Post by Zac Loh on Dec 2, 2008 7:16:36 GMT -5
I find that miracles happen more often to people who only believe ...they have a simplicity in their believing ...they simply believe!
To simply believe is easier said than done. To simply believe in spite of all the factors and facts running through our heads ...is challenging indeed!
Permit me, if I may say this, that sophistication in our believing really amounts to unbelief ...we just can't simply believe ...can we?
I don't imply that we should be naive or ignorant. On the contrary, we should adopt a life-long learning process, even in the area of faith.
Sadly, tragically, that are some whose attitude in learning faith is frozen in ice age ...fossilized!
To these folks, the subject matter of faith has been reduced to historical dogmas and religious clichés.
May our faith be an everyday real thing. May we always be teachable to be able to relearn and continuously grow in faith. May we experience miracles!
Only Believe
Acts 9:23-43
Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. (Acts 9:25)
Pray for a miracle. Who does need a miracle? Nevertheless, even when the heaven bended down on the disciples, to strike down miracles, and rain down plenty of miracles; the disciples had to find a natural method of escape for Saul (later named Paul), because of an evil plot to kill Saul.
This type of thing should give us patience and longsuffering. At the end of the day, we come to accept that we are not God Himself!
It wasn't Paul's time to die. He had to go to Jerusalem to link-up with the apostles there.
“Patience and longsuffering …Lord, give me patience and longsuffering. That's what I need.”
And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. (Acts 9:29)
Again, the plot to kill Saul, but God had a plan for him to go to Caesarea and Tarsus. Not time for him to die …no time to die …because he was busy doing God’s plan.
And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. (Acts 9:34-35)
How much do we need a miracle? All who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw Peter performed a miracle by the power of God, departed from their old way of living and turned to God, and embrace our true living God as their Lord. This is how much we need a miracle!
Peter put all the weeping widows out of the upper room where Tabitha laid there, dead. It looks like …emotionalism was not going to do it. Peter had to focus. Peter lived a life in-touch with heaven. He knelt down, in the heart position of faith, and prayed. I don't know what Peter prayed. Did he speak in tongues on this occasion? I don't know.
But Peter prayed in the way that he got a response from heaven. Peter was speaking, what heaven was speaking: "Tabitha, arise."
Oh, what a word from heaven. What power!
Tabitha's spirit and soul came back from heaven, and entered her body. She recognized the voice of Peter even before she entered her natural earthly body.
She opened her eyes, and sat up. Peter pulled her up. The saints and widows got their present from God. Tabitha, the kind-hearted person who had helped them tirelessly and bountifully, came back to them …alive!
Oh, what a miracle! What joy!
People believe in the good news of Jesus Christ!
The gospel of miracles!
Now Peter had much to do, many to disciple.
Who wouldn't want to have their life story to be like Saul's? To be like Peter's? The God of miracles came down on them. What must I do?
If we only believe. Jesus said, to do His works, we must believe. He is at the right-hand side of the Father, interceding for us.
Do we want to serve in miracles? Only believe.
To simply believe is easier said than done. To simply believe in spite of all the factors and facts running through our heads ...is challenging indeed!
Permit me, if I may say this, that sophistication in our believing really amounts to unbelief ...we just can't simply believe ...can we?
I don't imply that we should be naive or ignorant. On the contrary, we should adopt a life-long learning process, even in the area of faith.
Sadly, tragically, that are some whose attitude in learning faith is frozen in ice age ...fossilized!
To these folks, the subject matter of faith has been reduced to historical dogmas and religious clichés.
May our faith be an everyday real thing. May we always be teachable to be able to relearn and continuously grow in faith. May we experience miracles!
Only Believe
Acts 9:23-43
Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. (Acts 9:25)
Pray for a miracle. Who does need a miracle? Nevertheless, even when the heaven bended down on the disciples, to strike down miracles, and rain down plenty of miracles; the disciples had to find a natural method of escape for Saul (later named Paul), because of an evil plot to kill Saul.
This type of thing should give us patience and longsuffering. At the end of the day, we come to accept that we are not God Himself!
It wasn't Paul's time to die. He had to go to Jerusalem to link-up with the apostles there.
“Patience and longsuffering …Lord, give me patience and longsuffering. That's what I need.”
And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. (Acts 9:29)
Again, the plot to kill Saul, but God had a plan for him to go to Caesarea and Tarsus. Not time for him to die …no time to die …because he was busy doing God’s plan.
And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. (Acts 9:34-35)
How much do we need a miracle? All who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw Peter performed a miracle by the power of God, departed from their old way of living and turned to God, and embrace our true living God as their Lord. This is how much we need a miracle!
Peter put all the weeping widows out of the upper room where Tabitha laid there, dead. It looks like …emotionalism was not going to do it. Peter had to focus. Peter lived a life in-touch with heaven. He knelt down, in the heart position of faith, and prayed. I don't know what Peter prayed. Did he speak in tongues on this occasion? I don't know.
But Peter prayed in the way that he got a response from heaven. Peter was speaking, what heaven was speaking: "Tabitha, arise."
Oh, what a word from heaven. What power!
Tabitha's spirit and soul came back from heaven, and entered her body. She recognized the voice of Peter even before she entered her natural earthly body.
She opened her eyes, and sat up. Peter pulled her up. The saints and widows got their present from God. Tabitha, the kind-hearted person who had helped them tirelessly and bountifully, came back to them …alive!
Oh, what a miracle! What joy!
People believe in the good news of Jesus Christ!
The gospel of miracles!
Now Peter had much to do, many to disciple.
Who wouldn't want to have their life story to be like Saul's? To be like Peter's? The God of miracles came down on them. What must I do?
If we only believe. Jesus said, to do His works, we must believe. He is at the right-hand side of the Father, interceding for us.
Do we want to serve in miracles? Only believe.