A Miracle and a Message
A Miracle and A Message
As we reflect on Acts 3 from our Caught in the Acts series, we’re reminded of something powerful:
God doesn’t just perform miracles — He sends a message through them.
Peter and John encounter a man who had been lame his entire life. He wasn’t asking for healing. He was asking for money.
But what he received was far greater.
And instantly, everything changed.
When God Exceeds Expectations
The man expected a coin.
God gave him restoration.
Pastor Dale said it this way:
Sometimes we’ve lived with something so long that we assume it will never change — a habit, a hurt, a limitation, a struggle.
But Acts 3 reminds us:
What we have suffered with for a lifetime, God can heal in an instant.
Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we ask or think. Sometimes we simply need to lift our expectations from survival to faith.
Every Miracle Carries a Message
After the healing, the crowd gathers. Peter immediately redirects the attention.
He doesn’t take credit.
He doesn’t build a platform.
He points to Jesus.
Whatever God gifts you to do is for His glory.
Opportunities don’t always look dramatic. Sometimes they look like:
• A conversation at work
• A neighbor in need
• A moment to pray
• A chance to speak hope
We don’t create the power.
We carry the message.
The Mandate: Repentance Leads to Refreshment
Peter doesn’t stop at the miracle. He calls the people to repentance.
That word can feel heavy, but it’s actually hopeful.
Repentance isn’t shame.
It’s turning.
It’s coming home.
Pastor Dale reminded us that we must understand the bad news to appreciate the good news. And here is the beauty:
Repentance leads to refreshment.
Acts 3 tells us that when we turn to God, times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord.
That’s not punishment.
That’s restoration.
Reflection for This Week
• Where have my expectations grown small?
• Is there an opportunity God has placed in front of me to share Jesus?
• Is there something I need to turn from so I can experience refreshment?
The early church didn’t just witness miracles. They responded to them.
As we continue through Caught in the Acts, may we be people who expect God to move — and who are ready to share the message when He does.
—
The Cliffdale Journal
A weekly devotional reflection from Cliffdale Community Church
God doesn’t just perform miracles — He sends a message through them.
Peter and John encounter a man who had been lame his entire life. He wasn’t asking for healing. He was asking for money.
But what he received was far greater.
“I don’t have silver or gold,” Peter said,
“but I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”
And instantly, everything changed.
When God Exceeds Expectations
The man expected a coin.
God gave him restoration.
Pastor Dale said it this way:
When we live with godly expectations, God exceeds our expectations.
Sometimes we’ve lived with something so long that we assume it will never change — a habit, a hurt, a limitation, a struggle.
But Acts 3 reminds us:
What we have suffered with for a lifetime, God can heal in an instant.
Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we ask or think. Sometimes we simply need to lift our expectations from survival to faith.
Every Miracle Carries a Message
After the healing, the crowd gathers. Peter immediately redirects the attention.
He doesn’t take credit.
He doesn’t build a platform.
He points to Jesus.
Whatever God gifts you to do is for His glory.
Opportunities don’t always look dramatic. Sometimes they look like:
• A conversation at work
• A neighbor in need
• A moment to pray
• A chance to speak hope
We don’t create the power.
We carry the message.
The Mandate: Repentance Leads to Refreshment
Peter doesn’t stop at the miracle. He calls the people to repentance.
That word can feel heavy, but it’s actually hopeful.
Repentance isn’t shame.
It’s turning.
It’s coming home.
Pastor Dale reminded us that we must understand the bad news to appreciate the good news. And here is the beauty:
Repentance leads to refreshment.
Acts 3 tells us that when we turn to God, times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord.
That’s not punishment.
That’s restoration.
Reflection for This Week
• Where have my expectations grown small?
• Is there an opportunity God has placed in front of me to share Jesus?
• Is there something I need to turn from so I can experience refreshment?
The early church didn’t just witness miracles. They responded to them.
As we continue through Caught in the Acts, may we be people who expect God to move — and who are ready to share the message when He does.
—
The Cliffdale Journal
A weekly devotional reflection from Cliffdale Community Church
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