This is just me folks ...
But when anyone asks the question regarding why our God in the OT, and the beginning of the NT doesn't show Himself presently like He did back then, usually meaning thru "signs and wonders", miracles if you will, it always brings to my mind this scripture ...
Matt.12:39 "But He answered and said unto them, an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign" ...
Are we guilty of having become an evil and adulterous generation? ... i personally think so, and have said before that i think the reason why the "name it-claim it / health and prosperity" herecies found such fertile ground in the Church is because we've become sick and tired of faithing our way thru on faith alone and have become desperately in need of a "sign" ... A sign of what? ... A sign that God is actually there ... We want Him to unmistakably physically prove Himself to us, that He exist, and so even if He don't part a Red Sea for us, or raise Lazurus, if He'd put miraculously cure our cancer, give us that fat house or car that we'd never be able to get on our own, make us wealthy out of the clear blue, then we'd have some sure sign that He's there, that He's real, or as old doubting Thomas said, "If i could but see, and put my finger in the holes in His hand, then i'll believe" ... But what did Jesus say to Thomas who'd already seen Him do countless miracles in His living, but couldn't believe that He was raised from the dead? ...
John.20:29 "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed".
Whether we like it our not folks the "they" Jesus spoke of is you and i! ... God manifests Himself how He wants, when He wants, and if He wants, and if our faith in what He did for us on Calvary requires that He personally sends Gabriel to us, or that we see our own physical burning bush, in order to continue our walk/belief in Him, then nine times out of ten i'd say you're about to go sit on the side of the road ...
This is how i allow Holy Spirit to keep me grounded in the faith, and not seek after Him for a sign, and believe me there are times when i have in the past, and want to do so even still in the present regarding the vision(s) and dream(s) i believe He's given me toward what His ultimate purpose is for my life ... So when i get antsy i keep in mind ...
2Cor.4:18 "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal".
And i wear around my neck ... Heb.11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".
i believe that if and when it please God to reappear in the miraculous He will do so, and that nothing in heaven or earth can stop Him ... i also believe that if we'd collectively get on our faces in true repentance, crying out and weeping our remorse and our deep desire to meet Him in the Holy of Holies we'd open ourselves up to His miraculous anew, but at the rate we're going we don't have to worry about that happening ... We're an instant access generation, who if it requires any excertion from us at all would rather quit before we even begin ... We want everything handed to us on a silver platter ... That's why the scripture says ...
Heb.11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".
Notice it says "believe that He is", and in our dispensation apparently, thus far, it means without any kind of certifiable "signs and wonders" ... But who knows, if we'd get ourselves into His definition of "proper diligence" scripture also states ...
1Cor.2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him"
i'm learning to leave what God wants to do, how He wants to do and what and when He wants to do up to God, while i do what it is that i'm equipped and capable to do by His grace (His ability) and that's to believe that He is whether i ever see anything that i might define as a sign ... I guess as i'm getting older His grace ever becomes even more than just sufficient ...
And our God is still doing very big things today ... He's ever advancing toward His Kingdom come using the likes of us ... That's pretty big! ... Amen
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