When You Need a Miracle…

Of all the miracle breakthroughs you might be praying for today, which is the one that is most on your heart right now?

I encourage you to take a few minutes to ponder how you would answer this probing question. Generalities won’t do. Be specific about the miracle you need from God.

If you could ask God for anything, what would you request?

I meet so many people who are frantically seeking a miracle of some kind. They’re desperately hoping for a turnaround in their finances, their health, their family, or their emotions.

The problem is many of them are seeking a miracle by their own strength and ingenuity. They want His answers but they’re not seeking them from the one true source: the King of kings, the Lord of glory. This approach nearly always results in frustration – not because God is unwilling to give people a breakthrough, but because He wants them to receive it from Him.

Look throughout the Bible, and you’ll see men and women who knew God as their source for every blessing and breakthrough. As a shepherd, David understood that sheep cannot survive very long on their own – they need a shepherd, both to lead them to provision and to rescue them from danger. That’s why he joyfully proclaimed, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

Today the Lord of breakthroughs is beckoning you to draw near to Him. When you do, He promises to also draw near to you: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). And when you come boldly to His throne, He says you will “find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

What kind of miracle do you need today? More love? More power? More peace? More provision? You can receive all of these things – and much more – when you draw near to the Lord of breakthroughs.

The Power of His Presence

Remember the ark of the covenant and what a powerful symbol of God’s presence it was? In one instance during King David’s reign, “The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had” (1 Chronicles 13:14).

Today, we don’t have the physical ark to which we can draw near and receive God’s blessings. Yet something far better has occurred to bring us into the very presence of the Lord. You see, when Christ died on the cross, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). Now we can come “boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Believe it or not, when you choose to draw near to the Lord, one of the great rewards will be His blessing on your life. What God did for the household of Obed-Edom, He will do for you! His presence brings blessings!

Everything We Need!

God wants us to be dependent on Him every day…to receive a fresh experience from Him daily in His presence, in His Word, in prayer, and in worship. He desires day-to-day intimacy.

How can we expect to be fed and nourished by Him if we don’t spend time with Him?

This is why – whether you realize it or not – you may be starving to death spiritually. Your spiritual life is malnourished and lacking the power you need to live a life of happiness and peace. That changes when we choose to faithfully spend time with the Lord every day!

Everything we need can be found in God’s presence! Physical healing…financial breakthroughs…freedom from fear, depression, and anxiety…or the restoration of a relationship with a loved one…our life and circumstances can be transformed in an instant!

Look at what happened to Jacob when he drew near to God (Genesis 32:24-31). After a transformative experience of wrestling with the Lord, Jacob’s name was changed…his walk was changed…his outlook was changed…and even his destiny was changed! Instead of merely seeking the blessing, Jacob became a blessing!

Your Battle, Lord, Not Mine

Don’t ever underestimate the power of drawing near to Him. That’s where you will find complete contentment, and it’s where you will be empowered to overcome the devil and fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

King Jehoshaphat once faced seemingly insurmountable enemies, but the Lord told him, “Do not be afraid…the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15). So how did God instruct Jehoshaphat to win the battle? Through praise and worship!

He appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His loving kindness is everlasting.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who were totally defeated as a result (2 Chronicles 20:21-22 NASB).

Just as King Jehoshaphat learned, God can use our time of worship as a powerful weapon to rout our spiritual enemies and give us overwhelming victory!

Drawing close to Him causes us to surrender the things in our life that have brought us fear…frustration…anxiety…confusion…and pain. Through it, we recognize that He alone is able to solve our problems and transform our lives.

It lifts us up and out of the things of this world and places us in the realm of God’s Spirit. There the Lord showers us with His mercy, love, and grace, and He confirms that He’s in control of everything! What a wonderful experience and privilege it is to step out of our earthly cares and into the supernatural presence and provision of Almighty God!

As you go about your daily routine today, I encourage you…draw close to the Lord. Find time to pray and be in God’s presence. No matter what you are facing today, the Bible says you don’t have to be anxious or stressed out about anything. Instead, you can “let your requests be made known to God.” When you do, He promises, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Whatever your need may be today, remember that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you and who keeps His promises. Even if there’s a miracle you’ve been awaiting for a long time now, I am praying God’s answer is on the way.

Remember: You can ask Him for anything! His goodness is real…and His faithfulness is everlasting!


Choose Hope…

If you’ve watched any TV news lately, you’ve seen reports of the stress and hopelessness many people are experiencing today. Layoffs, unemployment, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and natural disasters are putting enormous pressure on families to give up hope and succumb to despair.

This is not just the experience of unbelievers. I meet many Christians who face difficult times in their finances, health, family, or emotions. Like Job and many other men and women in the Bible, they’re at the end of their rope, and their faith is being tested.

At such times, we need to know where to turn for help:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV).

Friend, no matter what difficult circumstances you may be facing, God wants you to know you can turn to Him as your “very present help” in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Even though you may feel surrounded by problems on every side, the Lord wants to be your HOPE—“the One who lifts [your] head” (Psalm 3:3).

When the Brook Dries Up

Sometimes we forget that men and women in the Bible often went through trials very similar to those we face today. For example, even though God provided Elijah with food brought by ravens and water from a brook, “it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land” (1 Kings 17:7).

Have you ever felt like your “brook” dried up and God’s help and provision were nowhere to be found? Perhaps you’re feeling that way today, struggling to make ends meet and wondering whether God will be faithful to meet your needs.

At times like these, it’s important to remember that whenever you ask the Lord for a miracle, He will give you an instruction. In Elijah’s case, God told him to go to Zarephath: “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (1 Kings 17:9).

Without debate or delay, Elijah “arose and went to Zarephath” (v. 10). He chose to obey, knowing that obedience was his only hope of unlocking God’s supernatural provision in his life.

It Only Takes a “Handful”

Just as Elijah had to choose whether or not to obey God’s instructions, so the widow he found in Zarephath faced a difficult decision when the prophet told her, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand” (v. 11).

This may not seem like a very difficult request, but you have to understand the woman’s situation: “I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die” (v. 12).

What a dilemma. This widow had almost nothing left…only a “handful” of flour and a little bit of oil. But you see, this “HANDFUL” was the key to her miracle!

“Faced with a seemingly hopeless situation, the widow could’ve surrendered to fear and unbelief…but instead, she CHOSE HOPE and obeyed God’s instruction!”

As long as the woman held on to her meager supply of food, that’s all she had. But when she obeyed God’s instructions and released what was in her hand, God intervened in her circumstances and released the supernatural abundance that was in HIS hand!

Although the Lord’s instructions to this poor widow must have seemed totally unreasonable, His purpose was not her demise but her BLESSING! Elijah assured her that if she would obey, “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth” (v. 14).

She chose to obey the prophet of the Lord, and the result was MIRACULOUS provision: “She and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah” (vs. 15-16).

What an amazing miracle! In a time of drought and famine, this desperate woman went from having “not enough” to having “more than enough.” From the brink of starvation and death, she experienced life and abundance—all because she chose to obey the man of God and believe the Lord’s word to her.

What’s in Your Hand?

Remember: The key to a turnaround in your life is not in some far-off place—it’s right there in your hand! But here’s the problem:

“What you have in your hand must be transferred into God’s hand!”

How much food does it take to feed more than 5,000 hungry people? Only five loaves of bread and two fish, IF they are transferred into Jesus’ hands and blessed by Him (Matthew 14:14-21)! But how many people could have been fed without Jesus’ blessing on these loaves and fish? Maybe five or ten!

In Exodus 4:2, God asks Moses the same question He’s asking you today: “What is that in your hand?”

All Moses had in his hand at that point was a simple wooden shepherd’s rod. But after he laid it down and surrendered it into the Lord’s hand, it was transformed into “the rod of God” (Exodus 4:20)—able to part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), bring water out of a rock (Exodus 17:5-6), and gain supernatural victory over enemy armies (Exodus 17:8-13).

God Wants to Bless You!

During this difficult season in the world’s economy, it’s more important than ever to keep God’s commandments, Sow your financial Seeds into the Good Ground of His Kingdom, wrap your faith with expectation, and be fully persuaded that He will bless you!

God promises that if you keep the words of His Covenant, you will “prosper in all that you do” (Deuteronomy 29:9). And as you are blessed, you can BE a blessing to others—sending the hope and salvation of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world.


Life’s Victories

If you’re one of the precious few who have chosen to press into God’s presence, here are five divine principles that can easily be incorporated into your daily living to help you grow even closer in your relationship with Him.

Not only are they simple, but when practiced with dedication, they become unconscious habits — much like the air you breathe!

  1. Have a Dedicated Time. Having a dedicated time each day to spend with the Lord is the first principle for forming the habit of being alone with Him. Choose a time of day to be with God, and then stick to it. Make a daily appointment with Him. Schedules may change, but make sure that any changes to your time with Him are the exception rather than the rule.
  2. Have a Special Place. Decide where your “Holy of Holies” will be, and then go there every day so He can “meet with you and speak with you” there (Exodus 25:22). It doesn’t really matter where it is, so long as it’s a place that’s quiet and peaceful for you.
  3. Be Free from Interruptions. Make sure your time with Him is free from interruptions. We all know what it’s like to be in the middle of a conversation when someone’s cell phone rings and they stop talking to us to answer it. Likewise, when that happens while we’re communicating with the Lord, it conveys a message that we’re really not paying attention to Him. Time with the Lord needs to be focused, directed, and uninterrupted.
  4. Let the Holy Spirit Dictate your Body and Soul. There will be days when you don’t feel like entering into His presence or being alone with Him because you’re too stressed, tired, or busy. On days like this, you can’t arrive at your decision to spend intimate time with Him based on your feelings. Instead, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to His presence, regardless of whether you feel like it or not!
  5. Spend Meaningful Time with the Lord. If you desire intimacy with someone, you must be willing to invest meaningful time into the relationship. This is true if it’s a relationship between a husband and wife, a parent and a child, or two friends. And it’s especially true if you want an intimate relationship with God. Spending meaningful time in His presence is a choice and a decision. It’s a response to His invitation when He calls you to “come away” and be alone with Him (Song of Solomon 2:10). As you respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, your time alone with Him will become more meaningful!

Life can be hard. There are challenges and disappointments all around. They can be related to your finances, job, health, family, or friends. But with the help of God’s grace and strength, the joy of His presence in your life will help you achieve victory over any obstacle you encounter!

All He asks is that you nurture your relationship with Him and trust in Him to be in control!