Our faith rests upon a miracle. Christians believe that God created everything that exists out of nothing. We believe the “mighty acts of God” in the lives of his people recorded in the scriptures are true miracles, not myth. God parted the Red Sea, the Jordan River, He provided manna in the wilderness, He spoke His Word and the young Virgin Mary conceived Jesus Christ. Jesus began both to teach and do good miracles among the people He lived among. He was crucified, died, buried and on the third day was raised again from the dead in the land of Israel! The Good News of Jesus spread throughout the ancient Roman Empire like lightening and extended into Africa and Eastward to India in the lifetime of the apostles. Yes, I believe in the God of miracles.

My faith is not a blind faith but an informed faith strengthened and confirmed by the eyewitness accounts of over 500 people. The history of Jesus’ amazing life and love. He still chooses to save, bless, and heal today.

I usually explain a miracle as, “Whatever is impossible for us is possible with God.” In other words, God can intervene in any situation he so chooses and supersedes any natural force or spiritual power that exists. He is sovereign.

A bit more of a technical definition can be found here:

miracle. An event brought about by a special act of God. There is much disagreement about the definition beyond this minimum. Some thinkers argue that a miracle must involve an exception to the laws of nature or (perhaps alternatively) involve some event that exceeds the natural powers or capacities of natural things. Others insist that a miracle is recognizable primarily by its revelatory power as a sign that shows something about God or God’s purposes and that such events do not have to be scientifically inexplicable.

Evans, C. S. (2002). In Pocket dictionary of apologetics & philosophy of religion (p. 76). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

There are longer and better explanations if you are interested in Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias published by Baker or Eerdmans.

Theology is the mother of Science!

I enjoy reading articles and books by scientists who write for those of us who are not trained or educated as scientists. I especially appreciate those scientists who are comfortable speaking about their faith in God.

Theology is considered as the mother of all science. Theology delivered us from the fear of devils, demons, sprites, and spirits. Theology delivered us from superstition. Theology taught us that the laws of nature, were actually laws created by God. Those laws could be tested over and over with anticipated and sometimes unanticipated results. Despite the efforts of some early misguided and sometimes cruel theologians threatened by the child, science, science continued to be pursued by men and women who had faith in God and his laws.

“Up to the turn of the century, Christianity was the dominant intellectual force in most areas of life and culture in the West. Christians were not a marginalized minority; they were the majority. The truth is that we cannot really understand a Newton, a Descartes, or a Cuvier without delving into the religious and philosophical ideas that drove their scientific work.

We speak advisedly of both religious and philosophical ideas. For while orthodox Christians have held certain fundamental theological convictions in common, they have often differed in their understanding of how to express and apply their theology in areas such as science. Christians begin with Scripture and creation—God’s Word and God’s world. But the way we relate the two is through the intermediary of philosophy—a philosophy of nature and of God’s relationship to it, an abstract conception informed by Scripture but not uniquely determined by Scripture. Christians who share theological orthodoxy may embrace different philosophies of nature.”

Pearcey, N., & Thaxton, C. B. (1994). The soul of science: Christian faith and natural philosophy (p. 12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

“In the spirit of the Reformation, the astronomer Johannes Kepler wrote of being “called” by God to use his talents in his work as an astronomer. In one of his notebooks, Kepler broke spontaneously into prayer:

I give you thanks, Creator and God, that you have given me this joy in thy creation, and I rejoice in the works of your hands. See I have now completed the work to which I was called. In it I have used all the talents you have lent to my spirit.

In the same spirit, the early chemist Jean-Baptiste van Helmont insisted that the pursuit of science is “a good gift,” given by God. This broad concept of calling lent spiritual and moral sanction to science as a legitimate way of serving God.”

 ibid(p. 23)

Those scientists began to understand the natural world we live in and the universe our home is part of. Medicine, technology, understanding, wonder let them to marvel at the glory and splendor of God. All that exists, exists because of the miracle of creation. And that’s not all, wherever there is a need that is impossible to us and science, that’s where a miracle awaits!

As Kepler wrote, let us use “all of our talents God has lent” to us and trust God with what we can’t do. He can heal the sick that medicine can’t cure, only He can save a soul, only God, can raise us up at the last day to dwell with Him forever. Maranatha!

Peace!