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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Thursday, September 5, 2024
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Dorcas Bible Verse:Acts 9:32-43 (ESV) "Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner. " Message:
Acts has left the story of Saul and returned to Peter. One of the difficulties in reading Acts is that it jumps around from person to person and from place to place. Luckily, it is generally easy to read. Unlike the Gospel of John or many of the epistles, where the text is often dense and filled with subtleties and symbolism, most of Acts is a straightforward account of events.
Saint Peter, by Giotto
Peter (by Giotto)
During this period, called the Age of Apostles, a number of miracles are still being performed. Two of them are recounted today; Peter heals a chronically ill man and raises a woman from apparent death.
It is impossible to know God’s mind. During the Apostolic Age, he performed miracles, similar to those performed by Christ himself, through those who had known Christ personally. Peter, in particular, has miracles recorded. The Christians in Joppa send for him when Tabitha dies.
One of the tests of faith for the modern Christian is that such miracles are rarely, if ever, seen. We are generally expected to accept Christ without seeing holy men who publicly raise people from the dead or restore chronically ill people to health.
Nobody can really say why this is. Most Christian denominations (or individuals) believe that God has not sent a prophet to explain it. Very often, charlatans claiming to act in God’s name will fake miracles, in order to get donations. It is very discouraging, sometimes, to see hucksters making a mockery of our faith.
But miracles occur every day, and they are available for every person to see. The sun comes up in the morning. We recover from illnesses, either spontaneously or through medicine.
Scientists scoff at these miracles, believing that they occur from nature, but their knowledge is shallow. Take, as a small example, penicillin. A doctor will say that he has healed a person with penicillin; it is not a miracle, he will say, but the intelligence of man using a naturally occurring fungus. But who made the fungus?
In the beginning
He might tell you that the fungus occurred as an accident of nature, or through natural selection and evolution. And he will point out that chemists have recreated the miracle molecule and improved upon it. But where did the molecules come from, and why do they work? If you continue to ask any scientist these basic questions, he will — he must — eventually say, “I don’t know.”
Similarly, astronomers will say that “gravity,” a natural phenomenon, is a force necessary to make the earth circle around the sun and thus make the sun come up in the morning. But ask him what gravity is and he will simply say (if he is an atheist and a fool) that scientists don’t understand it “yet.” He is filled with the sin of pridefulness, and yet, he cannot explain why these forces exist. An honest scientist will simply admit that he doesn’t understand the forces that hold the universe together, much less how or why it came into existence.
Perhaps, as our knowledge increases, God expects us to see his miracles in a way appropriate to the age we live in. People who would have been “dead” two thousand years ago are still raised; people with illnesses that would have been fatal two thousand years ago are still cured. God’s miracles are everywhere; we only have to see them.
Note that both the Greek name Dorcas (gazelle) and the Hebrew Tabitha are given. While the specific story deals with Peter and Judean Christians, Luke intends that the account be read by both Jews and Gentiles.
Meditation : Prayer : May the love of the Father, the tenderness of the Son, and the presence of the Spirit, gladden our hearts and bring peace to our souls, this day and all days,.......Amen |
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