Many of us have witnessed a miracle either in our own lives or in the life of another. It can be anything: a life-altering event that couldn’t have happened in the natural, or a coincidence that you were certain was not, or even the miracle of perfection in the tiny flower we call the Virginia spring beauty. First, let’s define what a miracle is:
The most common definition: “An event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws, and is therefore considered the work of a divine agency”
A second, watered-down definition: “A highly improbable event, which brings pleasant consequences”
The final, least thrilling definition: “An amazing achievement”
Look at the progression of these three definitions. What do you see? I see a methodical retreat from anything related to God until He is removed from the picture, a retreat that ends with a glorification of SELF. Do you see it?
The miracles we experience, when we tell them to a skeptical and an unbelieving culture, are unmercifully stolen from us. Chance meetings with people who are on our hearts are passed off as coincidence. Unexplained healings become mistakes made at the hospital. A time-saving parking space is random luck. The perfection seen in creation is called “evolution.”
Let me tell you the story that put this writing on my heart. My son suffered a head injury in 2021. A cat-scan revealed a skull fracture and blood on his brain. As time passed, he stopped talking; he stared blankly at the ceiling, and his hands stopped moving. The doctor said there was fluid on his brain and his brain was swelling. His condition was deteriorating, and he needed to get to surgery immediately.
As I drove alone to St. Louis, the report from the hospital after the helicopter landed was that our son was in surgery, and the first step was to see if there was any swelling or fluid on the brain. If so, they would have to stabilize him and wait for the swelling to go down. This could take days. If the conditions were favorable, then they would perform the surgery immediately.
I prayed and worshiped God as I drove on that dark, two-lane highway. My wife did the same in the helicopter. In the natural, the surgery would be postponed until the fluids were drained away and the swelling went down, but we don’t live by the natural. We live by the Spirit.
The next phone call revealed that my wife was giving her consent for immediate surgery. There was no swelling and no blood on his brain! Amen!
We knew right then that our son would be brought through this by the mighty and loving hand of God.
I needed to claim it and hold onto it
I needed to declare it with total faith
I needed to decide whether I was going to believe it or not
Then I started telling this story to friends and family, I didn’t receive the soul-saving response I naively expected. Instead, I heard things like, “You can’t really see what’s going on just from a cat-scan.” And, “That’s why you always get a second opinion.” Or, “The first doctor wasn’t a neuro-specialist, so he wouldn’t know.” I heard this so much, and I’m ashamed to say, I started to believe it. Sure, the people from our church claimed it was a miracle, but I wondered if they were repeating the same words they always use in these situations. I wondered if the majority was right.
I struggled with this for weeks until our son received a letter in the mail from a woman from our church. At the end of the letter she wrote with boldness, surety, faith and simplicity, “This was a miracle!” That is when the revelation came, when God spoke. I realized the world had succeeded in softening my faith; diluting it. In that moment, I realized that if I was going to have this miracle…
I needed to claim it and hold onto it
I needed to declare it with total faith
I needed to decide whether I was going to believe it or not
From that day on, I haven’t doubted the miracle that took place on the cold February night. The one where God Almighty laid His hands on my boy and personally prepared him for surgery. I repented and asked God to forgive my unbelief as shame filled my heart.
But remember this: every time you come through a trial of faith, you come out a stronger Christian than when you went in. You come out with more heavenly knowledge, a greater realization of your need for grace, and a closer bond with your heavenly Father.
Remember the synagogue leader whose daughter Jesus raised from the dead in Mark 5? How about the woman who He healed from a twelve-year illness when she touched Jesus’ cloak during that same interaction?
I suspect people made similar comments to them. “Someone made a mistake; the girl was not dead after all. You should have asked a professional to look at her.” Or “What a coincidence, your twelve-year illness has vanished. Maybe when you were pushed down in that large crowd it fixed something inside you!” These are miracles performed by Jesus Christ, in real time, and I would have to assume that there were people who made these statements.
Hold on to your miracles. The world will deny them, just like it denies Jesus Christ, just like it denies God Almighty.
Mark 10:27 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Jeremiah 32:27 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
How imperfect are we? Most of us can easily see that we are not perfect when perfection is the absence of sin. We are sinners, and we know that. But the presence of sin in our fallen nature is part of our nature, therefore, it tends not to convict us of our imperfection. We already know it, and we already know that Jesus has taken care of this sin problem for us. We can now stand before our holy God, cleansed by the blood of His Son.
Then let’s look at it from a different viewpoint, from the angle of LOVE.
Matthew 22:34-40, NKJV
34 When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and great commandment.39 And the second is like it:‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
God, our creator, the God we worship, is perfect love. He tells us that love, loving Him and loving each other, is our calling in life. In other words, love is very important. Let’s go into the Bible and find out what God tells us love is and see how we measure up to it.
What is love?
Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, NKJV
1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17 ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
From Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, Love is…
It is fair
It is humble
It acts, even when it is difficult
It forgives
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, NKJV
1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
From 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Love is…
It speaks the truth, even when it is difficult
It does not seek glory from men
It is honest and from the heart
It is sacrificial
Romans 12:9-10
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
From Romans 12:9-10, Love is…
Is not hypocritical
Hates evil, is sensitive to it
Platonically affectionate
Selfless
When we look at these bullet points beneath the verses from Leviticus, 1 Thessalonians, and Romans, how many of them do we perform perfectly? Are we always fair, perfectly humble, quick to forgive, or selfless in our actions? Are we able to act or speak truth and light into difficult situations, calling evil what it is, even if it means others will take offense or result in our own isolation and rejection? Do we look upon our brothers and sisters of the opposite sex in a purely platonic manner? Are we hypocritical, expecting others to do what we won’t? Do we desire the praise of people, and can we be honest about how far we fall short of the biblical standard of love?
I know I can’t check one of these twelve bullet points off as something I am perfect at. Falling short of being perfect love is easy to see, but falling short of every aspect and miniscule detail of that love is revelation.
Check out Chris’s book, Guided by Wisdom, to learn how you can use the Bible to make relevant decisions and for guidance in today’s modern world. And watch for Part 2 of the series, Discovering All that God Has for You.
Check out Chris’s book, Guided by Wisdom, to learn how you can use the Bible to make relevant decisions and for guidance in today’s modern world. And watch for Part 2 of the series, Discovering All that God Has for You.
2020 was a tough year, and it was reflected in the church. All over America, the pulpit turned into a Sunday morning Fox News report and an American Family Radio commentary blended into one. Unfortunately, it was a proud time for many Christians. It was in February 2021 when I started blogging, and one of the first blog posts I wrote, along with a letter to Ozzy Osborne, was “Pharisees and False Prophets.”
I say that so you know I am not riding on the coattails of the latest controversy in Contemporary Christianity. I know the words Pastor Alistair Begg spoke on September 1, 2023 were guided by a heart of love and understanding of what it means to walk as light in the darkness. When I heard him speak them back in September my heart was joyful. Now, the right-wing Christian media and YouTubers, along with other pastors, are speaking out against what Pastor Begg had said. They speak against it with only legalism as their foundation, forsaking discernment, the guidance of the Spirit, and the amazing love Jesus demonstrated for us 2,000 years ago.
This is a defense of both Pastor Begg and his counsel.
History of denouncing sin with words seasoned with grace
Pastor Alistair Begg
In 2020, tensions were high. The Trump election, Covid, BLM, the border, and LGBTQ all battled to dominate the public’s attention. Churches across the nation took the bait and put Trump on a pedestal, denounced Covid and the work of public health administrators as a lie, belittled immigrants and internationals-I’m talking to you, AFR-and minimized the plight of African Americans and the pain and confusion of the gay person.
I had been listening to Pastor Begg for a few years and I have been edified and have grown in wisdom through his teaching on the word of God. During this time, I heard Pastor Begg denounce sin, gay marriage, and homosexual practices, now with harsh, proud, and judgmental words, but with a grace and love that I had not found. That is hard to do, but he does it repeatedly.
Arguments against his statement are all based on legalism, never love
Everything I heard on YouTube videos (I could only stomach a couple) and from the AFR commentators were based on legalistic arguments. Every argument states you are affirming, or agreeing with, or blessing, this union by going to the wedding (I’ll come back to that later). Let’s be clear, Pastor Begg never said to go and celebrate the wedding, but simply to stand as a light in the present darkness. One commentator put himself in the place of God, saying, “I’m where I have always been, and you drew away from me!” Putting yourself in the place of God makes you the judge. Trust me, you don’t want to do that. Jesus calls us to Go To the sinner. We are not on the throne and this argument is steeped in pride. One YouTube comment said you are participating in evil occurring within a holy place, the church, and a Christians presence in this holy place during an act of evil is worthy of hell. Sounds like a Catholic argument, but certainly not a Christian argument. Jesus said we will not worship here nor there, but in Spirit. That building means nothing. It is what is in your heart that matters.
They leave no room for discernment
No one has left any room for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They only have legalistic opinions and lines drawn in the sand. Jesus was mocked for talking to women, and not only women, but to a fornicator, an adulteress, and a prostitute. Yes, he was in the presence of sinners who were currently in their sin. He did not turn his back on them like a legalistic Pharisee. Instead, he showed compassion and love. Told them they were loved and invited them back into the Father’s grace through Him.
I’ve known several Christians who have not gone to a nephew’s or a sibling’s gay wedding because the church told them not to. They struggled with it. They had no peace over it. In the end, they didn’t go. I’ve seen the hurt and confusion in their eyes to this day as they continue to ponder that decision. I wonder what the Holy Spirit was saying. I know what legalistic men were saying.
They grab a statement and dismiss everything around it except the part that will give them ratings and a paycheck
Wake up, America. Commentators like AFR, and other right-wing, conservative Christians are not showing love to the outcast, the stranger, or the sinners who are sinning in the bigger arenas. They say Pastor Begg told Christians to go to the wedding, thereby to celebrate the wedding. They say that by simply attending, you are affirming, celebrating, will say “congratulations” at the end, and attend the party afterward. This is all hypothetical and simply not true.
I have heard AFR belittle foreigners and immigrants on their radio show. Their morning host told a joke making fun of Mexicans-on the air. They do not work in love, nor do they edify believers. Instead, they cause division, promote pride, and speak with arrogance.
Using Bible verses to validate their claims
Let me tell you, there isn’t a single Bible verse that can stand alone to solve this problem. You’re going to need the whole Bible for this one, and after that, you’re going to need the Holy Spirit. Take any of the myriads of verses being used to belittle Pastor Begg and I can give you one in defense.
My Conclusion
Praying
Imagine this: when a gay person gets married, every Christian family member they have shows up at that wedding. Every one of them spend the ceremony in silent prayer the entire time, standing as light in the darkness, just as Jesus would want us to do. At the end of the wedding, some may go up to the altar to kneel and pray for the lost and confused souls who are in that building. And when they leave the sanctuary, and the gay couple is at the door, instead of saying “congratulations,” say, “Can I pray for you?” If they say yes, then pray they will come into a personal relationship with Jesus, and He will use them for His glory in this life. Your present should be a Christian gift, stating and affirming your belief in the Bible and in Jesus Christ.
Believe me, someday, when they start to question their lifestyle, their decisions, and the God who created them, they will ponder on what you did that day, on the seed you planted that day because you weren’t scared of the Christian right-wind to follow your heart, and your actions will shine the light they need when all the others gave them was the darkness of the cold shoulder.
Finally, it is important to note that decisions like this, using proper discernment as to whether to attend or not, being guided by the Holy Spirit in what to say and how to conduct yourself, and simply being mature enough to handle this calling, is only for mature and biblically grounded believers. We need to read the Bible every day, spending time with God and seeking His guidance. That is the only way we can properly handle the difficult tasks that come our way as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
a sample chapter from Chris’ book, “Guided by Wisdom,” to be released in November
Proverbs 16:18
18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Pride is a tough topic to deal with because we all feel it, yet the Bible says pride is a sin, period. The sin of pride is when we exalt ourselves, replacing our faith in God with faith in ourselves. In the Bible, pride is almost always connected to haughtiness and arrogance. It suggests lifting ourselves higher than others, bragging about ourselves, and disregarding others in place of self.
Proverbs 21:24
24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.
Imagine scoring a game-winning goal or playing a difficult piece to perfection at a piano recital. We would feel proud of the accomplishment, right? The pride we feel has two potential sources: either from within ourselves over what we’ve accomplished, or from God and what He accomplished through the gifts He gave us. When you accomplish something, we can either say, “I did it,” or “Isn’t God awesome that He gave me this ability and led me to use it for His glory!”
Pride
Sample chapter from Guided by Wisdom
Proverbs 21:24 calls a proud person a scoffer. A scoffer is a person who makes fun of someone or mocks something, which is often something in a religious framework. Now we can see that when we take all the credit for what God has given us, according to Proverbs 21, it is like we are mocking God.
1 Samuel 2:3
3 “Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
To fight against pride, we must continue to give God the glory for who He has made us to be and for what He has gifted to us. This is a choice we must consciously make. Our parents can say, with honest hearts, they are proud of us. We are their children, and they delight in us the same way God delights in His children (see Psalm 18:19). But parents can’t say they are proud of what they have made us into, or proud of the path they have laid out for us, because this is pride that robs God of His glory.
Proverbs 11:2
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
The opposite of pride is humility, and we, as believers, strive to be humble. A humble person cannot be haughty or arrogant. Their hearts express love and compassion, which are natural by-products of humility. Humility reminds us that all people—the rich, the homeless, the famous, the convict, and the depressed—come from the same place in the eyes of God, fallen under the curse of sin. No one is better than anyone else, and we all need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This path of knowing we are not perfect and are not better than any other person, shows us how to love and helps us to love like Jesus loved.
Now we can see why pride brings destruction and shame. Pride focuses on self and takes away the love we have to offer to others. Pride separates us from God and causes us to lose sight of His character and presence, blinding us to our sin and keeping us from repenting to God and seeking Him for our needs, wisdom, peace, and joy.
Guided by Wisdom, the first book in the Every Step series, shows adolescents how they can use the Bible to help them respond biblically to challenges and questions they face every day. It will show them how God’s Word is relevant in decision making and problem solving, guidance and character growth.
Look for it to release in November, 2023, on Sing Write Read / Books.
Giving God complete authority and total control, and then submitting to that in spite of ourselves, is a monumental task for those with the strongest of faith. I recently walked through a test of faith, one in which I doubted everything I believed, and God, in His love, showed me the error of my ways.
The Test
She is a sister in Christ, and she is a warrior for God’s kingdom. She was also diagnosed with cancer months after her father passed away. We cried and we prayed for miraculous healing. We asked God to touch His beloved daughter with healing hands, to show her He was in control, and to ease the heavy burdens that life had placed on her so suddenly by demonstrating His abundant love for her.
She had the surgery, it was bigger than they thought, more surgeries and chemotherapy are to come, not to mention the stress of the inflated medical bills.
At the same time, we were praying for an aunt who went in for surgery to have a small tumor removed. It was a three-day process, from arrival to returning home. She went home four surgeries and three and a half weeks later.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God…”
Doubt
Little Faith – Doubt
In the wake of all this struggle and pain for those who are close to me I considered the prayers and pleas I had lifted up to God. I recognized that God is in control, that He is sovereign over everything, even within our own freewill. Experience has taught me that God does not answer every prayer the way we want, but He does answer, even if we don’t hear it or see it. But this was different. This affected my heart.
I prayed again to God over this matter, and I asked Him if He doesn’t answer these prayers, like the Bible says He will, then how do we know for certain that He is the one who provides for all of our needs, like the Bible says He does? I considered that the path we walk in this life is coincidence and chance, under freewill, instead of freewill under His will.
God is understanding and God is love. God does not mind these questions. He invites them. But I did not only ask questions, I believed in my heart that I knew the answers, and the answers did not glorify Him. Doubt had seeped into my veins and was now pumping through my entire body. This was a heart condition, not just questions of the mind.
Wrath
I repented for that doubt and for that prayer to Him the very next morning. I asked Him to forgive me, and it was sincere, at least I thought it was. But God was going to walk me through this one, He was going to make sure I got the message and learned the lesson.
The coming Friday night to the following Sunday morning I would experience what it was like to be under the wrath of God. You may think this list of events is kind of funny, or coincidental, but I can tell you that from the first incident to the last I felt the Holy Spirit’s involvement and guidance.
Friday night my cell phone flew from my hands and landed perfectly on the sidewalk to destroy it. As I watched the phone twist in the air and land like a pancake, I marveled at the perfection of it, and I knew there was meaning behind it.
Saturday morning, I spent over $1,000 to replace the phone and another piece of equipment I had broken the week prior. I was seeing my financial security being wiped away.
Upon arriving home, I found the deep freeze in the garage had stopped working. I spent the rest of my relaxing day dealing with it. We put some stuff in a neighbor’s fridge and started cooking and barbequing.
During the impromptu a lawn chair crumbled into three pieces beneath me as I sat in it.
The following morning, while at Sunday school, my wallet was stolen.
As I said earlier, it was the Holy Spirit who was communicating to me that these things were not coincidence, but they were from God, being dealt out with the sole intention to show me an answer to my prayer, that yes, indeed, He was and is in control. I felt it when the cell phone smacked the concrete, my heart knew it when over $1,000 left my bank account in less than 30 minutes, and I was on my knees begging for forgiveness when I found the deep freeze and all of its contents thawed out.
What I was feeling was the unbridled and very real fear of God. I was keenly aware that everything I had could be taken away in the snap of a finger because the Almighty, all-powerful God was in control. I was seeing my finances leave, my personal safety threatened, our comforts taken away, and God’s protection removed. I was scared. I was on my knees more than once that weekend.
Little Faith – Fear
Return to Grace
That same Sunday, after my wallet was given back to me by a police officer, thanks to security footage on my pastor’s cell phone (the church we attend is full of hurting and broken people, like all churches are, but it is visible here), God touched my heart during a specific worship song. I was singing, my hands open, and crying. What an awesome and loving Father we serve, for He had reprimanded me like any father should, and then showed love and mercy on the other side of it. He gently guides, teaches, and builds up.
Hebrews 12:-6
5 … “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
God had simply reminded me what I already knew, that He is in control, although it is not our right nor within our capabilities to know all there is to know about Him and His plan. We know a lot, more than enough to know for certain that Jesus Christ is His Son and is the Messiah the Old Testament prophesied. We know more than enough to be without excuse.
1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
O you of little faith…
Matthew 8:26
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
But God was not done with me. After all of this He reminded me of all the miracles He has blessed me with, all the times He had shown me His presence, and all the mercy He had shown to me. It was not lost to me that through this journey of prayer, doubt, and rebuke, that none of these acts of mercy had entered my mind or graced my thoughts. How is that possible? How can we be so pitiful and incompetent with these priceless gifts that have been given to us, namely the grace and forgiveness we receive through Jesus Christ? How can we consistently return to doubt and unbelief when we already know the truth?
Mark 9:24
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Our faith is so weak, memories selective, our deserving of deliverance non-existence. Yet He shows up for us, yet He submitted to torture and death by His own creation to save that creation from itself, yet He still, to this day, loves us!
Little Faith – Fear of God
This is a testimony to the power, the sovereignty, and the loving hand of God. Consider it, for just like the events of the Bible, it happened, and it is true. If you need to talk to someone about Jesus or if you are ready to accept Him as your Savior, but aren’t sure how, or if you need a Bible, please contact me.
I leave you with Psalm 38 in its entirety. It is a psalm that reflects the experience of knowing God’s wrath and the fear of Him.
Psalm 38
1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! 2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin. 4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds are foul and festering Because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. 7 For my loins are full of inflammation, And there is no soundness in my flesh. 8 I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You. 10 My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, And my relatives stand afar off. 12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, And plan deception all the day long.
13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. 14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth is no response.
15 For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God. 16 For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.”
17 For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. 18 For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in [d]anguish over my sin. 19 But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. 20 Those also who render evil for good, They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
