Luke the beloved physician shared how, “there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked”, and in chapter fourteen and verse nine of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul looked upon the cripple man, “beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed”, where we read:
The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him,
and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
The verse begins, “The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, ...” Luke began with the words, “the same heard Paul speak” which means “the selfsame man who was crippled was endowed with the faculty for hearing, perceiving and understanding Paul, whose name means small or little, utter, declare and proclaim the gospel message”: “who steadfastly beholding him” or “who, Paul, fixed his eyes and looked upon the crippled man with earnest”. Luke shared how the “crippled man” was listening to “Paul” declaring the good news of Jesus Christ, and as he heard him, Paul fixed his eyes upon the man.
The verse goes on to say, “... and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, ...” Luke continued with the words, “and perceiving” or “and knowing and aware” “that he had faith” which means “that the crippled man held, owned and possessed the conviction of the truth and belief” “to be healed” or “to experience rescue, deliverance and to be made whole”. Luke shared how “Paul” knew the “crippled man” possessed the belief and trust that he could be made whole.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how attentive this “crippled man” was to the words Paul was preaching, and when Paul noticed him, he looked upon him intently and understood that this man believed that he could be cured. The “crippled man” “had confidence” that Paul could change his physical life, and we shall see how he does in our next verse. Anyone who pays attention to Jesus' “gospel” of salvation will come to believe He is able to “save” them from their sins and grant them everlasting life. Believing in Jesus is eternal, and regardless of the physical condition that may need to be cured, trusting in, relying upon and clinging to Jesus will make a person whole for all eternity.
Next time Luke shares how Paul told the cripple man, “stand upright on your feet”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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