NOTES:

What is the belief of the skeptic?

How did Pastor Paul respond?

How would you respond?

Prayer Requests

Y Leon (Rochelle Carricks uncle) and

family, as his wife Nancy passed away
Saturday.
Y Jim (friend of Ginnelle Edgett) started
chemo this week. Pray for strength.
Y Pray for Paul Edgetts back pain as it
continues to get worse. Pray the care
he receives helps and allows him to
get stronger.
Y Donna (friend of Heather Butterfield)
pray for success and to be healed
following her surgery.
Y Rosie Johnson (Heather Butterfield
friend) has stage 3 cancer (guardian
for a 1st grader). Pray for miracle and
healing.
Y Donald (son of John & Gloria Ivers) who
is dealing with severe depression and
anxiety.
Y Kate H. (friend of Sally Leitch, whose
kids are playmates of Owen & Miles
Leitch) as she enters hospice due to
brain cancer.
Y Mike Malinovsky (Joe Malinovskys
brother) is suffering with advanced
cancer.
Y Julie Fjeld (Jennifer & Mike Huehns
neighbor) as she starts a trial cancer
treatment.
Y Karen Halloway (friend of Gloria Ivers)
has pancreatic cancer.
Y Scott Berg (relative of Rochelle Carrick)
has cancer.
Y Bill Ward (friend of Pastor Paul) who
was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Y Sandee Landsburg (Pastor Pauls
friend) who suffers with cancer.
Y Pray for Ruthann Coburn as she lives
with health issues.
Y Donna McCullen (wife of Ken McCullen)
as she lives with cancer.

Chain of Lakes Church

10130 Davenport Street NE
Blaine, MN 55449
763-208-8049
www.colpres.org

Weekly Devotion
Besides being a wisdom teacher, Jesus
was a miracle worker. About thirty-five
times in the gospels, Jesus performed a
miracle. The miracles Jesus performed are
grouped into healings, exorcisms,
resuscitations, (like the story of Lazarus),
and nature miracles.
It might be hard to accept that Jesus could
do a miracle. It doesnt make logical
sense that Jesus could suspend the laws of
nature and perform a miracle. This
skepticism about miracles does lead some
people away from God.
Its important to be aware of the miracles
and have our own developed thoughts
about them. This week we have the
opportunity to read about six miracle
stories. Enjoy! Comments about the
devotion can be E-mailed to
pastor@colpres.org

Monday, October 5
Read Matthew 13:54-58
The most common reference to a miracle
in the New Testament is the Greek word,
dynamis which is translated as mighty
work or deed of power.
People in Nazareth were astounded over
the wisdom that Jesus shared and the
deeds of power or miracles that he did.

2
The people who lived there had known
Jesus ever since he was young. They
couldnt believe that Jesus had developed
into this type of person.
Its interesting to think about what
miracles that Jesus was doing in Nazareth.
Unfortunately we dont read about them.
Its also interesting that even the people in
his own town had a hard time accepting
the miracles that Jesus was doing. These
people are not all that different from
people who today have a hard time
believing in these miracles. Its
understandably hard for some people to
accept miracles.

Tuesday, October 6
Read John 2:1-11

3
Read Luke 9:28-36
This story is known as a heavenly miracle.
A cloud from heaven came over Peter and
James and John.
Some other heavenly miracles happened
at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16)
and when the sky turned black as Jesus
was dying on the cross (Matthew 27:45)
This past Sunday evening we enjoyed a
Red Moon. In ancient times people would
have thought of this as a miracle. Even
today some people saw the Red Moon as a
sign of the second coming. We can
describe a scientific process for the Red
Moon.
However we cant use a scientific process
to describe that a cloud came from
heaven over Peter and James and John.

In John the miracles of Jesus were

described as signs or semeion. Eventually
large crowds followed Jesus because of the
signs he was doing (John 6:2)

When we read a story like this, most of us

dont question whether the miracle took
place. We more question the meaning of
the story.

In this story Jesus turned water into wine

at a wedding in Cana. We dont actually
hear about Jesus turning the water into
wine. The assumption of the story is that
Jesus did that.

How do you think you would respond if a

cloud from heaven came and
overshadowed you? Many of us would be
very frightenedjust as the three were in
this story.

What do you believe happened in this

story? Do you think the people were
confused by what was in the stone jars?
Perhaps the wind was already there.
Perhaps someone else poured out the
water that was in the stone jars and put
wine there.
It takes faith to believe in a miracle. As
you pray today, pray for even more faith!

Wednesday, October 7

Thursday, October 8
Read Luke 4:38-41

4
Word about the miracle that Jesus
performed on Simons mother-in-law.
People were amazed at what was
happening. We can imagine how fast
word spread. We can imagine them
saying, do you believe in miracles? A
man is performing them in Capernaum
where Simon lived.
The energy had to be electric. People who
were sick or had various kinds of diseases
came to Jesus to have him lay hands on
them. Demons came out of people
proclaiming that Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus had certainly made an impact on the
people and the community. He was a
doctor who was healing and caring for
people who were suffering.

Friday, October 9
Read Mark 8:22-26
Healing a person who was blind was
especially significant when Jesus lived.
Being blind was a terrible obstacle for
living a complete life. They could not work
or contribute to life. They didnt have the
language of Braille like today or
computers who could communicate words
on a computer.
The passion of people who brought the
blind man to Jesus is humbling. They
begged Jesus to heal the man.

We often dont read about what Jesus said

when he performed a miracle. Many times
Jesus just did the miracle.

The mans life was restored when Jesus

healed him. It took two attempts for the
mans sight to be completely restored.

Here he rebuked the fever. Its almost as

if the fever was in opposition to what Jesus
wanted. As soon as Jesus rebuked the
fever Simons (or Peters) mother-in-law
got up to serve Jesus.

We know of people who are beaten down

by life. They might not be blind, but
because of the obstacles they experience
it seems like they are blind. Pray for that
person today. Pray that you can share the
compassion of Jesus with them.

2
Saturday, October 10
Read Mark 4:35-41
On certain occasions Jesus did healings in
nature. In this story Jesus calmed the
windstorm as the windstorm threated the
disciples and Jesus in a boat.
Even though the disciples had witnessed
Jesus healing people, they had never seen
him cause a change in nature. We can
understand the words they said at the end
of the story, Who then is this, that even
the wind and the se obey him?
We would have been astounded too.
Think about times in your own life when
you have been astounded by God. When
has something happened that you never
could have predictedan occurrence that
amazed you and filled you with awe. Who
knowsmaybe this event was a miracle?