Now you see it, Now you don't

I never was a huge America's Got Talent fan. I could do without much of the acts that come on that show, especially the one's that come on making you think that you're stuck in the Twilight Zone. The singing acts and acts filled with danger are the one's that keep my attention. But my favorite performers on that show, are hands down, the magicians. I love to see someone who can make me say, "How in the heck did they just do that." David Blaine is my favorite magician or illusionist, whichever you prefer. He is a street magician who is famous for walking up to random people on the streets and wowing them with his illusions. His slight of hand is second to none, and his card tricks are from another world. If you have never came across him, check him out, you will not be disappointed. Most of us, me included are grinding it out in this world one day at a time. For the life of me, I can't imagine living in this doggy, dog world, where push always seems to come to shove, not knowing and following Christ. I don't know how people do it. I have a hard enough time trudging through life on a good day, let alone when the shingles on my roof are coming off. Let's face it, it ain't easy being human! We choke on the fumes of our emotions, and wave the white flag in the face of our circumstances. Most people who would claim Jesus as their Savior and call themselves Christians have spent seasons of their lives hoping to see Him who lives in the secret. (see Matt 6:6) We roll up our sleeves, hacking out a life of faith, but sometimes simple faith seems like it's not enough, so we ask God to make himself visible to us. There is this incredible, awesome, mind blowing, stupendous Italian Restaurant where I live. If that's not enough adjectives for you, I can spit out at least a dozen more, but you get the picture, this place is the real deal! Everyone told me before I had went there that I was going to fall in love with this place. I shrugged it often, mainly because most people who told me, where not a 100% like me. As a fully blooded nice Italian boy, I know the difference between good Italian food and great Italian food. Yes, I admit it, I'm a snob when it comes to food with red sauce on it. For me to buy into what they were telling me about this place I needed to make my own reservation there. One night I did just that, and tried out the goods for myself. Sometimes we followers of Jesus get that way. We need a bite, a taste, an encounter with the risen Lord that will carry us a little further down the highway.

Every one of David Blaine's specials put me in a state of awe with his slight of hand abilities. One minute there was a deck of cards in his hands, the next minute he was pulling that same card out of his mouth, or a frog in a glass of water that was instantly changed into a bird. I never really cared much about seeing or knowing how he did these things, I just loved watching him do it. Now you see it, now you don't. The bible has much to say about this phrase, when it comes to our faith and belief. Jesus went as far as reprimanding people for their need to see in order to believe. But Jesus answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet." Matt 12:39 NASB. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:26-29 I think those scriptures speak for themselves. There is nothing I need to add to it, Jesus said it perfectly. Who was more blessed than the Apostle Paul? Who had a more passionate and intimate relationship with Christ than this guy? He was responsible for writing most of the New Testament. He planted more churches in his time than any one else. He was even caught up to a place he called, "The third heaven", and saw and heard inexpressible things. (see 2 Cor 12:2) So I ask you, who was more blessed than this powerful man of God? Maybe the answer is looking back at you in the mirror. According to Jesus' words if you have never seen Jesus and have not had a physical manifestation of him then you are more blessed than Paul. God really had to roll up his sleeves and hunt down Paul in order to get him to switch camps. It took a lightning bolt from heaven that would knock him off his horse and blind him for three days in order to make Paul believe. Paul, like Thomas may of needed to see what was up God's sleeve to believe, do you? Or are you in the camp of those who are blessed, because you are able to grind out a life of trusting, loving and living for Jesus without seeing? Just a thought!