FAITH IS EXPRESSED THROUGH ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES

BIBLE PASSAGE:
When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, 
he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was 
close to death. “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” 
Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
(John 4:47-48)

MEDITATION:
Missouri has been called the “Show Me State”.
The "Show Me State" got its nickname 
as a result of the devotion of its people to simple common sense. 
In 1899, Rep. Willard D. Vandiver said, 
"Frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. 
I'm from Missouri. You've got to show me."

Many of us could be referred to as “Show Me” people.
We accept the tangible, but sometimes struggle with the intangible. 
However the faith of believers is based on the unseen Christ, 
who went to the cross and died, so that His blood would cover our sin, 
and allow us to appear righteous before our Heavenly Father.

Faith is believing in the unseen.
If we see something with our eyes, then we know it exists 
and we have no reason to have faith in its existence.
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. 
Who hopes for what they already have? (Romans 8:24)

The things we see are temporary, but our faith in the unseen lasts forever.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, 
since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 
(2 Corinthians 4:18)
Imagine the exhilaration we will feel when our faith in the unseen
becomes a reality when we see the Lord face to face!

As our faith increases, 
we develop a confident hope in what God has prepared for us.
However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, 
and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared 
for those who love him— (1 Corinthians 2:9)

When we look at the next verse (1 Corinthians 2:10), 
it appears that God has prepared things for those who love Him to enjoy now, 
in addition to the things we will enjoy in eternity.
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. 
(1 Corinthians 2:10)
The scriptures tell us that we can enjoy them, because God’s Spirit opens 
our eyes to the presence of what He has prepared for us (when we love Him).

The faith of the man who went to Jesus pleading for the healing of his son, 
resulted in his experiencing what the Lord had prepared for him, and his son. 
Even though He could see Jesus, 
the healing of his son was the unseen hope that required his faith.

Look at what happened after he expressed his faith in the Lord:
“Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word 
and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the 
news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son 
got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the 
fever left him.” Then the father realized that this was the exact time at 
which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole 
household believed. (John 4:50-53)

ACTION:
How much value to you place on your own faith?
What things do you do which that your faith is real?
Are you enjoying the things that God has prepared for those who love Him?
Faith is more than a statement, it is an action.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, than You for all the promises in Your Word. 
Teach me to show my faith daily, not only with my words, but 
through my actions, attitudes, and obedience as well. Show me 
how to put the needs of others ahead of my own selfishness. Help 
me to encourage others in the same manner that You encourage me.”

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