Faith and Miracles

Matthew 13.58 "And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith."

Huh!?! Jesus' (God' son) ability to do miracles depended upon people having the faith that miracles were possible? What's up with that?

Is it that different today in our spiffy, ultra modern world? We have churches that the Holy Spirit is moving in and churches where they got nuthin'. Although the theology in many churches is sound, reasonable and rational, there is no movement of the Spirit there, no miracles, no prophecy, no healing...but they got theological correctness. Wasn't it the same back in Jesus' time?

You had the Pharisees in one corner and Jesus in the other. Pharisees were the star students in the law but didn't score so well on freedom, love and joy. The law interfered with their ability to see Jesus as the Messiah...they had faith in their religious beliefs but no faith in Jesus. Who had the faith? Those who were desperate for healing and had no other options. Who got the miracles? The ones who needed the miracles and believed that Jesus could do it. Perhaps that is why so many stories of miracles come out of Africa, South America and India today...they got nuthin' else but hope in a resurrected Messiah. Can we say that? Is it possible that cold, rational theology has missed the point of Jesus? Perhaps we have lost our desperation and have settled for rationalization instead of demonstration.

This post is for all the rational theological sceptics out there. Your faith may be keeping you from seeing Jesus, I know that was true for me. If you are not experiencing the active working of the Spirit, then perhaps it is your belief system that blocks it. There are people out there that are experiencing so much more because they believe it will happen (not can happen). There is a huge difference in faith in those two. It seems that scripture would agree that one must have the faith before the evidence of miracles can happen.

Despite faith, God still gets to be God and still does what He wants. I know some faithful brothers who have prayed and prayed for healing but it hasn't happened. God is still God. He doesn't give us everything we ask for because He can see the bigger picture. But we still can keep on asking in faith, hoping the Lord will use circumstances for His glory.

Father, in the name of Jesus, show us the way of trusting you. Give us faith so we can see you working around us. Help our unbelief so we can serve you. We bind every religious thought, in the name of Jesus, and rebuke the dark forces that skew your Word. Give us childlike eyes so we can see your glory. Jesus is Lord!

What do you think?