I have heard a few doctors say that miracles still happen today. Case in point, a young boy, John Smith, was playing on a frozen lake on Lake St. Louis, MO. John fell through the ice and was under the ice for 15 minutes. He was not breathing for another 45 minutes. He was termed as dead by the doctors who worked on him. His mother, a devout woman, demanded to be allowed to pray for him. He recovered after she prayed to Jesus for his recovery. A witness to the event, Dr. Nancy Bauer pronounced him dead after EMT and the hospital worked on him for a total of 45 min. She said later it gave her goosebumps to see him breathe after the mother prayed. The event happened at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. A movie was made about this event but it was quickly squelched. The young boy woke up the next day fully alert and was about to recount the event. Jesus still does miracles today. The greatest miracle of all is the forgiveness that calling upon the name of Jesus for salvation, because if we mean it, we are forgiven and we are cleansed and forgiven of all our sins. You can find this event on your cell phone...
I'm not going to tell you that everyone who prays will receive a miracle for traumatic events that occur in today's world, but it is possible and what do you have to lose by praying and asking. I had one occur for me. After graduating from seminary, my family and I went to Idaho to visit a friend I was very close to in bible college. I was to preach in his church that weekend. I took a day job riding a logging truck down a mountain. One of the chains wasn't as secure as it should have been. I was behind the cab of the truck keeping an eye on the load. Some logs came forward crushing my legs. All I could do was call upon the name of Jesus to stop the terrible pain as there was no doctor nearby. After securing the load we went down the mountain in the cab of my friend's truck. My friend and I prayed even though I was in terrible pain. A miracle did occur because the pain lessened and within a couple of hours I was able to walk again and even though bruised and cut my legs healed before that Sunday I was to preach. It was a miracle only Jesus could have done. Now for today's lesson:
The healing at the pool of Bethesda was unusual, in that Jesus Himself asked the man, "do you want to be healed?" - whereas normally He was approached by others who asked for healing.
In an act of grace, Jesus chose to engage with this man on a Sabbath day, despite his being infirm for 38 years. But like all the signs and miracles recorded in his Gospel, John's purpose in writing was to prove that Jesus was the Christ, and that by believing on HIM we might have life everlasting.
It was during His second year of ministry that this healing took place. Hatred for Christ was beginning to ferment and His Messianic claims were beginning to infuriate the religious leaders. But Christ continued to emphasize... in His actions and attitude, that He was Lord of the Sabbath with divine power to both heal the body and forgive sins.
The authority Christ demonstrated on this Sabbath-day healing, showed a godly concern and compassion for the well-being of mankind and a disdain for petty Jewish rules, rituals, and regulations, which dishonored God and enslaved an entire nation.
Although the healed man picked up his bed and carried it home, as instructed, he did not know who Jesus was and seemed indifferent to the gracious healing he had just received.
Perhaps he was satisfied with his physical bondage, or maybe was irritated when he was rebuked by the religious leaders for carrying his bedding on the Sabbath. This poor man was not only physically helpless and enslaved by his paralysis, but he also appeared to be blinded to the good news of the gospel of Christ and the spiritual salvation he had been offered.
And so, when challenged by the authorities for breaking the Sabbath day rule, he did not withstand their rebukes by glorifying God for his miraculous release from sin and supernatural healing - he simply answered that he had no clue who Jesus was... and informed the Jewish leaders that he was not the one who should be held responsible for breaking the Sabbath Law - it was the responsibility of the Man who said to him, "Pick up your pallet and walk!!"
There are many such people in the world today, who, like this paralyzed man, enjoy a close encounter with Christ... but fail to recognize Who He is... or refuse to engage in His offer of salvation. As we journey through life, may we never miss out on any close encounters that we may have with Christ. May we recognize His supernatural touch in so many of the natural things that take place in our lives - and may we always be ready to give Him thanks and praise in everything - for this is God's will for us.
My Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the many lessons we can learn from the Word of Truth. I pray that as I journey through life, I may not miss any precious encounters with Christ along the way. Help me to do all things to Your praise and glory, and in everything give thanks. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.
Knowing Jesus Is The Beginning of Wisdom!
See you next blog,
Ted
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