Well for those of you here in Wagga and who have managed to make it to the John Mellor nights, IT HAS BEEN AMAZING! John is a man who certainly believes that Jesus is alive and resident in all those who believe. His favourite saying that I have picked up so far has been "It will be a miracle tonight if a miracle does not happen". Being a thinking man I pondered his incredible attitude and marvelled at the varied attitudes within the meeting on Friday night. Everything from "He could be doing this by the power of Satan" right through to the beautiful new born Christians who were healed; "It was like a fuzz ball inside my belly and tingling all over."
But as most of you who read this are Christians I wonder what our varied takes are on all of this? Do we really believe? Can we dare to say "Lord help me in my unbelief" or do we just ignore it all and hope that we can keep all our ducks in a row and have a neat and tidy God? One who dares not invade our life but one who better turn up when life gets tough or we need a bill paid! Do we have to wait till life turns an uneasy corner before we will push into faith?
When you allow yourself to have some freedom and life and decide to walk in faith and not in preconceived notions, suddenly life opens up and the spiritual realm becomes real. You see "all creation is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed" and Jesus was the "first of many brethren" and He also declared that we would "do greater works" than He. So to really believe that and do the signs and wonders we first have to apprehend and walk in the truth, that we are vessels of the God of the universe. We have resident in us the same God that raised Lazarus from the dead. There is every reason to believe for the lost to see the reality of a living God.
But also being the person I am my heart goes out to those well meaning and fully expecting people who were not healed. As John Mellor also said " There are many and varied reasons why people are not healed, but I will not let what I do not understand effect what I do understand and that is that God is good and that he still heals and does miracles today". I tell you, that I would much rather walk in faith and in a church that sees the odd miracle that builds on that, than in a church full of unbelief that won't even try what the Bible calls the "children's bread", and is content having their ducks in a religious sanctimonious order.
(Mat 15:22-28) "And behold, a woman of Canaan coming out of these borders cried to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us. But He answered and said, I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, help me!
But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and to throw it to dogs.
And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' tables. Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith! So be it to you even as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that very hour."
I really challenged myself on this issue of "What do I actually believe?" Do I believe in a God who has my "bets hinged" and gives me the nod to say all is OK and you will make it to heaven; or on a God who declares the end from the beginning and therefore wants to establish His Kingdom on the earth today of which you and I have a role to play. It has to be more than tradition.
As the people of God in this very hour, let's open our hearts to what God wants and see what happens; let's take a chance as life only offers us one shot at it. Let's be like the women in the bible verse above and persist in faith as God opens new doors of opportunity each day. After all HE IS THE GOD OF THE BREAKTHROUGH !
Well those are my thoughts
Pastor Rob.
