are in danger of looking to the emo tional rather than to the spiritual. The spectacular may sometimes appeal more than the spiritual. This nobleman was not interested in signs and wonders. His only concern was in Jesus Christ. Faith also took the final step. The man believed the words Jesus spoke and went his way. He no longer needed to pray. Faith can be sat isfied. The nobleman was assured that God would perform the mir acle through Christ. Even so, Paul wanted his faith to progress and grow. May we likewise desire our faith to be real, vital and dynamic. It is sad to read in Scripture about those in the early days of the Church, as now, who are not living in an intimate manner with the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:16-19). What a contrast to those who are filled with the Holy Spirit. The way a man walks quite often reveals his character of life. A proud person struts with his head held high. A coward sometimes will slink away. The attitude of life can sometimes be revealed in the phys ical posture. This is why, as Chris tians, we are called upon to live an exemplary life. We should "walk worthy of the vocation" to which we have been called. We are to "walk circumspectly" (Ephesians 5:15). There is no danger when we walk in the light (I John 1:7). The walk of the believer in Jesus Christ is to reveal the true nature of His wonderfu l calling (Ph ilipp ians 3:16). First of all this walk should be entirely opposite to the walk we had before becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. The standards should be completely different (II Corin thians 5:17). "The eneVnies of the Page 43
His son was still at the point of death. Intellectual assent will never suffice. This nobleman did some thing about it. He went to meet the Lord personally. His became a seeking faith. Cod does not en courage laziness. We should be stirred to action. Doubtless he had much to go through before he fin ally found the Saviour. Through it all he pushed on, determined to locate Jesus at all costs. There are hard demands on our search. There will be the hard grind of daily Bible study, the self-imposed discipline of daily prayer, the earnest quest in the realm of proper literature, the trial and error of experiments made before the truth is found, the sting of disappointments and the discouragement to be faced and overcome. At all times, however, faith's goal is held steadily in view. Remember, too, that with God "delays are not always denials; waiting time need not be wasted time." The nobleman, setting the pattern for us, knew that Jesus Christ alone had the solution to his problem. Not only did this man hear about Jesus and then seek after Him, but also he pled through faith as well (vs. 47). He was literally on his knees before Christ with earnest entreaty. Here he humbled him self in the eyes of those nearby. He was not too proud to ask. Pray er always reveals the truth of the reality of our faith as well as the intensity of our desire. We do not prove Christ by our eloquence in debate or our thoroughness in or ganization. We need to consider earnestly the quality of our faith. Too many people have to see an ecstatic kind of experience before they will be moved. How often we
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