Volume 48: Seeing Is Believing

SEEING IS BELIEVING

This devotional is written in honor of my brother in the faith, Timothy, who is a native of Missouri—the “Show-Me State.” The nickname was popularized by Congressman Willard Vandiver, who reportedly said that impressive words did not convince him: “You have got to show me.”

That describes the foundation of Tim’s and my relationship. It has been built and fortified upon the principle that “iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17). I am proud of Tim and how seriously he values his walk with Christ. Neither of us should merely talk about faith—we should be able to show its fruit.

FAITH HAS EYES

Jesus said, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do” (John 5:19). Jesus was not following what appeared reasonable to natural sight. He acted according to what He saw His Father doing. That is the perfect pattern of faith.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This does not mean believers walk blindly. It means we do not depend upon natural sight alone. Faith enables us to recognize spiritually what our physical eyes cannot yet see.

Moses “endured, as seeing him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). He could not see God with his natural eyes, but faith made the invisible reality more persuasive than the visible pressure surrounding him.

THE UNSEEN IS NOT UNSEEABLE

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

“Not seen” does not mean incapable of being spiritually revealed. It means unseen by natural eyes. Paul prayed that “the eyes of your understanding” would be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18). Spiritual understanding has eyes.

Faith does not invent reality. Faith perceives and responds to what God has revealed.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3). Creation itself proves that visible things can originate from a reality beyond natural sight.

FAITH CAN BE SEEN

James wrote, “I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Works do not purchase salvation, but genuine faith leaves visible evidence.

Abel believed; and offered God his best.

Noah believed; and built an ark before the rain came.

Abraham believed; and departed without knowing where he was going.

Sarah believed; and received strength to conceive beyond her natural ability.

Moses believed; and forsook Egypt, “as seeing him who is invisible.”

Rahab believed; and protected God’s messengers at the risk of her own life.

Joshua believed; and marched around Jericho before the walls fell.

David believed; and killed the giant everyone else feared.

The woman with the issue of blood believed; and pressed through the crowd to touch Jesus.

Peter believed; and stepped out of the boat onto the water.

Their faith was invisible, but their obedience manifested it. They acted upon what they saw spiritually before natural eyes could see the outcome.

FAITH CAN BE MEASURED

Jesus spoke of “little faith” (Matthew 8:26) and “great faith” (Matthew 8:10). The apostles prayed, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). Faith can therefore grow, weaken, mature and be strengthened.

Belief, however, can be pliable. What people believe mentally may change as pressure, fear, understanding or evidence changes. One man honestly told Jesus, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Belief and unbelief were struggling within him simultaneously, yet his faith was solid.

Biblical faith is more than a changing opinion. It is sight anchored in God strongly enough to produce trust, endurance and obedience. Abraham did not use faith to chase vanity, wealth or selfish desires. He believed what God had spoken and acted accordingly, even when natural circumstances argued against it (Romans 4:18–21).

FAITH SHOWS WHAT YOU SEE

Faith is not a tool for getting what our flesh desires. It is not greed dressed in religious “Word of Faith” language. Faith does not make God serve our vision; faith allows us to see and submit to His.

If I truly see what God is doing, my decisions will show it. If I truly see His promise, I will endure. If I truly see Christ, temporary circumstances will not have the final word.

“We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Seeing is believing—but faith teaches us which eyes to use if we want godly results.

III TIMOTHY—SHOW ME YOUR FAITH

Tim and I do not come together merely to exchange opinions. We increase one another’s faith. We study to “shew (ourselves) approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15). We pray, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). We navigate by the Word because it is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

That is why I affectionately call my brother III Timothy—the epistle eyes have not seen.

We study until the Word corrects what we believe.

We pray until God opens the eyes of our understanding.

We obey until invisible faith produces visible evidence.

Missouri says, “Show me.” Scripture answers, “I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18).

The day is coming when “we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (II Timothy 1:12).

Until then, Tim and I will continue searching the mysteries of God and showing one another what God reveals. I wish everyone could be so blessed as to have a study partner from the Show-Me State.