Miracles
Pt. 1 - Messy Miracles
I. Introduction
A drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small
community of farmers was in a quandary as to what to do. Rain was important to keep their crops healthy and sustain the towns people's way of life. As the problem became desperate, a local pastor called a prayer meeting to ask for rain. Many people arrived at the church to pray for the needed rain. The pastor greeted most of them as they filed in. As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting, he noticed most people were chatting across the aisles and socializing with friends.
When he reached the front, his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and starting the meeting. When he finally got everyone's attention, he abruptly dismissed the service. The farmers protested loudly until finally the preacher stated, "You said you were here to pray for rain, but not one of you brought an umbrella."
Let the implications of that story sink in as I bring Psalm 77:14 to your attention!
Text: Psalm 77:14
“You are the God who does (NIV performs) miracles; you have shown people your power.”
Our text only emphasizes what we find as we read Old to New Testament. We are confronted with the reality of miracles. Every page seems to be filled with supernatural interventions in daily life. Instance after instance where God shows people His power! Where He verifies and validates His own Son on earth through signs and wonders. And now our songs seem to constantly either assert or request a miracle. So, in the book we pattern our life and belief system on and in the songs by which we express our worship, need and feelings we are clear on miracles. Yet, it seems to me that miracles get messy when it comes down to our own situation or circumstance. Often, we gather and it seems like we gather to inform Jesus, but not to involve Him!
I want us to learn to involve Him! In order to do that . . .
1. You need to believe in miracles before you need one.
Waiting to believe in miracles until you need a miracle is like trying to put a roof on your house while it is raining. It doesn't work very well! You are late if you don't believe. You may say I can do life all by myself. Good luck. Those of us who have lived long enough know we need divine intervention. You better learn before you lose!
Too many of us want to be skeptical of miracles until we are in desperate need of one of our own. I remind you it was religious people in Jesus' day that were skeptical of miracles. The Sadducees were known for their skepticism of miracles. Skepticism has crept in and we have become modern day Sadducees. We have become skeptical and suspicious until ... we need a miracle. We better figure out that we believe in miracles before we need one!
You better be convinced! You walk differently when you have already been convinced. You will not question God's provision or power if you are convinced. You won't doubt if you are convinced. You won't back down from the giant if you are convinced. You will approach the situation differently if you are convinced. It is time to believe the proof that has already been provided! In my family I have proof - Tal seizure, heart attack. Do you have proof that you have forgotten? Overlooked? Recategorized? You need to pick the proof back up and believe for miracles before you need a miracle.
2. We need to quit mislabeling miracles.
I think we often conclude that Bible days must have been different than our days because there seems to be miracles on every page. May I submit that perhaps the issue is that we have become so skeptical/rationally minded/suspicious and dismissive that we are daily observing miracles that we simply mislabel? Maybe we mishandle because we mislabel. Just because it didn't look like the parting of the Red Sea. Just because it wasn't as dramatic as multiplying of loaves and fish. Just because it wasn't as show stopping as turning water into wine. Just because it wasn't jaw dropping as raising a dead man from a grave doesn't mean that what is happening in your life isn't a miracle. Still married? That is a miracle. Still sane? That is a miracle. Still healthy? That is a miracle. Still afloat. still alive, still smiling? Miracles!
It isn't luck. It wasn't some coincidence. Too many of us are mislabeling miracles so we miss the miracle. Here is a great example . . . not infected. We mislabel . . . because of staying home. No that's a miracle. You don't know who touched your mail, touched the pump before you got gas, took your card when you paid. MIRACLE!
If we would learn to perceive correctly, then this would cause us to label correctly. The planets didn't line up. Your ship didn't come in. You didn't just get dealt the right cards. God showed up. The divine interrupted the natural and ordered your steps and the steps of others. He shifted and thwarted the plans of the enemy. He turned some things around and turned some things aside. Miracles happen every day and we miss them simply because our own skepticism causes us to mislabel.
When we mislabel, we misappropriate praise!
We want to praise social distancing. We want to praise our employer. We want to praise our physician. We want to praise our counselor. Listen, if we will get the label right, we will get the praise right. All praise. All thanks. All appreciation. All honor. All credit belongs to the God who performs miracles. Some of you need to go back and reappropriate the praise. You may need to go back and talk to your boss, your doctor, your friend. Hey, I appreciate all you did but I'm sorry I think I gave you too much credit. Every good and perfect gift comes from heaven above. I misappropriated praise and I need to reallocate God's portion to Him.
Is there anyone that would like to take a 10 second break and reallocate some praise just to make sure we give credit to whom credit is due?
3. Miracles are manifested in the messy areas of life.
I want you to quickly think through the landscape of the Bible. See people running for their lives from a mad man Pharaoh in Exodus. See those same people in the desert dying of thirst or starving. See a small boy on the battlefield out sized and over matched. In the ministry of Jesus, it was in the middle of funeral procession. Recall the people who had been sick for 12, 18 years or from birth. Remember the hungry crowd who had traveled to hear a preacher only to discover that there wasn't enough food to go around. Feel the flush of the cheek for the wedding host, embarrassed due to lack of wine at a wedding party. What took place after all these things? Miracles. Perfection isn’t the platform for miracles. Problems are. You don’t need a miracle unless you are in crisis, trouble or a pickle. The impossible is the arena of a miracles. Miracles show up when things are messy. If things are messy, then take courage you qualify for a miracle. A lot of us want miracles but we don’t want to be in or go thru anything that would require a miracle. In fact, we fight our way out of the very situation that was the platform on which a miracle was going to be presented! If we can’t get out of it, then we allow the circumstance to make us so bitter or angry that we are no longer positioned to receive a miracle. One of the prerequisites for a miracle is failure. There is no need for a miracle when there is no problem. There is no need for a miracle if you have a problem YOU can fix. Some of us don't receive a miracle simply because we don't think we need one. We are convinced we can do this by ourselves. We have got to get to the place in our messy areas where we come to grips with the fact that I can't get in the water by myself. I don't know where we are going to replenish the wine for the wedding celebration. I can't suffer at the hands of another doctor but if I can touch Him. Whatever He says do it. When we come to the end of ourselves, we are positioned for His power to be displayed!
Some miracles are messy. Some marriages aren't beautiful until you live through the ugly. Some businesses fail before the succeed. Some dreams die before the thrive. But if you give up in the mess you won't see the miracle. Every miracle was birthed in a messy season and situation first. Some of us are tired of the mess - hold on. Some of us are weary in waiting- keep waiting. Miracles are being prepared in your mess! Some of us are angry about the very thing that is preparing us for provision. Some of us are bitter about what is our doorway to being blessed.
Don't get mad at the mess. Don't worry about the wait. You are one second, one minute, one day, one week, one year closer to your miracle!
Let's do more than just ask for miracles. Let's show up expecting miracles to take place!
