How to stop your miracles, or start them!
Author: WM Williams"He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick
people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith." Mark
6:5–6 (NIV)
Jesus could do no miracles! Imagine the tragedy of this. He wanted to. He
knew how to. But he couldn't.
I wonder what miracles were missed? A lame child walking? A barren couple
conceiving? A tormenting demon cast out and a mind restored? Blind eyes
seeing?
What a difference the miracles could have made for that town. Or, in this
case, the lack of them!
In the other places he'd been able to heal "all the sick and
demon-possessed." (Mark 1:32) But not here. They didn't believe so,
even with Jesus Christ himself present, willing, and able very little
happened!
Why was this? Because the people in that town, his hometown of Nazareth,
knew Jesus too well. At least they thought they did.
To think the Miracle Worker could come out of their own third rate town
preposterous. A common joke in Jesus' day was, "Can anything good come
out of, Nazareth?" (see John 1:46) And they believed it to be true about
their own town.
And they asked in mock surprise, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this
Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his
sisters here with us?" (v.3) In other words, "Hey, we know this guy.
He's a nobody just like us! Who does he think he is getting uppity like
this?"
"And they took offense at him." (v.3) The word original Greek word for
"took offense" is "to be scandalized." It has a direct effect on
one's relationship with God. Thus, this damning opinion about their
neighbor, Jesus, directly hindered their connection with God's power.
Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his
own house is a prophet without honor." Mark 6:4 (NIV)
Hometown, relatives, and house: these three factors blocked the people of
Nazareth from accepting Jesus for who he really was. And the miracles never
happened.
Which leads us to ask: Am I close to Jesus? Do I know his brothers and
sisters (in the faith)? Am I part of his family too? Do I think I know him
so well that I've got him figured out?
If so we do well to beware of myself! My presumptions and assumptions could
be the very cause of missing the miracle he has waiting for me and the people
of my house, family and town!
Prayer: "Lord Jesus, let me see YOU and believe in YOU a way that will
allow YOU to do the miracles YOU can do and YOU want to do for me, for mine,
and for our hometown!"
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/how-to-stop-your-miracles-or-start-them-3114565.html
About the AuthorJohn Parker, M.A., has affiliated with Connections House Churches, Inc. as a
coach since 1992. He is also a university instructor, writer, and keynote
speaker. Parker recently published a Free Online Video ~ "HOUSEpitality that
will Change the World: Discover how to fill your house or simple church with
Biblical hospitality!" which is available at
http://www.housechurchresources.com