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Faith Imagined: The Acts Get Up!

Faith Imagined

Alisa Hope Wagner: Christian Writer

December 27, 2009

The Acts Get Up!

Peter and Paul both healed a crippled man in Acts. I heard Peter's performance of healing while driving in the car. I just happened to flip to my audio Bible in my 5 CD changer and listened as Peter pulled a crippled man to his feet.

That same night when I was reading my one year Bible before bed, I read about Paul's performance of healing. Paul yelled across a crowd of people for the crippled man to stand up, and he did.

Read both accounts quickly and see if you can notice the difference.

First

"When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he [the crippled man] asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, 'Look here.' He looked up, expecting to get something from them. Peter said, 'I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!' He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. (Acts 3.5-8 The Message).

Second

"There was a man in Lystra who couldn't walk. He sat there, crippled since the day of his birth. He heard Paul talking, and Paul, looking him in the eye, saw that he was ripe for God's work, ready to believe. So he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Up on your feet!" The man was up in a flash—jumped up and walked around as if he'd been walking all his life" (Acts 14.8-10 The Message).

The day that I happened to read these two healings, I was struggling. I was smack in the middle of a "crippling" season, and I wanted to claim defeat. Several so-called negative things happened in my life, and I wanted to crawl in a hole and disappear. I didn't want to get up. I wanted to get out!

After I read the second healing, God asked me a simple question: "Which one are you?"

During the tough times, was I going to be the man who was looking for a hand-out and had to be yanked up out of his crippleness? Or was I going to be the man "ripe for God's work" and by faithful determination jumped out of his crippleness?

God accomplishes His will either way. He can either pull us up when we've been knocked down or we can jump up claiming God's promised victory (Psalm 118.15)

I have made a vow to God. I want to be the second man. When I mess up or when bad things happen, I want to jump up and keep running the race. I trust that God uses all things (good and bad) to accomplish His perfect plan (Romans 8.28)

Are you in a crippling season right now? Will you claim God's victory with me and get up?


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27 Comments:

Blogger Christina Ketchum said...

I want to be the second man too!

7:51 AM  
Blogger alicia said...

So want to be that second man! What a great interpretation and application!

8:56 AM  
Blogger Andrea said...

There have been times in my life when I have jumped up and ran with GOD and yet there have also been times when I was so deep in despair my LORD had to lift me out of the pit. I am thankful for both times.
I long to be the person who always leaps to my feet, but I am thankful HE reigns victorious either way.
Blessings, hugs, and prayers,
andrea

9:01 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Wow! What a great post for today. I want to be the second man, but sometimes it is so easy to be the first. Thank you for sharing this with us.

9:03 AM  
Blogger Johnnie Alexander said...

Alisa, such an important insight, especially that God accomplishes His will, His purpose, even if He has to pull us up. Though I, too, want to be the second man.

Thanks for visiting my Dazzlin' Days site. I'm glad your visit brought me to yours!

9:13 AM  
Anonymous Michelle said...

It is interesting how He is there to both help us up and make us lie down-according to our needs!

How pleased He must be though when our hearts are completely willing to rise up and serve Him without us being coaxed or disciplined to do so!

Thanks Alisa! May you have a blessed New Year. I pray our resolutions would be few but our convictions be both strong and many!

Love in Christ,

Michelle

9:57 AM  
Blogger Racquel Simone said...

So timely! Thanks for the encouragement!

~Racquel~

3:42 PM  
Blogger Teresa said...

I love that! I desire to be as the second man..jumping up, receiving that which has already been provided!!!!

3:59 PM  
Blogger Karen said...

Amen! Jumping and running...and praising!

4:03 PM  
Blogger Crystal said...

Thank you Alisa - definitely a timely post for me too. While we were out of town on our Christmas vacation, our house was broken into - with a 99.9% surety that it was my husband's brother. Seems we can't get away from that guy and the negativity he brings - but I don't want to feel defeated.

7:00 PM  
Blogger Kim@stuffcould.... said...

What a great post, and I will be the second man also.
kim

8:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just got this awesome visual of you and us all jumping up as a group to claim the victory. Great post.

9:04 PM  
Blogger Dionna said...

I love how you say "God accomplishes His will either way."

9:48 PM  
Blogger Hippie4ever said...

What a beautiful post. I pray I am like the second man !!

10:35 PM  
Blogger Bernadine said...

Love, this post. I too want to be like the second man.

8:17 PM  
Blogger Deborah Ann said...

WOW!!! I never noticed that before. Lord, I sure don't want to sit here looking for handouts.

Alisa, you are so blessed to get all these little gold nuggets, but then again...you're digging for them. Once again, you blew my mind and blessed me all at once.

11:43 AM  
Blogger Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Alisa -

Thanks for visiting my blog. I loved this devotional. It spoke to my heart.

Blessings,
Susan :)

3:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've had a tough week. I've felt like a failure. Then a few minutes ago, I started saying to myself, "No, I'm not smarter or more skilled. I just don't give up!" Then I read your post - and it allowed me to complete my pulling myself out of the hole of failure back into God's foundation of hope!

Thanks Alisa! It's like I'm rounding the 3rd turn out of 4 - and you just shouted me on!

Have a blessed New Year!

2:17 PM  
Blogger Warren Baldwin said...

I like how you caught the difference b/n these two healings. I definitely want to be the second one.

Have a great New Year!

7:00 PM  
Blogger Deb said...

Oh, girl!

You nailed this one.

What an astute observation.

And I'm with you.

I want to be like that second man.

I want to--through God's grace and mercy--jump out of the things that are crippling me.

Hope that you see victories in this new year.

Sweet dreams.

11:14 PM  
Blogger karen said...

Hey gals, you have an award waiting for you at http://www.karensthreadsofhope.blogspot.com - just because you inspire me to keep writing, and growing in my faith... Be sure to pick it up... knowing that you are both prayed for as you serve our Lord and King in your writing, ect...

2:23 PM  
Blogger Lacey said...

i like the new look of your blog, might not be totally new, but visiting others has been spotty over the holidays.

6:15 PM  
Blogger Elizabeth Mahlou said...

Re your question: I am just coming out of a Jonah period. I will probably blog about it at some point. In the interim, I hope that you will have a blessed 2010!

2:41 AM  
Blogger Pat@deepintheheart said...

I want to be like the second man as well, even though many times the Lord has to lift me out of the depths. When I taught Sunday School to 1st graders we sang a song about the man who was healed "jumping and leaping and praising God." The picture at the beginning of the post reminded me of the song.

Thanks for following me!

9:02 PM  
Blogger Morgan said...

That's an interesting point. Sometimes it does require us getting up and doing something rather than just waiting to be pulled up. God's already called us, we just have to get up and follow Him.

9:57 PM  
Blogger From The Heart Online said...

Great challenge, Alisa!

Just wanted to share something that I learned recently, for you and your readers.

I have also promised God something. The Bible warns us that God takes vows very seriously. Nothing wrong with making vows, of course, we need to give careful thought to what we promise, because we are obligated to fulfill it.

"It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it" Ecc 5:5

I made my vow because a woman I admire had made a similar vow and I wanted to dedicate myself to God in a similar way. ... she worded her vow better though .. :)

8:42 AM  
Blogger North Jersey Christian Writers Group said...

This was great wisdom. I am leading my church's adult sunday school class going through the book of Acts. I plan to share your post.
Thanks so much!
Love your blog and all your insights!
Susan

1:28 PM  

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