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Colonel
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Ever heard someone say "Ah, if I saw some miracle, then I'd believe in God.
Actually, no. It isn't miracles that cause faith to come. It is God's Word that causes faith to come.
Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Oh, but there's more!
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the *** and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It's the same mechanism that is used in advertising, propaganda, and anything else that is designed to increase your belief in something:
Get your attention focused on something
Keep it focused there.
This is what will determine what you believe. Before you become a mouthpiece for what others believe, are you actually one of them? Do you know from first-hand experience that what they are touting is wonderful? Or are you just parroting what others say because you've had it pounded into you day and day out?
I mean, do you really LIKE Coca-Cola? I, for one, know that I like cola. It's my favorite berry flavor. (Cola berries are where they get the flavor). I like the smell of it, the taste of it, and I even like the color, (and the caffeine, something ALSO contained in Cola berries) regardless of the brand, if it tastes good, I like it, so I don't find Coke's advertising to really be objectionable.
But, what in my life do I do out of habit, agree with out of herd mentality, or approve of without knowing what it's really about?
How do I know which way to go with something?
The Word of God. Infallible, unimpeachable, and useful for all things.
By ordering my life by God's Word, who knows it all and has seen it all, I know I'm going the right way.
And I don't wait for signs or angels or miracles or whatever to direct me. That is not New Testament, and it is not the way God leads Christians. God can lead you with signs if you are an unbeliever/heathen/sinner/backslider/agnostic/atheist/pagan/whatever you are. God loves all people the same. He sent Christ to die for all, not just the pretty and the perfect.
In fact, God has one Bible-approved way to prove him. It's contained in Malachi.
Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Mal 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
Give God 1/10th of your income and he will prove to you that he is God, by blessing you abundantly. Your harvests, aka all that you have worked so hard to get, will not be coming at a bad time, or being stolen off the vine or falling on the ground, as the case may be.
Let's say, for example, you want to marry the right person, and not the 2,999,999,999 wrong ones. Pay tithes to God, aka give ten percent to a preacher or ministry where God is actually moving, not some dead, dry place where no miracles ever happen, no healings take place, and nothing supernatural ever occurs, and watch God work. This is the ONE way he said in his Word that you could prove him.
Don't bother asking for signs, Jesus ain't down with that.
Mat 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Mat 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Mat 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
What was the sign of Jonah the prophet?
Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jesus came back from the dead. The only time in history where someone was resurrected without a prophet of God intervening directly.
So what did they do when this, the greatest sign ever, happened?
Mat 28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
Mat 28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
Mat 28:13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
Mat 28:14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
Mat 28:15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the **** until this day.
When Jesus rose from the dead, did the VERY SAME PHARISEES AND ELDERS who had asked for a sign fall down on the ground, worshiping God? Proclaiming that Jesus must, after all, be the Christ (Messiah, same thing)?
No, they bribed the soldiers who had witnessed it first hand to LIE ABOUT IT AND SAY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
So, the conclusion is this: God's Word is truth, and from it faith comes. Asking for a sign is futile, because as you can see from the Bible, it doesn't work. They didn't believe even after they had the EXACT SIGN THAT JESUS SAID WOULD BE GIVEN THEM.
Goodbye, signs, hello Word of God. You live by the Word, and signs follow YOU, not the other way around.
Mar 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mar 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
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