Our text is Mark 16:17-18
“These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name, they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
People often read this Scripture and focus on the miracles, but they miss the deeper point. Whether we live in an age where picking up snakes is relevant or not, signs still follow Christians! They have simply changed.
The Bible mentions many other signs that accompany believers. One of these signs is inner peace. Philippians 4:7 speaks of a peace that surpasses all understanding—a peace that can only come from trusting in God, even in difficult situations.
Another sign is love for others. Jesus taught in John 13:35, “By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.”
Generosity is also a hallmark of a believer. In the judgment scene of Matthew 25, God tells His followers, “I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in.”
Here he is saying that Christians are people who show charity to those in need.
There is a story of a young man who chose to work as a lumberjack for the summer. Before he left, his friend advised the young man to be cautious because the other lumberjacks might pick on him if they found out he was a Christian. When he returned in the fall, the young man said, “I had a great time! Nobody bothered me because I didn’t let them know I was a Christian.”
The young man thought he kept his faith a secret, but the true test of faith is not in hiding it, but in allowing the signs of faith to shine through in our lives.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.