Miracles Happen

Christmas
celebrates the miracle of a virgin giving birth to God in the flesh

Chanukah
celebrates the miracle of oil lasting 8 days

(1 Kings 17:12 - 16) ... "I don't have any bread - only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it - and die." Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’" She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.

* First, here is a miracle recorded in the Bible where God allowed oil to miraculously last for as long as it was needed. This is the identical miracle we celebrate in Chanukah.

* Second, God asked this woman to give away all the flour and oil she had. Then when she did this, she would put herself in a situation where she had nothing, and could do nothing to obtain more, or care for herself. Once she was in a position where she could not provide for herself, God would miraculously provide for her all her needs.

(Deut 8:7-10) For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land - a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land He has given you.

* God told the children of Israel "I am about to bring you into a land where you will have all the food and water you will need." But then He had something else to say to them...

(Deut 8:11-18) Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

* God said "I am concerned that you will forget that it’s really Me who takes care of you, and meets all your needs. You will begin to think that you provided for yourself. You’ll begin to think that it is your hard work, your smarts, or your ability that made you prosperous." God knew how easy it was for the people to get proud so He put them in the wilderness where they could not meet their needs. God wanted Israel to completely depend upon Him. God wanted it nice and clear that it was He who miraculously provided for their needs. He did it in a way where it was impossible for them to take credit for anything. When God does things like this, He doesn’t leave us to die. He does miracles to care for us. When you find yourself in a situation where there is nothing you can do to meet your needs, you need to look to God. If you do, God can do a miracle to meet your need, and even more importantly, to show you that you need to depend upon Him.

??? Do you need to take a long walk in the wilderness? Does God need to teach you to trust Him for everything?

Yeshua miraculously fed thousands of people; twice

First, He took a crowd of people far enough away from town that they could not get to a market and buy food. Second, He took thousands of people out there so there would be too many people to feed, even if they could find a market or farm. Yeshua had the opportunity to show everyone that they needed to depend upon Him.

Yeshua’s birth is also a miracle

Throughout history, there have been false messiahs among the Jewish people. There are always people who declare that they are a savior or deliverer for a group of people. There are power hungry people who try to get others to follow them, and depend upon them, so they can control other people.

In the Bible God said He would provide a savior for us. And in Isaiah He told us that He would do it in away that no one else could ever do.

(Isa 7:14 NIV) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

* God met our need for a savior in a way that ONLY He could. He came to earth through a virgin. His birth was a miracle so that no one else could ever prove (through the Bible) that he was the Messiah. Yeshua is the ONLY one who could qualify as the true savior. No human being could ever be God’s savior.

Why miracles?

Miracles happen, but God does not do them to put on a great show. He is not interested in topping the half time show of the Super Bowl, or any other great event.

God does miracles to care for us, or to meet our needs.

God does miracles in such a way that they will teach us that we need to depend upon Him to meet our needs. God wants to meet our needs, and He is the ONLY One who can meet them.

All things are possible with God

All things are possible to those who believe (have trust or faith in God)

According to your faith let it be done.

God has a miracle available for us, but the Bible also says that we will receive the miracle from God according to how much we trust or depend upon Him.

Do you have a need that you have not been able to meet? First, be honest with God and let Him know that you cannot care for yourself or meet your need. Then, ask God to do a miracle for you. Finally, when He gives you your miracle, remember to thank Him for it.