Miracles

What exactly is a “miracle”? Webster’s says that a miracle is, “a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.” This week we are going to check our Bible out as to what it says about miracles, the surprising unexplainable events done by God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Let us look…

Monday

“For I know that the Lord is great; our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” – Psalms 135:5-6

Sisters and Brothers, I am going to risk you turning me off this week by starting here. Have you ever wondered where your “miracle” is? Have you ever thought God is playing 3-Card Monte with your “miracle”, you know what it looks like, you know where it is, but when it is time for that miracle to be applied to your life, it has been moved, hidden from you?

My bad. It’s just me.

I want to start with this scripture to remind us that our Lord, “is great, and is above all gods”. And that our Lord does “whatever He pleases”. That may be heard to read, to hear, to accept. But, if we take a step back, there is some joy here.

1st, the scripture does not say that God is displeased with us. We our miracles don’t show up, we take it personally, like God does not love (or like) us. Nope. Once God starts loving us, God does not stop. Regardless of what is happening, trust and believe that God LOVES YOU!

2nd. Let us not assign the evil done to us by humans to God. God gave everyone “free will”. People choose how they treat us… don’t blame God for what others do.

3rd. Based on the definition, what is not “a miracle”? How many “surprising and welcomed events” happen to us every day… that we take for granted? Perhaps we should shift how we recognize miracles before we say what miracle God has not granted us.

Finally, God’s greatness is big enough to handle our disappointment, our hurt feelings. God’s Love does not promise that the undesirable won’t happen; God’s Love is to hear us, be with us, strengthen, and get us through when the undesirable does happen.

You. Me. We are all living miracles, Loved by God, who gave us His Son. No matter what happens, we are going to be all good because its All God.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

Rev. Damon

www.faithfirst.me

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Tuesday

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”- John 20:30-31

What is the purpose of “miracles”? Humans often reduce the grace of Jesus, the power of God, the presence of the Holy Spirit to the immediate. “Jesus, if you do this for me right now…..”. “God, I swear, if…, then…”. We all have been there. We all have said it or something like that.

However, this scripture from John wants to shift our perspective on the Miracles done by our Lord and Savior.

Jesus performs miracles not to give us “stuff”, but to lead us to God. Can you imagine a humility so strong that even in doing miracles, Jesus was like, “nope, don’t even give me credit, don’t even thank me, thank GOD! Thank my Father who makes it possible for me to do these things.”

Miracles by Jesus served two purposes, yes, to respond to an immediate need of the people. But, more importantly, to teach and prove that God is with the people who believe, who have Faith! How many times did Jesus say, “It is your FAITH that has healed you”?

Miracles. They do require the “doing” by our triune God. They also require our FAITH! We must believe that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God”.

It may get crazy, Believe! It may get dark, Believe! It may not make any sense, BELIEVE!

Believe, because there are things God has done, is doing, and will do, “that are not written” in your book of life.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

Rev. Damon

www.faithfirst.me

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Wednesday

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul” – Acts 19:11

First, let me say that it is a miracle that this Alpha-man would use a scripture address such as 1911… just saying. Now, to today’s word.

So far this week, we have defined what miracles are and have been encouraged to rethink our understanding of miracles. Today we are going to think about who can perform miracles.

“Through Paul”. Paul, who began his life as Saul (if you don’t know, read Acts), Paul is doing “extraordinary miracles”. (Insert shout here).

Paul, who began his life as one of the evilest characters in the Bible, is now being used by God to do “extraordinary miracles”.

We all have had many teachers, teachers in school, the Mothers of the Church, our peer group, traditions, the block club of gents who stood guard on blocks, entertainment, media, we all have had (and still have) many teachers.

What if the miracle we have been asking for comes delivered in a person we have been taught to give the “side-eye”? Would the miracle we seek, walk right on by because we told our Faith what our miracle better looks like?

Flip side, have we allowed our lives to be so transformed that we too can do “extraordinary miracles”? We can’t be transformed on “Halsted”, King Drive, Sibley, South Shore Drive, I-90/94, etc.… or have we been taught that only on a road called Damascus?

We all have been taught. We have been taught that images and packages matter… about those who can do extraordinary miracles for us, and who can do extraordinary miracles for others.

Who do we allow to teach us?

While on the subject of teachers, my professors would want me to put a pause and look at the resulting translation, as I do with you now. In our common syntax, we say “preform” miracles. Scripture says, “do”, extraordinary miracles.

“Perform” vs “Do”.

I am going to let that sit you.

Be Blessed, Beloved.

Rev. Damon

www.faithfirst.me

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Thursday

“who does great things beyond understanding, and marvelous things without number.” – Job 9:10

Yeah. Yeah. I know I’m late. Honestly, today was rearranged by a miracle. And when God gives, I had to readjust accordingly. My apologies.

In today’s message about miracles, I give us one of the most unique characters from the Bible, Job. There are a lot of places I could go, but I am going to stop us here, chapter 9 verse 10.

Do you see our lesson? It’s right there. And I just gave you two clues.

Here we go… “who does great things beyond understanding, and marvelous things without number.”

“Who” a the beginning of a sentence denotes a question. A question is a sentence that is indicating there is a request for an answer. Was there a question mark at the end of the verse? Nope. There was a “period”.

The verse is part of a longer monologue full of rhetorical questions.

(Side Note - have ya’ll peeped that for a Holy Book, there was a lot slick talk going on?)

Job, going through EVERYTHING that he went through is being really “smart” at the mouth right here. Job is telling his friends that no matter what he is going through, a MIRACLE is already coming because I (Job) have no reason to doubt the one “who does great things beyond understanding and marvelous things without measure”.

Job knows that God is working in ways he cannot fathom and will do so in so many ways that he won’t be able to keep count.

That’s what a miracle is. That is what God does… for each of us. Let us not look at what we are going through, but where we are going… and the one who will welcome us into that marvelous light!

Periodt!

Be Blessed, Beloved.

Rev. Damon

www.faithfirst.me

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Friday

“The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

It’s Friday. Usually the beginning of various social activities. And in these pandemic times, leading up to election day, all of us are looking for relief. Some may say, we are looking for a “miracle”.

I am giving us this scripture to remind us of something. I believe Granny said it best, “everything that’s good to ya, ain’t good for ya.”

At its core, a “miracle” is a tool. A tool used to demonstrate God’s Love and Jesus’ attentiveness to our needs. It is a tool that substantiates our faith… “It is your faith…”.

Miracles can also come from that other party. That one who will give us what we want, in a perectly wrapped package, but full of darkness and destruction and then the next thing you know, the soul starts feeling the flame of deception.

Let us not be deceived, let us not accept the first “feel good” just because it looks like it answers a prayer. Let us discern from where our help comes.

And remember what scripture says, “who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

Discern. So that we get the God-Given Miracles… not just the ones that “feel good”.

Rev. Damon

www.faithfirst.me

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Saturday

“He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen. “ Deuteronomy 10:21

Be Blessed, Beloved.

Rev. Damon