"Fat” Is Where It’s At

“Fat” is where it’s at!

The state of Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. The phrase, “Show Me,” was coined in 1899 by then Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver while delivering a speech in Philadelphia. “I come from a state,” he said, “that raises corn and cotton, and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”

Sadly, many of us in the body of Christ, in varying degrees, are waiting for the scriptures to “show us” – to manifest in our lives – before we will be completely convinced that scripture is true. Because we are in various stages of our spiritual growth, many of us have some “Missouri” in us but we’re slowing removing it.

Many of us have seen the power of God operating through others and we talk about it like it’s a fond memory. “Do you remember when ...” “I still remember the day that…” “Wasn’t that amazing?”

When we find ourselves thinking fondly of God’s power moving in days gone by, we break our Father’s heart because we are living far below His life that lives in us. He doesn’t want the power to be a memory.

He wants the power to be an everyday present reality in our lives. He wants it to be a part of who we are. He wants the power to flow so people will be born again. He wants people to know that there is a God in Dayton, Ohio.

We know what the bible says:

In Romans 1:17 it says “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith”

“Therein.” What is the “therein”? Go back up to verse 13.

(13) Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

(14) I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians,; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

(15) So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome also.

(16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

(17) For therein – (therein what? The gospel of Christ.) For therein is the righteousness of God reveal…What Paul is saying is that when you read the gospels, you are getting a revelation of who God is. It’s not just another book with “Holy Bible” written on it. It’s a book that shows you who your Father is.

We know that the just shall live by faith and it says the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Ladies and gentlemen, as long as you are here, as long as you occupy your body, you are going to be going from faith to faith. And that’s a good thing! There is always more of God to have! I like that.

Where I am in my life, I know there is more. Last year, I knew there was more and I’ve gotten a little bit more this year. But I’m greedy! I want more. We know that the just shall live by faith and we know that that faith comes from hearing the Word of God – Romans 10:17.

Now turn to John 20. We going to take a quick look at Thomas. We’re going to jump down to verse 20. Prior to this, Jesus had already visited with the disciples once before but Thomas was not with them.

(26) And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being short, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Why were the doors shut? Go back up to verse 19 – “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews…”

It says the disciples lived in fear of the Jews. The disciples ladies and gentlemen! These were the men who walked with Jesus. These are the men that Jesus told “When I am gone you are going to carry the torch.” And now they are behind closed doors because they are afraid of the Jews.

What does this tell you ? It tells you that they did not completely believe the gospel that Jesus spoke. That tells you that when Jesus told them He was going to die but be raised again, there was some doubt. When you read in this gospel, Peter even talks about going fishing again – going back to working his 9 to 5.