they have 25 degrees behind their names.

There are men like that in our city who have great educations but when it comes to the things of the Spirit they are about as dead and cold as a polar bear's nose on Sunday. I probably shouldn't say this but say it I will. About a year ago we were asked to leave a ministry here in town we were assisting because the leader of that ministry disagreed with our views on the baptism in the Holy Ghost. The lady involved made comments to us in early 2007 that made in evident we would not be able to minister anymore there or preach during any of the services the ministry hosted each week. We were also at the time this happened teaching a Bible class on the Cross each Monday. On a Sunday just 90 days before this all happened the power of God fell on a Sunday afternoon and 52 people came forward to receive Christ - the largest altar call that ministry had seen in 3 years of holding those services. I don't take credit for that but I DO point to the anointing on this writer's life as what produced such results. I don't know what has happened this past year since we've been gone from there but I know that the type preachers the ministry there wanted were mostly preachers who would read their sermons and NOT move in the Gifts and operation of the Spirit in any way.

This writer took several months to deal with what happened last year and it's not been easy but I came to a understanding that I'd rather sit down and not preach than to be put in a situation where I can't preach what the Spirit of God tells me to preach and move in the gifts of the Spirit. I'm not ashamed that 21 years ago this month the Lord baptized me in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. I'm not ashamed I believe in the gifts of the Spirit and believe they are for today. God didn't pass away with the Apostles so why would any one except someone full of the spirit of unbelief and error believe anything else? We don't embrace a day of miracles, neighbor we serve a GOD of miracles!

A leading preacher in our town just last week spent his entire radio program preaching why miracles don't happen today. I think he needs to talk with my good friend Sandy LeMaster whose blinded eye was opened by the power of God just 18 months ago. Along with the opening of her blinded eye, the Lord touched her in such a way she got out of a wheel chair she had been in for several decades and started walking! Glory to God. The minister who prayed for her is a good friend of mine whom the Lord brought into our lives this past year during this time of healing and needing direction and I know him to be a man of faith and power. He believes in the power of God and because he believes in that power - MIRACLES, SIGNS and wonders take place regularly in his meetings. He walks in a prophetic mantle that allows the Holy Ghost to reveal things to him about people including illnesses that only God can know sometimes. What God reveals, He always heals!

Acts 3:5
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

This man "gave heed to them," (Peter and John) expecting to receive something of them. Neighbor the entire world sits in that state today as it relates to the modern church. The world is in despair, hopelessness and in need of the power of God. Yet, they sit "expecting" to receive something of us and instead of receiving the power of God they get for the most part always something else. In some cases they get a book (not the Bible) placed in their hands; a 12-step program, etc. or a myriad of other nuances that cannot save nor deliver. Most people see only their problem and their need and consequently do not go beyond that. While these things are certainly important, the Holy Spirit is always attempting to take us beyond much beyond the particulars of our problem and deal with the ROOT cause of our problem - SIN.

God not only meets our need, but as well, He gives us so much more beyond what we could even ask or think. it was the case with this crippled beggar in Acts 3 and it was the case with Sandy Lemaster. She came down to have someone pray for her eyesight and the Lord got her out of a wheelchair. It is the case with ALL who come into contact with the true power of God!

How blessed was Jerusalem to have men like Peter and John in their midst but the religious of the city oppposed them and ultimately imprisoned them for being agents of the miracle working power of God! This type ministry is the strength (the true strength) of a city, a nation and a people. Regrettably, it is seldom known or even understood and most of the time as we have stated opposed, ridiculed, rejected and resisted to the eternal shame of those doing such. The ones who resisted the power of God through Peter and John's life were not the drunks, the drug addicts, the whore mongers or the prostitutes, but the religious! The same is true today to our eternal shame and to the destruction of the souls of millions in this generation!

Silver and God Have I None.....

Acts 3:6-7
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. [7] And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.

The man was expecting "silver and gold," yet the statement of Peter is a solid rebuke to the distorted prosperity message of today. Yes! The Lord does bless His people both in monetary and material things and abundantly so. Lisa and I were blessed this year with a new car without having to pay for it after we lost ours this summer. In addition, the Lord has touched our business ventures as well the last few months and as we enter 2008 we are as busy with our photography and website design businesses as we've ever been since we started these tent-making ventures five years ago. The problem is not the blessings but it's when these things become priority and actually the thrust of our message then it becomes unscriptural and heresy. Many in the modern church measure their faith by the amount of silver and gold they have but it is here the very opposite! Can one have both you ask? Quite possibly but in reality that should never really be the question. Jesus said seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and ALL these things shall be added. Our quest should be His righteousness, which can only be given to us by placing our complete faith and trust in what He accomplished at the Cross - even after we're saved - and not material riches. The greatest thing anyone could ever have is summed up in the words of Peter when he said "SUCH as I have give I thee!" Peter had the Power of God within his heart and life and with that ALL things are possible!

Peter remembered that Jesus had told the disciples that "in MY NAME" - "you shall lay hands on the SICk and they shall recover!"

Mark 16:17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

AND NO MATTER HOW MANY STUPID preachers try to erase those words with their "theological" examination those words remain TRUE today! This is actually the Power of Attorney given to all believers who truly follow the Word of God. As well, this glorious privilege pertains not only to those such as Peter and John, but as well to all Preachers of the Gospel, and to any believer in that capacity for that matter. "THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE!" He did not say "these signs will follow them who 'doubt' 'resist' 'reject' and 'ridicule' the power of God and the mighty ministries of the Holy Ghost!

Peter used the NAME OF JESUS of Nazareth as not to mistake the One of Whom he spoke! He wanted to make sure the One who was hated by the Religious leaders is the very One who make all these things to happen! It is NOT the name of Mohammed, or Joseph smith, or Rick Warren, or Joel Osteen or any other man or fake luminary! It was not the name of Buddha or Confucius - it was and still IS the powerful name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, demons have to flee. In the name of Jesus, homosexuals are set free from demonic bondage. In the name of JESUS, the sinner is saved; sick bodies are healed; believers are baptized in the Holy Ghost; bondages broken; doubts driven; spirits lifted!!!!! As the song of old proclaims "In the name of Jesus, Jesus, we have the VICTORY!"

Closing - 'Walking, Leaping and Praising God."

Acts 3:7-8
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. [8] And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Peter taking him by the right hand and lifting him up shows faith, not presumption, in action. Peter's faith was in Christ and what the Lord accomplished at the Cross. Peter and John did not do this presumptuously as so many do today without the leading of the Spirit. When we are led by the Spirit of God we can be sure of guaranteed success.

When this took place, the man's ankles received strength and he leaped up, walked, and entered the temple, "walking, leaping and praising God." Baptists, I'm sorry but he was not "Baptist!" Presbyterians, I'm sorry but he was not "Presbyterian." Episcopalians, I'm sorry he was not "Episcopalian!" He was PENTECOSTAL! This man was so happy at what happened he could not contain himself and he had a Pentecostal camp meeting after this miracle! Nine hours in the life of a beggar turned despair into one of the greatest moments in his life and he was not afraid to show it.

Some of you reading this are so stiff-necked and hard-hearted you haven't praised God in a month of Sundays. You find it offensive when people act like this beggar and then go to a sporting event and act like a complete moron. I am not pushing for fleshly displays of emotion but when we scream and embarrass those around at football or baseball games and when it comes to Christ we pompously proclaim, "Well, we have to be dignified when it comes to church" we are just plain backslid! We need a Holy Ghost fit to hit our souls like this beggar did when the power of God touched His life! The truth is millions in the church CRY out for such a move of God but they come out of their weekly services dry and dead as yesterday's stale bread. This beggar wasn't dignified neighbor when he received his miracle! He had something to shout about and so do we!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We've become so "religious" we can't even find it in our souls to praise God for this great salvation we have been bestowed through Christ. We may or may not receive such a miracle of this magnitude but the very fact we're saved should give us pause to rejoice like this beggar. His miracle healing is picture of what took place spiritually in ALL our lives when we got saved! We were in such despair in sin but when Jesus touched us we were forever changed! Praise God. Peter and John did not heal this man  - a fact Peter would point out in great clarity when explaining that the religious of Israel had crucified Israel's Messiah and the Gentile's SAVIOUR. Peter declared that the miracle was done by Israel's Messiah who had been and is now made both LORD and CHRIST, sitting at the right hand of God, ALIVE forevermore! And this Lord and Christ still heals today and still fills believers with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 3:12
And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. [14] But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

The Glorification took place at the Resurrection and the power released through Peter and John (which actually came upon them at the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) is the same power that is available to the church in these modern times. The problem is not the power but the stinking, wretched UNBELIEF in the hearts of MILLIONS who seek to deny, denigrate and shun all such power! We can't have it both ways. We either believe in the true power of the Cross or we don't. We can't say "I believe in the Cross, but not the gifts of the Spirit." Jesus Christ died so that men might be saved AND that believers walk in the FULLNESS and POWER of the HOLY GHOST! That fullness and power includes both the grace and character of the FRUIT of the Spirit AND the power and demonstration of the GIFTS of the Spirit!!
 

I can assure you - NO DEAD MAN could have made this beggar walk! And NO MAN today can set you free mister from the powers of darkness other than the Risen Christ! NO DEAD MAN sir can set you free Buddhist from the chains and the shackles of sin! No DEAD MAN Mister can change your heart and soul in a split second of eternity as Jesus Christ the son of LIVING GOD can! Glory! NO DEAD MAN can set the homosexual free. No DEAD MAN can change the alcohlic or the drug addict. No Dead man can do any of that. ONLY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST and what was accomplished on the Cross of Calvary 2,000 years ago. Our faith in 2008 is BUILT on NOTHING LESS and NOTHING MORE than Jesus Christ's blood and righteousness. NOTHING in my hand I bring, SIMPLY to thy CROSS I cling! We don't have silver and gold to offer you today but what we have we GIVE it unto you - IN THE NAME OF JESUS we claim healing for your sick body! We claim SALVATION for your lost children and grand children. We claim deliverance for that husband or wife bound by drugs, immorality or lust. We claim HEALING to every broken home - ALL in the matchless name of the LIVING CHRIST, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the son of David, the bright and morning star, the first and the last, the bread of life, the ROSE OF SHARON, the LILY of the valley and the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS!! PRAISE GOD PRAISE GOD.

Nine hours in the life of beggar changed by the Living Christ is a testimony that echoes through the corridors of eternity to all who will hearken to the voice of the Lord Jesus. He who calmed the storm as recorded in the gospels is the Same who beckons to you today through the ministry of the Holy Ghost. He calls to the hearts of those willing to repent, humble themselves and turn to Him in saving faith. He wants to change hearts and set captives free. That is our cry for 2008. Deliver us Lord from our bondages and sin. Make us like YOU this coming year. And as You changed a beggar in nine hours time, CHANGE us today by that same power!

As we enter another year (2008) let His power touch you today. There is no way that the false religions of the world such as Islam, Buddhism and even the dead cold religious activity of most of the American church compete with the power of God and it's reality today!! When the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached and received - all that is dead and begging as this crippled beggar - will explode with life and all things will become new! I pray you know this Christ today. It's getting late neighbor and it's harvest time!

If you've been blessed by this journal or have a comment please email us: cmc4jesus@aol.com

Hear Kathy Herrick's powerful testimony of how God delivered her from Alcoholism by the same power that touched this beggar! God STILL delivers and heals TODAY!

Sandy LeMaster -Healed of Blindness in One Eye as well as God delivering her out of a wheel chair

The Priceless Page - Because The Time is Short, It's Getting Late, And It's Harvest Time

He loves you today and beckons you to His blood-soaked wounds that were

made  2,000 years ago for your deliverance, healing and salvation!

If you have come to Christ as a result of reading this journal, please email us at cmc4jesus@aol.com Put "Decision for Christ" in email subject line. We will send you a small booklet free and postage paid we have just completed: "The Road Ahead" which will help you in your new walk with Christ.