With the exception of the sacrificial law which Jesus did away with on the cross, what God calls “the Word,” the Law,” “the commandment,” “the commandments” consists of the Holy Bible in its entirety. The Bible is a two-part covenant signed with the blood of His Messiah. It is a contract which He voluntarily established between Himself and His most prized creation–man. He has sworn by His own Being that the promises He put forth in that covenant will come to fruition without fail. He has obligated Himself to do so. But we must understand that there is another obligation written in the covenant. I call it the “IF” clause from which not even Jesus of Nazareth was exempted. Because God MUST fulfill His promises to man, man MUST fulfill his promise to obey His Word exactly as did the Man from Galilee. It is for this reason, and this reason only, that He now sits on His throne beside His Father in heaven. Jesus promised that those who believe and obey Him will sit with Him on that same throne in the Kingdom of God (Rev. 3:21). The key word is “IF.”

Because they have no spiritual power, some so-called Christians are offended because I often write and speak about God’s miracles instead of focusing on church doctrine, customs, etc. I do so because He did so. If miracles were not important in the work of His ministers, why does He repeatedly mention them in the Scriptures? Why did He say that signs and wonders WOULD follow the preaching of His Word. In Mark 16:17 Jesus commanded His apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel. “And these signs shall follow them that believe, in My name they SHALL cast out demons … they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.” The reason miracles do not follow today’s ministers is because they do not preach His Word. They preach what their handlers order them to preach–denominational doctrine, which keeps the paychecks coming. The Lord has used this most unworthy servant to do such things as heal the sick, cast out demons, control the weather, know things I could only know through divine intervention and receive revelation from Scripture. All revelation must be confirmed by Scripture. If revelation is not Scripturally based, it is not from God.

We must bear in mind that the Almighty was not required, nor was He asked to make the promises we find in the contract. He made those promises to man BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BLESS HIM. His only condition is that people believe and obey Him. Miracles have been important in the lives of God’s people from early on. Twice Elijah called down fire from heaven (his signature miracle) that consumed 102 of the king’s soldiers (2 Ki. 1). He called down fire to consume his water-soaked sacrifice (1 Ki. 18). He multiplied oil for a widow and raised her son from the dead (1 Ki. 17). He declared a three and one-half year drought and it did not rain for that length of time. Then, at his word, rain came, at which time he outran a team of horses (1 Ki. 17,18). He was later transported through the air in a horse-drawn chariot (2 Ki. 2). The Prophet Elisha struck the water and caused an iron axe-head to float to the surface (2 Ki. 6). On one occasion he struck the river with his mantle, which caused the waters to part, allowing him to walk across it’s bottom on dry land (2 Ki. 2). And let’s not forget the parting of the Red Sea at the raising of Moses’ staff. He would later call water out of a rock. These men performed miracles at the Word of and in the power of Almighty God.  IF GOD IS NOT THE GOD OF MIRACLES, HE IS NOT GOD. MIRACLES ARE AS MUCH A PART OF HIS MINISTERS’ MINISTRY AS THE PREACHING OF HIS WORD–THEY ARE INSEPARABLE. Note that God had done the vast majority of His miracles through men, who are His ministerial instruments.

And let us not forget the miracles performed by God’s New Testament apostles. Recall that Jesus became irritated with them when they could not do such things as cast out demons and heal the sick because of their lack of faith and fasting. He chastised Peter for losing his faith after walking on water. He expected them to control the weather. They had the Holy Spirit with them. He had given them His faith. JESUS EXPECTED HIS DISCIPLES TO DO EVERYTHING HE DID. WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO “EVEN GREATER THINGS.”

Such will be the exploits of the one who is “IN” and “ONE WITH” the Godhead, who believes and obeys Their Word, who walks as Jesus walked, purifies himself as Jesus did and overcomes Satan as He did during his earthly tenure. If we can take Him at His Word, the world is about to see things that will make the works of the prophets and apostles pale by comparison.

I will end this segment with a question: If God did not want to bless men in every way and perform miracles both through them and on their behalf, WHY DID HE PROMISE TO DO SO? L.J.