Keep praying - God still works miracles

I mentioned earlier how prayer works and how our prayers can do many positive things; not because of us but becasue of God's love for us and willingness to move when we pray with a right heart attitude.

I thought of titling this "Christ's resurrection power," but there are many bad things about our past we wouldn't want resurrected. However, quite a few of those are still around, it's just that the oppression is more subtle in many cases. Mankind's solutions haven't changed hearts the way god can in His miraculous way.

We do want to see the good stuff resurrected, and it is that same incredible power that not only can bring back the good stuff but also change hearts to remove the bad stuff. As noted, major revivals have happened which have caused many people to suddenly stop drinking alcohol, stop cheating, etc..

The reason for this is that God works miracles. He will always be in the business of working miracles.

There are different kinds of miracles, of course. At times, we call it a miracle when what it is instead is God's perfect timing. Take, for instance, the story of a missionary in the heart of Africa years ago. A mother had died in childbirth, and this baby needed a hot water bottle to stay alive. There were no modern hospitals, and nthere was no outside communication. Even if there was, there was no way a hot water bottle could be delivered in time.

Still, the missionary prayed. And, after quite a bit of prayer, a box arrived that had been sent five months earlier from a church. Guess what one of the kids in a Sunday School class had put into it? Yes, a hot water bottle. There was no logical reason it would ever be needed, but God had stirred this kid's heart months earlier, perhaps because of this prayer - remember, God hears outside of physical time. And, this premature infant's life was saved.

FGeorge Mueller's story of caring for orphans in Britain contains quite a few of these isntances, too. In each of our lives, there are cases like that as well.

However,

Of course, that kind of thing is not as much of a miracle as the healings and other things that Jesus performed well here on earth. Those miracles we're clearly things that where totally unexpected, because the people were intelligent back then, and they knew that things function in a certain rational manner. So, when jesus healed people, the Pharisees were upset and the regular people were overjoyed.

We don't see many of those kinds of miracles today because of two things.

First, even physical healings in Acts came because they further the gospel. While not a physical healing, a similar type of miracle - the supernatural opening of the cell doors in Acts chapter 16 - was done because the Philippian jailer needed saved and the Apostle Paul's time was not yet come. Sadly, many Christian martyrs today do not see cell doors opening.

The second reason is that the miracle healings today are spiritual, which is the most important thing anyway. So, the change in someone after they get saved, such as going from a foul-mouthed, bitter person to a pleasant, happy person who does not swear is a wonderful miracle that comes because God the Holy Spirit lives inside that person and works in their heart to make that change.

This second is what concerns us, because it is that kind of miracle which will need to take place for God to heal America. It's the kind that we need to pray for. This is not saying that physical healing can't happen. It can. But, God wants our focus on Him and rewards in Heaven. We are to be in the world but not of it, not so attached we can't stand to let go of any of the world's things. Hence, i've said we must repent of our actions and attitudes in many cases.

So, why does God heal souls and broken hearts and cause people to change through the Holy Spirit? Because these things are necessary for us to function while we are here doing God's work. It glorified Him to work such miracles. God will heal our nation for the same reason. "Not my will, but thy will" could be replaced by "not my glory, but thy glory."

In other words, we should not pray for God to heal this country only to bring it back to the glorious place it was years ago. We should not be focusing on where America is in the world, so much as where America is in God's eyes. if god chooses to make us a strong world leader again, he will, but as Psalm 84:10 says, it is better to be a doorman in the house of the Almighty.

So, what will this miracle we term repentance revival look like? let's look at what others looked like and see.

Past revivals were known as much for people returning to godly principles as they are 4 people getting saved. Of course, many people do trust Christ as Savior during Great Awakening. But, more importantly, there are many people who choose to start being more honest, pure, caring, and so on toward others.

The way society is headed now, it would clearly take a miracle for it to turn back to the way things were. However, on the bright side, God is willing to do that. He just needs a lot of people to pray and seek His face, because there is such intense spiritual warfare, the devil has such a hold on things.

Of course, a person can't do that well unless they are saved. Which is why revivals also find many people coming to trust Jesus as Savior. However, it's also why revival needs to start with us.

What else would happen? As noted in other posts, such as here, we would return to Godly values. However, they would be administered fairly. Things like love, justice, mercy, forgiveness, honesty, integrity,  purity, etc. Would be demonstrated regardless of who someone was. It should have been common sense to show these attitudes toward everyone back then - and it was to those who truly followed the Lord with all their heart.

I imagine a number of readers think "That would take a miracle, all right." But, that is why we trust God is the first place. "It is He which hath made us, and not we ourselves."(Psalm 100:3) God is in the miracles business.  He says that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.(2 Corinthians 5:17.)

So, since He has given us all our talents and abilities, and whatever food, water, clothing, etc. we need, then we can trust Him to help us. It doesn't mean everyone would have thsoe values, but it does mean many more people would, and the results would be wonderful.

The values we have should reflect that desire to see that others matter, as I have shared in numerous posts. However, it should reflect something else as well. That something else is a desire to please God not for our own righteousness sake, but because of our love for him. After all, despite our sin he did not abandon us like he could have. He has consistently loved us even though we turn away from him so much.

He promises to bless the nation which honors him. Remember, well 2nd Chronicles 7:14 could be only to the Jewish people, it is also true that Jeremiah 8 contains verses that speak to Gentile nations. In other words, God will bless us when we return to Him.

Now, have we lost blessings and rewards because we are not following him? As a nation, yes. Although, each individual can still have his or her own for what they have done. But, the important part is that God could restore some of the blessings to our country. And, even if He doesn't, remember that God is no respecter of persons. He looks at the heart, and He will bless us with riches that aren't measurable such as peace, good harvests(which are in some ways measurable, but aren't noticed the way power is), respect, and so on.

Indeed, some of tried to measure national happiness, and so if you want to go that far, maybe the ways would be measurable after all.

That peace, after al, would include a decrease in crime, too. But, that means the Holy Spirit must be at work guiding our thoughts as well. When people stop focusing on what they can get instead of how they can help otehrs, they will be happier, because we can "be content with such thigns as ye hve."(Heb.13:5) When we stop seeking to fill our own lusts, then we will be more content. It may seem hard to understand for some, but that is why it's known as a peace that passeth understanding.(Phil.4:7)

Can we go back tot he days of the 1930s? I pray for God to raise up a generation of youngsters who will be moral leaders in good, wholesome entertainment. And, He can do it. But, the battle will be much more fierce.(Perhaps I will post about that someday soon, too.) However, for now, that can jsut be part of that general need for repentance revival in our country.

God can do it. he is still in the business of working miracles - not only getting people saved but turning those who are into people who truly live for Him as we put Him first in everything. After all, He came that we might have life and life more abundantly.(John 10:10)