Look and Live part 4
This is kind of interesting to me, because while we seem to usually take it in a negative way, to me this is a simple truth of life. John 4:48, "Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." And that's kind of the attitude that we have about "ye of little faith." We make it seem like needing to see is bad. But, guys, seeing IS believing. You can't believe what you don't know. Look at Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith isn't hope. Those are two very different things. Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for. Faith is believing that what God says is true. If He says He's going to do it... He's going to it. In fact, He's already done it. The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. Before there was ever a sinner, there was a savior. But here's my point for today: Faith is evidence. Seeing IS believing. You have to know it before you can believe it. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word (Jesus, Love) of God. You have to see it and hear it. Experience it. Then you can believe it. You can't give what you don't have. You can only give what you do have. So you have to KNOW what you have before you can believe it. Because the believing part is when what's inside comes out. What you do flows from what you believe. You can't walk by faith without walking. Of COURSE you need signs and wonders before you'll believe. And God has never shied away from giving us those signs and wonders. Even with our story in John chapter four... the nobleman came to Jesus because he had heard about the things Jesus could do. And in verse 50 we see this, "Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way." Jesus wasn't condemning the man by saying, "You have to see it to believe it." Jesus didn't condemn anybody (except maybe religious folk). I think, if anything, He was--as usual--showing us the way. Remember the story in Judges where Gideon needed sign upon sign with the wet fleece, the dry fleece, on and on. God didn't get mad at him. He just gave Gideon what he needed. God is a loving heavenly Father. He always gives us what we need. He always provides for us. How could God expect us to have faith in Him unless He first proved Himself faithful? It doesn't work any other way. Faith is substance. Faith is evidence. Faith is believing what you know. Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. I think that makes sense. And I don't think that's something God is mad about. I'm convinced that God has no problem proving Himself. Because love never fails. Because love endures. Love stands strong no matter what. Love shines a light. Love IS the light. Love doesn't hide. Love wants to be seen. And not in a braggy way. But in a, "Here's a more excellent way... come and get it... its available," way. So don't get down on people (or yourself) that need to see it in order to believe it. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. See it and believe it. Look... and live!