More On Miracles

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Does God ever place an inquiry in your heart, something he wants you to learn more about? He planted my inquiry – miracles, and while researching miracles, this is what I am learning. I am not sharing this information to question anyone’s faith. I am sharing it to add another dimension of our God’s love for us. It is food for thought and something to share with God to gain greater understanding. I am doing the same. The question about whether miracles do exist today is a great conversation starter with the Lord.

Four Primary Types of Miracles
Johnhamelministeries.org

“For I am the Lord, I change not … ” (Malachi 3:6)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

We are going to be looking at the four primary types of miracles performed by Jesus during His earth Ministry.  Jesus is the greatest miracle worker of all time.  The Bible says He has not changed.

Keep in mind as we look at these miracles that we cannot possibly look at them all in this lesson.  The Bible says that the number of miracles performed by Jesus would fill the libraries of the world if they were to be recorded.  We will look only at the four primary classifications of miracles.  This will give you an idea of what Jesus is still willing to do today for all who believe.

Noah Webster defines “miracle” as “an event that contradicts known scientific law.”

So a miracle is a supernatural act in the natural realm.  God actually suspends the Laws of Nature and moves supernaturally.

The reasons for God performing miracles are too numerous to list in this brief study.  I will share with you here only two of the most important reasons for Jesus performing miracles.  First, Jesus performs miracles to glorify Himself and His Father.  Second, Jesus is still performing miracles today to demonstrate His compassion for humanity.

Let us get right into the four primary types of miracles.

Miracles Over Nature

A miracle over nature would be a miracle performed over natural things.  Jesus turned water into unfermented wine in John, chapter 2.   That was a miracle over nature because those were natural elements.  All the elements of nature are subject to Jesus because He created them all.  (Colossians 1:16)

“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.  But as they sailed, he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy.  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then HE AROSE AND REBUKED THE WIND AND THE RAGING OF THE WATER: THEY CEASED, AND THERE WAS A CALM. (Luke 8:22-24 )

This is a wonderful example of Jesus exercising authority over the elements of nature, which were originally created by Him.  The wind and the sea are still subject to His Divine authority.  Somebody said, “Can’t do anything about the weather.”  But that is not what the Bible says.  If you ever find yourself in a natural crisis, on land, at sea or in the air, use your authority in Jesus’ Name.  Command the circumstances to change.  It will work for you.

Probably the most popular miracle of nature in the Ministry of Jesus is when He and Peter both walked on water in Matthew 14:22-33.

Jesus is still performing miracles of nature all over the Earth.  People do not see them when they do not believe in them.  God desires for you to experience miracles over nature.

Miracles of Supply

“And when they came to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?  He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or of strangers?  Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and TAKE UP THE FISH THAT FIRST COMETH UP; AND WHEN THOU HAST OPENED HIS MOUTH, THOU SHALT FIND A PIECE OF MONEY: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” (Matthew 17:24-27)

Of course, I am not telling anyone that when tax time rolls around that it is time to go fishing.  Nor am I saying that God would not tell you to go fishing for a money miracle.  What I am saying is that one type of miracle that Jesus performed was the miracle of supply.  Jesus is still performing miracles of supply today to glorify Himself and His Father, to meet the needs of His family and to cause people to come to Him.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38 )

If you are faithful to support the work of the ministry with a percentage of the money that God gives you, He will see to it that your cupboards are never bare and your well will never dry up.  Malachi 3:10 reveals that as we open our hand, releasing what we have, God will open the windows of Heaven, releasing what He has.

Miracles of Healing 

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and HEALING ALL MANNER OF SICKNESS AND ALL MANNER OF DISEASE among the people.” (Matthew 4:23)

Jesus created your body.  He can restore your body when it begins to malfunction.  Some Christians have more faith in automobile manufacturers than they do in Jesus.  They know that when their automobile breaks, the manufacturer can fix it because the manufacturer made it.

If Believers had as much confidence in Jesus as they do in automobile manufacturers, sickness would not be as rampant in the Body of Christ as it is today.

It is always God’s will for people to be healed.  But people do not always get healed because they do not always meet the conditions of faith.  Jesus is limited by what we believe.  (Mark 6:1-6)

Not only does Jesus heal sick bodies, but He has also developed a pretty good reputation for raising dead ones.

“Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.  And HE THAT WAS DEAD SAT UP AND BEGAN TO SPEAK. And he delivered him to his mother.  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” (Luke 7:12-16 )

I have heard people say when it comes to raising the dead, “Yea, right.  I’ll believe that when I see it.”  I always tell them, “No, Jesus said you’ll see that when you believe it.”  We do not see more of these types of miracles today because we have fallen into tradition, religion, and unbelief concerning them.  The time is upon us now when all of the world will be astounded by all of the types of miracles we are studying today.  I personally have experienced all four types of miracles.

Miracles Over Demon Powers

“And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.  And all the city was gathered together at the door.  And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and CAST OUT MANY DEVILS; AND SUFFERED NOT THE DEVILS TO SPEAK, because they knew him.” (Mark 1:32-34 )

Somebody once said about the above verse, “Jesus healed many of these people, but He didn’t heal all of them.”  To which I say, “No, He did heal them all.  He healed as many as were sick.  He also cast out as many demons as were present.”

No matter how great the manifestation of demon powers in the Ministry of Jesus, they could never hold their own against Him.  The best they could do was to start talking incessantly to make the people think that their power was the same as Jesus’ power.  This was an attempt to discredit Him and make Him look like He was one of them.

I believe this is why Jesus would not allow demons to speak unless spoken to.  He would just tell them to “shut up and come out,” and that was that.   No matter how great the concentration of evil, the power of Jesus is tremendously greater.

Demon spirits today, as in Bible days, still cause dumbness, deafness, foaming, fits, insanity, teeth gnashing, sickliness, sickness, suicide, screaming, and exhaustion.  Jesus, through Believers, is still exerting power over all physical and spiritual manifestations of Satan and demon spirits.  Jesus is still drawing men and women to Himself through miracles over nature, miracles of supply, miracles of healing and miracles over demon powers.

Tell God that you believe in miracles.  Tell Him that He is welcome to perform miracles on your behalf.  Ask Him to use you to perform miracles on behalf of others.  He will.

Have you made Jesus the Miracle Worker the Lord of your life?  If not, just say, “Jesus, You’re my choice.” (Romans 10:13)  That’ll open the door to a parade of miracles in your life.

Be Blessed … John and Barbara Hamel

THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION TOPIC, ANYONE INTERESTED IN SHARING?

 

Time to Pray

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We are stronger when we stand together. Corporate prayer is powerful. So often we hear others are going through and dismiss it after we hear they are in need of support. As Christian’s, it is our responsibility to care for one another, which means keeping them in prayer. We often do not know what they need, but God does, and He hears our cries. I have met several people who have chronic illnesses through WordPress. I encourage everyone to pray for a miracle for everyone, especially Mackenzie Cartwright, Life With An Illness, and Fiona, Don’t Dismiss ME.

When we pray we should pray with the understanding that praying for a miracle is broad, it can cover healing, for surrender (for those who haven’t),  for reconciliation, for peace, whatever the person needs.

Add all those who are suffering from emotional and chronic illnesses to your daily prayers. We are all God’s children and members of one family.

Thank you!

We Sharpen

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We sharpen each other through conversation and prayer. Accountability is a cherished tool. Two minds can provide mutual counsel and strengthen each other’s judgement. It builds our countenance in the Lord. What better gift can one bestow on the other than helping one another mature in the Word and to do good in their sphere of influence?

Conquering Evil, Doing Good, Part 2

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Do good

DOING GOOD

                                  

Part of the way in which we conquer evil is to do good. According to the scriptures, doing good is treating everyone with kindness and respect. Doing good is accomplished through faith and trust in God.

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. ” Psalm 37:3 ESV

Ephesians 2:10, ESV says “we were created to do good work.”

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

To reiterate one of my earlier posts, the light of good works emanates through our actions.

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 ESV

Paul instructed the disciples and followers, in 2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV, to not grow weary in the walk and always do good.

“do not grow weary in doing good.”

Doing good can be considered a general statement, but to Christians, it is not a general statement, it is a command. We are instructed to do good in all that we do according to the will of God. We do good applying the principle of love to God, using faith in the name of and strength of Jesus Christ. We are instructed to be kind to everyone with explicit direction to do good and help the poor, elderly, and widows.

Doing good is walking in Christ’s footsteps. It covers all of the attributes of the Fruit of the Spirit: love everyone as Jesus loves us, let our Holy Spirit joy flow outward, live in peace, be patient with ourselves and others, be kind, faithful, gentle and have self-control. Check your mental list and make sure you meet the attributes/virtues that ensure you are ‘doing good’ before you act.

Treat others as you want to be treated. Do good as God has instructed and know that your salvation is laced in God’s grace. Doing Good conquers evil and changes the environment around you.

Re-Blog – https://wp.me/p98Coa-DL
Scripture – Bible.com/YouVerison,
Images – YouVersion, Google Images
Resources/References – Armor of God-WHat It Is and How to Use It. Debbie McDaniel, Crosswalk.com; Armor of God. What Is It? Bibleinfo.com

Don’t Put Off God’s Work Shared from Brenda Walsh Ministries

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A friend shared this and I am doing the same. It is a good reminder of how we should treat each day.

Our journey here on earth is like the seasons, representing the different phases of our lives. Spring represents birth, and the innocence of everything new. Summer is filled with the vitality and naivety of youth, with hopes, dreams and the pursuit of life at it’s fullest. Then it seems we quietly slip into fall, with confidence from lessons learned, knowledge to approach challenges more realistically, and feeling a sense of urgency to accomplish our goals. Then, all too quickly, winter is upon us. Our hair reflects the fallen snow, we move a little slower, feel the aches and pains of aging, and still can’t comprehend how quickly we’ve become the “older folks” we never thought we’d be. Our thoughts will take us to the things we wish we had done, wanted to do and even regrets of what we did do. But all too soon winter will come to an end, and only what is done for Christ will last. Now is the time to determine what mark you will leave on this earth, for whatever you want to accomplish in life – do quickly. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today – for how you live today will determine whether or not you will live forever with Jesus. Choose to live a godly life, sewing seeds of kindness and sharing God’s love in every season so that you’ll be prepared for eternal life in heaven. Text: Psalm 39:4-5, Psalm 71:9, Psalm 71:17-18, Proverbs 9:11 

Brenda Walsh Ministries
www.brendawalsh.com

CONQUERING EVIL By DOING GOOD, Part 1

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Conquering Evil

Evil times are times when the worst of mankind surfaces. It is also a time when the Principality War is most visible. My last two posts shared thoughts about the present evil time, and how faith is our anchor. Today we’ll focus more in-depth on conquering evil by doing good. We are Gods army; we are the ‘ Resistance.’ It is our responsibility to resist the enemy in the time of evil. (Eph 6:13)

The word ‘conquer’ means, to overcome by force. In our case, overcoming by physical force is not possible. The Principality War is between God and Satan. The war exists in the second heaven and is played out on earth. If we are to be victorious and conquerors, we must use the weapons the Lord gave us that are described in Ephesians. Each part of the armor represents a component of our weaponry and is based in prayer.  Paul tells the Ephesians to put on the armor and explains that they must be dressed to stand against the devil’s schemes. He also shared that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (See my post about the Heavenlies.) 

Paul described the armor as Roman military uniforms. The importance of wearing the armor is still applicable today. The war is raging, and we need to dress in the appropriate attire to protect ourselves, stand, and fight in God’s army.

“13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

There are six elements that compose our armor. Each element has its attribute though they must be worn together. Failure to wear each piece leaves us exposed to the wiles of Satan and the onslaught of his demons.

Parts of the Armor Definition of Attributes
Breastplate The breastplate represents Christ’s Righteousness/Purity. It protects us from Satan’s accusations and charges. The enemy attacks through sin, and the temptation of the flesh. The breastplate protects our heart, through which spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23; Romans 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9)
Belt The belt is the Gospel of Peace. The belt holds everything together. It is our commitment to the truth. It refers to the truths of the Scripture, as opposed to the lies of Satan. It is the foundation of our integrity and honesty. If we don’t have integrity, we will lose the battle. (John 8:44; John 8:32)
Shoes/Sandals Sandals are the believer’s tranquility/solid footing of peace. Satan tries to place obstacles in our path. Jesus provides strength and discipline to our walk. (1 John 2:6; John 10:27)
Shield The shield is our Faith/Certainty in God’s Word/Truth. The shield combats doubt, thrown as fiery darts. Faith is a gift from God that dwells in us. (Ephesians 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:12; Romans12:3; Galatians 2:20; 2 Timothy 4:7) Use the shield of faith to turn aside everything Satan and his demons hurl at you.
Helmet The helmet is our salvation. It is being saved which protects our thought and mind from attacks. When we are sure of our salvation, we will not be moved by Satan’s deception. Our salvation is knowing that our sins are forgiven and gives us peace when the accusations of unforgiveness are hurled. (1 John 1:9; 1 John 5:11, 12)
Sword The sword is the Word of God we use when we are being tempted by Satan and his attacks. The sword is the only offensive weapon. The sword protects us and destroys the enemy and his temptations. (Hebrews 4:12; John 17:17; Psalm 119:105)

Each morning when we take out our outfit for the day, we must also take out our armor. Paul commands us to:

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14-17 NKJV

Prayer is the thread that stitches the armor together.  So, while prayer is not part of the armor, it is the thread that holds it together.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

 READ, Conquering Evil by Doing Good, Part 2, tomorrow

Re-Blog – https://wp.me/p98Coa-DL
Scripture – Bible.com/YouVerison,Images – YouVersion, Google Images
Resources/References – Armor of God-WHat It Is and How to Use It. Debbie McDaniel, Crosswalk.com; Armor of God. What Is It? Bibleinfo.com