Miracles

Have you ever wondered what life would be like without physical pain? Would life be more peaceful? Would we be more aggressive or would we possibly be incapable of enjoying the pleasures of life? We may think we are better off without pain but “Pain is simply our intrinsic medical adviser to warn us and stimulate us” (H. G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau). Some people have been able to experience this anomaly, the ability to be incapable of experiencing any physical pain. These people are proven examples that pain is in fact necessary. Without pain one an never truly discover their body’s physical limits and may against their knowledge inflict a great deal of pain upon themselves. People with the inability to feel pain have the disease called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA). CIPA is categorized as a Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathic disease. Congenital Insensitivity to pain is the inability to feel uneasy sensations pertaining to an individual from birth. Anhidrosis is the inability to sweat thus causing the incapability to regulate body temperature. HSAN type IV is a genetic disorder caused by multiple DNA mutations.

These mutations occur on the neuropathic tyrosine kinase receptor types one (ntrk1 gene). In normal people the NGR (neuropathic gene receptor) stimulates the growth support and the survival of the autonomic sympathetic neurons as well as nociceptive sensory neurons, which transmit pain sensations to the spinal cord and the brain. Mutations occur in portions of the gene that encode the intracellular and extracellular domain of the protein, which may affect the variability in presentation. Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathic (HSAN) type IV causes Congenital

Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis. HSAN IV is the second most common type of HSAN. CIPA symptoms normally manifest at an early age, but can be difficult to diagnose. Infants with CIPA rarely cry from normal ailments, such as not crying when hungry as they cannot sense hunger and they can sleep soundly throughout the night as they cannot sense their needs that need to be met. Parents believe it to be a blessing that their child doesn’t cry until other onset symptoms occur. These symptoms include unexplained fevers, self-mutilation, and developmental delay.

When teething children often chew on anything they can, but since children with CIPA don’t realise the pain of biting themselves, teething becomes dangerous. Many CIPA children begin to bite off their own tongue and fingers when teething; often ripping out their own teeth as well. Around this time, parents begin to realise that these symptoms are not normal for children. People with CIPA can’t live a normal life because of the many unfortunate ailments caused by the disease. Hyperactivity is a common characteristic of children with CIPA, as is eing unable to differentiate between temperatures. Many children die early because it is very easy for them to overheat as they cannot regulate their own body temperature. The lack of sweating causes the skin to become thick and susceptible to skin infections and cellulitis. Their bones deteriorate over a shorter period of time than normal bones. Their joints are overused usually confining patients to a wheelchair (wheelchair bound). An infinite number of patients develop appendicitis and die because they are unable to feel the pain that this would normally cause.

It is impossible to determine the number of CIPA patients, as there is quite a discrepancy in the statistics. Unfortunately, there is no cure for CIPA, and they are very few treatment options. Since it is a rare disorder there hasn’t been a lot of research done on the topic. To regulate the body temperature, some individuals with CIPA have to wear a special cooling vest designed by NASA, and must have a controlled thermostat. These individuals, like 11 year old Kayla Woodhouse, need to have a cooler filled with ice pack re-fills for her vest, and fluids to keep her hydrated.

Other patients with CIPA wear goggles to protect their cornea, which would otherwise become damaged from their habit to scratch themselves. Gabby Gingras is one of the well known CIPA patients who wears goggles to prevent further damage. Gabby also had to have her teeth removed by the age of two to prevent further irreparable damage to her fingers. People with CIPA need constant supervision to avoid future injuries. Life without pain is more difficult than at first glance; it wouldn’t be as wonderful as we would assume. Upon further investigation of CIPA, although it may seem like a wonderful thing t is an extremely dangerous disorder that most often results in premature death. Until we find a cure, people who have CIPA are forced to painlessly suffer. Imagine if humans could suddenly no longer feel physical pain: Pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and manufacturing companies would cry all the way to their banks. Bibliography Axelrod, F. B. , von Simson, G. G. , Oddoux, C. (2008, August 5). Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy IV. GeneReviews. Retrieved November 15, 2008, from, http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/bookshelf/br. fcgi? book=gene&part=hsan4.

Brown, A. (2006, May 20). It’s not so easy being a superhero. The Gazette. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20060520/ai_n16434313. Lambert, K. (n. d). How CIPA Works. How Stuff Works. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from http://health. howstuffworks. com/cipa. htm/printable. Lee, B. (2008, November 17). Health Talk: Congenital insensitivity to pain. The Tartan. Retrieved December 2, 2008, from http://www. thetartan. org/2008/11/17/scitech/healthtalk. Wells, H. G. (1988). The Island of Dr. Moreau. New York: Signet Classic.

Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………… Miracles of Jesus Christ 1. Cures a. The Miracle of the Centurion’s Servant Healed………………. b. Jesus Cleanses a Leper…………………………………………… c. The Healing of Ten Lepers………………………………………. d. Healing a man with dropsy………………………………………. e. Healing a woman With Internal Bleeding……………………….. f. Healing two Blind Men……………………………………………. g. Blind bartmaeus Receives his sight………………………………. 2. Exorcism a. Healing a Mute Demoniac…………………………………………. 3. Power Over Death a. Raising Jairus’ Daughter…………………………………………… . Controlling Nature a. Water turned wine…………………………………………………… b. The Miracle of Jesus Walking on the Sea………………………….. c. The Feeding of the Four Thousand………………………………… Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………… Bibliography………………………………………………………………………… Appendices…………………………………………………………………………… Introduction According to the canonical Gospels, Jesus worked many miracles in the course of his ministry, which may be categorized into cures, exorcisms, control over nature, power over death and various others.

Miracles may very well be considered a thing of the past, however, the miracles of Jesus Christ as illustrated in the Bible attest to the significance of His physical presence while on earth. The miracles He performed were not restricted to those who only needed His very special touch to be healed or desired to be fed but were used to teach His followers the love God had for his people. Today, those same miracles can be used as lessons from which our lives should be guided as God remains the perennial symbol of hope.

MIRACLES OF JESUS CHRIST CURES The Miracle of The Centurion’s Servant Healed (Matt. 8:5-13) “And Jesus entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, go, and he goeth; and to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Isreal. And I say unto you, that many shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom off heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, go they way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. ” There is a spiritual palsy as well as a natural one. The spiritual palsy consists in some spiritual obstruction in the mind and life, whereby the free circulation of heavenly love and wisdom is impeded, so that the mental faculties are not able to perform their proper functions, which functions consist in opposing evil and false principles, and din cherishing such as are in agreement with the supreme good and the supreme truth.

We are instructed further, that no radical cure is to be found for this spiritual palsy but the Incarnate God, or in the Great Saviour, Jesus Christ in His Divine Humanity, and not even, in this God and Saviour, unless he be approached in a right faith, that is to say, with a faith grounded in love and charity producing right arrangement in all subordinate power and principles of the natural mind. The miracle further shows that let the obstructions to heavenly life and love be ever so formidable, and the divine circulation of blessing be ever so much impeded, yet if Jesus Christ in His divine humanity be believed in and pproached with a sincere heart, and in the spirit of true repentance, every obstruction will be removed, which prevents free circulation of His blessed influence, until at length the whole mind and life be restored to their proper health and strength, by being enable to comply willingly and freely with the Divine Operation. It is prudent for us whenever we feel our minds affected with a spiritual palsy, to apply immediately, like the faithful Centurion, to our God and Saviour for his healing virtue, and to apply to him with that living faith in His Diviine Omnipotence, for which the Centurion was so eminently distinguished.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper (Matthew 8: v. 1-5): “When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. And behold, a Leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying ‘Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. ’ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him saying, I will, be clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, see that you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the Priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for proof to them” And the great crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

Leprosy like all other bodily diseases was prevalent at the time. It was a representative figure of the spiritual disease called profanation of good and of truth which prevailed in the Jewish church at that time. Profanation means those acts that were not considered to be biblical and sacred, thus the Leper was guilty of profanation, because he had knowledge of what was true and good but acted contrary to this and he there, became a spiritual Leper. In the miracle, he is therefore, a representation of all those who once accepted Christ as their saviour, but were nonetheless allowed the temptation of the world to overcome them.

The Lord in his merciful providence exercises care over mankind because He is always a forgiving God. The utterances of the Leper “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean”. This implies the acknowledgement of Christ’s Divinity. Such acknowledgement is the necessary qualification to draw from Him the operation of His Divine Virtue for the cure of disease whether mental or bodily. When Jesus touched Leper, this symbolizes His power and omnipotence, because the hand is formed to execute the determination of the will in which all power originates. In so doing, God our Father is demonstrating His love and care for His children.

The Healing of Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19) “Now it happened as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as he entered a certain village, there met him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off” Leprosy was the most feared disease of its time. The closet emotional equivalent today would to be told that you have AIDS. The disease of leprosy was a painful disease but the physical pain was not the most terrible part of the disorder. It first meant they had to face isolation. They were shut off from their family. They were shut off from their friends.

They were shut off from God, in the sense that they could no longer enter the temple to worship. Lepers were swept into isolated colonies and required that when anyone ventured too close to cry out in humiliation, “Unclean, Unclean!!! ” Leprosy was an especially humiliating disease because; those who had leprosy were thought to be unclean, and incapable of having a right relationship with God. They made to feel that they were even isolated from God. Leprosy also meant a total loss of your way to life. You had been left to die. Which brings us to the final effect of a diagnosis of leprosy, you are dying, a slow and horrible death.

They kept their distance as prescribed by law, but they certainly did not keep quiet. These lepers only hope is Jesus and his mercy does not let them down. In verse thirteen, we told, “And they lifted up their voices and said “Jesus, master, have mercy on us”! They asked for mercy. They were not asking for what they deserved they were pleading for mercy. The Old Testament law required that a person who was healed of leprosy was to go to the priest for inspection and proclamation that the person was healed. In fact it is the exact reversal of the way in which they were declared lepers in the first place.

No healing words were spoken, yet the lepers apparently understood that when Jesus said “go to the priest” it is implied that they will be healed. By obediently making their way to the priest, the lepers were demonstrating that they had faith in the words of Jesus. All ten place faith in Jesus’ power to heal. Healing a man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6) One Sabbath Day while Jesus was at the home of one of the chief Pharisee leader’s home to eat bread he noticed that there was a man there who had dropsy. Jesus then turned to the lawyers and Pharisees who were also having bread and asked “is it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? (Luke 14:3). To this neither the Lawyers nor the Pharisees answered. Jesus then took the man with the dropsy and healed him and let him go. Jesus then turned to them and asked “which of you would have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day? ” (Luke 14:5) To this they could not reply. Jesus did what any parent would do for their child or children should they find themselves in a dangerous situation. Therefore, I say this to say that regardless of the Sabbath day if we can render assistance to someone who is in need we should because even Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour did it.

Healing a woman with internal bleeding (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48) While Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, and had spent all that she had on many physicians, and was no better, but rather grew worse, had heard about Jesus, and came up behind Him in a crowd and touched His cloak. For she said “If I but touch His clothes, I will be made well”. Immediately her hemorrhage stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Jesus was aware that power had gone forth from Him, turned around and asked “Who touched My clothes? The woman knowing what happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. Jesus said to her “Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace, and be healed of your disease. ” Healing two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31) After Jesus left Jairus’ house, two blind men followed Jesus, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David! ” Jesus said to them “Do you believe I am able to do this? ” They said to Him “Yes, Lord. ” Then He touched their eyes and said “According to your faith let it be done to you. ” And their eyes were opened.

Then Jesus sternly ordered them “See that no one knows of this. ” But they went away and spread the news about Him throughout that district. Blind Bartimaeus Receives his sight (Mark 10: v. 46-52) “Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and His Disciples, together with a large crowd were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is the son of Timaeus) was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout “Jesus, son of David have mercy on me! ” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, son of David have mercy on me! Jesus stopped and said “Call him” so they called to the blind man “Cheer up! On your feet! He is calling you. Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus . “What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him. The blind man said,” Rabbi I want to see”. “Go”, said Jesus, “your faith has healed you”. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. It was the Passover season and may were travelling in the same direction with Jesus-that is toward Jerusalem. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar say by the wayside hoping to receive charity form passersby.

Bartimaeus had heard that He was the reputed Messiah who, according to the Scriptures would eventually bless the whole world and do away with sin, sorrow and pain. He had heard already that Jesus was performing cures, healing the sick, casting out demons and opening the eyes of the blind. When heard that Jesus was passing, his faith and hope flamed and he shouted “Jesus thou Son of David, have mercy on me”. Despite attempts to keep him quiet, he persisted because he felt that it was now or never and so he lifted his voice above that of the multitude and shouted loudly.

Jesus heard the voice and responded as he was ever ready to be gracious to those who call on him for mercy. He bade the blind man to come to Him. It showed Bartimaeus’ faith and thus signifies a more important lesson to the multitude. His request of Jesus to received his sight became a reality immediately and the blind became one of the followers of Jesus, praising his Divine power and acknowledging Him as the Messiah. “Jesus thou Son of David” had special significance to him and to the Jews of the his day. The Jews knew that Messiah as the great High Priest was in a measure prefigured by Aaron and as the great Law giver.

EXORCISM Healing a mute demoniac (Matthew 9:32-33) After the two healed blind men in left, a demoniac who was mute was brought to Jesus. And when Jesus cast the demon out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed and said they had never seen anything like this in Israel. POWER OVER DEATH Raising Jairus’ daughter (Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25; Mark 5:22-24, 35-43; Luke 8:41-42, 49-56) A leader of the Synagogue named Jairus came to Jesus, and begged Him to come and lay hands on his little daughter who was near death. As Jesus went, the crowds pressed in on Him and He felt power had gone forth from Him.

It was at this point He healed the woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years . While He was still speaking to the woman, someone came from Jairus’ house and told him his daughter had died. When Jesus heard about this He replied “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved. ” Jesus entered the house with Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. The people in the house were all weeping and wailing for her, but Jesus said “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping. ” He then took her by the hand and called out “Child get up. ” Her spirit returned, and she got up at once.

Then He directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded, but He ordered them to tell no one what happened. CONTROLLING NATURE Water turned wine (John 2:1-11) Jesus returned from Jordan to Galilee to attend a wedding for family members at Cana, a little town not far for Nazareth. The he would meet his mother who he had not seen in a while. This was a very joyous occasion for her as she found comfort in his sympathy had been very unhappy since the passing of Joseph. It was the custom of the times for marriage festivities to continue for several days.

On this occasion, on the third day it was found that the supply of wind had failed. This discovery caused much perplexity and regret. As a relative of the parties, Mary had assisted in the arrangement for the feast, so she said to Jesus “they have no wine” To this Jesus answered, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come (St. John 2:4). ” This answer, abrupt as it seems to us, expressed no coldness or discourtesy. Every act of Christ’s earthly life was in harmony with the precept He Himself had given, one of which is “honour they father and they mother. (Exodus 20:12). Mary then told the servants that “whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. ” Jesus then ordered them to them to fill size (6) water pots that were there with water which they did to the brim. Jesus then told them to draw out of it and give to the governor. When the governor tasted it to his surprise it was wine. He then called the bridegroom and said unto him “every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good win until now (St.

John 2:11). This miracle manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. The Miracle Of Jesus Walking On The Sea This miracle illustrates additional proof of the divinity of Jesus Christ, confirmed by His walking on the sea, and calming its disturbed waters. The miracle further shows the great necessity of acquiring the knowledge of what is good and true from the Word of God, which necessity is made known by Jesus constraining His disciples to go into a ship.

It also brings to the fore the impure principles of the natural mind, in exciting disturbance, trial and temptation, expressed in the history by the ship being tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. However, of great consolation is that Jesus is ever present in the midst of such disturbance, compelling it to make more manifest His Fatherly Mercy and Divine Omnipotence. From the miracle, it is illustrated that the apostle Peter, was afraid when he saw the boisterous wind which shows the weakness of human faith.

However, we can take comfort in the fact that if we believe I Jesus, all thins are possible to us and if human faith connects with omnipotence, it also can walk on the water, and go to Jesus. We also learn that the Great Redeemer is ever stretching forth the hand of His Divine Omnipotence to succour His children in all their dangers, and to relieve them in all their fears, whilst at the same time He leads tem to a diligent exploration of the causes of their alarms, by thee friendly expostulation, O you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt?

Lastly, we observe in the ship, which contained the Blessed Saviour and His disciples, a figure of the true church, an of every individual of the church, tossed on the boisterous waves of trial and temptation, yet riding in perfect safety and security, under the rue and government of Him, who sits above the water-floods, and remains a King forever be thee earth never so unquiet. The Feeding of The Four Thousand

The Feeding of the four thousand was not the only miracle of its kind Jesus performed, as being the teacher and preacher He was, it was the norm for him to officiate at many of these sermons where He provided refreshment for the people who came to listen to Him. However, the feeding of the four thousand was of great significance as Jesus used it not only to illustrate how great a miracle worker He was but also in a special way to explain the spiritual meaning of the miracle. St.

Mark 8: 1-9 gave an account of the miracle in the wilderness when Jesus expressed His concerns to His disciples on the wellbeing of the people who followed Him to hear His words. They were with Him for three (3) days and had not eaten during that time and was worried that should they return home unfed, they would become ill on the journey. His disciples did not share Jesus’ compassion as they questioned Him on how He planned to satisfy the hunger of four thousand people. This of course was not new to Jesus as He was previously faced with a similar situation when He fed five thousand persons with five (5) loaves of bread and two (2) fishes.

In that instance twelve (12) baskets were left over after the people were fed. On the occasion of the four thousand, Jesus once again enquired of the disciples on how many bread and fish they had and they handed him seven (7) loaves with some fish. Interestingly, among the people following Jesus were scribes and Pharisees who were only there to cast aspersions as they regarded every act of Jesus as suspicious. Their presence did not hindered Jesus from doing God’s will and so He ordered the four thousand to sit before He blessed the loaves and fish from which He fed them then sent them on their way.

At the end seven (7) baskets remained uneaten. Feeding of the multitude on these two (2) occasions were not just miracleaous acts, but denotes important spiritual lessons Jesus sought to teach His people. The twelve (12) baskets of leftovers from the first miracle represent the twelve (12) tribes of Israel as well as the commandments which mankind were to be guided after Jesus left the earth. The basket of seven (7) loaves left over from the feeding of the four thousand, signified His seven (7) main attributes i. love, patience, meekness, forgiveness, perseverance, self-sacrifice and mercy. These attributes were to be used by men in the physical absence of Jesus to strengthen them and serve as their guiding principles. Jesus realized that some of His hearers only consumed the bread and fish to satisfy their physical hunger while their spiritual hunger remained un-sated. The essence of the miracle was lost on those who had not grasped the content of Jesus’ sermon, the attributes representing Jesus’ teachings, parables and miracles were to open the eyes of the people.

The essence of God’s teachings can be lost if we only grasp the contents superficially Conclusion In concluding, Jesus performed over thirty-five miracles while he traversed the earth in his human form. Miracles were performed on the rich and the poor alike. The common thread that ties these miracles together is the fact that most, if not all persons required a miracle exercised great faith; that is, they believed and as such they were able to receive. The lesson to be learnt is that through Christ all things are possible [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]