I'm Tired of Begging

What is the need in your life? Is there something you have been praying for over and over, year after year?

Let me give you some hope today.

There was a man, lame from birth, who was carried daily and laid at the gate of the temple Beautiful.

Day after day.....

Year after year.....

This man had a need....he needed food to eat, clothes to wear, a place to stay.

Yet, he was lame with no way to earn the money for those things by his own labor.

Day after day he was brought to the temple....carried to the temple....to appeal to the kindness of those who had come to worship.

He didn't get holidays off....no vacation days....didn't matter what the weather was.

The Bible say in Acts 3:2 that they laid him DAILY at the gate.

Not almost every day....

Not once a week....

Not occasionally....

DAILY

He laid there each and every day....with a need....waiting....

And eventually someone would come by and give him a little money...and then maybe someone else would come by....then another....

And this was great.

But it did not solve the real need here....it was almost like a band aid that was simply covering the real problem.

Yet he still showed up every day and begged anyone who came close enough to hear his voice.

One day, he hit the jackpot....

Who knows how many times Peter and John may have passed this man before. Maybe he never called out to them before. Maybe they had slipped money in his cup on times past....

But this day when he looked at them expecting to receive money as he usually did from those who stopped he received so much more....

Verse 6 says: "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."

Now, I am going to be honest, working in my chosen field I have encountered similar situations. I have had people come to me and say "If I only had _________ I could do ________."

And then, just like a miracle, I say "Hey, I can get that for you!"

But, what I have found is that there are people in this world that like living in that beggar mentality. They don't want a better situation in their lives....they like living with their hand out for someone else to fill.

This man in the Book of Acts did not suffer from this: "And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." (verse 8)

He quickly got up out of that place of begging and went into the house of God with a testimony!!

I have spent so much time on my knees over certain things....too much time.

Now I have to ask myself....has my answer come....and I have rejected it....

Have I become so accustomed to living with my hand out, waiting for God to fill it that I have missed the REAL answer??

"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." (verse 6)

Because the Lord didn't answer one of my prayers the way I wanted Him to, did I miss what He had for me??

And if I missed it....who else have I cheated?

"And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him." (verses 9 & 10)

I declare to you today, I am TIRED of begging.

God has done many wonderful, marvelous things in my life...too many to ever count!

And even though there are things that I have been praying for over and over and over wanting the answer I want, I am now praying for something different.

"God, open my eyes! Let me see what You have already done in/with ____________. Let me know what YOU would give me, because even though it may not be what I asked for, if it is from You, then it is what I need. Let me get up out of this beggar mentality and walk and leap and praise YOU because You didn't leave me where You found me, crippled by the sin of the world!! Let me show others, every day, just how much serving You is really worth. Not silver and gold which will pass away....More, so much more! Oh, how I love You so!!"