Healing the Nobleman's Son

1 A MAN WAS SITTING ON THE BANKS OF A RIVER • WHEN HE NOTICED A SMALL LITTLE FISH THAT LOOKED VERY WORRIED • THE MAN ASKED THE FISH WHAT HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT • THE FISH REPLIED, “I HAVE BECOME SO VERY THIRSTY” • I AM WORRIED, THAT AS THIRSTY AS I AM, • IF I DRINK MY FILL….. I MIGHT DRAIN THE RIVER DRY” • THE MAN TRIED TO EXPLAIN JUST HOW BIG THE RIVER WAS TO THE LITTLE FISH • BUT TRY AS HE MIGHT HE COULD NOT GET THE FISH TO UNDERSTAND • THAT HE COULD NEVER DRINK THE RIVER DRY • LATER THAT NIGHT AS THE MAN KNEELED BY HIS BED IN PRAYERS • HE PRAYED, OH LORD, I HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS • I AM AFRAID TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP IN ALL THESE MANY PROBLEMS • I HAVE FAITH THAT YOU WILL HELP IN SOME • BUT I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD HELP IN SO MANY PROBLEMS • JUST THEN THE MAN WAS REMINDED OF THE LITTLE FISH • THAT THOUGHT HE COULD DRINK THE RIVER DRY • THE VERY IDEA THAT WE COULD HAVE TO MUCH FAITH IN GOD • THAT WE MIGHT EVER THINK WE COULD ASK TO MUCH OF HIM • THAT GOD MIGHT SOME HOW RUN OUT OF GRACE AND MERCY • IS QUITE LIKE THE LITTLE WORRIED FISH THINKING HE WOULD DRINK THE RIVER DRY • IN LIFE WE ARE GOING TO ENCOUNTER VAST DIFFICULTIES, IMMENSE PROBLEM • GIANT TRIALS, HUGE STRUGGLES • YET WE MUST ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THESE ARE ALL DWARFED • BY THE GOD WHO LOVES US AND CARES FOR • WE NEED TO KNOW WE CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH FAITH IN GOD • WE WILL NEVER PRAY HIM DRY…. • WHEN A FAMILY CANNOT PAY THE BILLS • AND IN FAITH THEY PRAY TO GOD • AND GOD GETS THEM THROUGH THE ROUGH TIMES • IT SHOULD STRENGTHEN THEIR FAITH • AND DRAW THEM LEAN ON GOD, TRUST IN GOD EVEN MORE… • TODAY WE ARE GONNA LOOK AT A MAN • IN THE MIDST OF A TRIAL COMING TO CHRIST HOPING FOR HEALING… • CHRIST WILL PROVIDE THAT HEALING IN A WAY • THAT RESULTS IN FAITH AND BELIEF GROWING • TURN TO JOHN 4:46 • JESUS HAD MEET THE WOMAN AT THE WELL • SHE AND MANY FROM HER VILLAGE • HAD COME TO BELIEVE IN JESUS AS THE SAVIOR • WITHOUT ANY MIRACLE BEING DONE • JESUS HAD LEFT SAMARIA AND COME INTO GALILEE • THESE GALILEANS HAD SEEN THE MIRACLES • JESUS HAD DONE IN JERUSALEM AT THE FEAST • JESUS WILL PREFORM A HERE IN GALILEE MIRACLE BUT HE WILL NOT PROVIDE A SIGN OR WONDER JOHN 4:46–47 THEREFORE HE CAME AGAIN TO CANA OF GALILEE WHERE HE HAD MADE THE WATER WINE. AND THERE WAS A ROYAL OFFICIAL WHOSE SON WAS SICK AT CAPERNAUM. WHEN HE HEARD THAT JESUS HAD COME OUT OF JUDEA INTO GALILEE, HE WENT TO HIM AND WAS IMPLORING HIM TO COME DOWN AND HEAL HIS SON; FOR HE WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH. THE SETTING OF THE MIRACLE REPORTED • JOHN TELLS US THE WHERE THIS MIRACLE OCCURRED • IT WAS IN CANA OF GALILEE , ABOUT 8 OR 9 MILES NORTH OF NAZARETH • JOHN REMINDS US THAT THIS IS WHERE JESUS HAD TURNED WATER INTO WINE • I WANT US TO NOTICE THE WORD THEREFORE • THEREFORE HE CAME AGAIN TO CANA OF GALILEE • THEREFORE TELLS US THAT WHAT EVER CAME RIGHT BEFORE THIS • IS THE REASON JESUS CAME AGAIN TO CANA OF GALILEE • IF WE GO BACK ONE VERSE IT SAYS JOHN 4:45 SO WHEN HE CAME TO GALILEE, THE GALILEANS RECEIVED HIM, HAVING SEEN ALL THE THINGS THAT HE DID IN JERUSALEM AT THE FEAST; FOR THEY THEMSELVES ALSO WENT TO THE FEAST. • I THINK JOHN IS SAYING THE REASON JESUS WENT TO CANA OF GALILEE • IS BECAUSE; THE GALILEANS RECEIVED HIM, HAVING SEEN ALL THE THINGS THAT HE DID IN JERUSALEM AT THE FEAST; • THIS IS ACTUALLY A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS MIRACLE • THEY HAD SEEN THE SIGNS AND WONDERS JESUS HAD DONE • IN JERUSALEM AT THE FEAST AND THEY HAD RECEIVED HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGED HIM • BASICALLY, THEY SAW HIM DO MIRACLES AND BELIEVED HE WAS FROM GOD • THIS DOES NOT MEAN THEY BELIEVED IN HIM AS SAVOIR, JUST THAT • THEY RECEIVED HIM AS BEING FROM GOD • SO, JESUS IS IN GALILEE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF GALILEE • HAD SEEN MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS IN JERUSALEM.. • WHILE HE IS IN GALILEE, HE ENCOUNTERS A MAN WITH A NEED THE NEED FOR THE MIRACLE RECOUNTED • THE MAN WHO NEEDS THE MIRACLE IS DESCRIBED AS • A ROYAL OFFICIAL • NOW JOHN IS NOT VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHO THIS MAN IS • THE TERM ROYAL OFFICIAL COULD MEAN SOMEONE • IN THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT, WHO IS RELATED TO CESAR • OR IT COULD MEAN SOMEONE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHO • WORKS FOR HEROD, WHO IS BOTH A GOVERNOR OF GALILEE • AND BY BIRTH A KING • IT DOES NOT MAKE TO MUCH DIFFERENCE IF HE IS • A ROMAN OFFICER OR A LOCAL OFFICIAL WORKING FOR HEROD • THE POINT OF CALLING HIM A ROYAL OFFICIAL • IS REALLY SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAS A VERY HIGH SOCIAL STANDING • NO MATTER WHO HE IS, HE HAS A SOCIAL STATUS • THAT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN A CARPENTER WALKING • AROUND THE DESERT WITH A BUNCHA EX-FISHERMEN FOLLOWING HIM • THE POINT OF CALLING HIM A ROYAL OFFICIAL • IS SO THAT THOSE READING UNDERSTAND HE COULD HAVE ORDERED • JESUS TO DO PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING HE WANTED TO ORDER HIM TO DO…. • THEN JOHN TELLS US THIS MAN’S NEED • THE MAN’S SON WAS SICK AT CAPERNAUM. • WE ARE NOT TOLD WHAT KIND OF SICKNESS • BUT WE ARE TOLD THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SICKNESS • JOHN SAYS THE BOY WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH. • THIS PHRASE HAS MORE BEHIND IT THAN WE SEE AT FIRST GLANCE • IT REALLY MEANS THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO TRY • EVERYTHING KNOWN TO MAN HAD BEEN TRIED AND FAILED • THIS LETS US KNOW HOW DESPERATE THE MAN WAS…. • JOHN TELLS US THIS DESPERATE MAN HEARD • THAT JESUS WHO HAD PREFORMED SIGNS AND WONDERS • AT THE FEAST IN JERUSALEM HAD COME OUT OF JUDEA & INTO GALILEE • SO, HE LEAVES CAPERNAUM AND GOES TO FIND JESUS IN CANA OF GALILEE • THAT IS ABOUT 17 MILES, JUST ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE MIGHT • FIND JESUS THERE, AND THAT JESUS MIGHT COME BACK WITH HIM • AND THAT JESUS MIGHT HEAL HIS SON. • THAT IS A LOTTA MIGHT’S • AND WHEN THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL FINDS JESUS • WE SEE THAT HE DOES NOT ORDER JESUS TO COME HEAL HIS SON • THE TEXT SAYS HE WAS; IMPLORING HIM TO COME DOWN AND HEAL HIS SON; • IN OUR WORLD THIS DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL • PEOPLE DON’T GO AROUND ORDERING EACH OTHER TO DO THINGS • BUT IN THEIR WORLD, THIS IS HUGE • ANY ROYAL OFFICIAL HAD THE POWER TO ORDER • SOME ONE OF JESUS’ SOCIAL STATUS TO DO PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING • AND THEY HAD TO DO IT, OR THEY COULD BE ARRESTED • THERE WERE LEGAL LIMITS TO WHAT COULD BE ORDERED • BUT OFFICIAL ABUSED THIS POWER ALL THE TIME • EVEN IF THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL COULD NOT HAVE LEGALLY • ORDERED JESUS TO COME HEAL HIS SON • HE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE ABUSED HIS POWER AND ORDERED HIM • I THINK THIS STATEMENT A ABOUT THIS MAN’S CHARACTER • AS WELL AS HIS RESPECT FOR JESUS • WE WILL SEE THIS RESPECT FOR JESUS • DISPLAYED AGAIN AS JESUS RESPONDS • TO THE MAN’S PLEADING FOR HEALING JOHN 4:48–50 SO JESUS SAID TO HIM, “UNLESS YOU PEOPLE SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS, YOU SIMPLY WILL NOT BELIEVE.” THE ROYAL OFFICIAL SAID TO HIM, “SIR, COME DOWN BEFORE MY CHILD DIES.” JESUS SAID TO HIM, “GO; YOUR SON LIVES.” THE MAN BELIEVED THE WORD THAT JESUS SPOKE TO HIM AND STARTED OFF. THE REQUEST FOR THE MIRACLE REBUKED • THIS MAN HAD COME 17 MILES • HE HAD PLEADED WITH, IMPLORED JESUS • TO COME TO CAPERNAUM TO HEAL HIS SON • WHO WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH • AND JESUS RESPONDS BY SAYING • “UNLESS YOU PEOPLE SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS, YOU SIMPLY WILL NOT BELIEVE.” • THIS MAY SEEM A LITTLE HARSH TO US • BUT WE NEED TO NOTICE SOMETHINGS HERE • FIRST, WE NEED TO SEE WHO JESUS IS TALKING TO IN THIS RESPONSE • HE DOES NOT DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE ROYAL OFFICAL • HE SAYS… YOU PLURAL.. • OUR NASB TRANSLATES THAT AS YOU PEOPLE • HERE IN TEXAS WE WOULD SAY YA’LL • JESUS IS NOT TALKING JUST TO THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL • HE IS TALKING TO ALL THOSE STANDING AROUND • THE GALILEANS THE ONES WHO HAD • RECEIVED HIM, HAVING SEEN ALL THE THINGS THAT HE DID IN JERUSALEM AT THE FEAST; • THIS IDEA OF NOT BELIEVING WITHOUT ACTUALLY SEEING • IS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE MIRACLE JESUS IS ABOUT TO DO • AND I THINK JESUS IS NOT SO MUCH REBUKING THE ROYAL OFFICIAL • AS HE IS REBUKING THOSE STANDING AROUND WANTING TO SEE • ANOTHER SIGN OR WONDER • THERE IS ANOTHER KEY THING HERE IN THIS REBUKE • JESUS SAYS UNLESS THEY SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS, THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE • JESUS HAD JUST COME FROM SAMARIA AND THE WOMEN AT THE WELL • THE WOMAN HAD BELIEVED, MANY IN THE TOWN HAD BELIEVED • AND THEY HAD ALL BELIEVED WITHOUT SEEING ANY SIGNS AND WONDERS • BUT THESE PEOPLE WOULD NOT BELIEVE UNLESS THEY SAW SIGNS AND WONDERS • JOHN FREQUENTLY USES THE WORD SIGN DESCRIBE THE MIRACLES OF JESUS • BUT THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE JOHN USES THE WORD WONDERS • THIS WORD, WONDERS, MEANS SOMETHING SHOWY, BIG AND FLASHY • SOMETHING IMPRESSIVE, NOT JUST A MIRACLE BUT A SPECTACLE! • NOW, THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH BOTH SIGNS AND WONDERS • THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL WRONG WITH GOD DOING • BIG IMPRESSIVE THINGS, PARTING THE RED SEA, • STOPPING THE SUN, WALKING ON WATER • RAISING LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD • THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE • NOT TRUST, NOT HAVE FAITH WITHOUT THESE SIGNS AND WONDERS • THE ROYAL OFFICIAL IS NOT PUT OFF BY THE REBUKE THE REQUEST FOR THE MIRACLE REPEATED • EVEN THOUGH THE ROYAL OFFICIAL IS OF A MUCH HIGH SOCIAL RANK • THAN JESUS HE IS NOT PUT OFF BY WHAT JESUS HAS SAID • THIS AGAIN SHOWS HE HAS RESPECT FOR JESUS • HE DOES NOT HOLD HIS RANK OVER JESUS HE SIMPLY SAYS • “SIR, COME DOWN BEFORE MY CHILD DIES.” • HE DID NOT TRY TO ARGUE WITH WHAT JESUS HAD SAID • HE DID NOT TAKE IT AS A PERSONAL INSULT • HE SIMPLY ASKED AGAIN… THE MIRACLE REALIZED • THE CROWDS WANTED SIGNS AND WONDERS • THE ROYAL OFFICIAL JUST WANTED HIS SON HEALED • AND JESUS DOES HEAL HIS SON • BUT HE DOES SO WITHOUT PROVIDING A SIGN OR A WONDER • THERE IS NO VISIBLE INDICATION THAT A MIRACLE HAS OCCURRED • JESUS MERELY TELLS THE ROYAL OFFICIAL “GO; YOUR SON LIVES.” • NOW, THAT WORD GO IS KINDA A BIG DEAL • REMEMBER JESUS IS A WANDERING TEACHER, A FORMER CARPENTER • HE HAS NO SOCIAL STATUS OR RANK • AND WHEN HE TELLS THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL TO GO • HE USES A FORM OF THE WORD THAT IS AN ORDER • HE IS NOT ASKING HIM TO GO, HE IS NOT REQUESTING THAT HE GO • HE IS ORDERING HIM TO GO • THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL TO US • BUT IN A WORLD THAT RUNS ON SOCIAL RANK IT IS HUGE • AND WHEN JESUS SAYS YOUR SON LIVE • HE SAYS IT IN A WAY THAT MEANS YOUR SON WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE • HE MEANS… YOUR SON HAS BEEN HEALED.. • HE NO LONGER IS AT THE POINT OF DEATH • AND THEN WE ARE TOLD HOW THE ROYAL OFFICIAL RESPONDS THE MIRACLE RECEIVED • THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL COULD HAVE • JUST ORDERED JESUS TO COME WITH HIM ANYWAY • BUT JOHN TELLS US • THE MAN BELIEVED THE WORD THAT JESUS SPOKE TO HIM AND STARTED OFF. • THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL WHOSE SON WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH • BELIEVED, TRUSTED, HAD FAITH IN THE WORD THAT JESUS HAD SPOKEN • WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AT THIS POINT • THE MAN HAS NOT HAD FAITH IN JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD • THE TEXT IS NOT TELLING US THIS MAN HAS BEEN SAVED • BUT REMEMBER THAT JESUS HAD JUST SAID • “UNLESS YOU PEOPLE SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS, YOU SIMPLY WILL NOT BELIEVE.” • THIS FAITH IN THE WORD JESUS HAD SAID YOUR SON LIVES • HAS JUST HAPPENED WITHOUT THE MAN SEEING SIGNS AND WONDERS • HE HAS BELIEVED IN SOMETHING WITHOUT SEEING IT • HE HAS BELIEVED THAT JESUS HAS HEALED HIS SON • EVEN WITHOUT SEEING THE HEALING OCCUR HE HAS FAITH IN IT • THIS IS THE POINT OF THIS MIRACLE • EVERYTHING CENTERS ON THIS ONE EVENT • JESUS HEALS WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE SIGN OR WONDER • AND THIS ROYAL OFFICIAL BELIEVES • BUT THIS FAITH NEEDS TO GROW • IT NEEDS TO BE IN JESUS AS SAVOIR • NOT JUST IN HIS WORDS YOUR SON LIVES • BUT FAITH IN JESUS HIMSELF JOHN 4:51–53 AS HE WAS NOW GOING DOWN, HIS SLAVES MET HIM, SAYING THAT HIS SON WAS LIVING. SO HE INQUIRED OF THEM THE HOUR WHEN HE BEGAN TO GET BETTER. THEN THEY SAID TO HIM, “YESTERDAY AT THE SEVENTH HOUR THE FEVER LEFT HIM.” SO THE FATHER KNEW THAT IT WAS AT THAT HOUR IN WHICH JESUS SAID TO HIM, “YOUR SON LIVES”; AND HE HIMSELF BELIEVED AND HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD. THE REALITY OF THE MIRACLE • I THINK THE POINT OF THIS MIRACLE IS THAT • WE SHOULD HAVE FAITH IN GOD EVEN WHEN WE DON’T SEE HIM WORK • NOW, DON’T GET ME WRONG IT IS A BLESSING • WHEN WE SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS • AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH FAITH • THAT COMES FROM SEEING GOD WORKING IN OUR LIVES • BUT THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT A FAITH • THAT COMES FROM TRUSTING THAT GOD HAS WORKED • IN OUR LIVES EVEN WHEN WE CAN’T SEE HIM WORKING • SOMETIME GOD WORKS IN OUR LIVES AND WE DON’T SEE IT • BUT THEN GOD PROVIDES SOME KIND OF CONFIRMATION • THAT HE DID IN FACT WORK A MIRACLE IN OUR LIVES • THE ROYAL OFFICIAL TRUSTED CHRIST’S WORDS YOUR SON LIVES • AND HAS HE WAS GOING HOME GOD CONFIRMED THE FACT • THAT A MIRACLE HAD IN FACT TAKEN PLACE • BUT DID YOU NOTICE HOW THE ROYAL OFFICIAL • HAD TO SEEK THIS CONFIRMATION • GOD’S PROVIDENCE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY • AS HE WAS NOW GOING DOWN, HIS SLAVES MET HIM, SAYING THAT HIS SON WAS LIVING. • BUT THE MAN HAD TO ASK THE QUESTION • HE INQUIRED OF THEM THE HOUR WHEN HE BEGAN TO GET BETTER. • IF HE HAD NOT ASKED THIS QUESTION… MIRACLE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED • THE ROYAL OFFICIAL WAS LOOKING TO HAVE THIS MIRACLE CONFIRMED • WHEN THEY TOLD HIM THE BOY WAS HEALED • “YESTERDAY AT THE SEVENTH HOUR • THIS PROVIDED CONFIRMATION OF THE MIRACLE…. • JOHN SAYS; • SO THE FATHER KNEW THAT IT WAS AT THAT HOUR IN WHICH JESUS SAID TO HIM, “YOUR SON LIVES” • THE ROYAL OFFICIAL HAD TRUSTED JESUS WORDS • WITHOUT SEEING SIGNS AND WONDERS • AND THOSE WORDS HAD COME TRUE • AND THEN WE SEE… THE RESULT OF THE MIRACLE • AND HE HIMSELF BELIEVED AND HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD. • NOW THIS PHRASE HAS A VERY SPECIFIC MEANING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS • IT MEANS THIS MAN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST AS HIS SAVOIR • THE RESULT OF THIS MIRACLE WAS THAT THE ROYAL OFFICIAL • AND HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD PLACED THEIR FAITH • IN JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR • THIS IS WHY I THINK WHEN JESUS SAID; • “UNLESS YOU PEOPLE SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS, YOU SIMPLY WILL NOT BELIEVE.” • HE WAS NOT TALKING TO THE ROYAL OFFICIAL • HE WAS TALKING TO THE PEOPLE OF GALILEE • SEE, THE ROYAL OFFICIAL NEVER SAW SIGNS AND WONDERS • HE BELIEVED IN THE WORDS JESUS SPOKE • AND HE ULTIMATELY BELIEVED IN CHRIST • NOT BASED ON SIGNS AND WONDERS • BUT ON GOD WORKING IN HIS LIFE • AND THIS WORK BEING CONFIRMED AS A MIRACLE…. • I AM SURE WHEN HIS SON GOT SICK • NO ONE IN THE FAMILY THOUGHT • THAT THE RESULT WOULD BE • THE ENTIRE FAMILY COMING TO FAITH IN CHRIST • I THINK IT IS LIKELY THAT WHEN THE SON WAS AT THE POINT OF DEATH • AND THE FATHER HEADED OFF CANA OF GALILEE • NO ONE WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT • BUT I WANT US TO NOTICE SOMETHING • EVERY TIME GOD WORKS IN SOME ONES LIFE • THROUGH A MIRACLE, THROUGH GODS PROVIDENCE • THROUGH PEOPLE STEPPING UP AND HELPING THEM • EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS…. • SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED THAT REQUIRED HELP • WITHOUT THE ROUGH SPOTS IN LIFE WE WOULD NEVER • SEE GOD WORKING IN OUR LIVES SAMUEL BRENGLE WAS A WORKER • WITH THE SALVATION ARMY IN BOSTON MANY YEARS AGO. • AS HE PASSED BY A SALOON, SOME MEN THREW A BRICK AT HIS HEAD. • THEIR AIM WAS GOOD, AND BRENGLE NEARLY DIED. • AS IT WAS, HE SPENT EIGHTEEN MONTHS IN RECOVERY. • DURING THAT TIME HE WROTE A LITTLE BOOK ENTITLED HELPS TO HOLINESS. • THOUSANDS OF COPIES WERE PUBLISHED. • AFTER HE WAS ABLE TO BEGIN PREACHING AGAIN, • PEOPLE WOULD OFTEN THANK HIM FOR THE BOOK. • HE WOULD RESPOND BY SAYING, “IF THERE HAD BEEN NO LITTLE BRICK, • THERE HAD BEEN NO LITTLE BOOK.” • SUFFERING AND TRIALS ARE NOT SOMETHING WE ENJOY • WHEN WE TAKE THESE THINGS TO GOD… • HE CAN AND DOES USE THEM FOR OUR GOOD • AND MANY TIMES, OUR FAITH GROWS IN THE PROCESS SOMETIMES IN LIFE WE GET OVERWHELMED BY PROBLEMS • SOMETIMES WE ARE OVERWHELMED BY ONE BIG PROBLEM • SOMETIMES IT IS A VAST QUANTITY OF LITTLE PROBLEMS • MAYBE WE END UP LIKE THAT LITTLE FISH • WORRYING THAT WE WILL PRAY GOD DRY • THAT HE WILL RUN OUTTA MERCY AND GRACE… • IN THESE TIMES WE HAVE FAILED TO NOTICE • THAT GOD HAS BEEN WORKING IN OUR LIVES • EVERY DAY… IN EVERY WAY… IN EVERY PROBLEM… • GOD IS NOT JUST AT WORK IN THE BIG SIGNS AND WONDERS OF OUR LIFE • HE IS AT WORK IN EVERY ASPECT OF EVERYTHING WE DO • WHEN WE NEED A JOB AND WE GET ONE HE IS THERE • WHEN SOMEONE RECOVERS FROM ILLNESS OR ACCIDENT, HE IS THERE • WHEN SOMEONE DOES NOT RECOVER AND WE LOSE A LOVED ONE • GOD IS THERE… WORKING IN WAYS WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND….. • AND AS GOD WORKS MIRACLES IN OUR LIVES • THE BIG AMAZING SIGNS AND WONDERS • AS WELL AS THE HIDDEN UNSEEN MIRACLES • OUR FAITH SHOULD GROW AND GROW • OUR FAITH IN GOD AS CREATOR • OUR FAITH IN HIS WORD, THE BIBLE • OUR FAITH IN JESUS AS SAVOIR • IT IS FANTASTIC WHEN THIS FAITH GROWS THROUGH SIGNS AND WONDERS • IT IS EVEN MORE AMAZING WHEN THIS FAITH • GROWS AS WE TRUST GOD IN TRIALS • AND KNOW THAT HE HAS WORKED IN OUR LIVES • EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT DONE BY AN OBVIOUS SIGN OR WONDER….. • THIS FAITH THAT GROWS AS GOD WORKS IN OUR LIVES • BEGINS WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR… 95