Check Your Pockets

Well, I don’t keep much of anything in my pockets. However, I do carry a lunch bag to the office everyday that ends up toting much more (or less) than food. In my bag now I have my Albuterol inhaler, Airborne, Carmex, an assignment from Chip’s school, a pen, 2 green apples, a Chobani yogurt and one of those plastic dental floss thingies. That’s basically it. You might say I have “assurance” as to what’s in my bag. More than likely, if you carry a bag or things in your pockets, you also know what’s in them. This is the example of assurance that would always come to my mind whenever I would hear the story in Acts of Peter and John who’d gone up to the temple at prayer time. They were presented with a beggar who had been lame his whole life. Peter, John and the man locked eyes.

Here’s The Word;

Acts 3:6 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.7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

I’m moved to goosebumps at Peter’s assurance in that although his pockets were empty, he “knew” that he had been given the command and gift to heal this man as did the rest of the apostles Matthew 10. We seem to have relatively few stories of the miracles of the Apostles, and we know more about Peter’s affinity to be on the wrong side of situation but this is the example I use in my prayer time as I seek to be a vessel fit for The Master’s use: That I would be as boldly assured as Peter. I believe that God wants us to walk in that kind of assurance and command when we realize and live in whatever Spiritual gift He blesses us with.

Here are some other things that should form the foundation of our assurance;

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

How wonderful it would be that the people of God would stand up in bold assurance to be about Our Father’s business -and a good caveat to add as I say this; “Let it begin with me.” I pray that when my moments come that I would operate in the gift of The Holy Spirit and The command of Christ without having to check my pockets.

In Him,
Cros