In Theory: Miracles for Money?

They come to be healed. They are people afflicted with everything from paralysis, cancer to blindness. Some travel great distances for a promise to be healed instantly in the name of Jesus Christ. ABC's "Nightline" this week aired a report titled "Turning to Revivals for Healing." In the story, reporter Bill Weir examines the validity of the revivals and interviews evangelist Nathan Morris and revival presider Pastor John Kilpatrick at a revival event held recently in Mobile, Ala. Do miracles really take place at these healing revivals? Are people really cured? Or are they simply "mirages," as the report states, organized it seems with only one purpose — taking people's money?

"People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed."

Miracles are two things — they are real and they are rare. Only because there is a God is the miraculous possible.

When a bona fide miracle occurs, it is undeniable, unexplainable and graciously wrought by the hand of God. Healings are beautifully breathtaking events. God does not often break his own rules of physics or even bend them. But when he does, God pulls back the curtain of heaven just a bit and we see how small our frailties are compared to how big our God is.

I've seen it happen at our church. On the other hand, contrary to what today's "miracles for money" charlatans would have us believe, genuine miracles are exceptionally rare. No amount of prayer or faith or money can obligate God to do our bidding. He does what he will according to his own good purposes. Predictably, things like health, physiology and medicine most of the time continue as they always have. Even the holy apostles, brimming with the power of God, occasionally could not heal their loved ones.

There were roughly three periods of biblical history wherein most miracles occurred. In these periods, God used miracles to authenticate his chosen messengers: Moses, Elijah/Elisha and Jesus and the apostles. Like today, outside of these periods, miracles were extremely rare.