“I want to see the barn!” said Amelia for the fifteenth time. She watches to a video about a farm with a barn and there is a cow and chickens. We were visiting my parents for the day and her dad had gone to the barn with my dad to work on his lawnmower. I tried several times to explain to her that this barn only held tools. It is a workshop. But there was no convincing her that a barn had no animals. She had seen the puppy already. She had seen the goldfish in the rain barrel. Now she wanted to see the chickens and the cow.
What we believe about something matters, especially something we cannot see. Our belief or disbelief ultimately affects our actions. Jesus commended those who would believe in Him without seeing Him in the flesh when He responded to his disciple’s thoughts after reports of His resurrection gave Thomas pause.
“Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.””
John 20:29 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.20.29.NLT
“You love him even though you have never seen him.
Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:8-9 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.1.8-9.NLT
“When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.”
Matthew 14:34-36 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.14.36.NIV
“In every generation, what ultimately distinguishes the true from the false among God’s people, the blessed from the cursed, is faithfulness or unfaithfulness to the Word of God.”
Read the Bible: Joshua 6, Psalms 135–136, Isaiah 66, and Matthew 14
“In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:1 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.1.1.NLT
Jesus is the eternal Word of God. When He walked the earth in human flesh, He revealed exactly as much of God, the Father, as His followers would need to carry on in the power of His coming Spirit. His teachings continue to bring Light into darkness.
“Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread.
“Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread.
Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?
Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up?
Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread?
So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”
Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:5-12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.16.5-12.NLT
False teachers are not a modern phenomenon. Jesus warned against them, calling them wolves disguised in sheepskins. (Matthew 7:15) The father of lies quoted scripture after scripture when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness and he seeks to distort the word of God still, but God will not be mocked. (Galatians 6:7) His ways are higher and He is accomplishing His purposes in our generation as He has in every previous generation. (Isaiah 55:8-9) He is moving all creation toward a certain end.
“I bow down before your divine presence and bring you my deepest worship as I experience your tender love and your living truth.
For your Word and the fame of your name have been magnified above all else!”
Psalms 138:2 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/psa.138.2.TPT
“And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us.
Let his mindset become your motivation.
He existed in the form of God, yet he gave no thought to seizing equality with God as his supreme prize, or as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself of his outward glory by reducing himself to the form of a lowly servant.
He became human!
He humbled himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man and was obedient.
He was a perfect example, even in his death—a criminal’s death by crucifixion!
Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness!
He has now been given the greatest of all names!
The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence!
Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm.
And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honor to God, his Father!”
Philippians 2:5-11 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/php.2.5-11.TPT
What you believe about Jesus matters, today and for eternity.
A Fitting Reply 