The world of Television media has become infatuated with the thought of change. A whole slew of reality shows have popped up in the last few years. These shows create opportunities for people who could not or would not change by themselves to get some professional help. Some of my favorite shows, include Trading Spaces, Clean Sweep, Extreme Makeover, and Made. But I have to admit my favorite reality makeover show is called Pimp My Ride. Anyone who has ever driven an old beat up car, and couldn’t afford a new one can relate to this show. The show centers around people who are trying to make it in life, but the cars they drive are in bad shape, I mean really bad shape. The host of the show take the cars to West Coast Customs, a famous body shop for a complete makeover. The cars are fixed up better than they were before. These cars get new tires, rims, paint jobs, and often get some special equipment that is custom designed for them. The term used for this kind of extreme makeover is “Pimped”.

As I watch this show I can’t wait for the car’s owner to see it, the owner could never afford a new car, or to even fix the one they own, and when they see the miracle performed by West Coast Customs, they scream, they cry they jump for joy. They praise the workers of West Coast Customs for Pimp’n their ride. I began to wonder what people would do if Jesus came into our lives and “Pimped it out”. As I went through the bible I saw many cases where God did just that. He didn’t fix up and cars, or chariots, but he changed lives. God has opened up a special Body Shop called the Church, which specializes in fixing up old broken lives and making them even better than before. The problem is we won’t go to owner of the body shop and say “Jesus, P.I.M.P. My Life.” I know for some of you old schoolers the term pimp is offensive. So let me explain it in the believers’ context, At New Wine Ministries, “Pimped” has two meanings the first one is “Prepared In My Purpose.” When was the last time you said to yourself I am not what Jesus wants me to be. And even though you know you are not what Jesus wants you to be, you can’t change by yourself. So you just keep on doing the things you have been doing. If you drink too much you keep drinking, if you get high you keep getting high, if you enjoy an active but sinful sex life you keep on doing that too. If you are tired of living you Christian life inside a hoopty, let Jesus P.i.m.p, your life. In the book of Acts 3rd chapter we find a the account of a man who ’s life was P.I.M.P.ed by Jesus.

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!”5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.

8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God;10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.(NASB)

Every person that needs Jesus to help them must first understand that they have a problem. The beggar in this text knew he had a problem. The problem was he was lame. He could not walk, He could not work, and He could not take care of himself. He was at the mercy of other people. He needed someone to pick him up in the morning and lay him by the temple gates. He needed people to feel compassion for him and give him money in order to survive. He also depended on people to pick up at night and take him home. This man had a real problem. The word lame doesn’t just define a physical condition, but can be used to define the spiritual conditions that cripple us in our faith walk. In the spiritual realm, we have real problems, and we are just like this man. We are in sin and stuck there, we are living with a person of the opposite sex but marriage is not an option. We allow people to violate our bodies, because we mistake sex for love. We don’t tithe because we don’t trust God to take care of us. We sabotage friendships and relationships be cause we don’t really believe that anyone could really love a “spiritual cripple”. This man who is not named had a problem that needed fixing. Peter and John, identified the problem.

We find in the scripture not only a problem, but preparation. If this man is going to get his life P.I.M.P.ed he must first take his mind off of the problem and look to the solution. This man was stuck in his condition and could not see his way out. But Peter and John told the man “Look at us” prepare to have your life changed by Jesus. Sunday after Sunday we go to Church begging alms from the pastor, but not looking to Jesus. We don’t want anyone to approach us with real help, we are like the beggar we want a spiritual handout.

Not only do we find the problem, the preparation, we see the P.i.m.p. Peter by the authority of Jesus Christ gave the man what he needed most. He healed him. Jesus wants to heal us too. We must be willing to take his hand and allow him to heal the hurt in our lives.

This leads us to our last point. Jesus healed this man for his praise. He leaped up and began praising God. Jesus wants to heal us, because He wants to hear our praise, remember God inhabits the praises of his people. When we let Jesus p.i.m.p. our life, he leads us to the second definition of P.I.M.P. Praising Is My Purpose. If you have opened up your heart to Jesus, you have been officially P.I.M.P.ed.

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