Monday, May 23, 2011

The Power of God among us


Would you recognize a miracle if it happened right in front of you?

Are you sure???

A miracle is defined by dictionary.com as this: an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses and designed to authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message (John 2:18" But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” )

Its an occurrence at once above nature and above man.God ordinarily effects his purpose through the agency of second causes;but he has the power also of effecting his purpose immediately and without the intervention of second causes, i.e., of invading the fixed order, and thus of working miracles. In the New Testament these four Greek words are principally used to designate miracles:
(1.) Semeion, a "sign", i.e., an evidence of a divine commission; an attestation of a divine message; a token of the presence and working of God

Matt. 12:38,39 " One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.” But Jesus replied,“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. "


Mark 8:11 "When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority."

Luke 11:16; 23:8 "Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority...Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle."


John 2:11,18,23"11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 18 But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.” 23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. "


Acts 6:8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.

(2.) Terata, "wonders;" wonder-causing events; portents; producing astonishment in the beholder
(Acts 2:19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below- blood and fire and clouds of smoke. )


(3.) Dunameis, " mighty works " of superhuman power.

Acts 2:22 People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.

Rom. 15:19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.

2 Thess. 2:9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.



(4.) Erga, "works;" the works of Him who is "wonderful in working"

John 5:20, 36 " For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 36 But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. "



Miracles are seals of a divine mission. The sacred writers appealed to them as proofs that they were messengers of God. Our Lord also appealed to miracles as a conclusive proof of his divine mission (John 5:20, 36; 10:25, 38).

Thus, being out of the common course of nature and beyond the power of man, they are fitted to convey the impression of the presence and power of God. Where miracles are there certainly God is. The man, therefore, who works a miracle affords thereby clear proof that he comes with the authority of God; they are his credentials that he is God's messenger. The teacher points to these credentials, and they are a proof that he speaks with the authority of God. The credibility of miracles is established by the evidence of the senses on the part of those who are witnesses of them, and to all others by the testimony of such witnesses. The witnesses were competent, and their testimony is trustworthy. Unbelievers deny that any testimony can prove a miracle, because they say miracles are impossible. We have shown that miracles are possible, and surely they can be borne witness to. Surely they are credible when we have abundant and trustworthy evidence of their occurrence. They are credible just as any facts of history well authenticated are credible. Miracles, it is said, are contrary to experience. Of course they are contrary to our experience, but that does not prove that they were contrary to the experience of those who witnessed them. We believe a thousand facts, both of history and of science, that are contrary to our experience, but we believe them on the ground of competent testimony.

NOW, with this being defined: have you seen a miracle? I believe it depends on your FAITH...on your perception and depth of your FAITH. See, I believe that it takes the power of the Living God to enable us to BREATHE. I am absolutely positive that it takes His power to enable me to breathe considering my depraved existence. But, for the sake of the skeptic who requires more evidence that the inhaling and exhaling of our lungs to a perfect rhythm of the heart that beats without any effort of ours...I have witnessed the power of God among us. Before my eyes, I have seen the metamorphosis of men. I have witnessed a homeless, crack addicted, woman beating, rageful, doubter fall on his face and worship Jesus, weeping in humility and reverance. I have witnessed a woman who was Muslim ask question after question about "this Jesus" and "that Bible" and she was given the promise that if she would continue to SEEK HIM, He promises that she will FIND HIM. SHE DID! And now...she is faithfully serving the Lord and loves Jesus with more passion and fervor than she knew she had! She is even dedicating her life to serving the Lord by attending Powerhouse Training Center. This believer told her to "Never stop asking questions. That's how you find Him. Keep seeking...never stop!" AND SHE HASN'T! I have witnessed a woman who was gripped with anxiety, fear, depression, alcoholism, lust, pride, rage, doubt, and paranoia be delivered and those demons cast out in the Name of Jesus. I have seen a woman who was diagnosed with endometrial cancer ask all believers that she knew to begin praying for her, she knew her faith was strong but she needed 2 or three gathered in His name for this one. So we did...she is healed and whole. The only prescription for her from the doctor is "see me once a year".

See, God gets the glory in my life. NOT MAN. My entire life is a miracle and if you have read any of this blog from the beginning then you are aware of that. Check your surroundings...look at life from an eternal perspective. Give God the glory for all good things. The Word tells us this: "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow."

It is a miracle that we manage to avoid destruction. God places people and situations in our lives where we must choose. Deuteronomy 30:11-20 tells us that this choice is between life and death, prosperity and disaster. But in that choice can come a miracle or a nightmare...

So, in your perception, what is a miracle?

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