Well we have another day that will be in the triple digits, indeed almost is as I write.

The garden is suffering a bit, and the veggies are crying out for more water because they are thirsty – and we are giving it to them.  We used to water about every three or so days this time of year, this year it is every day.

Right now is a bit overcast and the wind is blowing, so it isn’t as bad as it will be when all the clouds dissipate.

Not an awful lot going on with us, Carla is puttering around inside, and I am writing and preparing the mid-day meal.

Trust all is going well with you’ll.

Acts 9:39-41 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

⁴⁰ But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹ And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

There are those who try and state this was not a miracle, the woman wasn’t really dead, just in a comatose state.  When Peter went in he jarred her – or she was ready – to wake up.

We have all read or heard of the stories where bells were place over graves and a line leading down into the coffin was in the hands of the person buried, just in case the person was not really dead – and there were times the bell was wrung.

I have heard this used as the basis for saying that the woman was not really dead.  They just ‘thought’ she was.

They say this story was told so that people could be fooled into thinking that God performed miracles through Peter and other disciples.

But that is not what the account says, she was dead and these people knew the difference.  It wasn’t for dramatic effect these verses were written, it was indeed a miracle.

I write this because, I believed that is what happened and I also write it with the following verses in mind.

Acts 14:19-20 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

²⁰ Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Here the author – and we must remember that all Scripture is written as the Spirit of God moves upon the author – could easily have written that Paul was dead and the disciples prayed and he was brought back to life.  That might have drawn more people to Christ some would think, so what is wrong with that?

But that would not be the truth, that isn’t what happened.

It says, it says those that stoned him thought he was dead, it could be even those disciples that gathered around him as he lay in a heap thought he might be dead. I am sure they were praying for him – maybe even asking God to bring him back from the dead.

But he wasn’t dead. 

It is clear in these passages that he wasn’t dead, although injured and he stood up on his own.

Which, to me, adds credence to God’s Word; it is but one example, but it is important.  God doesn’t need our help to falsify information in trying to bring others to Him.

God performs miracles.  What He did in the Old Testament He continued to do in the New Testament accounts.

Since God doesn’t change – (Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8) then He could and did perform miracles after the resurrection of Christ.

He performed miracles in the first century.

He can perform miracles today.

He can save people today.

He can comfort people today.

He can teach and protect people today.

We tend to forget that God is bigger than anything we can imagine; He can do anything He pleases; there is nothing He cannot do (unless it is to go against His nature – such as lying.)

We need to read the Scriptures as true accounts of what God has done.  We also need to read them with the understanding that He wants what is best for us and as He helped those in the past, He will help us today – and tomorrow.

God is not someone we pull out of a box when we think we need help; He is an all knowing Spirit that is with us continually and just waiting for us to accept that fact.

Scientists have done wonders; doctors have medications and instruments that allow them to help us as we have needs.  I firmly believe that they are gifts from God for our well-being, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray and ask for miracles on the behalf of ourselves or others.

While doctors can do much for us, they are not God.  We know of times where people are healed miraculously even though the doctors had either given up hope or said invasive actions would be needed to extend the life of the person and/or help him heal.

I have encountered situations that could have cost me my life – and should have – and the only explanation is that a miracle occurred and God intervened on my behalf.

We don’t know why God chooses to heal some, protect some, perform miracles on some but not others. 

But that should never keep us from asking for the gifts God is willing to give and trust that He is using us for HIS Glory.

We read biographies of important people and what they accomplished, or, how they failed and we know that these people were real.  Most of those biographies are not all encompassing, they only touch on a very few aspects of a person’s life.

The Bible is an auto-biography of God.  We learn who He is, what He has done, and the promise of continual existence AND continual love and mercy towards His people.  It demonstrates and gives us encouragement as we read the accounts of those that have lived for Him and those that have tried to destroy Him and His people.

It is incomplete only because we are not capable of fully comprehending who He is, the Bible is just a short account, written so we can understand.

It is like a first grade reader on the subject of, say, cats, in comparison to a specialized college course that thoroughly explores and dissects every aspect of a cat – behaviors, physical make up and the many things that make a cat different from a dog, etc.

AND, even then there seems to be new things discovered about cats on a regular basis – we thought we knew it all, but we find we didn’t.

A first grader can neither read nor understand the higher level of text – but that doesn’t mean he can’t understand what is written for him about the same thing.

The Scriptures were written so we could better understand God, but in a language pared down so WE can understand.

Even so, as we continue to read the Scriptures, as we dissect the Word the Holy Spirit reveals more of God to us and we come to better understand the nature of God – we have a better appreciation of Him then we did when we were first saved.

It gives us hope and confidence that He is able to do what He says He will do.

What He has done in the past, He will continue to do in the present.

While we can learn more about Him, while we can grow in His Grace and share our knowledge with others, we cannot comprehend the fullness of God – at least while we are here in a physical body awaiting transformation into heaven.

The story of the lady Peter prayed for and came to life, was a true account.

The story of the stoning of Paul to the point the actors thought he was dead – but he wasn’t – is a true account.

Neither was written so that people could be ‘duped’ into believing that Jesus saves and heals; they were true accounts that happened and demonstrated that God still works His miracles in this world, today.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again