There are many misconceptions today about faith and how we can put our faith into action to make the impossible possible.  In over 30 years of ministry I have witnessed miracles that no man could receive credit.  I've also witnessed many people healed that placed their faith in the Lord, but they also received medical treatment.  There are differences in a healing (which is accomplished over time) versus a miracle (which is instantaneous and can only be attributed to God).  Both miracles and healing happen today!  It is really impossible to deny this very fact and we always give Glory to the Lord in what He does for His creation. 

There are differences in the realm of healing and miracles, but the outcome is the same.
This is also true regarding the plans the Lord has for our lives.  I believe that He has placed dreams, hopes and aspirations for each person.  I believe the Lord has a plan for every individual, however it is our duty to seek the Lord for that plan and follow it.  We must seek the Lord through the study of His Word and prayer.  If we want to know Him more and His plan, it will be necessary to spend time with Him.  Often we get confused and think that we will receive a miracle when it comes to our dreams and aspirations.  Did you understand what you just read?  Often times we think that we should just receive what God has for us without seeking His plan, His Will and His Heart for our life!  We just think a miracle should happen without us walking out our faith in obedience.  We are just like a person in a boat, given two oars and we're just waiting to move forward without rowing.  Maybe you are that person that is waiting on a miracle when right now God is simply asking you to row.

The patriarchs all pleased God because of their faith (read Hebrews chapter 11).  They didn't just sit down and wait for their miracle!  They pressed through, they sought God's presence, they obeyed His voice and they acted!  I guess you could say that they pleased God over a long period of time.  Make no mistake about it, they received miracles along the way (can only be attributed to God) but those miracles came about because of their faithful action.

Scripture reads in 1 Corinthians 4:1, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."  Perhaps you are reading this and you can easily share with me the joy of the desires God has placed in you.  You can easily communicate the plan of God and the dreams He has placed in you, but you don't know what to do next.  Are you waiting on a miracle?  Perhaps you are sitting in the boat that God has provided for you.  The boat is there and you are waiting on something to propel you across the sea of life.  I'm not saying that it can't happen that way, but what I am sharing with you today is the fact that it's okay to take the oars out and row!  It's okay to start rowing to shore!  It's okay to place effort and work into what God has given you!  Perhaps God is just waiting for you to start rowing so He can help you.  The Holy Spirit has been given to us to be our Helper.  He abides in us to work through us and with us to accomplish the Father's plan.

Lord, I am determining in my heart today to jump into the bottom of the boat, grab an oar, and start rowing with all my might.  Doing the minimum is never going to get me where I need to go, so right now I am making the choice to place my energy forward to help achieve what YOU have planned for me.  Help me to be faithful, steadfast, unmoving and unflinching in the face of opposition.  I believe that my obedience in actively following Your plan will make the dreams You have placed in my heart come to fruition!

Don't just sit in the boat......start rowing and watch and see what God does!