God Still Performs Miracles by Ann Broughton

“The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy” (Psalm 111:7 NIV).

   Have you been a witness to a miracle lately? There are 37 miracles recorded in scripture that Jesus performed. The apostles also performed miracles after Pentecost. Miracles are still happening today. I have witnessed several in my life and will tell you about them so you can have hope that miracles are still happening.

    We have a dear friend who was in a very scary accident several years ago. His vehicle was totaled and it was a miracle that he wasn’t killed on impact. He was very critically injured and suffered from a severe head injury. He told me that when he was at the hospital laying on the gurney, he saw God and God told him that he was going to be alright. He said he never knew or remembered any of the long recovery in the hospital. He said he couldn’t remember pain either. God had been with him. Now he shows no signs of having any brain damage whatsoever, which is a tremendous miracle, as he was very severely injured. He believes he was saved for a reason and uses every opportunity to serve his Lord and help others.

   When we lived in Wooster, Ohio, I had a scary experience with my eye. I had a blood vessel burst in the back of my eye. The eye doctor told me he was very concerned about this because it meant that something very serious was wrong. He told me to come back in a couple of weeks because he wanted to check it again. On my way home, I decided that I would pray about a healing for my eye fervently.  Needless to say, I prayed constantly that God would heal my eye because I didn’t want to lose my sight. When I went back, the eye doctor was amazed. He said that he had never seen that kind of bleeding heal all by itself. There wasn’t a sign that any problem was there at all. I rejoiced on the way home that God had heard my prayer and healed me.

    Now, some of you may be sitting there and saying, “But God did not answer my prayer for healing.” I cannot explain why some people are healed and others are not. But I do know that if you are a Christian no matter if you are healed or not, you are in God’s hands. Even Paul had “thorn” that God would not take away, but Paul said that God told him,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9 NIV).  You can be a witness to others by trusting God when you are seeking a miracle. You can be a light to others who need to know that God is giving you the strength to handle whatever comes your way.

   If you are seeking a miracle, pray and have faith and leave it in God’s hands. If a miracle has happened to you, then witness to others about what a great God we have.

Dear Lord,

My life is in your hands. Help me to believe you can do anything. Help me trust you with my life, knowing you will be with me through any crisis that happens to me. Give me faith to believe that all things are possible through you.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

A Miraculous Change by Ann Broughton

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV).

    Jesus arose from the dead! The angel declared, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” (Mark 16:6 NIV). Jesus had told his disciples about eternal life. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14 NIV). It is this fact that brings hope to all Christians regarding eternal life. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed---in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed”(1 Cor. 15:51-52 NIV).

     When I think about this miraculous change, I am reminded about how the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis. I just watched a show on television about the metamorphosis of a butterfly and was amazed. The person describing the process said that after the caterpillar spins the cocoon, its body changes into a goo like substance. Somehow this goo comes together and forms the butterfly. Isn’t that so amazing? How can anybody say there is no God after witnessing such a miraculous thing? From goo, out comes a beautiful butterfly with perfect markings on each side of its wings. A new creation!!!!

    Just like this butterfly, those who are Christians will be changed. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21 NIV). What a wonderful thing awaits us in Heaven!!!  We will be changed.

    Hold on to that hope and tell others about Jesus’ love for them. He bore our sins on that cross and died a cruel death so that we can be forgiven and have eternal life. We must tell others this good news, just like Jesus’ disciples did after Pentecost.

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for sending your son to be the sacrifice for our sins. Help us to share with others about your love for them so that they will have eternal life someday.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Deny Yourself by Ann Broughton

 “And then He said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23 NIV).

    Jesus had just predicted his death and persecution before he spoke the above words to the apostles. Jesus knew what he faced, but the apostles did not have a clue to the extent of the abuse Jesus would take in order for them to have eternal life.

    Later these apostles would run away from their Master. Jesus would be all alone to face those who wanted Him dead. Pilate had him flogged. The soldiers mocked him, spit on him, and again and again struck Him on his head. They twisted a crown of thorns and set it on his head. (Mark 15:16-19) He was then forced to carry the cross to Golgotha where He was crucified. (John 19:17).

    Later when Jesus rose from the dead, He would come to His apostles and reassure them. After Pentecost, these men who ran away would be filled with the Holy Spirit and would boldly preach to others about Jesus’ love and eternal life. They would carry their own crosses daily, and eventually many of them would die a martyr’s death. 
   Like these apostles we, too, must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. We, too, have the Holy Spirit in us to help us. God has given each of us a mission and equipped us with special abilities to be used for Him.

    Take up your cross daily and remember that Christ is in you enabling you to carry it. He will also give you the strength to carry out the mission He has for you on this earth.

Dear Lord,
Help us as we deny ourselves and take up our crosses every day. Give us your strength to do your will in our lives. We know that nothing is impossible with you. Thank you for helping us to be brave and not run away from the tasks that you have set before us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

God is With You During Change by Ann Broughton

“If you love me, you will do what I command. And I will ask the Father and he will send you another Counselor to be with you ---- the Spirit of truth” (John 14:15-16 NIV).

    Change can be very scary, but in life it is inevitable. From the time we are born, we are constantly changing. But, most people have difficulty dealing with it in life. We want everything to go along the same as always. When change does occur, we have tendency to fight it.

    I have to admit, that as I get older, change is tougher. The grocery store that I shop at has decided to change all of their stock around. They moved everything to different aisles. Now when I go to a grocery store, which I consider no fun at all, I want to get in there and out as fast as possible. Needless to say, I wasn’t too happy to see what they were doing. I am thinking it is just not me who felt this way, because I heard many people grumbling about it, and many of them were wandering around the store with a glazed look in their eyes like a deer in headlights. Luckily, they had stationed their help out in the middle aisle to direct people. That was a smart move. I don’t know why stores do this. At least they should have warned us a week in advance that it was happening.

  Before Jesus was crucified, He gave his disciples a pep talk because He knew the change that was coming for them would be earth shaking. He knew it would be difficult for them to watch Him suffer and die. He also knew that they would need extra help to accomplish what God expected them to do after His leaving. So Jesus tried to comfort them and told them that He would send the Holy Spirit to them to teach them. (John 14:26) He wanted them to know that He wasn’t leaving them without assistance.

    You see we too have the Holy Spirit within us to help us through any change that comes our way in life. He will give us peace when we feel peace is impossible to find. God knew that we would need the Holy Spirit to aid us in times of stress. That is why He provided the Counselor to all those who believe in Him.  “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23 NIV). You see you have Christ in you, and He will help you handle the changes in your life.

Dear Lord,

We know that change is difficult, but it happens all the time. Help us to rely on the Holy Spirit to gain strength to handle it and accept it knowing you will be with us.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen