Frivolous Miracles

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Frivolous miracles? When I woke up this morning this thought came to me, does God do miracles that have no purpose? All of the miracles in the Word and especially those of Jesus had a purpose. The sick were healed. The dead were raised. Prophecies were fulfilled. There was always a purpose.

So, what purpose does gold dust, angel feathers, oil dripping fingers, etc. serve except to draw a crowd? God is not a showman. When the Pharisees demanded a miracle or sign they did not get one though Jesus had done many. Herod wanted a miracle and got none though Jesus could have had him clucking like a chicken or levitated his throne spinning it with Herod in it. When the people only followed Jesus for the miracle bread He broke out some deep preaching and they left Him.

Jesus never performed frivolous miracles just to keep a crowd. He could have kept a shock and awe ministry going forever, but that would have had no real purpose since many who saw His miracles never really believed He was the Christ. The miracles were part of validating His claim to deity and being the Messiah.

You will not find anything we are seeing today anywhere in Scripture. No contorting of bodies, clucking like chickens or barking like dogs. Nothing where people are out of control after they are saved or when they were filled with the Holy Ghost. The demoniac was put in his right might after years of self-torture and uncontrolled behavior. The child who was thrown into the fire or water was healed and that stopped.

Indeed, people had courage to stand before their persecutors and preach the Word with boldness enduring pain and imprisonment when Spirit filled. Paul said that the spirit of the prophet was subject to the prophet so there was to be no out of control activity in the church.

Beware and avoid groups who have a myriad of frivolous "miracles" and members of the congregations seem wild and out of control engaging in weird behaviors that do not edify and cause people to think they are crazy. That is not God working. Maranatha!