[net.religion] id AA14558; Mon, 20 Feb 84 04:40:52 pst

root@decwrl.UUCP (02/20/84)

Message-Id: <8402201240.AA14558@decwrl.arpa>
Date: Monday, 20 Feb 1984 04:45:12-PST
From: vax4::sander
To: net.religion
Subject: Requesting a miracle or two...

If God did perform miracles for all mankind, how long do you
suppose that he would have to do them?  I would suspect that He
would have to do them every hour of the day for every person.  If
God did perform miracles for you, does this mean that you would
then follow Him and do all that he has asked?  If so, for how
long?  The history of man has proven that it won't last for any
length of time. 

The book of Genesis talks about God walking on earth with
mankind, and talking with him/her.  How much closer can you get? 
But as soon as the devil showed up on the scene, man disobeyed
God. 

What about the miracles God performed in Egypt to force Pharaoh 
to let the Jewish people free?  How many miracles did God perform 
for the Jewish people in the desert, and fighting their enemies 
in the promised land?  Man didn't let these miracles get in the 
way of their things of this world.  They threw aside God for 
their evil desires. "They [the Jewish people] steeled themselves
against his love and complained against him in the desert while
he was testing them. But God was patient with them forty years,
though they tried his patience sorely; he kept right on doing his
mighty miracles for them to see. 'But,' God says, 'I was very
angry with them, for their hearts were always looking somewhere
else instead of up to me, and they never found the paths I wanted
them to follow.'" (Hebrews 3:8-10).6 

While Jesus walked on earth he performed many miracles; raising 
the dead; expelling demons; curing all types of sickness; and 
even making the limbs of people grow back.  Did these people 
really believe in God?  "But despite all the miracles he [Jesus] 
had done, most of the people would not believe he was the 
Messiah.  This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: 
'Lord, who will believe us?  Who will accept God's mighty 
miracles as proof?'" (John 12:37-39).

What about the miracle of the sun when the Virgin Mary appeared 
at Fatima?  How long did man have faith before throwing it away?

God is well aware of the hard hearts of man, and is quite aware 
that any miracles performed will not keep the love of man.  God 
has supplied man with all he needs for salvation. It's just that 
man listens better to things of this world, and it's not in these 
things where man will find salvation.  Due to the first sin of 
mankind, we are unable to perceive and know God.  We suffer from 
the defects of a basically rebellious nature.  "Son of man, you 
dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, 
but see not." (Ezekiel 12:2).  Man is spiritually blind, and 
miracles are not the cure.

"You can never please God without faith, without depending on 
him.  Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a 
God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him." 
(Hebrews 11:6).

The Pharisees and Saducees also tried to put Jesus to the test 
and "asked him to show them some great demonstrations in the 
skies," beyond all the miracles he was performing.  Jesus
replied, "Certainly not.  How many more miracles do you people
need?" (Mark 8:11-12).  In Matthew we find a similar request, but 
Jesus refers to them as an "evil, unbelieving nation" and that 
"no further proof will be given except the miracle that happened 
to Jonah."  (Matthew 16:4).  Just as Jonah was in the whale for 
three days, so shall Jesus lie in the earth for three days before 
God raises him from the dead.

"Won't any of you believe in me unless I do more and more 
miracles?" (John 4:48).  When Jesus was in the desert being 
tempted by the devil, "Jesus retorted, 'It also says not to put 
the Lord your God to a foolish test!'" (Matthew 4:7).  The same 
applies here our time.

Joe