“Times of Refreshing”
Acts 3
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
In this portion of Acts we read of someone who could speak words which healed the lame man. It was not a pious tongue which could say the right words but it was a life filled with authority from God. Many people around had heard Jesus every day for the past 3 years, but their hearts were not changed as Peter and John’s had been changed.We must have hearts that God has changed. This previously lame man then clung to Peter and John who had helped him. If a person is helped by God, he walks with the children of God. We need our spiritual parents. You are not right if you say you walk alone with God, without the fellowship of other believers.
In verse 19 we read about experiencing times of refreshing. In our everyday life it’s hard working all day in the sun. However, when you return home and have a cold drink and your shower, you feel refreshed and revived. You know this effect, you need the cool refreshing water and cleansing. A person who has worked and sweated all day and then goes home to bed and does not have a bath or shower would be considered insane. It is the same as a person sitting through a service and God shows him how dirty and sweaty he is spiritually, yet he leaves the service without spiritual cleansing. There is no repenting and turning to God.
The devil was thrown out of heaven because of pride. Some people felt they did not need this man from Nazareth. Educated people often think this. The devil knows the weak place in the heart of a man.You can think you look so handsome when you look in the mirror. The heart deceives you. The devil says you will become like God- knowing good and evil. He attacks there, at your point of weakness. David had sinned but he knew how to humble himself and get to the heart of God.
There is the story of the flea and the elephant.The elephant walked over a bridge and with every step the bridge shook and threatened to collapse. Once across, the flea said, “Did you feel how we shook that bridge?” He thought he had contributed to the shaking. We are just a flea, by grace riding an elephant, yet we always want to be the one shaking the bridge. Peter was in effect saying you have killed this “elephant”, you have killed the Source of life. The life you live determines this.
If I reject and criticise and go against God, I will destroy that life that should be in me. Sometimes young people are difficult, impossible. Reach out to God who can give you life.
In James 4v6+7 we are exhorted to resist the devil and humble ourselves. Grace upon grace will be given. If you always say you are right, the devil will ride you. If you look down on the weak person or if everything must always end up the way you think it should and you must always have the last word, beware!
Maybe you have words but you don’t have life. In another story a man beat his wife so the wife said she’d go to the witchdoctor. She was told to put a certain medicine in her mouth and hold it there when her husband returned home. He came home drunk as usual and was amazed that his wife kept quiet and things changed. We can learn from this to take the Lord into the heart, and not to talk so much. The Devil will hate it if you humble yourself and you will find grace with Christ. Bow, humble Yourself. DO what God says. Subject yourself to God and the devil will have no place in you. Listen attentively. If we don’t humble ourselves we get a root of bitterness within – a grudge against someone and we cannot humble ourselves before that person.
Turn repent that your sins will be forgiven. Receive what God is giving. If we want the energy of refreshing life we must bow. You’ll find grace. What is the reason you are here? To do your own thing? Be wiped clean. Your hearts can be wiped clean. You always think you do right and that you have your rights. What does God want you to do? Who does not want times of refreshing? Humble yourself. Pray every day to find this. If you drag your feet all the time life is difficult.
The Bible is a great source of refreshment. Don’t you want this? Be re strengthened. We need this.
