Taking the Limit Off

The bible tells us in Acts chapter three that there was a certain man who was lame or crippled from his birth. It may seem unfair that before he was ever born, he had limitations put on him. This limitation would immobilize him for life. Limits is defined as: something that bounds, restrains, or confines. The bible says this man was carried each day and placed at the gate of the temple called beautiful. It was there that he would beg for charitable gifts from the people who were entering the temple. The bible never named the people that carried him to the gate, but it does show us that they helped him along in the limited place he was in life. I’m sure they meant him well. What seemed good to them was not good for him. The truth was they were reinforcing to him what his body was already telling him and that was “you will have to live with this the rest of your life.” He was living life from a fractured place that no doubt led to great frustration. 

There is so much about this story that fascinates me, but one thing that stands out is that the people who carried him to the gate did not take him into the temple. They had their reasons. It could have been that the law prohibited the lame from entering the temple. I have heard it said from people in the church, “when you enter in the church leave your troubles and your problems at the door. I understand in part what they were saying. Don’t let what is going on in your life determine your worship of God. However, what is being heard the loudest in the hearts of the people is that nobody in the church is broken or limited in any way. Henry Ward Beecher said, “The church is not a galley for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.” 

Here is the good news, Jesus can heal us everywhere we are hurt or broken, He can deliver us from all limitations, every negative situation or struggle. We must put our FAITH IN HIM. This story shows us that Jesus will come to where we are no matter how limited or broken we are, or how long we have been in that condition. Peter and John were going to the temple one day and the lame man saw them coming thinking they would be like all the rest. They would give him some charitable donation to help get him through the day. Jesus had something else in mind for him. When this lame man locked eyes with Peter, he heard something he had never heard before. 

Peter said, look at me, I’m not giving you silver or gold because if they could help you, you would have been healed years ago. But such as I have give I unto you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. The lame man was immediately healed. Today you may be reading this blog and you find yourself in a limiting situation or you may be broken in an area of your life. Jesus extends to you the invitation, rise and be healed. Receive the invitation and all limitations will be taken off!