Bible Truths Illustrated by J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

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BIBLE TRUTHS ILLUSTRATED
by seeing, but by believing. He who turns away from this and
says, 'Nay, not faith, but sight for me,' is going contrary to the
gospel of the grace of God. One who thus said, 'I cannot
believe that anything is real but that which I can see,' was
holding a conversation with a Christian missionary. The man
of God answered, 'Then, I cannot hold any further discussion
with you at all.' 'Why not?' said the man. 'Because,' said the
servant of God, T only care to converse with intelligent men.'
The man colored up. 'I demand to know your meaning.' The
missionary replied, T like to talk with a man with brains, and
you will not admit you have any, for you certainly never saw
them.' He who will not believe in anything but what he can
see is not only going contrary to the will of God, but also to the
demands of common sense. He credits nothing to the omnipotence
of God. 'Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet
have believed.' Here is God's own chosen way for the soul
to pass from death unto life."
312. Seeing is not always believing. Yonder traveller in the
desert, as he is about perishing of thirst, thinks he sees a well
of water and trees in the distance. He leads his fainting camel
to the spot, but, alas ! it is a mirage in the desert. When he
reaches the spot there is nothing but a heap of sand, and he
and his weary beast sink down to die. The senses may be
mistaken—seeing is not always believing. There was one who
came up for examination (I think it was for the navy), and he
was asked, as his examiner held up a watch, "Can you hear
this watch tick?" "Yes," said the man. Then the examiner
took it back a farther distance and said to the man, "Can you
hear it now?" "Yes," said the man again. "Well," said the
examiner, "you are a clever fellow, for the watch stopped two
months ago." We are not sure whether, in that case, a positive
lie was told, or whether, in his eagerness, the man thought he
heard the ticking of the watch, and so his senses deceived him.
Not so with faith. When a man grounds his confidence upon
the word of his God, that can never deceive him. Although the
eye may have been deceived, and the ear may have been deceived
(as in Isaac's day), yet faith can never be deceived when it is
founded upon the word and the truth of Jehovah Himself.
William Olney.
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