The Eyes of God

John 20:28-31 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

I wouldn’t even know where to begin……but God gave me an answered prayer in that passage above as I sought him this morning. I felt the tug to write, and I prayed for him to place me somewhere for encouragement, somewhere I could encourage you, and the bedrock of my faith in Jesus Christ clearly shows in the closing of John’s gospel. Do you believe? Many say that they do, many feel that they do, but when God tests your heart will there be the evidence that proves your faith true of false? Will you have rested on religion, the manner of works and good deeds that lead you down a road to Hell instead of Heaven? Will you have proclaimed your faith in a moment of time, and returned to the life of sin resting on that belief in Hyper Grace that says God will forgive all now? Or, did something in you change when you said that you believed, something deep inside of you wanted to reject sin and live your life in service to the One who died to give you life? Did something so incredible happen to you that you cannot contain it and leap at the opportunity to share your faith? Do all those around you know that you are a Christian, or that you go to church on Sunday; the two are much different in the eyes of God.

I find myself deep into the book of Ecclesiastes again, the depth of the book of life by the wisest man who ever lived, questioning all of life, yet seeing it’s simple answer in just the holy fear of God and living your life for him. My life is in a changing season, how the book of Ecclesiastes begins. My dreams have been crushed, and all around me seems to be closing in. I have battled heights and depths of anxiety and depression I had not known, but it is OK, for I know God has allowed all of it for a purpose I am not to understand. These struggles either draw you closer to God, where faith grows, or you fall away and give Satan a small victory. If it were not for almost my daily pursuit of God in prayer and his Word, I simply could not deal with this world that Satan rules, and at which his leash seems to be stretching before it breaks and he falls at the end of time as we know it. I truly believe we are getting closer to Jesus’ return, because of the great falling away I see in my country. I heard an incredible sermon recently, and how I agreed with it on that topic of eschatology (the end of time).

How does God view your faith? Not how do others, and even your own self, but how do you think God weighs the level of your faith? Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. Do some self-examination, it is healthy to pray and ask the Lord to open your eyes to your own weaknesses, that is how he purifies us on the road of sanctification. Let him give you a glimpse of his vision, and let it change your life. Let everyone see and witness the level of your faith, because you have seen God within your soul. Be bold and pray and share of your faith, because the day is nearing when we all must give an account of it.