Weekly Thoughts

5/5/07 – Seeking a Miracle?

Hi all,

I'd like to share some thoughts I've been thinking off and on for years but rarely said anything about, maybe because it may be a sensitive issue for some, so please take these words as a critique in the big scheme of things, not personal. It's just a call for balance. 

Here's what I've been thinking on and I'll say it like this:

Miracles are not for our entertainment.

I'm not talking about those of us needing a miracle right now - myself included - rather I'm talking about the segment of Christianity that runs to and fro looking for miracles, signs, and wonders; including and especially those hoping to see things like gold dust, gold fillings, or feathers in meetings - who think that is the height of God's power and manifest glory.

Luke 23:8:

"When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions but Jesus gave him no answer."

Herod didn't understand the Person of Jesus Christ nor the true nature of what was happening before his very eyes, and I submit that those who put such a high priority on seeking gold dust, gold fillings, feathers, and the like are in the same boat as Herod - they don't understand the Person of Jesus Christ and have lost sight of the larger picture of what God is doing.

Don't get me wrong - I know God has filled teeth with gold fillings, even here in Tulsa. The first reports of gold teeth filled en masse came from the Argentinean revival years ago - a much needed miracle in that region as access to dental care is sparse in many parts of the world.

I know people who have seen gold dust appear in meetings - and I also know people who have been healed of various diseases and injuries in meetings, for all of which I give God praise and glory.

(I have also seen video of a well known lady pulling feathers out of her sleeve while praying for people, and those whose "gold dust" was nothing more than the gold edging on their Bible rubbing off on their hands.)

But I'm talking about people who are pursuing the miracle rather than the giver of miracles; the ones who want to 'set the stage' in worship or in prayer in the fervent hope God will fill a tooth or cause gold dust to come on hands (so the people could see), instead of hungering for His presence and His righteousness alone.

When Bartimeaus stopped Jesus in his tracks, he called him "Son of David", which is a term for the Messiah - he sought Jesus first, and then asked for healing.

The woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5 had heard of Jesus and said "If I but touch the hem of his garment I shall be healed." - she sought to touch Jesus first, and then she was touched.

You have to go through Jesus to receive your miracle, and it's wrong and out of balance to seek the miracle or place that desire first in your heart.

This is a matter of the heart, in fact it's such a simple thing, all it takes is just a revelation and a decision to change the focus of attention. 

If we've truly been in the presence of God can't we say; "It is enough! Anything else will not satisfy! I want HIM and Him alone!"

And that's just it. Our lives should be a search for true intimacy with God, to being in His presence, dedicated to becoming Christ-like; not to see a miracle, not to have a glorious experience; but to know the truth to be set free, not to seek a miracle that will thrill our heart.

As Paul said, his focus was to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings - Paul didn't say, that I may see some gold dust or that Jesus would fill my aching tooth with gold as a sign that he is on the scene.

This little motive of the heart is one of the things that separates the mature in Christ from the immature, the fleshly from the spiritual, and those who are deceiving themselves from those seeking the meat of spiritual life.

I know that most of these people just want more of God. But the trouble is that the person doesn't realize pursuing the gifts rather than the giver is among the most immature things one can do - and they would in fact deny doing that very thing.

I like what TL Osborn has said of miracles and healings: "Healings and miracles are the dinner bell call to salvation." (That's the first and foremost purpose of what they are for, not for our entertainment)

I'm not trying to make sweeping statements, but the fact is my own observation over 30+ years of seeing this, is that often the ones who pursue such signs and wonders are doing so as a means of escapism with a Godly sounding spiritual twist.

I first saw this behavior as a teenager when I had the privilege of being a small part (usher for 2 services) of some meetings with Charles and Francis Hunter, who came to our town for 2 years in a row (1975-76). One lady came forward and asked for prayer for her stomach pain, and Charles had a word of knowledge that she needed to forgive a family member, and then she would be healed.

If he didn't have the Word of knowledge, she would have continued to seek healing instead of dealing with the plain-on-the-page (in red letters even) issue of unforgiveness. She sought a miracle when all she had to do was what she already knew to do.

God wanted her to forgive her sister thus bringing healing to her relationship with her, and her stomach, but she wanted to continue pursuing the miracle. If God had healed her stomach the woman would have used that healing as justification for her unforgiveness against her sister because she would have taken it as God's stamp of approval on her - and the Lord wouldn't be a part of that, so he told Charles what he was REALLY trying to deal with her on.

Many would be better off doing the hard thing of staying home from this meeting and that, and instead spend time repairing their relationships, or their marriage, or spend time with their spouse or children, or in some other way do some of the character building God is REALLY trying to get them to grow in, instead of running after gold dust and gold teeth.

They are like the rich young ruler who (directly to Jesus) stated his heart for God was eternal life; when in fact the Lord was trying to get him to deal with his pride of money and power and position. Jesus nailed him on it and the man went away unwilling to deal with what God was really trying to do in his heart - Oh but he loved God and wanted eternal life! But the real issue was pride and love of money more than love of God.

The rich young ruler loved the exchange of ideas and advice, hiding behind his stated spirituality so he could avoid the real issue God wanted him to deal with - the love of money.

Many are hiding behind the deep sounding spirituality of desiring gold dust or gold teeth or feathers as some sort of confirmation of God's power, but are in fact using that to hide behind broken relationships, failing marriages, horrible character flaws, and other issues God's been dealing with them on for years.

Similarly, in Luke 10: 38-42 Martha was busy cooking while Mary sat at Jesus' feet, spending time with him. Martha complained to the Lord and told him to tell her to get up and help with the cooking and serving. Jesus, using a play on words here, told Martha that Mary had chosen the good portion - the good helping of food.

The real issue was Martha's heart and her resentment and perhaps jealousy towards her sister - and she wanted Jesus (God) to tell Mary to do something - thus leaving her free to stay in her resentment and jealousy. But Jesus wouldn't let her hide behind Mary, he put it back on her, forcing her to deal with her heart.

Many are out there running to meetings and telling the Lord (at the meeting) to tell their spouse sitting at home to get saved, their children to get saved or behave, and/or to fix their finances, when in fact they should be home with their spouse and perhaps working on their finances or spending time with family.

James 1:22 tells us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. When a person ignores the real issues of the heart and character God is working on in their lives and chooses to focus on something else, they start down the path of self deception.

The word for "deceiving" here is the Greek word 'miscalculation'. It was used of someone who had read a book and drawn the wrong conclusions about the book or author - they may be earnest and sincere in their opinion, but their conclusion and opinion is wrong - they are self deceived. (But convinced they are right)

Therefore the context James uses it in reflects a person who sees the Word of God but draws the wrong conclusions about what they should be doing - thus deceiving themselves.

Growing in Christ is not fun. It takes work. A person must purposely and with great desire cause emotions to submit to the written Word; choose to focus on the difficult task immediately before us instead of running off to something that makes us feel good, and in general do what it takes to be more like Jesus everyday.

There is nothing in the Word that says chasing manifestations is a way to grow in Christ. The only way to get free in life is to know the truth. The word 'know' means know like; "Adam knew Eve his wife" - intimacy, purpose, intent, focus, a true inter-course and exchange between God and man.

This is not a picture of Adam starting a romantic evening with Eve and then getting distracted by some butterfly that comes floating by and going off chasing it all over the garden, yet to Jesus, that's what so many of his people are doing. He is right before them, even in their hearts, quietly asking them to deal with issues that are not pretty, and they get up and go chasing spiritual butterflies.

Saying with their mouths they love him, yet putting him on hold while they go off in the garden pursuing things that don't really matter.

Hebrews 13:9 tells us "not to be carried off with strange doctrines, for the heart is established with grace."

Once a person becomes self deceived - once they've miscalculated - they start down a path of seeking teachers and ministers who address their area of interest. Like someone eating only a McDonald's #4 combo for every meal, these people's spiritual diet becomes narrowed to a particular area of interest, and they become spiritually malnourished and off balance, even though they feel full.

This leads to what Paul said in II Timothy 4:3: The time will come when they will not accept sound teaching; but will according to their own desires heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears they will turn away from the truth and give their attention to fiction."

The word "heap" means to pile several of the same kind, one on another. It's like raking leaves in the fall and piling them up into a big heap - they are all leaves of the same kind.

The picture is of a person who is hungry for just one element of spirituality and seeks teaching after teaching after teaching (or meeting type) along that one general theme. 

If these people would just do what God was really asking them to do, they would find the fresh anointing and the "pieces coming together" in their lives they seek. 

A miracle is an act of God's power. A sign appeals to the intellect. A wonder appeals to the imagination. But we aren't to seek these things. The children of Israel saw many miracles in the desert; starting with water turning to blood in Egypt, the Sea parting and manna in the wilderness, but the Lord brought them out to the mountain to give them His Word, that by his Word they should live.

One of my all time favorite passages, and one I've tried to live my heart by is Psalm 103:7: "He made known his ways unto Moses; his acts to the children of Israel."

Be like Moses and seek his ways, and then the acts (miracles) will come - don't be like Israel living for the miracle - live for the excellence of knowing the ways of God! 

The miracles they saw did nothing for their growth, only the application of the Word causes that. Know his ways, and then apply them to your heart and life.

As I said, miracles aren't for our entertainment. We are to seek him and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to us. (Mt 6:33)

 

Some thoughts for today,

Blessings,
John Fenn
www.ifaithhome.org