What I Have, I Give to You

Beloved friend,

Let's start by imagining this; a man, crippled from birth, carried daily to the same spot—the Beautiful Gate of the temple. For over forty years, he's perfected the art of begging, his voice worn smooth by countless pleas for spare change. But on this particular afternoon, two Galilean fishermen approach with empty pockets and full hearts. What happens next would shatter every expectation and redefine what it means to have "enough.

I recently found a quote by a man called, A.B. Simpson which says “God is not looking for extraordinary characters as His instruments, but He is looking for humble instruments through whom He can be honored throughout the ages.“

Peter's declaration is stunning in its honesty: "Silver and gold I do not have." In a culture obsessed with accumulation, a fisherman-turned-apostle stands before human need and confesses his material poverty. But notice what follows—not shame, not apology, not excuses. Instead: "But what I do have I give you."

This reveals the divine paradox that I noticed, when our focus is not solely on earthly resources, we become available for heavenly fullness to flow through us. Peter had learned the secret that eludes so many believers—you don't need what you don't have; you need to give what you do have.

The lame man asked for coins. Peter offered Christ. The beggar wanted provision. The apostle provided transformation. Sometimes God allows us to lack certain things so we'll discover the sufficiency of what He's already placed within us.

"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."

Peter didn't pray a lengthy prayer, organize a healing service, or gather a prayer team. He simply declared the reality of who Jesus is over the limitation of what this man had been. The name of Jesus wasn't a magic formula—it was the authority Peter carried, the power he'd been given, the Spirit he'd received.

The miracle wasn't in Peter's hands but in his surrender to the One whose hands had been pierced. He became a conduit for that miracle to happen, not the source. He did it in the name and the power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the now Risen King, and not his own.

Here's what gets me every time I read this passage, Peter didn't give what he wished he had or what others expected him to have. He gave exactly what he possessed—access to the healing power of Jesus Christ.

Too often, we disqualify ourselves from ministry because we focus on what we lack rather than stewarding what we've been given. We think we need more education, more experience, more resources, more recognition. But God specializes in using what is, rather than waiting for what might be.

You may not have silver and gold, but if you have Jesus, you have everything the broken world around you needs. Your testimony is sufficient. Your prayers are powerful. Your presence, when filled with His presence, can shift atmospheres and transform lives.

Every day, you encounter people stationed at their own "Beautiful Gates"—stuck in patterns of limitation, conditioned to expect small change when God wants to give them complete transformation. Your workplace, your neighborhood, your family circle—these are your Beautiful Gates, filled with those who don't even know what they're really asking for.

The question isn't whether you have enough to help them. The question is whether you'll give what you have—the name of Jesus, the power of the Gospel, the presence of the Holy Spirit that dwells within you.

Today's Declaration:

"Lord, I may not have everything the world values, but I have what the world needs—You. Help me recognize the Beautiful Gates in my path and give freely what You've freely given me. Let miracles flow through my surrendered 'yes.'"

What you have is enough. What you carry can change everything. What God has placed within you is exactly what someone needs today.

In Gospel Truth and Power,

– The Living Gospel Letters Team