God is still God

We sometimes ask, does God still do miracles? Where is the God that parted the Red Sea? The One who caused manna to rain from Heaven, each day a fresh new supply for those wanderers in the desert. Where is the One who led captive Israel out of bondage....sending them away with parting gifts from Pharaoh? The One who raised Lazarus from the dead, and healed the centurian's daughter with only a spoken word? Fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish?

From time to time we may forget, but those who work in the trenches know. He is still here and He has not changed. Yesterday at church we had a live feed from Africa, where a missionary couple has been serving for several years now. They have settled in a small predominantly muslim village. Life in this area had all but dried up and blown away, since it had not rained there for 9 years. Shortly after they got there they held a meeting for the people and local leaders, some of whom were muslim clergy. They were wary, since Christianity has been met with hostility and persecution in this area, but all went well. They held a prayer service that night and one of the things they prayed for was rain. As he was seeing everyone off after the service, it clouded up and began to pour, ending a 9 year drought. The locals called him "man who has rain" after that night.

He assured him that he had no special power over the weather, but that the God he serves does! There is great persecution in these parts of the world and he told several stories that are unimaginable to us here in America. One man was hung by his wrists to a tree and the backs of his legs were severely beaten because he would not renounce his Christian faith. By the time he was rescued, his legs were mangled beyond repair. The hospital said he would never walk again due to severity of the damage. When this missionary went there to see him, with tears streaming down his face he said, "I am sorry brother, that you had to go through this!" The man said, "Don't feel pity for me because I never felt the presence of Jesus closer to me as when I was suffering." The missionary prayed for an impossible healing, and God heard from Heaven. The man who they said would never walk again walked out of that hospital.
YES, God is still God. And He is the same yesterday, today and forever!
There were many more stories of miraculous escape, provision and rescue and I am sure we could all add our own! So I add to my list of gratitude today that God is still changing lives, still "Emmanuel" God with us.

Thankful today that:

87. He willingly left the Halls of Heaven to come down here to this mess of a planet.
88. He reduced Himself to a baby in a manger in order to redeem us and bring us back into fellowship with Him.
89. He willingly died a terrible death He didn't deserve so that I might live.
90. He ascended back to Heaven with the hope that we all follow Him there.
91. Not only that, but He gave us the seal of the Holy Spirit, the promise of redemption, to live in this body so that I can be equipped to do His work successfully!
92. He sent death packing.
93. He prays for me even now.
94. He has given the assurance in His Word that all this is true.
95. He hears my prayers.
96. He is as closer to me than my own breath.
97. He will never leave me or forsake me, no matter what happens, His presence will always be there.
Counting toward my 1000 blessings, I continue with others at: