A look at the miracles we should be seeing every day...

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May 1, 2012

 

Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?" -- John 4: 48 (NLT)

I was witness to a modern day miracle yesterday in the life of a friend of mine. No one walked on water. There weren't thousands of people fed with a few loaves and fish. Nobody walked out from a graveyard after being entombed four days. Yet it was a miracle nonetheless. It was a miracle because if anyone had asked a few short months ago whether we would be where we were yesterday, no one would have predicted. No one would have foreseen. But these are the modern day miracles we see every day if we would just open our eyes. More to the point -- if we would just close our natural eyes and see with our faith the mighty move of God in our lives and ascribe to Him the glory He is due for the miracles our lives become once we put our faith in Jesus Christ.

I think we can get spoiled when we read the Gospel accounts of the marvelous miracles Jesus performed while He walked amongst us in bodily form. We see the calming of the storm in the natural with only a word and we think why can't we see that today? Yet how many of us have experienced violent storms in our lives calmed with just a Word from the Master spoken into our lives during prayer or while reading the Bible? Just like on the Sea of Galilee that day Jesus speaks but a Word into our hearts and the raging seas are calmed and the waves cease -- if we allow it. And when we do finally allow it, do we give the miracle its due? Do we acknowledge the miracle that just took place?

Think about Lazarus raised from the dead after being in the tomb for four days. The miraculous raising of the dead; made manifest for the glory of God. Yet how many of us were entombed by this world's systems? How many of us were entombed with drug addiction, abused lives, and broken empty promises only to have Jesus Christ say to us -- "Come forth!" Come forth from the lies this world has sold you! Come forth from the pain and guilt of your past! Come forth from your life of hopelessness! Oh beloved, do not tell me that miracles do not happen anymore!

Think about the feeding of the five thousand and the feeding of the four thousand. The miraculous provision made manifest for the glory of God. Yet how many times have we ourselves wondered where today's provision was to come from only to see it occur right before our eyes! How many times has the job come at just the right time? How often has the right word come to provide peace and relief at just the right time? Oh, do not tell me that miracles do not happen anymore!

Think about Peter walking on water towards Jesus. The supernatural miracle made manifest for the glory of God. How often today do we dismiss the supernatural within the confines of our limited thinking? Our finite system of beliefs based upon a disbelieving world? How many times have we seen the deliverance from demons only to watch as others demand Jesus leave. How many times have we seen the miracle only to dismiss it away with worldly excuses and logic? I once witnessed a miraculous healing. We had prayed together the night before and in the morning the hospital staff were shocked and bewildered at the changed report. They had no real answer. Yet my friend started to try and find rational worldly reasons for the healing. I just leaned in and said, "Is it just possible that God answered your prayers!" Like the early believers praying for Peter's release from prison and then refusing to believe when he was at the door! Oh, do not tell me that miracles and the supernatural do not happen anymore!

They do happen -- every single day. They happen for those who have the faith to believe that they can happen. Every time Jesus healed someone He said it was done according to their faith. Does that mean God will only heal if you have faith? I prefer to think that people without faith will simply not ascribe the glory due to God for their miracle. If you try hard enough the world will give you rational and logical reasons why it couldn't be God. We should know better as believers in Jesus Christ. Miracles happen for those who are looking for them to happen. Too often we dismiss God out of hand in our difficult situations. We dismiss the possible deliverance. We dismiss the possible healing. We dismiss the possibility of being provided for or for God to make the dry bones of our existence come alive again.

I saw a modern day miracle take place in my friend's life yesterday. She stood on faith and believed that it could happen. She allowed Jesus to lead her to it and accepted it when it happened. While I stood there in amazement, elated for her in the temporal, I stared to think on the eternal level and realized that this was simply a case of God being God. This was simply a case of what is available to us as believers if we allow God to be God in our lives and if we truly expect the miraculous. It happens every day -- we just have to see it for what it is and give all the glory due to His mighty name. Do not tell me the miracles do not happen anymore!

Rev. Anthony

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.