Now our See Them...Now You Still See Them

TITLE: Now our See Them...Now You Still See Them
DATE:  September 3, 2019
TEXT: Jeremiah 32:27 - ESV - Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

A few weeks ago, a prominent young Christian pastor, and songwriter, confessed he is losing his faith. He listed some of the causes... the problems which he says the church avoids addressing. Well, this week we are talking about these stumbling blocks. And today he would have us address the dearth of miracles happening today. As he says:
“How many miracles happen. Not many.”

First, miracles, which are the suspension of the normal rules of nature are always a rarity. If that were not so, then they would become the norm and lose their special quality.

But back to the Pastor’s point. Are miracles in short supply?

Well, never in my life have I had a resurrection from the dead. On the other hand I have had three of my congregation’s members receive a heart-transplant and were given years of life which would have been considered a miracle ten years earlier.

 I have never seen anyone restored instantaneously from crippling polio. On the other hand, the vaccine has almost eradicated that feared disease... and I have never seen a case of smallpox.

I have never seen anyone miraculously, and instantaneously cured of leprosy. On the other hand, I have  had one of my members healed of leprosy by a treatment of antibiotics.

The point I am trying to make is this: God, in His grace and wisdom, has entrusted science with healings that are nothing short of miraculous. That a pastor does not see “the miracles of modern medicine” for what they are, is most unfortunate.
Now, if he were here, I think my Pastor friend would say, “You are dodging an answer to my challenge.” Fair enough. From my life...

1. Sunday morning, I was going to guest preach. Came up to a traffic light... I had a green, but I slammed on my brakes. Pam started to ask, ’What are you doing?” She didn’t finish her question. She didn’t have to because a fellow ran a red light at around 70 MPH. I couldn’t have seen him and had no prior warning.
2. Shooting out on the range. Ran a couple of rounds through my Colt. Reloaded and pulled the trigger. Looked down and 2/3 of the barrel was gone; ½ the cylinder was gone. I felt around to see if I had been wounded. I hadn’t. Looked around for the pieces of the gun. None could be found. NONE... not even the smallest of pieces could be found.
3. The lady knew she had cancer. She just didn’t know how bad the cancer was. They opened her up... and then closed her up. They told her anxious husband that it was time to take her home. Medicine could do nothing The cancer was everywhere. Without much confidence in the future, the husband picked up some medicine, most of which was designed to cut his wife’s pain in her last days. To make a long story short. The pain never came. Everything they said was coming, didn’t come. And a year later she was found to be cancer free by some amazed Physicians.  

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant us the wisdom to see Your hand; to observe Your love, and to recognize the saving of our souls is the greatest of all miracles. For the seen and unseen, the observed and the unnoticed miracles accept our thanks. In Jesus’ Name, I pray Amen.

The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles. For further reading you may wish to go to this address: https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/hillsong-s-marty-sampson-i-m-genuinely-losing-my-faith.html and the article written by Michael Foust .
The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html