This morning we were in John 4 again. The sermon covered the 2nd miracle (as titled by John) in which the child of a noble man was healed. The man did not get what he wanted initially, to have Jesus come with him to go heal his son. He did however, once he obeyed, have his son healed. There was faith, then healing, then even more faith. First it was faith that Christ could heal. Second, it was faith in Christ for salvation.
I really enjoyed hearing this message which included healing since we just learned this week a woman at our church has been healed of cancer and treatment complications. A woman who just four weeks ago was given 2-8 weeks to live, had now been told she’ll be at home with her family soon. The doctors had stopped the treatment, and now she’s healed. What is most amazing to me is not just the healing, but the love and faith in this church and in this family. Even if this woman died, the family had faith that God is in control. Even if she died, they were going to be content. Interesting to me is the concept taught today that faith does not come from seeing signs and miracles, faith is given to us by God. There are those recorded in scripture who saw Jesus, saw all the signs and wonders, and still, they did not believe. The ones who didn’t always see any signs believed (just like the Samaritan woman at the well, she went back to Samaria and those many people believed without seeing a sign). So, one woman is healed and God is being praised. We will share with others this amazing recovery, this miracle the Lord has brought forth, and yet this sign of God’s grace and mercy will not be enough to change hard hearts. Those softened may believe, but they will have been prepared by God.
Again, why the signs in John? That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God….the signs were given to allow people to believe, but they do not alone make people believe. Faith comes from God.
I am a C...I am a CH...I am a CHRISTIAN 
Thanks, Christian Lady. I had to catch up on a few of your posts… been slacking off. 🙂
My father-in-law, a retired pastor, was sent home four months ago (colon cancer), and given maybe a few days to live. He had to be carried everywhere, could barely move. We spent several weeks waiting for that moment to come. His “levels” of something in his body, were 14 times higher than what the doctors said would kill him. They cannot explain why he is still alive. Today, he now walks around the house, often without the walker. He eats regular food now, and even started going to church again.
In all this time, whether he was to survive, or get better, his children all trusted the Lord. We don’t know how much time has been extended to him, but as you said, God is in control.
So glad your father in law is doing well enough to be home and can attend church. I especially like it when doctors cannot explain why someone survived.