In Luke 18 a blind beggar cries out to Jesus for mercy. “When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (verses 40-41) In response, the man asks for his sight—and gets it! He believed in who Jesus was, and trusted in his power to do something big. … Continue reading What do you want me to do for you?
miracles
“Ordinary” miracles
It's probably clear that I believe in miracles. In Matthew 19:26 Jesus says, “with God all things are possible.” And I fully affirm that God can and does do mind-bending things. But God doesn’t just work in dramatic ways—he works in “ordinary” ways too. The reason I put “ordinary” in quotes is because what we … Continue reading “Ordinary” miracles
When you feel like God isn’t there
It’s easy to think that if you don’t see God dramatically intervening in your life that he isn’t there. If you’ve ever had those kinds of thoughts, you’re not alone. Listen to these famous voices from the Bible itself: -Gideon: “If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13) … Continue reading When you feel like God isn’t there
God sometimes uses miracles, but he often uses this
Have you ever prayed for a miracle and it didn’t happen? Have you ever wondered why God didn’t act? Have you ever been told that you just didn’t believe enough? In these moments we can feel very alone or angry or disillusioned—as if God’s apparent silence meant (or means) that he doesn’t care… or maybe … Continue reading God sometimes uses miracles, but he often uses this
Can you trick God into a miracle?
Lately I’ve been thinking about miracles. As a part of that, I’ve been looking for patterns in the New Testament stories—particularly the ones about healing. Yesterday I talked about (a) how desperate many of the people were who came to Jesus, and (b) how convinced they were that he could actually help. [You can read … Continue reading Can you trick God into a miracle?
The more prosperous and educated we are
When you read through the New Testament healing stories, you start to see some patterns. One is that the people who come to Jesus for help are desperate. Another is that they are convinced he can actually do something about their situation. For example, in Matthew 9:18 a respectable synagogue leader kneels before Jesus in … Continue reading The more prosperous and educated we are
Are miracles anti-science?
At the church I pastor, I’m teaching a series about miracles. And one of the things I sometimes hear is this: “I don’t believe in miracles because science doesn’t allow them.” Makes sense, right? Wrong. According to Michael Ruse, a respected philosopher of science, science “deals only with the natural, the repeatable, that which is … Continue reading Are miracles anti-science?
Do miracles still happen?
Miracles are everywhere in the Bible: The world is created out of nothing, water is turned into wine, and dead people come back to life. But there’s a lot of skepticism, and I get that. David Friedrich Strauss once speculated that Jesus must have been walking close to shore so it only appeared like he … Continue reading Do miracles still happen?
“Mama, Jesus catched me”
The Drew family got into their car and headed down the street to a neighbour’s pool. Noah was only two years old. He somehow got loose, opened his door while the car was moving, and fell out. The car ran over his tiny legs. They rushed him to the hospital where his parents later learned … Continue reading “Mama, Jesus catched me”
What do you pray for in a situation like that?
Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…" (NIV) Today's Thought Zeb Mengistu is a pastor in Ethiopia who tells about one of their church’s documented healings. During one of his church’s healing services a boy came forward with no fingers. What do you pray … Continue reading What do you pray for in a situation like that?
