Let's Talk Miracles

When we look throughout the many sections of the church, we find that there is generally three thoughts. Some believe that miracles can happen, but it depends as to whether God wants to do a miracle or not. Some believe that miracles past away along with the Apostles of the early church and some believe that miracles are still a vital part of the church. When we look through the Old Testament, the earth ministry of Jesus and the ministry of the early church, there is no doubt that God is a miracle working God. That He not only used Jesus to perform miracles, but also ordinary, frail and imperfect people. But God sees people in a way that most do not see themselves. The Apostle Paul tells us, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty." (1 Corinthians 1:27) This is not saying the people that God uses are foolish to Him, but they seem foolish to people who think they are so wise and knowledgeable. The Book of Judges tells us of such a story. 

Not to long after God had given Israel the promised land and warned then who it was that gave them "...large and beautiful cities which they did not build, houses full of all good things, which they did not fill, hewn-out wells which they did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant and when they had eaten and were full, not to forget the Lord who brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." (Deuteronomy 6:10-12), but they did. (Judges 6:1) In doing this, they had taken themselves out of the Lords protection and provision and fell prey to their enemies. During this time an Angel of the Lord appeared to an Israelite name Gideon who was hiding from the Midianites in a winepress threshing wheat. The Angel of the Lord said to Him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Judge 6:11-12) 

Gideon's response it typical to many in the church today, "Gideon said to Him, O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." (Judges 6:13) Many feel as though God doesn't care. That He has brought sickness, disease and disaster upon the earth. After all, if God is all powerful, if He is a God of love, why does He let these things happen? Let's remember, Israel forsook the Lord and went their own way. They chose to take themselves out of the Lords protection and provision, which opened the door to their enemies. This was not God's doing but their poor choice. As a matter of fact, at the conclusion of Judges, even after all the chaos that came with their poor choices we read, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25)

We also see in Gideon's response to the Angel of the Lord, that he accredits God as a miracle working God based on the reports that had been spoken from one generation to the next. The fact is, God had not stop performing miracles, Israel lost they faith in a miracle working God by choosing to follow the way's of the world. We also see Gideon blame God for the present state of Israel. He says, "...the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Once again, we see in the words of Gideon, the typical response of many in the church today. Although they may not directly say that it is Gods fault, they say the same thing that Gideon said indirectly by saying it this way, "this sickness, disease, disaster, etc., is God's Will, so I just have to accept it. The reason for this thinking is always followed by "God is sovereign." The fact is, God is the supreme King. He has all authority. However, we must always keep in mind that God does not use His sovereignty to operate above or outside of His Word. 

The Bible records many references of the steadfastness and immutability of God's Word. For instance, "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." (Psalm 89:34). "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:31) God's Word is just as powerful and unchanging today as it was when it was first spoken and it will always be. Like the children of Israel, believers today fall prey to and are taken advantage of by Satan and his demonic forces due to their misunderstanding of God and his Word. Also as Israel, they have learned to put their faith in the world more than in the unchanging, miracle working God. As Jesus said to the religious of His day, "Jesus answered and said to them, are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?" (Mark 12:24) 

The Apostle Paul tells us that the believer is to "Put off the old nature (sinful nature prior to being born again) and to put on the new nature which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-26) He goes on to tell us that when believers give place to their old sinful nature that it gives place to the devil, the enemy. (Ephesians 4:27) The oppression that Israel faced was just that. They rejected the Lord and lived life by doing was seemed right in their own eyes, the fallen, old nature. Though they were not born again, they were still God's chosen people and He promised to take complete care of them if they walked in His ways. For the enemy oppression to be lifted from Israel, all that was required was for Israel to repent from their sin and turned back to God. (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

The same is true for the believer today. The Apostle John tells us that sin (darkness) breaks fellowship with God (1 John 1:1-6) But if the believer "walks in the light as the Lord is in the light, they have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses them from all sin." and "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7, 9)  Satan has no place in the believer who walks through faith in Jesus Christ. In the same manner, God will work miracles through believers who have faith in a miracle working God. Of course this takes faith in the integrity of God's Word. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) PTL...

God's Billboard

No matter where you travel throughout the USA you will always find commercials, billboards, magazines, websites and pretty much any type of media advertising churches. There is certainly nothing wrong with using advertising methods to reach people. But what is the bottom line? How many souls are being saved and added to the church with all the costly advertisements run each year? According to researchers approximately 4000 new congregation start up every year in the USA but approximately 7000 existing congregations close their doors every year. If fact even with the millions of dollars in advertisement each year, research shows that church attendance has been and is still declining. So how can the church in the USA save money on advertising and still grow? Simply, we must return to the very principles that have always caused church growth without paying one cent for advertising.

Jesus emulated before twelve men, His Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan for three and one half years. During this intense time of training He sent them to do the same thing. Notice His instructions, "And when Jesus had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease...Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1, 8) In Luke's gospel we see another set of disciples that Jesus also sent out, "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Luke 10:1-2, 9)

After Jesus' resurrection and before His ascension, He meets with His disciples and gives them further instruction, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

Do we see the picture that Jesus has painted not only for His disciples but for all who believe. As soon as a person became born again, God planned that they should advertise the transformed life that they experience in Christ by healing the sick in the Name of Jesus no matter where they would go throughout the world. Jesus' entire ministry was a battle against demonic forces. It is the same for the church today. All sickness, disease, pain and sin is a result of Satan's hatred of all humanity. The very ministry of Jesus was carried out in the early church as normal life in the Kingdom of God. No matter where believers went, miracles, signs and wonders were always present at the preaching of the Gospel.  What Jesus told His disciples is true for today also, Freely you have received, freely give.

Unfortunately, the church has missed its greatest method of advertising. God's method of advertising that reveals Himself to the natural mind was and still is through miracles, signs and wonders. Due to the lack of sound doctrine being taught today, there is a severe lack of spiritual development or growth among most believers. The apostle Paul had to deal with such with the church at Corinth. "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) The writer of Hebrews faced the same problem. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14) Ouch!!!

Now I know that some who read this may have been taught that God does not do the miracles today as He did in the early church. That God uses sickness and disease in a believers life for various reasons that only He knows as a means of the continuing work of sanctification. That God chooses who He wants to heal and when He wants to do it. But this is extremely distant from the truth. Even logic should dictate that we are missing it when we look at so many in the church today that are sick and diseased.  Disease and sickness are never the will of the Father, to believe that they are is to be disillusioned by the devil. If healing had not been in the plan of redemption, the Father would not have spoken it in His Word. Jesus healed all who came to Him, because He was carrying out the will of the Father.

The only reason sickness is in the body of Christ is due to a low state of knowledge of our rights and privileges in our redemption that has been provided by God through Jesus Christ. It is only our ignorance of our rights and or refusal to act upon God's Word that keeps believers ill. Every believer has a right to be free from sickness and disease. You are the ruler of your body. You have the greater one in you. All that is needed is for you to command sickness or disease to leave in the Name of Jesus. Healing is not only for the believer, but for all believers to also "lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." This was, is and always will be God's method of advertising and revealing Himself to the natural mind.

"Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:4-5 AMP). "He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24 AMP)...

"And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well." (Mark 16:17-18) This is free advertisement God's Way!!!

The Best Advertisement Ever

Advertisements are everywhere in our culture. Whether traveling on a highway, listening to radio, watching television, the internet, direct mail, or telephone we are exposed to advertisements.  An advertisement is defined as; "a notice or announcement calling to the attention of the public a product, service, or an event that is being promoted." According to researchers, the average person is exposed to, yes, 4000 to 5000 advertisements daily.  You may be thinking that these numbers are quite high, but look at it from this perspective. A study done in 2015 by researchers say that the sum of media asked for and delivered to consumers daily is about 6.9 gigabytes (6.9 billion) of information, or a daily consumption of nine DVDs worth of data per person per day. Researchers also say that the average brain receives approximately 34 gigabytes (34 billion) of information daily.

As far as the best advertisement ever, many would have different opinions as to which advertisement it may be, so I will use only one example to show this point, Super Bowl XLIX, (49). According to statistics the cost of advertising during Super Bowl 49, surpassed every previous Super Bowl. The base price of a thirty second advertisement was $4.5 million. Media executives projected that the cost of a 30-second commercial could exceed $5 million at Super Bowl 50. I use this example because Super Bowl 49 drew an average audience of 114.4 million viewers, which makes Super Bowl 49 the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history, plus many boast that these advertisements are the best.

Looking back at the definition of the word advertisement as, "a notice or announcement calling to the attention of the public a product, service, or an event that is being promoted" we will find that nothing in this world can compare to the absolute best advertisement ever. Interestingly enough, this advertisement has been repeated over and over from creation and though some may ignore it or chalk it up to phenomena, fantasy, or even non-existent, it will continue until the end of time. What is this advertisement? It is the power of God breaking into time and space, manifesting in the lives of man through miracles, signs and wonders. When I use the term "God advertising Himself" it simply means that He is revealing Himself. He is calling to the attention of the public, that is, man, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan. 

Looking in the Bible from cover to cover we see over and over Gods divine intervention, the release of His supernatural power, in the affairs of man bringing man to the knowledge of Who He is. We see this in the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt; the Red Sea Crossing; Israel's conquest of the Promised Land; throughout the Judges of Israel; the defeat of the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. We even see God advertise Himself before the heathen rulers of kingdoms who worshiped false gods. They too came to recognize the one and only true God when God advertised Himself by manifesting His power. (Daniel 2:46-47, 3:19-29, 6:16-28)

The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1, 14) "Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus...The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:30-31, 35)

As we look at the ministry of Jesus in the gospels, once again God advertises Himself through miracles, signs and wonders (Hebrews 2:4) causing people to be amazed and marvel. (Matthew 15:31; Mark 1:27, 6:2) The apostle John says, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25) Yet, God did not stop there. He continued to advertise Himself in the same manner in the early church. (Acts 3:12, 5:12-16, 6:8, 8:5-8, 9:32-43, 14:1-10, 15:12,19:11-12, 20:6-12, 28:8-9) Once again we see God advertising Himself, this time through the early church.

The Bible records, "For I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi 3:6) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) We see that in both Old and New Testament that God does not change. Although many have been told that God does not need to advertise Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, any longer, there is absolutely no evidence of this in the Bible. On the contrary, throughout the centuries of the church on earth, God has always advertised Himself to be the one and only true God by manifesting Himself through miracles, signs, and wonders.  We see this evidenced in the lives of many believers, especially in every awakening and revival. It is God manifesting His power in the affairs of man through the church that proves the resurrection and it also separates Christianity from every other religion on the planet. The church is the one and only vehicle that God works through on earth revealing Jesus Christ. 

This is how the gospel message is to be presented to the world. Jesus tells us, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18) Next, we find the reality of this in action, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." (Mark 16:19-20)  The church began with God advertising Himself with miracles and He will continue to do the same until Jesus returns.

The Apostle Paul also tells us how the gospel message is to be presented, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:18-19) Paul tells us that "the full gospel" is revealed "in word and deed." Beleivers are to preach Christ in word, and as Jesus said He would do when the gospel, God's Word was preached, He would confirm it with accompanying signs, which Paul also reveals to us in his preaching of Christ.

Every believer today must become miracle minded. This is not to say that we are to focus on miracles and not God, but that we must come to the place once again where we allow God, through faith, to advertise Himself, that is, call the attention of the public to Himself. Once a person or a people becomes miracle minded, we will see things happen that were common to the early church. This means the nearer we come to Him, the more clearly we see Him with the eyes of faith. It is the dogma and doctrines of men which have eroded faith and promoted fear, doubt and unbelief in the church that has caused many sectors of the church not to believe that the unchanging Lord God Almighty still reveals Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, to anyone who has faith in Christ and His Word. Jesus tells us, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23)

As the Lord makes us one with one another and with Himself, His strength, His life, His wisdom, His love, His power becomes ours. He becomes a part of everything we do, and our response becomes, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). He takes us out of the realm of weakness , fear, doubt, unbelief and inability, and moves us into the realm of His ability and strength. (Ephesians 3:20) We actually become supermen and superwomen fearlessly undertaking the impossible letting the best advertisement ever to manifest through us, that is, the power of Almighty God. So, if you struggle with and doubt the fact that God still advertises Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, then may I suggest, simply asking the Lord to help you to so live in the realm of the His Word, growing your faith in Him, that in turn, you may become miracle minded so God can advertise Himself to the public through you.  

It's Supernatural

Christianity not only claims a supernatural origin, but also is maintained by the same supernatural power that brought it into being. Shortly before Jesus was taken to heaven, He gave the apostles final instructions, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8) The word power refers to miracle working power or the ability of God working through the church, all believers. So, concerning the Bible, to those who love it, it is a miracle book; a spring of life and source of power. (John 6:63; Hebrews 1:3) It is a living message, a revelation of God Himself to humanity. It may appear to be dry, dead and even foolish to those who are not born again, (1 Corinthians 2:14), but it is a supernatural book.

The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews describes God's Word in this way, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) In other words, to the believer, the Bible is the living Son of God in print. Therefore, the Bible is a miracle. The background of the Bible as revealed in the Old Testament is nothing short of a series of miracles. For instance, Abraham is our spiritual father. He was a miracle character. His descendants, the Israelite's, were a miracle people. They were protected and sustained by miracles. They saw the Red Sea opened and approximately two million people escaped from the Egyptian warriors as Israel crossed on dry ground. (Exodus 14)

Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years without any means of support, and yet they were completely provided for by God. (Exodus 16) Their clothes and sandals never wore out. (Deuteronomy 29:5) A cloud led them during the day, and a column of fire led them at night. (Exodus 13:27) They saw the Jordan River obey the voice of Joshua as a servant obeys the voice of his master. (Joshua 3:14-17) They saw the walls of the great city Jericho fall flat at the word of that same man. (Joshua 6) Just as young David said when he stood before the menacing Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied" (1 Samuel 17:45), we see the miracle-working living God in action, while the Philistine gods of Goliath were dead.

Fast forward, we see Jesus was supernaturally conceived. His public ministry was a series of miracles, culminating in His resurrection from the dead, another miracle. Likewise, the birth of the church was also a miracle, and miracles played a vital role in the early church. (The Acts of the Apostles) Miracles were so interwoven into the early church, it is impossible to even think that the two can be separated. Let's be honest, if you were to take the miracles out of Christianity, all you have left is religion, because in reality, Christianity is a living thing, it is a miracle.  Think about it, God Himself is dwelling in the body of every born again believer. The presence of the Holy Spirit, to save, heal, deliver, that is, transform lives, during our worship services is a miracle. Take away Christianity's spiritual power and you have nothing left but a system of precepts, doctrines and ethics with demands that cannot be met. But let the miracle elements come in, and God becomes a real presence in our midst and Christianity becomes the living force among the nations of the earth as it truly is.

If the days of miracles are in the past, then the days of Jesus Christ's life in the church are also in the past. If miracles are no more, then the things that make Christianity a living religion are gone. If the days of miracles have passed, God's promises exist only to mock us. Likewise, the statements that Jesus made about His name and the power vested in it and given to the church also mock us. If the days of miracles are in the past, then the mighty Name of Jesus is nothing more the a dry cloud to a desert land that is crying out for water. The Bible tells us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) The truth is, Jesus' name has not lost its power and Christianity is the work of a miracle-working God, through which He is still performing miracles.

So, do not let anyone deceive you by telling you that the days of miracles have passed. If the days of miracles have passed, then God is no longer God, Christ is no longer Christ, there is no need for the Holy Spirit and the Bible is no longer the Word of God. However, the great news is, as long as they are, and they are, miracles will be. "For I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi 3:6) PTL...

Let God Arise

The Bible records mans three fold being, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23) To fully develop man would be to educate him in all three of these realms. To train only the physical is to make him an athlete. To train only the intellectual would make him an anarchist. To train only the spiritual would make him a fanatic. Adam was created complete in all three of these areas. Though the fall of man came, it did not change God's design for man. Through Christ, God has restored man and once again man is complete (John 1:16; Colossians 1:9, 2:10). So, Gods plan for man through Christ, is that he be developed in all three areas; yet, the area that man is least developed is the very area in which he was created in the image and likeness of God, his spirit.

Man's spirit is the only part of him that is capable of knowing and communing intelligently with God. It was God's plan that man should be His companion (Psalm 8:3-8), so his spiritual faculties were originally attuned to interact with God. (Genesis 1:26-27, 3:8) Through the Fall, man was alienated from God and his spiritual faculties were impaired; yet, through Christ, this lost fellowship is restored and once again mans spirit is capable of functioning in both the natural and supernatural realm.

The supernatural realm is really the realm of the believer. No one knows how much the soul and spirit can be developed and even within Christendom, we have been slow to come to the realization that man is spirit and his spirit is his basic nature. We have sought to educate him along intellectual lines,
utterly ignoring the spiritual. Thus man has lost his sense of relationship and responsibility toward God and man. By ignoring the spiritual side of man, we inadvertently have magnified the intellectual and physical parts of man, which has left him craving the supernatural of God, yet, not having the ability to release it in his daily life.  Whether most want to admit it or not, man has a love for the miraculous because it is in his DNA. He was created in the image and likeness of God.

The intellect of every believer is ever conscious of the supernatural forces that operate around him, but due to the lack of spiritual development in most, he cannot understand or interpret them. This is perhaps the main reason why believers long to not only experience the supernatural,but to perform miracles. The curiosity for the miraculous is deep-seated in every believer because he has been born again by a miracle-working God. It has been a scheme of Satan that has blinded us and has kept us from finding the door that will lead us back to our lost inheritance in Christ. Although believers are to operate in the miraculous, many questions arise concerning their validity for today, such as, "Are these things for today? Did miracles end with the death of the disciples in the early church? Are the so-called miracles that men claim to perform today fraudulent, psychic or works of Satan to deceive many?

Unfortunately, there has come a falling away on the part of most sectors of the church concerning the miraculous. In one area, modernism has dominated the church bringing the denial of the supernatural element in Christianity. This in turn has made Christianity simply an ethical religion. There are also those who declare that miracles ceased with the death of the apostles; that Christianity does not need the miraculous today to convince men of the Deity of Jesus. This in turn has placed Christianity among the other powerless world religions. Then we have a third group who claim miracles are still being performed; that the sick are healed, that prayers are answered, and that God is a living reality in the daily life of the believer. This third group of people have it correct. They know that man needs a miraculous touch now more than ever.

The miraculous was the very thing that God used to bring His people Israel back to Himself; the very thing that drew heathen kings to acknowledge that the Lord is God; the very thing that drew people to Jesus the Savior through the early church as well as turned the world upside down; it is the very thing that is needed today to save our land and nation. The entire church must return to the God of Miracles and believe that He will once again reveal Himself and His Christ to all men through miracles, signs and wonders. These are the very things revealed in scripture that opened the door many times to the preaching of the Gospel and the saving of souls.

The Apostle Paul tells us, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:18-19) Paul shows us that the preaching of the gospel is not complete without "mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God." This he tells us is the full gospel! God desires to intervene "now" in the affairs of man. So, let us stand against all doubt, fear, unbelief and intellectual reasoning that so easily ensnares and robs us of the miracles that God has for us and the lost world around us. "Let God Arise" and we will see the salvation of the Lord like never before!

Where are the Miracles - Part 2

In part one we saw that an Angel of the Lord met with Gideon and Gideon blamed God for something that He did not do. Israel was under the oppression of an enemy, but God did not do this to them. The fact that Israel was under the oppression of their enemy came about through their choice to "do evil in the sight of the Lord" (Judges 6:1) which took them out from under God's protection and provision and opened the door to enemy oppression, the very thing that God said would happen if they were to reject Him. This also is one of the ways that the believers enemy, Satan, can get place in their life and cause all manner of havoc, that is, sickness, disease, etc. However, in the same way that Israel would be received back into God's provision and protection, the believer can also be restored to fellowship with God if they have permitted darkness into their life. It is through repentance.  (1 John 1:5-9)

The Angel of the Lord proceeds to tell Gideon, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:14) Also remember the Angel of the Lord had said, “...The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” However, look at Gideon's response, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15) Gideon's statement reveals another area in which many believers find themselves. Many either feel or have been taught that they are nothing more than sinners saved by grace. That they must muddle through life weak and beggarly because they will never be worthy before the Lord until they leave this life. That once born again, they just walk through life and no matter if things are good or bad, it is their lot in life. That they cannot expect any blessings or miracles to happen in their life unless God shows them some special, mysterious mercy. That all they can do is have hope for heaven where they can finally find relief from this cruel miserable life here on planet earth. This was pretty much the same sentiment that Gideon had.

The problem lies in the fact that Gideon as well as many believers do not see themselves the way God sees them. We know that God is incapable of lying, so when He said to Gideon, “...The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor! and "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” He meant exactly what He said. The unfortunate reality for most believers today, is, although the Bible gives almost countless references to who they are in Christ; their position in Christ; their rights and privileges that the Father has given them through Christ; and how the Father truly sees them, they do not believe it. In many sectors of the church, in order to teach righteousness, they have majored in teaching sin which has left many believers with a sin consciousness which promotes, guilt, shame, condemnation and inferiority. This in turn causes believers to live a life of faithlessness which has also opened the door to the devil who ravages them with his deception and lies.

For Gideon to be convinced that the Lord was with Him and that the things He has spoken were true  the Lord provided a sign. (Judges 6:17-22) God will not ask us to do something that his grace cannot give us the ability to accomplish. Honestly, His grace is in abundance and it gives us the power and ability to do His will. However, this was not enough for Gideon. He also asks God for another sign. The sign of "putting out the fleece." (Judges 6:36-40) Although Gideon may have lacked in faith in the Word of the Lord, God still proved Himself through a sign. For the believer, the Apostle Paul records, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17) and the Apostle James tells us, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21) It is God's Word that builds our faith. God Word is like a seed that is to take root in our lives. When this occurs it saves, (satisfies, cures, make well, preserves, protects) the soul, (mind, will and emotions).

Finally, Gideon gathers an army of thirty two thousand men, but for the Lord to do a miracle and for man not to claim that is was through their abilities, the Lord reduces the army to three hundred men. (Judges 7: 1-7) The army that far outnumbered Israel was now defeated by the Lord and fled. Although it took some time for Gideon to muster the faith in a miracle working God to set Israel free from the enemies oppression, he still went forward and witnessed the strong and mighty arm of the miracle working God.

God has not changed! (Malachi 3:6) His Word has not changed (Hebrews 13:8) God has not stop performing miracles. But like Gideon at first, many in the church do not believe that God still performs miracles through His church. They also struggle to believe what the Bible says concerning who they are in Christ; their position in Christ; their rights and privileges that the Father has given them through Christ; and how the Father truly sees them. The good news is, this can all be changed. Gideon had to seek for a sign, he did not have the Bible, he was he filled with the Holy Spirit nor did he have the use of the Name of Jesus, but believers have all of these things. Instead of being like the Apostle Thomas, have such great doubt that we have to see to believe (John 20:25)  we simply need to believe God at His Word and act upon it. We simply need to, "...hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) and our God, the miracle working God will once again work many miracles, even unusual miracles through His Children. Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) PTL...          
    

Where are the Miracles - Part 1

When we look throughout the many sections of the church, we find that there is generally three thoughts. Some believe that miracles can happen, but it depends as to whether God wants to do a miracle or not. Some believe that miracles past away along with the Apostles of the early church and some believe that miracles are still a vital part of the church. When we look through the Old Testament, the earth ministry of Jesus and the ministry of the early church, there is no doubt that God is a miracle working God. That He not only used Jesus to perform miracles, but also ordinary, frail and imperfect people. But God sees people in a way that most do not see themselves. The Apostle Paul tells us, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty." (1 Corinthians 1:27) This is not saying the people that God uses are foolish to Him, but they seem foolish to people who think they are so wise and knowledgeable. The Book of Judges tells us of such a story. 

Not to long after God had given Israel the promised land and warned then who it was that gave them
"...large and beautiful cities which they did not build, houses full of all good things, which they did not fill, hewn-out wells which they did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which they did not plant and when they had eaten and were full, not to forget the Lord who brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." (Deuteronomy 6:10-12), but they did. (Judges 6:1) In doing this, they had taken themselves out of the Lords protection and provision and fell prey to their enemies. During this time an Angel of the Lord appeared to an Israelite name Gideon who was hiding from the Midianites in a winepress threshing wheat. The Angel of the Lord said to Him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Judge 6:11-12) 

Gideon's response it typical to many in the church today, "Gideon said to Him, O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." (Judges 6:13) Many feel as though God doesn't care. That He has brought sickness, disease and disaster upon the earth. After all, if God is all powerful, if He is a God of love why does He let these things happen? Let's remember, Israel forsook the Lord and went their own way. They chose to take themselves out of the Lords protection and provision, which opened the door to their enemies. This was not God's doing but their poor choice. As a matter of fact, at the conclusion of Judges, even after all the chaos that came with their poor choices we read, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25)

We also see in Gideon's response to the Angel of the Lord, that he accredits God as a miracle working God based on the reports that had been spoken from one generation to the next. The fact is, God had not stop performing miracles, Israel lost they faith in a miracle working God by choosing to follow the way's of the world. We also see Gideon blame God for the present state of Israel. He says, "...the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Once again, we see in the words of Gideon, the typical response of many in the church today. Although they may not directly say that it is Gods fault, they say the same thing that Gideon said indirectly by saying it way, "this sickness, disease, disaster, etc., is God's Will, so I just have to accept it. The reason for this thinking is always followed by "God is sovereign." The fact is, God is the supreme King. He has all authority. However, we must always keep in mind that God does not use His sovereignty to operate above or outside of His Word. 

The Bible records many references of the steadfastness and immutability of God's Word. For instance, "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." (Psalm 89:34). "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:31) God's Word is just as powerful and unchanging today as it was when it was first spoken and it will always be. Like the children of Israel, believers today fall prey to and are taken advantage of by Satan and his demonic forces due to their misunderstanding of God and his Word. Also as Israel, they have learned to put their faith in the world more than in the unchanging, miracle working God. As Jesus said to the religious of His day, "Jesus answered and said to them, are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?" (Mark 12:24) 

The Apostle Paul tells us that the believer is to "Put off the old nature (sinful nature prior to being born again) and to put on the new nature which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-26) He goes on to tell us that when believers give place to their old sinful nature that it gives place to the devil, the enemy. (Ephesians 4:27) The oppression that Israel faced was just that. They rejected the Lord and lived life by doing was seemed right in their own eyes, the fallen, old nature. Though they were not born again, they were still God's chosen people and He promised to take complete care of them if they walked in His ways. For the enemy oppression to be lifted from Israel, all that was required was for Israel to repent from their sin and turned back to God. (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

The same is true for the believer today. The Apostle John tells us that sin (darkness) breaks fellowship with God (1 John 1:1-6) But if the believer "walks in the light as the Lord is in the light, they have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses them from all sin." and "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7, 9)  Satan has no place in the believer who walks through faith in Jesus Christ. In the same manner, God will work miracles through believers who have faith in a miracle working God. Of course this takes faith in the integrity of God's Word. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Free Church Advertisement

No matter where you travel throughout the USA you will always find commercials, billboards, magazines, websites and pretty much any type of media advertising churches. There is certainly nothing wrong with using advertising methods to reach people. But what is the bottom line? How many souls are being saved and added to the church with all the costly advertisements run each year? According to researchers approximately 4000 new congregation start up every year in the USA but approximately 7000 existing congregations close their doors every year. If fact even with the millions of dollars in advertisement each year, research shows that church attendance has been and is still declining. So how can the church in the USA save money on advertising and still grow? Simply, we must return to the very principles that have always caused church growth without paying one cent for advertising.

Jesus emulated before twelve men, His Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan for three and one half years. During this intense time of training He sent them to do the same thing. Notice His instructions, "And when Jesus had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease...Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1, 8) In Luke's gospel we see another set of disciples that Jesus also sent out, "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Luke 10:1-2, 9)

After Jesus' resurrection and before His ascension, He meets with His disciples and gives them further instruction, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

Do we see the picture that Jesus has painted not only for His disciples but for all who believe. As soon as a person became born again, God planned that they should advertise the transformed life that they experience in Christ by healing the sick in the Name of Jesus no matter where they would go throughout the world. Jesus' entire ministry was a battle against demonic forces. It is the same for the church today. All sickness, disease, pain and sin is a result of Satan's hatred of all humanity. The very ministry of Jesus was carried out in the early church as normal life in the Kingdom of God. No matter where believers went, miracles, signs and wonders were always present at the preaching of the Gospel.  What Jesus told His disciples is true for today also, Freely you have received, freely give.

Unfortunately, the church has missed its greatest method of advertising. God's method of advertising that reveals Himself to the natural mind was and still is through miracles, signs and wonders. Due to the lack of sound doctrine being taught today, there is a severe lack of spiritual development or growth among most believers. The apostle Paul had to deal with such with the church at Corinth. "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) The writer of Hebrews faced the same problem. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14) Ouch!!!

Now I know that some who read this may have been taught that God does not do the miracles today as He did in the early church. That God uses sickness and disease in a believers life for various reasons that only He knows as a means of the continuing work of sanctification. That God chooses who He wants to heal and when He wants to do it. But this is extremely distant from the truth. Even logic should dictate that we are missing it when we look at so many in the church today that are sick and diseased.  Disease and sickness are never the will of the Father, to believe that they are is to be disillusioned by the devil. If healing had not been in the plan of redemption, the Father would not have spoken it in His Word. Jesus healed all who came to Him, because He was carrying out the will of the Father.

The only reason sickness is in the body of Christ is due to a low state of knowledge of our rights and privileges in our redemption that has been provided by God through Jesus Christ. It is only our ignorance of our rights and or refusal to act upon God's Word that keeps believers ill. Every believer has a right to be free from sickness and disease. You are the ruler of your body. You have the greater one in you. All that is needed is for you to command sickness or disease to leave in the Name of Jesus. Healing is not only for the believer, but for all believers to also "lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." This was, is and always will be God's method of advertising and revealing Himself to the natural mind.

"Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:4-5 AMP)...
"He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24 AMP)...

"And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well." (Mark 16:17-18)

This is free advertisement God's Way!!!

Where Have They Gone? Part 4

We have been looking at and answering the question, "Are miracles to be a part of the church today or have they faded away once the early church apostles passed from this life to the next?" This time let's begin in Marks gospel.

In the gospel of Mark we see Jesus giving instructions to His disciples before His departure from earth to return to the Father. Mark records, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18) Although Jesus is instructing His disciples, He is not saying, "And these signs will only follow you eleven only or those who believe while you apostles remain alive." No, He is saying "And these signs will follow those who (whoever, anyone, whosoever) believes. Again, the fact remains that miracles are still a part of the church today but a condition must be met to see them manifest, one must believe, that is, one must release faith.

Another very important fact that we must consider is found in 1 Corinthians, "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:27-28) Notice that the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul does not say, "Now you, the early church are the Body of Christ." He is referring to all believers being members of the Body of Christ not just those in the early church. Next, he say GOD has appointed these in the church. There is absolutely no evidence that God has appointed these in the church for a certain period of time or the God has revoked their appointment. Let's recall, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29) Notice, the first, second, fourth and fifth (not to mention the eighth) things that God Himself has appointed in the church. Many church leaders today teach that these very things that God has appointed in the church have faded away . There is not one verse of scripture that substantiates such a claim. These things have not been removed from the church by God, but by church leaders who do not operate in faith. Their belief system hinges on what their five senses can understand. This is the limited level of faith that all people have which is based on the five senses. This is the type of faith that the apostle Thomas operated in, "Unless I SEE in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side (TOUCH), I will not believe." (John 20:25).

We see another interesting situation this time in the Book of Acts in the lives of Peter and John. They are used by God to heal a man with infantile paralysis. The crowd of people who witnessed this miraculous event begin to think that it was Peter and John who had the power to perform this miracle. However, we clearly see how the man received this miraculous healing, "And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." (Acts 3:16) The principle for miracles to happen today has not changed in the eyes of God and it will never change even if His children do not want to believe. It comes down to faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that He is not only the Lord who paid man's sin debt but also the Lord who heals, delivers, rescues, provides and makes whole, which is all part of redemption then and now.

We must remember that, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) and that all believers make up the church which is His Body. (Ephesians 1:22-23). If He does not change, then it is only logical to say that His Body also does not change. Think about it from a natural perspective. When a child is born although they are small and dependent upon another, no matter how old they become are they not still the same person? The only real change that takes place is physical and mental growth. They are still the same person from the time they are born until the time they die. If this is true in the natural, then why is it so difficult to believe it in the spiritual? Actually it's not. It only requires the kind of faith that pleases God which is revelation faith. Revelation faith is the kind of faith that stands on the Word of God as the only evidence required to believe. The kind of faith that transcends the senses and believes without any physical or tangible evidence. Jesus said it this way, "Then Jesus said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him,  "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:27) In other words, believe although your senses do not have any evidence whatsoever, but because God says these things are so.

I want to close with one more passage of scripture and ask a final question because it will hopefully shed a great light to dispel the philosophy that the miraculous is not a part of the church today. "Then Jesus went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. (Mark 6:1-6) Why could Jesus do no mighty work in Nazareth, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them? "He marveled because of their unbelief."

Unbelief is the great neutralizer of faith. It is the very tactic that Satan has been using from the beginning of man's history. If he can get God's children to rely on their senses and not on what God said, then unbelief will ensue and man will only have a mental assent to God's Word. Jesus tells His disciples several times of His death and resurrection and yet Mark records, "Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe." (Mark 16:9-11) It was not only Thomas who did not believe, but none of the disciples believed His Word. It is so very unfortunate that unbelief has filled the hearts of so many of God's children. Yet unlike the disciples before The Day of Pentecost, today believers have the Holy Spirit, of whom Jesus said, "Is the Spirit of Truth who would guide us into all truth." (John 16:13) So, is Satan once again deceiving us to believe him more that God? Do we believe that some how we know more than God? Do we think that we know what is best for the church more the Jesus the Head of the church? Could our problem be the same as what Stephen faced and exposed when he was about to killed, "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 7:51) Either way it can all be dispelled through true Bible faith in Jesus Christ, the Word of God.

My prayer is that everyone who has read this four part series who may have questioned whether apostles, prophets and miracles are for today, have reconciled within themselves that, yes, God does not change. That God does not take away the gifts and callings that He has given and still gives to the church. I also pray that you have a desire to see the ascension gift ministry, the miraculous and all the gifts that the Lord has given to His church once again fill the entire church. As we see these things manifest once again we will also see the Name of Jesus magnified and the Word of God prevail mightily once again. Grace be with you.

Where Have They Gone? Part 3

The philosophy that says that once the original apostles, Matthias and the last apostle, Paul, past away, apostles, prophets and miracles also have passed away. We have seen in the other two parts of this series that the gift/office/ministry of the apostle and prophet have not past way. They may not be recognized or received by many sectors of the church, but in the eyes of God they are very much alive and functioning. What about miracles? Do they exist or have they faded away in the same way that many believe the gift/office/ministry of the apostle and prophet have? The Bible is filled with scripture that reveals God as a miracle God who wrought miracles through various people, they are to numerous to list, so let's look at a few from the Old Testament.... 

• So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children. (Genesis 20:17)
• God used Elijah in a miracle of food (1 Kings 17:2-16)
• God used Elijah in the miracle of the resurrection of the Gentile son (1 Kings 17:17-24)
• God used Elijah on Mount Carmel in a contest against the prophets of Baal and of Asherah through a mighty miracle (1 Kings 18:20-40)
• Elisha was used by God in the miracle of the increase of the widows oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)
• Elisha was used by God in the miracle of the increase of the Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4:8-37)
• God brought Israel out of the bondage of Egypt with the spoils of Egypt. Not one person was feeble among His tribes. God went before them in a cloud and a pillar of fire. He brought quail, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it ran in the dry places like a river." (Psalms 105:37-41) 

Again, these are just a few examples from the Old testament where God used people to perform miracles. Next, let's consider Jesus earthly ministry. Again, the miracles that He performed are to numerous to list, so let's look at only a few...

• Jesus went about all Galilee healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases among the people (Matthew 4:23)
• Jesus feeds the 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21)
• Jesus walks on walk on water (Mark 6:45-52)
• Jesus raises a widows dead son (Luke 7:11-16
• Jesus turns water into wine (John 2:1-10)
• God raises Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32)

Now we see the ministry of Jesus which God wrought miracles through. Finally, let's look at the early church. Again, there are numerous scriptures revealing miracles being wrought by God through people, so we again will only list a few...

• Peter and John heal a man with infantile paralysis (Acts 3:1-8) 
• Mighty signs and wonders were done through the apostles (Acts 5:12)
• Stephen, who was not an apostle did great wonders and signs (Acts 6:8)
• Philip, who was not an apostle did miracles in the City of Samaria (Acts 8:5-7)
• Paul healed a lame man in Lystra (Acts 14:6-10)

So, throughout the Bible we see God performing miracles through various people for thousands of years. Why is it that many think that God should stop miracles after the decease of the apostles of the early church? Why do many conclude that the miraculous gifts functioned as scaffolding while the church was under initial construction, and were removed once the structure had been completed? Why do many believe and teach that the book we call the Bible is the totality of God’s written revelation to the human race, which it is, as a reason for God to stop the supernatural? Simply put, it is due to a lack of faith in the integrity of the Word of God that they claim to believe as truth. Jesus brought this same problem to the Pharisees when dealing with their hypocrisy, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." (Matthew 23:23) They were under the law yet Jesus tells them that they lacked faith.

Even Gideon knew God as a miracle God, though he question Him as to "where are all the miracles which our fathers told us about." (Judges 6:13 So, how can we honestly say that the supernatural ministries of Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, Maria Woodworth-Etter, John Alexander Dowie, William Branham, Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, Jack Coe, (to name a few) are not from God or for today? How can we honestly and logically say that God does not use the miraculous any more? Honestly, we would say or think these things if we are willing to throw away these faithless philosophies that have been accepted in the church. Philosophies developed by men and women who continue to approach the Word of God with their limited intellect rather than through the spirit. Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63)

Look at the state of the lives of the majority of the people in the church today. The number of Christians that are sick, diseased and oppressed is not much different than those who are without Christ. The sad thing is, God said that He would provide healing through the redemptive work of Messiah, "In fact, it was our diseases he bore, our pains from which he suffered; yet we regarded him as punished, stricken and afflicted by God.  But he was wounded because of our crimes, crushed because of our sins; the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him, and by his bruises we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-6) The apostle Peter reaffirms this very thing but speak in past tense, "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

The apostle Paul reminds and at the same time warns the church as to why many in the church were weak, sickly and dying. They were not discerning the Lord's Body both physically and or spiritually. This was the cause for much weakness, sickness and death in the church. Problem such as this in the church should cause much concern to church leaders. However, too often we try to get rid of what causing the problem (the curse) without getting rid of the cause. "The curse shall not come without a cause." (Proverbs 26:2) This is why we are called to discern the Lord's Body. James says it this way, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed..." (James 5:16) Healing in the church is the work of the risen Lord through the His Body, that is through one another not only yesterday but also for today. James continues, "...the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16) This is the only condition for healing to take place. It has nothing to do with a dispensation.

The sad reality is, most Christians have been trained to call a physician and believe his or her prognosis rather than have faith in Jesus Christ the Healer. I am not saying that physicians do not help sick people or that they do not save lives. But we must keep in mind that they are still practicing medicine. Mark reveals this very thing, "Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse." (Mark 5:25-27) You may be thinking that modern medicine has advanced far beyond what it was then and you are correct. However, I still meet Christians who have seen many physicians and have had several surgeries and are not any better. Again, I am not condemning modern medicine one bit. My desire is to see the church believe the Word of God beyond a mental assent, "For God's Words are life to those who find them, and health (Medicine) to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:22) and be the wonderful vehicle once again that is filled with the presence, power and glory of the Lord.

In our fourth and final part we will continue to explore that fact that miracles are as much a part of the church today as they were in the early church. Remember, God is a miracle God.

Where Have They Gone? Part 1

When we observe how the local church functions and how many people are functioning in some capacity what do you see? Do we see all the members actively working with other members building up the church? Do we see 75% of the members actively working with other members building up the church? Do we see 50% of the members actively working with other members building up the church? How about 25%? No, statistics reveal that regardless of the size of a local church, less than 20% of the members actively get involved with its function and many of them are heading towards burnout. Why is this happening? Why does it seem to be almost impossible to mobilize the members of the local church? I am sure that there are numerous reason such as, a lack of leadership, a lack of vision, a lack of discipleship, people are to busy, and so on. But I believe the primary reason behind the limited mobilization of the members of a local church comes down to one thing. Swapping the Lords ingenious plan for man's faulty plan(s). Let's look at what the Holy Spirit spoke through the apostle Paul.

"Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." (Ephesians 4:8) "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Many church leaders for centuries have rejected the idea that the ministry gifts of the apostle and prophet have continued beyond those of the early church. Their thinking is that the gift or office of apostle and prophet have faded from the scene when the apostles and prophets of the early church died. This thinking goes even farther by saying that along with the passing of the apostles and prophets miracles, signs and wonders have also passed away. They site 1 Corinthians 15:8 which says, "Then last of all He (Jesus) was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time" to mean that Paul was the last of the apostles appointed by the Lord. They also use Ephesians 4:13-14 (shown above) along with 1 Corinthians 3:10; 13:11 to say that these gifts along with the miraculous only functioned as scaffolding while the church was under initial construction, and were removed or faded away once the structure had been completed because the book we call the Bible is the totality of God’s written revelation to the human race. Consequently, people now have access to everything they need (2 Peter 1:3) to enter into a right relationship with God via Christianity and the church of Christ. Without doubt, the Bible is the totality of God’s written revelation to the human race. However, if we look at Ephesians 4:8 again, some light will shine upon us revealing the truth, "Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

First, notice that it does not say that Jesus gave temporary gifts to men or that He gave gifts to men only for a season or a certain period of time. Paul tells us, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11:29) James tells us, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17)  The Lord does revoke the gifts and calling that He gives to His church, because His gifts are good and perfect. Also, notice that James reveals to us something about God that Malachi also reveals, "For I am the LORD, I do not change..." (Malachi 3:6) The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) In other words, from eternity past to eternity future there is no change in Gods character, nature, purposes, plan or his mode of being. What He says is what He means, period. "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19)

If we say that the gift/office of apostle and prophet have faded away and have no need for them because we have the Bible, then we also have to conclude that the gift/office of evangelist, pastor and teacher have also faded away for the same reason. If we also say, "But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away" meaning that the gifts of the Spirit, especially miracles have also faded away, because we have the Bible, then we also have to conclude that knowledge has also vanished. (see 1 Corinthians 13:8-10) The context of what Paul is conveying in 1 Corinthians 13 has nothing whatsoever to do with the fading away of gifts and the miraculous that Christ gave to His church. Paul is telling the church to grow up or come into maturity, especially to mature in love because without love the gifts will not function properly. He is telling the church that when Christ returns, "that which is perfect" there will be no further need for any of the gifts that He gave to the church. So, how do we grow up and mature especially in love until Christ returns? Let's reread Ephesians 4:11-16

Another thing that we must consider is found in Paul's description of the church, "And He (Jesus) put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23, also see 1 Corinthians 12:12-27) The church is describe as a body filled with the fullness of Christ the Head. So with this in mind, how would a person operate if two of their fingers, say their thumb and index finger, were missing from both hands? They could function, but they certainly would be limited. What about if a person was missing any two of their five senses? Again, they could function but they would be limited. With that said, how can we logically believe that the Lord would limit His body by removing two important gifts/offices along with the miraculous?
How can we honestly think this especially when he gave all five of these gifts/offices for maturing the church? His would not do such a thing! Do we honestly believe that for the last seventeen hundred years the church has reach or surpassed the maturity that Ephesian 4:1-16 is talking about? Do we suppose that the last seventeen hundred years of the church is more mature than the first three hundred years?

Many proponents of the extinction of the apostle, prophet and miracles will say to those who know that the Lord has not removed from His church apostle, prophet and miracles , beware "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works"  (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) not even considering that it is they that Satan has deceived. Certainly the church must beware that false apostles and prophets can appear, but the context in which this passage appears is Paul defending his apostleship. He is not insinuating or alluding too at all that when he leaves this life there will be no more apostles.

Next, we also see another fact that sheds light on the existence of apostles (maybe not recognized) today. Paul, tells us the all of the ascension gifts were given "till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." How can any church leader look at church history for the past 1700 years and honestly believe that the church. has arrived any time, "to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Do we honest believe that what we call the church is unified? That the church operates in the full knowledge of the Son of God? That the church completely functions in the fullness of Christ? Let's be honest. What we call the church today is not even close to just being united, let alone these other important issue that makes the church one in Christ.

So, why do statistics reveal that less than 20% of the members of most local churches do all the work while 80% remain idle? It is due to eliminating the gift/office of the apostle and prophet by church Pharisees who have embraced the philosophies of men over the word of God. They have been blinded by the god of the world, Satan, who is still at work against the church to do what he did in the beginning, that is, discredit God and His Word. (Genesis 3:1-5) Jesus gave to the church "some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, to work together,  "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry." Their is not one verse of scripture (other than ones taken out of context) that says that the gift/office of the apostle and prophet have faded away and are of no long any use once the early church apostles and prophets died  We do not seem to understand the harm that we have done to ourselves by eliminating these key gifts/offices for our "better ideas."

In part 2, we will continue to look at this unfortunate controversial philosophy. We will also see scripture revealing that their were more than the original twelve apostles, Matthias, and Paul that functioned as apostles in the early church. This will reveal apostolic succession not the fading away of these gifts/offices. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen