Faith and Miracles

By Benjamin H. Liles

          "Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe, for she said to herself, 'If I can just touch His robe, I'll be made well!'" (Matthew 9:20-21, Holman Christian Standard). I have to say I am confounded by ministers who claim healing and miracles have no place in society today. I won't even begin to mention the names of those who say this. But I can tell you this much, people never get healed the way in which they expect the Lord Jesus Christ would actually do it. Stick with me on this and you'll see my point.

           He had been a blind a long time. Who knows for how long either. All I know is the day his people brought him to Jesus. Now, I'll admit, I am embellishing this part of the gospel a bit, but I won't detract what happens. "(Jesus Christ) came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town...He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him..." (Mark 8:22-23, New King James). Now, don't get me wrong, I don't always wash my hands before a meal, but spitting on someone's eyes and then touching those same eyes? That's disgusting! And there's more, too!
          "Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. then He (Jesus Christ) sent him away to his house, saying--to him, 'Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town'" (Mark 8:25-26). So, Christ not only put His spit and His hands on the man's eyes, but He puts His hands on the man's eyes...again! Wow, this boggles the mind! Is Christ nuts, or is there more to this?

         Since I am giving this the utmost treatment and respect this story deserves, even though it sounds disgusting even to us in the modern age, back then medicine wasn't what we'd consider kosher these days. Okay, Jesus Christ was unorthodox in His approach of the blind man. But no one else was attempting to help him restore or even regain his sight. Let's read that part once more: "And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands n him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, 'I see men like trees, walking.' Then He put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly'" (Mark 8:23b-25). Jesus Christ gave this man his sight back, fully restored.
          In this day and age a lot of people wonder, "Is the Bible still relevant? Are the stories within the pages of it true?" I contend that yes the stories within the whole of the Bible are 100% true. Now, why would I go and say such a thing like that when i wasn't ever there to witness anything of it? Let's take this gentleman at his word, for he says: "For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers" (Galatians 1:13-14, Berean Study).
          For anyone who has read Acts 8 and how Saul of Tarsus hunted down and martyred those who followed Christ can understand he is telling these people in Galatia how he once was. This man wasn't even an original disciple of Christ. Think on that a moment! Plus, the original disciples had already inquired of the Lord who was to replace Judas Iscariot: "And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:26, New American Standard). Eleven plus one comes to twelve. So Paul wasn't exactly part of the disciples who followed Christ: EVER! And yet miracles and healings took place because Paul was anointed by God through the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ so the gospel could be carried westward to Rome and beyond. Most of the disciples either stayed around and near the Mid-East. I don't know of any real record of what happened to Thomas, the one disciple of Jesus who doubted. But it's been said he went to India where he was martyred for his faith.

         Here's what I'm getting at and I'm getting close to wrapping this up as well: miracles and healing still happen, every day. There are reports from around the world of people coming to saving faith that Jesus Christ is real and has risen indeed! This has been going on for almost exactly two thousand years. Come the years 2030-33 marks when Jesus Christ was crucified, died and was buried to be risen again by the same God who told His prophets of old He would send One who would come, be despised, would bear our sins and burdens.
          And why? Because He somehow hated us so much He could care less? This doesn't sound like the same God to me who chastised His people Israel time and time again in the Old Testament. Or is God the same as He always was and we are so blind to see it? Maybe God is a God of love, grace and mercy, and it is us who turn a "blind" eye to Him. Ever think of that? I think we're perhaps the most stubborn, proud, pigheaded people who He ever created and we're the ones who are off being independent of Him.
          As I close this out I'm not writing this to make anyone feel bad for not giving Christianity a try. If you honestly look for those of us who wake up crying over you who are lost and praying for your very soul you'll see a remarkable Church that has stood the test of time. Christ said this of the Church: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18, Holman Christian Standard) and again: "I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades" (Revelation 1:18, Berean Study).
          If there was no such thing as healing and miracles in this day and age, I want to offer this small story to you all and tell me if the Bible, faith, miracles and healing go hand in hand -- "A former Satanist leader has abandoned the Luciferian church he helped start...'(W)e were once covered in darkness and bound to each other in Luciferian covenant. We were mired in the shadows of the adversarial influence and knew no love outside of each other. Today i rebuke, denounce and break the satanic covenant by the blood of Jesus'" (Faithwire - Former Satanist Leader Abandons 'Luciferianism', Accepts Jesus -- Getting Baptized).

           Friend, today you read these words, you wonder is it really that simple? Yes, it is. But at the same time what makes it hard in coming to Jesus is giving up that one side of you that believes it's too good to be true! You see the truth of the gospel of Christ. But in your heart you think somehow you aren't worth Christ's redemptive love. Guess what? I've been walking with Jesus for nine years and I still have to crucify myself -- daily -- to follow hard after Jesus. Here's the thing: you can sit and read the Bible all day long, but unless you read and hear the Bible being read you won't ever accept what's being said. We read in the word, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17, New King James). All it takes is to submit to God, rebuke the enemy for the lies he's told you over and over, accepting God's work in and through Christ Jesus who died in place for your sins. His blood cancels out the blood debt you owe. His death cancels out God's wrath that is on you. See it. Understand it. Be liberated from sin and death and experience new life in Jesus Christ as He freely gives it.

          I want to part with these words, written by a man who lived around one hundred thirty years ago: "Lost! Lost! Lost! Better a whole world on fire than a soul lost! Better every star quenched and the skies a wreck than a single soul lost!" (Charles Haddon Spurgeon). I know I can give rather long letters on here, but if I kept it simple enough by not making everything so long I feel I'm not saying much. Granted I've always been told, "Men don't have to speak long or loud to make their point. Better a man get to the point than sound like a shrill brass trumpet blast." With that said, I do what I do because I would much rather get one person to say, "Hey, that touched me and I needed to hear that," than be so short everyone says, "That was it! What's the punchline?" I want you to get it, to be found, and to come to the knowledge that Jesus Christ saves and we have life in Him. I pray this finds you well in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

-- Author's note: I want to apologize for the whole length of this. I'm trying. Work with me and I'll do my best to cut these down in length. I'd rather show things as they are. So, please, forgive me. Thank you.