Category Archives: Wonder

Sunbeams break through clouds over a rugged mountain valley with stone homes
Bible, Gifts, Hebrews, Holy Spirit, Miracles, Scripture, Signs, Testify, Wonder

A TESTIFYING GOD

HEBREWS 2:4

“God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”

Can I get a witness? Have you ever heard someone say that during a church service? I have more than once. I may have even said it myself a time or two. By asking that, the person is seeking collaboration of what they are saying as truth. I have never asked that unless I knew I was stating truth from God’s Word. After all, there is no other true truth. Can I get a witness?

The writer of Hebrews is telling us in verse 4 that God is confirming the message that the angels and His Son had given was from Him. How? By signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Spirit. There is a similar verse in Mark 16:20. “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.” God has always been a testifying God.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Here we see several things that are Something new about God in the way He testifies. Let’s look at each of them. Albert Barnes does a great job of defining each of these. He says, “The word rendered ‘signs’ – sēmeion – means any miraculous event that is suited to show that what had been predicted by a prophet would certainly take place.” In Matthew 12:38 some Jewish leaders even asked Jesus to give them a “sign” to show His authority.

Barnes goes on to say, “A ‘wonder’ – teras – denotes a portent, or prodigy – something that is suited to excite wonder or amazement – and hence, a miracle. The words together refer to the various miracles which were performed by the Lord Jesus and his apostles, designed to confirm the truth of the Christian religion.”

God used various “miracles” like healing the sick or raising the dead to point towards His authority of saving power. And of course, we know that “gifts of the Holy Spirit” were given to believers to show how the Spirit can and did work through them. We see these clearly in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Paul starts out there by saying, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” Then goes on to list the gifts. What is(are) your gift(s)?

God is still testifying to His truth today in various ways. Do you believe in miracles? Have you witnessed a sign or a wonder? We cannot put anything outside the parameters of God. Look for Him and allow Him to testify in your life.

I am so thankful, Lord, that You have testified, are testifying and will testify of Your truth and Your supremacy.

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An older man in brown robes comforting and shaking hands with a barefoot younger man in tattered clothing who is crouching on a sack in a village street
Bible, Holy Spirit, Miracles, Romans, Scripture, Signs, Wonder

EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT

ROMANS 15:19

“in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and all around as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

I initially titled this devotion “Signs and Wonders” but after reading the verse some more and starting my study on it, I realized it is more about the power of the Holy Spirit. After all, He is the One Who does the signs and wonders. He is the One Who gives us the words to preach far and wide. As the last verse talked about, we have to make sure we do not take credit for anything we did not accomplish ourselves. As followers of Christ, we should be pointing heavenward.

Paul recounts his life a bit in today’s verse. Most scholars agree he is referring to the signs and wonders he performed through the Spirit. What were those signs and wonders? Well, we will look at a few. And we know of his missionary journeys all around. Some of those journeys were perilous, wrought with dangers and sufferings. But through the Spirit, Paul prevailed. Let’s look a little at Paul’s life and how the Lord used him.

APPLICATION

One of those signs done by Paul is mentioned in Acts 19:11-12. “11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.” Now, before you start a handkerchief ministry like some have done, remember this was done only through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul wanted no credit for this.

In Acts 14:8-10 we see Paul healing a lame man in Lystra which, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, caused the people to proclaim Paul a god (Hermes). But before you get too excited about that, only 9 verses later Paul was dragged out of the city and stoned by these very people. How quickly miracles fade if those who observe them do not see the Holy Spirit as being the author.

One of my favorite miracles performed by Paul was the raising of Eutychus. Remember him? He was the young boy who fell asleep when Paul was preaching and fell out of a window and died. I guess Paul felt guilty for putting him to sleep and raised him from the dead, lol. Seriously, the Spirit was the One Who raised him, not Paul.

Today, make sure your actions and words are orchestrated by the Holy Spirit and not yourself. Only those things done by Him will remain. All we do on our own will quickly fade away.

Use me, Lord, as Your vessel to do great and mighty things in Your name.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Belief, Bible, Blessing, Decisions, Exalting, God's Will, Holiness, Majesty, Marvelous, Salvation, Scripture, Wonder

TOO MARVELOUS

ZECHARIAH 8:6

“‘The LORD of armies says this: “If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight?” declares the LORD of armies.’”

What determines if something is marvelous? The Webster definition of “marvelous” is something causing great wonder; something extraordinary. Wow! Think about the things you have seen or heard about that fits into that category. I was eight-years-old when we landed men on the moon. That was definitely something that caused great wonder. It was extraordinary.

Why am I talking marvelous things. Do you see that word in our verse today? Well, it’s there. The Hebrew word translated as “difficult” in the New American Standard Bible (which is what I use) is also translated “marvelous” in other translations. In Jeremiah 32:27 we read, “‘Behold, I [am] YHWH, God of all flesh: is anything too wonderful (wonderful) for Me?’” (Literal Standard Version) The things God does that may seem difficult make them marvelous.

APPLICATION

Mark 10:27 is another great passage about the marvelous things God does. “Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.’” Don’t every doubt God’s ability to make something happen. After all, He did create everything. Why wouldn’t He have the power to affect whatever He chooses to affect?

The most marvelous thing I can think of, though, is salvation. That same God, who created all things, sent His own Son (the God-Man) into this sin-filled world to pay the ultimate price for all mankind. That blows my mind. Christianity is the only religion where the object of worship died for the worshipper. Isn’t that extraordinary? Doesn’t that cause great wonder?

Stop for a minute today and give God praise for this marvelous, this “difficult” thing He has done. I am reminded of that hymn, “I Stand Amazed in the Presence.” I love the chorus that goes, “How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me!”

Thank You, Lord, for doing the difficult and marvelous things. You are God and there is no other.

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