Daily Devotional

The man clung to Peter and John, and everyone ran together into Solomon’s portico. Peter addressed them: “Men of Israel, why do you stare as though we had made him walk by our power or piety?” Never worship God’s ministers; even the devil can heal in the name of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, never assume you are too small (or too sinful) to invoke the name of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be ordained to be a healer.

Although Jesus worked many miracles demonstrating his concern for our material well-being and physical health, He was more concerned about eternal life. Jesus said to the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) Like the lame man who asked for alms, we would always be disappointed with the church until we realised that Jesus did not establish the church to replace the government.

In response to their question, Peter mentioned two points: a. “Repent and be baptised for the forgiveness of your sins” and b. “Save yourself from this crooked generation.” What sins are holding me down spiritually? If today we make up our minds to turn a new leaf, God, like the Prodigal Father, is ready to receive us. Today’s Psalm says: “His merciful love fills the earth.” One great saint said, “God is never tired of forgiving us; we are the ones who get tired of asking His forgiveness.” Never assume your sins are too much. Repent today and return to God, your first love. The second aspect of Peter’s recommendation is connected to the first: repenting means we save ourselves from the evils in the world.