Faith for Today

The supreme miracle in the New Testament was the raising of the Lazarus from the dead. The story from John chapter 11 provides some classic lessons in faith. When Christ arrived, Martha met him, saying: "if you had been here, my brother would not have died" in other words, she displayed a marvelous faith for yesterday; "if you had been here five days ago, I believe there would've been a miracle." "If" was her word – a favorite word for believers believing for the past. Anything could've happened yesterday. Old faith is like the old manna from yesterday described in the book of Exodus and Numbers. If they kept yesterday's manna, it would breed worms and stink. Faith has to be today's faith. Jesus assured Martha, "your brother will rise again, and Martha replied, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Martha had faith for tomorrow, “the last days.” It is so often like that … ‘there will be a miracle sometime, in God's good time, when revival comes, when things are different.’ Christ worked miracles in the common streets of villages and cities; but according to the scholars of his day, it was the wrong time. It was only to happen when the apocalyptic world dawned. They believed that one day the lame would leap like the hart, the blind would see; but not now, with Roman soldiers occupying the holy city! The miracles they saw in Jerusalem or Galilee could not be genuine. "It must be the devil at work," those old rabbis thought. Today we are still inundated with skeptics; but we have a firm, unshakable faith in Christ Jesus our Lord! So give him praise from your heart today. –Reinhard Bonnke

Revelation 1:8 reads: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Our God brings healing and redemption for the past (who was), and holds the future in His hands (who is to come), but don’t miss the presence of our God in this present moment (He is the God who is). As a part of your devotion today, look for Him in all these places—for healing of our past hurts and disappointments, on His promises for the future which are sure, written in His scars, and as the abiding God who is with us, here and now, forever and always.