Friday, April 25, 2014

Unless You See Signs and Wonders?

John 4:43-54

Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast.

So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implores Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."

The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him saying, "Your son lives."

Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your sin lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.

This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

What is it with us that we cannot always just take God at His word? The Bible is filled with examples of miracles and signs that God/Jesus performed. In the Old Testament God performed miracles, set people free, provided for them, kept them safe in extreme circumstances. There were always good reasons for these things. That He would be glorified, that people's faith would enlarge, that trust in Him would grow. Yet, some still forgot or wandered away from Him just the same. There are still good reasons and the reason are still the same!

God also had prophets to speak of things that would occur. Some of these prophetic words have yet to be seen but it does not mean they won't. If we have read about the prophecies that took place shouldn't we have faith? If God told us a child would be born of a virgin and it occurred, then we should believe all that was written, even about last days and Jesus' return.

The New Testament brought about another hope and miracles performed by this Baby born of a virgin. Greater than all the prophets He was. He spoke of Himself and had the proof. It's recorded for us that we might know and believe.

But why is it that people still don't believe? Like Jesus said, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."  Even the littlest things can be signs and miracles. I can look back in my life and see before I knew Christ where I could have been in some rough situations or harmed in some way, but I wasn't. I believe it was God's hand upon me because He had other plans for my life...even if they are not earth shattering. But if one person is changed somehow, hey, great. There might be a situation that does not go well, is difficult, painful, because He wants to build our faith and use this testimony in someone else's life some day. God is in control. He's the same today as He was yesterday...something I say a lot!

It's sometimes easy to say doctors healed someone with their medicine. But what about the wisdom God imparts to the doctor? And we have to be careful not to always place the emphasis upon a person healing someone. It is always God's power through a person. He is always in control. If man takes the credit for a miracle isn't that like saying he is God? Shouldn't all praise be to God?

God never changes. He performed miracles and brought about signs all throughout the Bible. It was for them to believe and trust in Him. Yet today many don't recognize signs. Or we give credit where credit is not due. Have we become a people who will not believe unless we see a sign? What about just believing in those things we do not see? The example of the nobleman is great (and there are others). Jesus proved He could heal just by speaking a word, not by touching the son. He only told the nobleman to go his way. And I ask, isn't the Book filled with similar examples of miracles and healings? We should believe because of that!

Believe because He is who He says He is!

1Peter 1:7-9 - that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

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