Thursday, December 18, 2014

Signs

Thursday, December 18, 2014
One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”  But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.      Matthew 12: 38-39 (NLT)
Some folks are always just waiting for the Lord to give them some kind of sign, just a little miracle, please, so I can do what you want, Lord

The trouble with most people who make those types of statements is that they don’t even do the basics of what the Lord has been extremely clear about for everybody…consistent worship, bringing the tithe of our income to the church, sharing our faith.  They say they want some kind of sign so they can follow, but actually they’re just hiding the fact of their own unbelief.  They have no intention of following God; it just sounds good to say it!  If God really spoke to them they’d faint dead away to actually have a prayer answered!

You might recall Phillip, one of Jesus’ disciples, wanted a sign; he tried to convince Jesus that it would satisfy him.[1]  Jesus’ answer was that Philip’s request was just the opposite of faith when he asked, please, Jesus, do a little miracle and show me God.  It was the opposite of faith, because he was requiring “sight” to be satisfied in his faith.  That’s not how God’s people roll!  The just walk by faith, not sight

Friends we don’t even do that in the natural world.  When you go to work today, or the market or school, you will obey the speed limit (hopefully); you pay your taxes and don’t manipulate the stock market because you’re an American citizen; yet, you’ve never met the President or Speaker of the House.  You just obey the laws of the land on faith that the law of the land still works. 

I got a nice letter from the government in 1966…it said “Greetings”; and before I could turn around I was on a train for an army post in South Carolina.  They put green baggy clothes on me, a gun in my hand and a hard hat on my head. 

Then they sent me to Southeast Asia.  I went! 

I want you to know I didn’t ask to see President Nixon to make sure of the orders.  (Maybe I should have?)  I was an American; I was drafted, so I went. 

Christians should be at least that willing to exercise faith towards the living God! 

Philip thought if he could just see, he would believe; he’d be satisfied.  Philip failed to understand that it works the other way around.  You will never see until you believe.  Seeing, in hope of believing will only create more desire for seeing. 

And that is stunted, immature faith that will never see with the eyes of faith, or the heart of God.

If you want to see the kind of miracles that will bless this world and turn around our culture for God, part with the unbelief that stunts your faith.

For you, today

Give your faith a workout on the rocky road today…and have a great faith day!




[1] John 14

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