There are two
different kinds of miracles on my heart today: one is for the
world situation and the other is for Your SITUATION. Sunday, I
spoke about miracles and healings, but today I want to approach
it from a different perspective—the perspective of God’s timing.
As far as the
world situation and the war in the Middle East is concerned, I
personally want it to be over RIGHT NOW! But is that what’s
best? Is that God’s plan and timing? Or will a week or a month
make the difference in whether the war is really won and the
enemy completely vanquished. I don’t know, but God does, and
when we, the people of God humble ourselves and pray—turn from
OUR wicked ways and really intercede for that area, GOD WILL
MOVE AND HIS WILL SHALL BE DONE! Let’s pray with fervor for God
to do a great miracle in the Middle East, because terrorism is
killing people on both sides of the border. And, terrorism is
killing people in Iraq. As we pray, let’s pray that God will
appear to the people who are deceived by this fanaticism and
hatred. Remember, God turned Saul of Tarsus, who was a terrorist
going about killing Christians, into the Apostle Paul who served
the Body of Christ till his dying day.
But let’s pray
for the right timing for everything and let’s be patient and
wait for it.
GOD'S TIMING IS
NOT ALWAYS OUR TIMING, BUT IT IS ALWAYS THERIGHT
TIMING. In your own situation, you may have been waiting for
years for a miracle. You may have hoped in certain cures or
doctors and suffered great disappointment when it didn’t work.
Or you may have had partial healing yet still suffer from
sickness and pain. You may be disabled and need a recreative
miracle.
Abraham and
Sarah waited for their miracle for many years. They hoped even
when hope seemed to be foolish.
Rom 4:18-19
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the
father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So
shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he
faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was
about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
Abraham and
Sarah had 'logical' reasons to believe that they were beyond
help; that somehow they had missed the boat. He was old and she
was way beyond the time of childbearing. They could have given
up. In fact, many times they felt like giving up and even
did things that appeared like disbelief. But. in their
hearts there was faith, and God honored that faith.
This is what
God said about Abraham, even though he'd had times of doubt, God
applauded his faith.
Rom 4:20 But
Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust
grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even
before it happened. He was completely sure that God was well
able to do anything he promised.
You may have
times of doubt and you might feel guilty and undeserving because
of those thoughts. God understands. He considers our human
'frailties' and He looks beyond our doubts---at our faith. He
did it for Abraham and Sarah and He does it for us.
We tend to give
God deadlines and limits, but they are not HIS deadlines---not
HIS limits. They are ours. He goes way beyond the natural and
when we have given up, God hasn't.
Look at Mary
and Martha. Their brother, Lazarus, a great friend of Jesus got
sick. They sent word to Jesus and expected Him to come right
away, but He didn't. Lazarus died and humanly speaking, that
should have been the end---but it wasn't. Jesus got there
three days after Lazarus was buried.
John 11:21-22
Martha said to Jesus, "Sir, if you had been here, my brother
wouldn't have died. And even now it's not too late, for I know
that God will bring my brother back to life again, if you will
only ask him.
Mary and Martha
were disappointed in Jesus
Jesus had told
His disciples that God would get great glory out of this
situation. He'd said:
John 11:4
"The purpose of his illness is not death, but for the glory of
God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this situation."
Lazarus seemed
beyond hope. Abraham and Sarah seemed beyond hope. But with God,
all things are possible. He'd made a promise to Abraham and
Sarah that they would have a child, and He'd told His disciples
that Lazarus would have a miracle.
In both cases,
God showed up when human hope was gone. Lazarus was raised from
the dead in front of many witnesses who got to see the awesome
power of God. Abraham and Sarah had their child when Sarah's
womb was already dead.
GOD BRINGS LIFE
FROM THE DEAD. HE HAS NO LIMITS.
Maybe God has
given you a promise. Maybe you've been expecting an answer, but
now it seems almost hopeless. He didn't show up while your faith
was still operating and now it's seemingly past time.
GUESS WHAT--YOU
ARE BEING SET UP FOR A MIRACLE!As long as you are moving
in your time, it will happen. It doesn't matter what the devil
has told you about the situation; you are going to get what
God told you would happen, no matter what the circumstances from
day to day!
NEVER GIVE UP
ON YOUR WORD. Your dream will come true---wait for it.
John 11:40
Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you
would see the glory of God?"
John 11:43-45 Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And Lazarus
came--bound up in the gravecloth, his face muffled in a head
swath. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!" And so at
last many of the Jewish leaders who were with Mary and saw it
happen, finally believed on him.
And
while we’re waiting for our miracles, lets continue to be in prayer for
our world situation and one other thing. I’d like to ask you to pray for
the prisoners we minister to at hopeontheinside.org. You know, the same
scripture that tell us to visit the sick tells us to visit those in
prison: I’m going to put the scripture here for you to read but only
speak a part of it. God is concerned about prisoners. We are
corresponding with several inmates and let me tell you, their situation
is more difficult than you could ever imagine. They need our prayers.
35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I
was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you
[b]brought
Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,
36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick
and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison
and you came to see Me.
When we care
for them—Jesus says we are caring for HIM.
40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I
tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the
estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.
31 When the
Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the
holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All nations will be gathered before Him, and
He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd
separates his sheep from the goats; 33And He
will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His
left.
34 Then the King will say to those at His
right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and
appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I
was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you
[b]brought
Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,
36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick
and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and
you came to see Me.
37 Then the just and upright will answer
Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and
gave You something to drink? 38 And when did
we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and
clothed You? 39And when did we see You sick or
in prison and came to visit You?
40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I
tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the
estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.
