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| According to Webster, a miracle is "An event that seems
impossible to explain by natural laws and so is regarded as
supernatural in origin or as an act of God." We often explain the
unexplainable with the word "miracle," when in fact, a
miracle has not always occurred. In a true miracle God intervenes in
the procedures that normally govern his creation. For instance, Jesus'
first recorded miracle was turning water into wine. Without the
intervention of God this could not have happened. When the Red Sea was
parted and the Israelites crossed over on dry land, God
"by-passed" what we call the normal, and thus a miracle
happened.
Miracles in the Bible include: the stopping of the sun, moving the sun backward, raising the dead, curing all manner of diseases, casting out demons, turning water into blood and into wine, dividing the waters of the Jordan river, water pouring from a rock, making bitter water sweet, and lepers being healed instantaneously. Miracles are acts of creation or uses of divine energy. In many cases where God performed a miracle something had to be created. Wine was created in place of water. Water was created from within a rock. The withered hand was made -- created over -- into a whole hand. When people were raised from the dead, the life force was infused back into their bodies. Most miracle work is an act of creation, an act of using divine energy to make something that was not previously. However, there are times that creation may not have been used. In these cases God used his divine energy to manipulate what already existed. "All things were made by him {Jesus}; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3 (Acts 14:15, Heb 11:3, 1 Cor 8:6, Eph 3:9, Rev 4:11, Col 1:16) We only have one creator, GOD! There were more to miracles than just the initial results of the miracle. That is, miracles were not just for the purpose of restoring health or winning battles. However, sometimes the results of a miracle did restore health, or win a battle, or stay the enemy, or deliver a people. In all cases where a miracle was performed, the bottom line was to bring God honor and glory. Find the scriptures where these miracles happened. 1. Water from a rock. _________ 2. Widow's oil multiplied. _________ 3. Iron caused to swim. _________ 4. Feeding of 5,000 _________ 5. Tempest stilled. _________ 6. Viper bite rendered harmless. __________ Monday Purpose of Miracles A close examination of the miracles of the Bible will reveal that they were performed for several reasons: 1. To confirm the Word. (Mark 16:19-29) 2. To bear witness. (John 10:22-30, 38; 11:42) 3. To authenticate the one doing the miracles. (Ex. 4:1-9) 4. They were not performed for the special benefit of the believers. (2 Cor. 12:8, 9; 2 Tim 4:20: 1 Tim. 5:23; Phil 2:25-27) 5. So that unbelievers would believe. (John 20:30, 31) 6. To prove the power of Christ. (Mark 2:9-12) 7. To manifest that Jesus was the Christ. (John 2:11) 8. To authenticate who Jesus was. (Matt. 11:1-6; John 14:11; Acts 2:22) 9. To approve Christ. (Acts 2:22) 10. To prove that the early church was God's legitimate spokesman. (Heb. 2:4) God has never left the world guessing as to who was his messenger. Miracles are a device God has used to show through whom he was speaking. For example, when Moses asked God why anyone would believe that he had been sent of God, God replied that by giving him miracles to perform before the people and Pharaoh they would know he was of God. (Ex. 4:1-9) How are we to know who is God's messenger today, if the days of individuals performing miracles are past? How can we know who is God's representative on the earth? Very simply: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:17 You check out the validity of the messenger by the message, that is, if what he says lines up with the Word of God! The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword; it is the Bible that allows us to distinguish truth from error. The miracles authenticated the messenger during the writing of the Old and the New Testament, but now that we have the completed Word, miracles are no longer needed. Some object to this view, declaring that witnessing a miracle can be even more powerful than the written or spoken Word! That is in direct contradiction to the Bible. In Luke 16 the rich man asked for a miracle (that Lazarus would be raised from the dead and go to his brothers to preach in order for them to believe). He was told that his brothers had the Word (Moses and the prophets), and that if they would not listen to them, then they would not be convinced by a miracle. It is very clear that the written Word of God is the most powerful means of witness there is, even more powerful than the miracle of raising one from the dead! Exodus 4:1 And __________ answered and said, But, behold, they will ________ _________ me, nor _________ unto my voice: for they will say, The __________ hath ______ ___________ unto thee. Exodus 4:4-5 And the __________ said unto Moses, Put forth thine _________, and take it by the __________. And he put forth his __________, and __________ it and it became a __________ in his hand: That they may _____________ that the _______ _________ of their ____________, the God of ___________, the God of ______________, and the God of ________________, __________ appeared not unto thee. Questions:
2. 3. 4. 5. Tuesday Faith in Healing When an individual goes "unhealed" after the "laying on of hands," prayers, and anointing with oil, the cry is usually made by the "faith healers" that the individual seeking healing did not have enough faith. Faith was not necessary to healing! Lazarus could exercise NO faith before his life was restored, for he was dead! The men who tore up the roof on the house to lower their sick friend through in a sheet had faith, but the individual that was healed did not. Timothy was a young minister for the Lord, yet Paul told him to take wine for his stomach problem and his often infirmities. Surely this young man had enough faith to be cured, so why did Paul not just heal him? Too, why did Paul leave Trophimus sick at Miletus? (2 Tim 4:20). Would not it have made sense to have healed these men who were of so great value to the ministry? It is certain that Paul could have done so! Act 19:11-12 And God ____________ special ______________ by the hands of Paul: So that _________ his body were ______________ unto him the sick _______________ or ___________, and the diseases _______________ from them, and the ___________ __________ went out of them. How about Paul himself? Paul had a thorn in the flesh that he asked God three times to remove. Why was this man of faith's prayer not heard, if faith is indeed the qualifier that one needs in order to be healed? Consider this example: A faithful man of God becomes sick, he prays, and is healed. During his lifetime this happens on a number of occasions. The man grows old and is about to die, he prays to God for healing, but he dies anyway. Does this mean that the old man no longer has enough faith to be healed? Does old age diminish one's faith? Does EVERYONE who dies cease to have enough faith to be healed? If this is true then all who die must die in an unfaithful state, according to the "faith healers". By their theology he would be lost. Therefore, the conclusion would be that everyone who dies does so because he does not have enough faith to be healed or else he would simply pray and God would prolong his life! The argument might be posed, "Well, it is appointed unto man once to die, so man MUST eventually die." Then it must be certain, according to that argument, that God cannot heal all things! The "faith healer's" god is not the all powerful God that I have. Miracles that required no faith Matthew 21:19 And when he saw a ___________ tree in the way, he came to it, and found __________ thereon, but _____________ only, and said unto it, Let no ___________ grow on thee ________________ forever. And ___________ the fig tree ____________ away. Acts 3:6-7 Then _________ said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have ________ I thee: In the _________ of _________ ________ of __________ rise up and ________. And he took him by the __________ hand, and ____________ him up: and __________________ his feet and _________ bones received strength. Questions:
Miracles no Longer Needed The Bible declares that miracles (those supposedly performed by individuals), along with the other gifts mentioned in 1 Cor. 12:1-10, are no longer in operation. How do we know this? Here are four of several reasons: 1. The Bible clearly states that only three gifts remain -- faith, hope, and charity. 1 Cor. 13:13 "And now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." 2. Paul unmistakably states it is the Bible that will furnish our doctrines that we believe and preach. The Bible will reprove the sinner's heart. The Bible will correct the child of God. And the Bible will instruct us in the ways of righteousness. Too, it will mature the Christian so that he is able to produce all good works. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works". 2 Timothy 3:17 If we have all of this from the Bible, what do we need with a miracle? Miracles are not just for the sake of healing someone. Examine each instance of a miracle in the New Testament and you will see that it was never just for the sake of restoring that person back to health, but to convince those who saw the miracle that those performing the miracle spoke by the authority of God! 3. The gifts were for a time, until that "which is perfect is come". With the maturing of the saints in love (the subject that was under discussion in 1 Cor 13:1-13) and the completion of the New Testament (2 Tim 2:17, James 2:25) then that which was "imperfect" was dispensed with. 4. A miracle is the lesser of the gifts that God has given. To want to perform a miracle or speak in tongues in lieu of loving is like a old man riding a tricycle. It would be childish! Paul said when he was a child he spake like one and thought like one (referring to the immature gifts --tongues, prophecies, miracles, etc., 1 Cor 13) but when he became a man or matured (started loving, 1 Cor 13) he put those childish thing aside. For any to want to do a miracle instead of loving shows how immature they really are. 1 Corinthians 13:9-11 For we ________ in part, and we __________ in part. But when that which is ___________ is come, then that which is in ___________ shall be done ___________. When I was a ______________ I spake as a ___________, I understood as a ____________, I thought as a __________: but when I became a ___________, I put away ________________ things. 1 Corinthians 13:13 And ________ abideth ________, ________, __________, these three; But the greatest of these is ______________, Questions
2. 3. Thursday Can the Devil Work Miracles? What kinds of powers does the devil have, and just exactly what can he do? Paul makes it clear in 2 Thess. 2:6-7 that there is a restraining force that holds Satan in check. Comparing this with Job 1:12 we understand that it is God who does this holding back of Satan. In other words, he can go only as far as God gives him direct permission to go. 2 Thess. 2:9-11 states that Satan is a deceiver or illusionist, rather than an actual miracle worker. Even in Exodus 7-8 when he appears to perform a miracle by duplicating Moses' miracles it seems he simply fooled those watching. The Bible uses the word in Exodus 7:11,22 and 8:7 which means "flashings, magic". He simply tricked the onlookers into believing he could do the same things God did. The man in Mark 5:1-4 exercised great feats of strength. Was this a miracle, or Satan just using what lay within the body? The Bible nowhere suggests that it was anything other than intensifying the strength already within the man's body. In the case of Job, the devil caused a great wind to blow the house down upon Job's children, and made fire come down and burn up his substance. (You may recall in another instance that the prophets of Baal tried to call fire down from heaven, but failed.) He also afflicted Job with boils. He also influenced the Chaldeans and Sabeans to invade the land, to kill and rob. In short, after God gave him permission, he cause political upheavals, natural disasters, and physical affliction. It is this writer's opinion that all of these were the use of things already present, rather than Satan's having the ability to "create" something that had not been there before. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 Even him, whose coming is after the __________ of ___________ with all __________ and _________ and ________ wonders. And with all _____________ of ______________ in them that perish; because they ___________ not the love of the __________, that they might be ___________. And for this ____________ God shall send them strong ____________, that they should _______________ a ________. Questions:
2. 3. 4. Friday Can God Still Perform Miracles? There are those who claim to see apparitions (ghosts) of Jesus on potato chips, tortillas, burned buildings and a hundred other places. Oral Roberts claims to have raised a number of people from the dead. Healing of cancer, lameness, deafness, paralysis, and almost anything else you could ask for is claimed by modern day miracle workers. However, they are not able to substantiate their claims by the Bible. (By the way, I would like to see a "mountain mover," those kind who COULD move a mountain if they had the faith of a mustard seed.) A child of God has a strong belief and knowledge that God can do all things. Whatever we ask of him according to his will he can and will do. This is a source of strength and encouragement to all who trust Christ for their needs. God is no less powerful today than he was 6,000 years ago when he spoke this world into existence. He can still create, destroy, or repair whatever he chooses. However, when the New Testament was complete he chose not to use man to perform miracles. We can and should go directly to him in whatever it is we ask or seek. He expects us to come directly to his throne and lay our petitions at his feet. In his infinite wisdom he is able to discern what is best for our lives. We then rely upon his decision for those answered prayers. A word of caution should be interjected here. Beware of your motives for what you ask. Make sure that it does not contradict what God has already said in his word. By all means, leave whatever you ask in his hands, to answer according to his will. James 5:16 Confess your ________ one to another, and ________ one for another, that ye may be _________. The _______ ___________ prayer of a ________________ man __________ much. Philippians 4:13 I _______ do ______ things through _________ which _____________________ me. Questions
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