3. God Can Do What He Says He Can Do

11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.

13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?

14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.

Psalm 77: 11-14

Does God Do Miracles Today?

Two extreme, opposing schools of thought exist today in church circles. One saying that God does not do miracles in modern times. The other is focused on miracles alone. The former seems to be lacking in faith enough to believe that "everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23) This stance cuts off all hope.

The later believes that God is only as good as His miracles. Putting what He does above who He is. The whole point of belief is miracles. Check out Luke 9:41 and Matthew 12:39 to see which group the Lord calls wicked and adulterous and which He calls unbelieving and perverse. It would seem neither extreme is true.

While it is true that we do not witness the number and kind of obvious signs and wonders that those in Biblical times did - both old and new testament, God certainly performs miracles today. Ask any cancer patient who was diagnosed with certain, imminent death, only to be healed in some mysterious way unexplained by their physicians.

Most of us, unfortunately, are caught in circular thinking about miracles: because we have seen little, we believe little and because we believe little, we see little. This position paralyzes us in unbelief... and thus restricts our hope. Not a good place to be. We tend to believe our own eyes and ears over God's Word!

6 . . . And he will be called Wonderful . . . Isaiah 9:6

God is pleased when we ask Him for miracles. That shows a certain level of belief. With enough faith, we can ask God to fulfill for us any promise in the whole Bible and expect it to recieve it! God, of course, makes sovereign decisions about what kind of miracles He supplies according to His own priorities for the furthering of His kingdom. However, the lack of supernatural intevention could be due to our own level of unbelief. We are challanged to believe God's word over what we have seen.

   2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
   3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
   4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
   5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

                              Psalm 103:2-5

If God Still Does Miracles, Why All This Suffering?

Sad to say, ours is a fallen world and for that reason, no one escapes suffering. Christ certainly suffered when He was with us. Just as God did in the case of Christ's death, He uses these things for a greater good for all. God seems to sometimes opt to forgo a miracle in our circumstances in order to perform a miracle in our hearts and minds. What He wants to do WITH us can take priority over what he wants to do AROUND us. God is helping prepare the Bride of Christ so that we will be pure when Christ returns for us. (Rev 19:7)

Personally, I like where this leaves us. We may pray our hearts out for a miracle and if it is for the greatest good, God will grant it. If not, at least we can count on God to eventually have a greater miracle for us - whether in this world or in eternity. The bottom line is we can trust God.

Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? John 11:40