ALL I CAN GIVE IS WHAT I HAVE

Acts 3:1-6 – Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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 from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

It’s funny how simple spiritual realities are and how they so often just fly over our heads. Peter told this poor beggar he had no money to give him but he went on to say that he definitely had something to give to this lame man, it just wasn’t money. What did this man who had been lame from birth need even more than money? The obvious answer was that he needed something money could never buy, he needed healing; healing was the only way for this man to have some sort of normal life but apparently healing was way too big of an ask. That’s when he really heard what Peter said, did you hear it? Peter said I may not have silver and gold but “what I do have I give to you”. What did Peter have? He had something very real resting on him that had fallen on him and the others on the Day of Pentecost. The power of God’s presence rested mightily upon Peter, and Peter was willing to give it to this poor lame man. This man got more than money that day, He got new legs and a new heart, his life could never be the same.

Now lets think for a moment about what Peter said. We can only give away what we have. If we have money or wealth we can give that to someone, if we are without resources then we cannot give. In the same way we can only receive from someone else what they have, if they have nothing then we receive nothing. This is why who we listen to, who we hang out with and who prays for us really matters. This also comes to play in the music we listen to or the preaching we hear. Worshippers who have been touched by God powerfully carry something in their music. Preachers are the same, they can’t give you what they haven’t received for themselves. So put yourself in an atmosphere to receive something from the Lord. Soak while listening to powerfully anointed worship music, go to church where the preacher and congregation have received something themselves. Before you know it you can say, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you…”