GIVING PRAISE
Mk. 9:23/Eph. 6:16/1 Jn. 5:4,14,15

The blast of a horn, the screech of brakes, a frightened scream, and a dull thud were heard as 16-year-old Raymond Collins was thrown to the pavement by the fast moving car. When they picked him up he was bleeding profusely from the head. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, and he was unable to speak. After that last scream, when he saw the approaching car, he didn't utter another word.

Seventeen years later, walking one day on his crutches along the sidewalk in Albertsville, Alabama, he missed his footing and fell into a hole. Bleeding profusely from a bump on his head he screamed with all his strength: "Help me, I'm bleeding to death!" In the excitement he didn't notice that his tongue was freed. His comment after the rescue was, "God heard my prayers."

For some of us stories like this produce awe when we reflect on God’s miraculous power. Others of us may have a "couldn't care less" attitude. All too many persons, especially in academic and scientific circles, are unwilling to believe in miracles. This man had been paralyzed for 17 years, yet he never lost his faith in God. He read the Bible avidly, and prayed constantly that God would return his speech. Then one day, he suffered that accident and was miraculously, restored. The first thing he did was to sing the old Christian hymn, "Amazing Grace."

All too many in our society today do not believe in miracles. Modern man has seen so much evil, contemplated so much worldwide disaster, and seen so many renowned religious leaders fall that he has lost faith in the supernatural.

Faith, however, is not the product of our intellect or something that reason can fabricate. Man cannot find faith through philosophical and analytical speculations. Faith is in man because of an ardent need to believe, and that need itself, gives testimony to the existence of God. Faith, in other words, comes from the study of God’s Eternal Word. "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)

Let us not forsake the daily reading of God’s Word. Just reading the Word, regularly and consistently, will inspire in us faith in God and in His Eternal Sovereignty. Let’s allow ourselves to believe in God’s reality and goodness. Let’s have faith in God.

Radio Vision in Vinces, Ecuador broadcasts A MESSAGE TO THE CONSCIENCE each weekday to an audience of over 50,000. Please pray for those who so desperately need to know Christ and will hear one of these radiocasts today.