Seven Devotionals - Day Seven - Miracles
Today is the end of my seven days of devotionals. These are just my thoughts and in no way reflect a professional opinion in any way. Thank you all for reading along and for your emails and comments. You have all inspired me!
Are you looking for a miracle in your life? Most people are at some time or another. I'm going to give you my thoughts on miracles and please feel free to comment and tell me your thoughts.
When I think of miracles, I think of something happening that is against the laws of nature. If someone cut my ear off, for example, and then just stuck it back on without medical help, that would constitute a miracle in my mind. Or if a car were coming straight at me on the highway and then suddenly before impact it flew in the air above me. Many people refer to childbirth as a miracle. While I think it is a glorious and wonderful event, I see it more as a natural occurrence rather than a miracle. It is certainly a gift from God, however, and its glory should not be overlooked.
The dictionary defines miracle as "an event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God."
Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding in Cana. We can read about that in John 2:1-11. This was perhaps the beginning of his teaching for the disciples. The host of the wedding ran out of wine so Jesus' mother asked Jesus to help him out. So he took some big urns of water and turned them into really good wine. I believe I read somewhere that it was about a hundred gallons of wine so that was a lot.
I think Jesus performed miracles during his walk on earth so that people would believe in Him. Now that we have the Bible, we no longer need miracles to believe and have faith in our saviour. We can simply read about the miracles and faith allows us to believe them. As far as I can tell, all miracles that Jesus performed were immediate except for the one where the blind man had to go wash in the pool of Siloam and then he was healed and could see. Weren't most of Jesus' miracles a healing of some sort?
Jesus also gave the power of healing to his disciples. We see that in Matthew 10:1 which says, And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
In Matthew 15:29 we read about Jesus feeding a multitude of 5,000 with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish.
One of the greatest examples of miracles in the Bible to me, was when Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. This miracle is only noted in one of the four gospels. I believe it must have been omitted for a reason in the other three, but I will have to study that some more to get answers. John 11:1-43 is where we read the wonderful story.
“…he [Jesus] cried with a loud voice,
Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth…
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary,
and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees,
and told them what things Jesus had done”(11:43-46)
I can only imagine what this miracle was like for those who witnessed it. Their were plenty of witnesses - the Jews that showed up to mourn the death of Lazarus saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead and some of them went and reported this miracle to the Pharisees. After hearing about this, the Pharisees wanted Jesus dead more than ever. I can only imagine the pain Jesus must have felt to have to bring his friend back from Paradise to live on earth again.
I do believe in miracles. I'm just not sure they happen today in our everyday lives if I follow my definition of miracle. However, I do believe in the power of prayer. God can heal, God can provide for us, God can change an event in our lives. All we have to do is pray believing on Him, trusting in Him, and have faith.
I have learned a lot this week with these devotionals and I hope my sharing has helped in your life in some small way. I know it has helped mine. Please feel free to email me any time and we can learn together. As always, I wish you peace, joy and love in your lives. Since today is July 4th, I would like to close with a prayer from an unknown soldier and then follow that with a prayer for you and me.
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...
I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...
I got nothing I asked for - but everthing I had hoped for;
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among men, most richly blessed!
Attributed to an unknown Confederate soldier
Dear Lord,
I pray today for myself and my friends that we may love you in all things and above all things. We pray for strength when we are weak, health when we are sick, comfort when we are struggling. Thank you for all your blessings and help us to grow together in wisdom. Help us to remember that all good things come from you. For those who are hurting today, please envelop them with your arms of love and take their pain away. We ask these things because of your promises to us that you would never leave us and that you would provide for us in our times of need. Please place your love in our lives and your peace in our hearts. Amen.
Are you looking for a miracle in your life? Most people are at some time or another. I'm going to give you my thoughts on miracles and please feel free to comment and tell me your thoughts.
When I think of miracles, I think of something happening that is against the laws of nature. If someone cut my ear off, for example, and then just stuck it back on without medical help, that would constitute a miracle in my mind. Or if a car were coming straight at me on the highway and then suddenly before impact it flew in the air above me. Many people refer to childbirth as a miracle. While I think it is a glorious and wonderful event, I see it more as a natural occurrence rather than a miracle. It is certainly a gift from God, however, and its glory should not be overlooked.
The dictionary defines miracle as "an event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God."
Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding in Cana. We can read about that in John 2:1-11. This was perhaps the beginning of his teaching for the disciples. The host of the wedding ran out of wine so Jesus' mother asked Jesus to help him out. So he took some big urns of water and turned them into really good wine. I believe I read somewhere that it was about a hundred gallons of wine so that was a lot.
I think Jesus performed miracles during his walk on earth so that people would believe in Him. Now that we have the Bible, we no longer need miracles to believe and have faith in our saviour. We can simply read about the miracles and faith allows us to believe them. As far as I can tell, all miracles that Jesus performed were immediate except for the one where the blind man had to go wash in the pool of Siloam and then he was healed and could see. Weren't most of Jesus' miracles a healing of some sort?
Jesus also gave the power of healing to his disciples. We see that in Matthew 10:1 which says, And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
In Matthew 15:29 we read about Jesus feeding a multitude of 5,000 with just a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish.
One of the greatest examples of miracles in the Bible to me, was when Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. This miracle is only noted in one of the four gospels. I believe it must have been omitted for a reason in the other three, but I will have to study that some more to get answers. John 11:1-43 is where we read the wonderful story.
“…he [Jesus] cried with a loud voice,
Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth…
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary,
and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees,
and told them what things Jesus had done”(11:43-46)
I can only imagine what this miracle was like for those who witnessed it. Their were plenty of witnesses - the Jews that showed up to mourn the death of Lazarus saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead and some of them went and reported this miracle to the Pharisees. After hearing about this, the Pharisees wanted Jesus dead more than ever. I can only imagine the pain Jesus must have felt to have to bring his friend back from Paradise to live on earth again.
I do believe in miracles. I'm just not sure they happen today in our everyday lives if I follow my definition of miracle. However, I do believe in the power of prayer. God can heal, God can provide for us, God can change an event in our lives. All we have to do is pray believing on Him, trusting in Him, and have faith.
I have learned a lot this week with these devotionals and I hope my sharing has helped in your life in some small way. I know it has helped mine. Please feel free to email me any time and we can learn together. As always, I wish you peace, joy and love in your lives. Since today is July 4th, I would like to close with a prayer from an unknown soldier and then follow that with a prayer for you and me.
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...
I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...
I got nothing I asked for - but everthing I had hoped for;
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among men, most richly blessed!
Attributed to an unknown Confederate soldier
Dear Lord,
I pray today for myself and my friends that we may love you in all things and above all things. We pray for strength when we are weak, health when we are sick, comfort when we are struggling. Thank you for all your blessings and help us to grow together in wisdom. Help us to remember that all good things come from you. For those who are hurting today, please envelop them with your arms of love and take their pain away. We ask these things because of your promises to us that you would never leave us and that you would provide for us in our times of need. Please place your love in our lives and your peace in our hearts. Amen.
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