Miracles Today is Easter Sunday. The day when Jesus was resurrected from the dead. The Sunday immediately after Good Friday. The day when he arose and lived forever more. Today Jesus is alive. We serve a living God. A God who hears us. A God who answers our prayers. A God who is with us all the time. Rising from the dead? Pastor, you expect us to believe that? That's a miracle. Do you believe in miracles, pastor? Yes, I do. I not only believe in miracles but I have seen miracles. I have experienced miracles. Not just one. Not just two. Not just three. But a countless number. So much so that I had lost counting. Today, we will examine this strange phenomena called miracle. We will come to an understanding of what miracle is. To a logical explanation of what this thing called miracle really is. We will see that miracles do exist. To see beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is such a thing called miracle. We will also see the reasons for them. Why they exist. What really is miracle? It is happenings that are beyond normal human understanding. It is events that defeat all scientific principles that we know. Miracle knows no law of physics. Miracle knows no chemistry principles. Miracle knows no science. Miracle cannot be explained by science. When cancer is cured we call that a miracle. Science has yet to discover a cure for cancer. When the lame can walk in the normal way we call that a miracle. Science has not reached that stage where it is possible. When the blind can see we call that a miracle. It is against any scientific principle that we know of. When the mute can speak we call that a miracle. Medical science has not reached the stage where this is possible. Notice what I had been saying. Science has not reached the level for it to be possible. But what if it did? What if it is scientifically possible for the lame to walk? Then it is no longer a miracle. It is a medical feat. A medical achievement. Just because something is beyond our understanding. Just because of that we call that a miracle. I have an aunt in China. My father's sister. She is in her 90s today. I love old people. They are so lovable. One old lady in her late 80s were told to be careful when buying food items from the supermarket. They have expiry deadlines, they told her.. She said "never mind. I don't know who will expire first - the food items or I." Anyway, my China aunt came to Singapore about twenty years ago to visit my parents. Upon returning to China she told the people there "Singapore is so rich. You press the wall and money comes out." To her, she had never seen an ATM before. She saw us pressing something on a wall. Her knowledge of science was limited. She literally saw money coming out from the wall. It is indeed a miracle as far as she is concerned. When Jules Verne wrote, in the 1800s, about ships that can travel under water and about a journey to the moon we call that science fiction. It is impossible for the people of the time. If anyone did that then people will say it is a miracle. I wonder what takes place in the minds of animals. On the back-page of a book entitled "Dogs & Cats Theology" you will find this to illustrate the difference between dogs and cats. A dog says "you pet me, you shelter me, you feed me, you love me, you must be God." A cat says "you pet me, you shelter me, you feed me, you love me, I must be God." To animals, we could very well be like gods. What we as humans take as natural animals may take as supernatural. What we take for granted they may very well see as miracles. We are on a higher level of existence than them. When it comes to the relationship between God and man, wouldn't this analogy hold? God is far above us as human beings. We are the created. He is the creator So, what we as human beings take as impossible would be very possible to God. After all, if God is at all god. If he is the creator of the universe. Nothing would be impossible with him. What we think as supernatural would be very natural to him. What we take as extraordinary would be very ordinary to him. Right from the start of his ministry, Jesus proclaimed that he is God. If he is indeed god, then things we take as impossible must be possible with him. Things we take as miracles must be ordinary to him. And indeed it was so. This is what we see in the ministry of Jesus. So, at the beginning of his ministry, before he did anything Jesus proclaimed "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." With that, he began to cast out demons from those possessed by the devil, he prayed for the sick - the blind began to see, the lame began to walk, the mute began to speak. People were set free from the clutches of Satan. He ministered for a total of three years teaching his disciples and demonstrating to them that he is indeed God. He taught them his purpose in coming to earth. It is to reverse what Satan has done and is doing. Whilst the devil seeks to destroy and kill, God seeks to restore and give life. Whilst the devil seeks to destroy the physical health of people, God seeks to heal them The devil kills. But God gives life. The devil brings people into eternal hell. God brings them into eternal heaven. Satan seeks to cause people to sin. The penalty of sin is death. An eternal separation from God. God however seeks to forgive sin. Through the forgiveness he brings them into an eternal relationship with him. Jesus taught that salvation is not by works but by the grace of God. No one no matter how hard they try, will be able to meet up with all of God's requirements. As such we are forgiven not by what we can do to make things right with God. We can only be made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ and the acceptance of God's grace. The Jewish leaders stuck to their belief. Salvation can only come through works they claim. As such they plotted to have Jesus sentenced to death. On that first Good Friday slightly more than 2000 years ago they managed to have Jesus crucified. The grave however could not hold Jesus. On the third day. On that first Easter Sunday he rose from the dead and he is alive forever more. Jesus was on earth after his resurrection for 40 days. His disciples met him. Many others saw him. He continued to teach them. He also told them "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. You have seen me perform all these miracles. Now, go forth and do the same. Use my name for when you do so, greater works will you do. We as ministers of the gospel are doing the same. We use the name of Jesus - we use the authority that he has. We have seen miracles in our ministries. In the early years of my ministry the miracles were simple ones. For example, I was caught in a heavy storm once and could not get to my car. I recalled what Jesus had done in calming a storm. I picked up courage and believed that I could do the same. I commanded the rain to stop. Seconds later it did. I was so excited. Miracles do exist I thought to myself. There is indeed power in the name of Jesus. Later in my ministry I was in a service. Another pastor was preaching. That morning I so happened to have a pain in my back. When you are flat-footed that is a problem that you have to contend with. It was a bad pain that morning. Then the altar call came. Many people responded. Together with the other pastors I went and pray for people. One lady asked me to pray for her back. It was painful she said. I thought to myself. You think yours in painful - wait until I tell you mine. Anyway I prayed. Moments later she turned and said that the pain was gone. In a moment of realization I knew mine was gone as well. I had suffered the pains without turning to God. However when I prayed for the lady, God chose to heal us both. Later in ministry, I got involved in casting demons out of people. In one case, this man who had been involved in various forms of worship literally slid down on the floor and slithered around like a snake. In another, one man who had worshipped the monkey god started to jump around like a monkey. Demons do exist. They have power over people for spiritual beings are on a higher level of existence than man. But God is the supreme being. There is none like him. He has all authority and all power. Jesus is God. In his name, these demons have to obey our commands. A few years ago, Pastor Eileen and a few others were with me in northern Sumatra. One evening, she led one group to a church whilst I led the others to another church. After the services, we would normally discuss what had happened in our services. That evening, I saw that something must have had happened in the service attended by Pastor Eileen's group. They were so excited. They told us. There was this man. He had got involved in witchcraft and was struck dumb. He came into the altar for prayers. Pastor Eileen cast the demons out of him. He began to speak. Miracles do exist. Jesus is God. A good friend of mine, Rev. Philip Ming. Many of you know him for he has been to our church several times before. He did a revival meeting in Punjab, India in February this year. After the preaching of the Word many came forward for prayers. {slides} Woman - lame began to walk Boy - blind in left eye - began to see Man possessed by demons - 8 men could not hold him - demons cast out Miracles do exist. Jesus is God. Reinhard Bonke is an evangelist to Afirca. Under his ministry when he exercise authority in the name of Jesus, miracles do take place. Today, I want you to watch a video clip on just two of these miracles. {video} Friends, miracles do take place. Jesus is Lord. He is God. I have another friend, a New Zealander. His name is Ian McCormack. He came here about two years ago. He shared his testimony. On one diving trip in the Mauritius he was bitten by five box jelly fish. One bite and you would die. This friend of mine was bitten five times. His friends managed to bring him to shore. They got him rushed to hospital in an ambulance. Whilst in the ambulance suffering from the poison that is in him he saw his mother praying for him. He was led to ask God to forgive him of his sins. When they reached the hospital the poison had enough time to take full effect. Ian suddenly felt himself getting up in a place that was totally dark. He thought that the hospital staff had switched off the lights. Then he heard voices shouting and crying. All of a sudden he saw a light from above. He felt himself being lifted to the light. He entered a place which was very, very beautiful. Then he saw a man stand in front of him. He realized later that it was Jesus. The man asked whether he wants to return to earth. Ian felt compelled to return to at least tell his mother that he did not die as a sinner - lost forever in hell. He said yes. At the moment, he got up from his bed. He was in the mortuary. The technician who was in that room literally jumped backward. It was impossible he thought. Ian has been dead for at least 15 minutes. Impossible to man. But nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is impossible with Jesus because he is God. Miracles do exist. It is to tell us that God does exist. It is to tell us that Jesus is God. Today, do you need a miracle. Jesus can grant you that miracle. He loves you. God loves you. He has given Jesus to us - Jesus who went up to the Cross to die for all of us on Good Friday. Jesus who was resurrected on Easter Sunday to show to the world that he is God. He desires to minister to you today. He desires to grant you the miracle that you need. The greatest miracle is when you become the child of God. You can be. Just accept Jesus into your life today. Let us pray.

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