The Wedding at Cana

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John 2

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:  2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, “They have no wine.”  4 Jesus saith unto her, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” 5 His mother saith unto the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.  7 Jesus saith unto them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast.” And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, “Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

Oh there are so many details in this snapshot.  Notice these few things: 1. Jesus already had disciples before he ever performed a miracle – you don’t need to see a miracle to follow Jesus; but, if you do follow him, wonderful things will happen in your life.  2.  When Jesus gives he gives in abundance – “to the brim” – meaning enough to share.  3. He always gives the best last – while the deceiver gives his best at first to draw us in and snares us then our pleasure turns into despair and destruction – Jesus’ gifts, while good now, get better and better in life until we’re ultimately transformed completely in heaven.

There is another aspect, a tiny detail, that I think is the most outstanding and comforting part of this story.  The fact that Jesus was there, responding to an invitation – he was, after all, a busy man; but, not too busy to respond to an invitation.  He was there at a time of need and he very simply met the need.  It is comforting to know, as a believer, that in my hour of need, “El Shaddai” – the All Sufficient One; “Jehovah-Jireh” – the Lord my Provider – will be there.  We should not be surprised by this, for He has always been, and will always be, there.

*He was there when, along with the Father and Spirit on the balcony of nothingness, spoke the universe into existence and said, “let Us make man after our image.”
*He was there when he told Noah and his family to come into the ark of salvation where by grace they floated over God’s judgment.
*He was there with Abraham – “When God provided Himself a lamb”.
*He was there when Joshua and the children of Israel surrounded the walls of Jericho, and with a mighty shout saw the deliverance of God
*He was there when that shepherd boy looked into the eyes of a giant and proclaimed, “You come to me with spear and a sword, but I come to you in the name of the Lord.”
*He was there in the lion’s den with Daniel.
*He was there in the fiery furnace with Shadrack, Mishack and Abednego.
*He was there with Paul and Silas in prison.
*He was there with every martyr who ever gave his or her life for the cause of Christ.
*He was there the night that you wept tears on your bed because your heart had been broken.
*He was there the moment you said good-bye to the dearest on earth.
*He was there the hour your dreams were shattered and your life seemed that it had lost all of its meaning.
*AND, He was there when the tree and thorn vine sprouted and grew that one day would be his cross and crown.

For He is the God who is always there in your hour of need.  El Shaddai – the All Sufficient One – will always be there. Stop here and read Psalm 139:1-12.

*In your darkest hour – He will light the way.

*As the world falls into judgment and wrath – He is your Ark of Salvation.

*When you face a giant in your life that threatens to destroy your soul, that threatens to destroy your relationships, that threatens to destroy your family – He will be there.

*Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

And, since we’re to be like the Master, let’s practice what he did and respond to invitations as we have opportunity.  Who knows you may, while giving a blessing, receive one.  Believe and follow him and wonderful things will begin to happen …

JerryLowry

Ryker’s Blessing

As most, if not all of you know, I’m a member of an internet society called facebook. Recently we saw a need to ask for the prayers of all of our friends, and friends of friends, for a newborn, Ryker Waller. When Ryker was born, she was bleeding internally. The doctors found a tumor and for five days Ryker fought for her life. This would seem to be a heartbreaking story and one that would cause great despair to those close to Ryker. Surprisingly it did just the opposite. Certainly Dwain and Keeli, as well as their parents, were no doubt saddened by the events that took place, but amazingly (for I personally don’t know if I could have reacted as well as they) they showed great character and were strengthened by the ordeal.

Those five days were amazing days. I saw friends of friends of friends posting on their status updates, the need to pray for Ryker and her family. I was told stories and had personal conversations with individuals that did not have a prayer life, realizing the need for it and began one.

Prayer is Power!

Jas 5:15-16  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise  him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  (16)  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This verse does a lot of things for us. First of all it gives us comfort. To know  that there is an avenue of fixing problems that does not solely rely on our efforts is a blessing! I say solely, because there is some effort involved, the effort of abasing ourselves  before God Almighty. The effort of putting all of faith and trust in Him. The effort of being faithful. It is the prayer of faith that shall save the sick. In the first chapter of James we are told that if we ask anything of the Lord, we should ask in faith, nothing doubting. If we doubt, we are as the waves of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

This verse also exhorts us to confess our faults to one another. Confession is good. It allows us to release the weight of guilt and helps us overcome them.  It helps us grow, and allows us to trust one another. Without it, we can turn into bitter and hardened individuals that have no hope of eternal life.

Finally this verse encourages us to be righteous. If we want to be of any value to those that we love (which should be to all) we should endeavor to be righteous individuals. Righteousness is not something that we can just take on and put off at will. It is a way of life and can only be attained through God’s written word.

The Waller family reminded me, that regardless of the circumstances, I can find comfort. The Waller family helped me remember the importance of prayer and casting all of our cares upon Him. I would like to post an open letter that Dwain Waller posted to facebook, after Ryker died. I hope that it touches you and gives you reason to keep struggling through your daily Christian walk.

Ryker Elise Waller-Our Daughter

Mon (Jan 11th, 2009) at 12:05pm

I don’t even know where to begin. First, our daughter Ryker is in heaven smiling down at Keeli and I. She is also smiling down at all of you who have been touched by her. Saying thank you to our family, friends and even total strangers who have offered support does not come close to doing it justice. From the bottom of our hearts I give you all ultimate thanks for your prayers and support. Our daughter who lived 5 days touched more people in her brief life than I have touched my 32 years. She caused people to come together, to pray, and to grow closer to not only one another but to Christ.  Keeli and I are not sad. We are excited and happy!! Ryker changed Keeli and I beyond measure. She became a Mommy and I became a Daddy and that will never change. Our daughter will always be with us. I would like to challenge everyone who offered support and prayers to continue to pray, continue to grow closer to your loved ones, your children, and your friends. Life is so precious and short. Life is fragile, so dont waste time with the crap that brings you down. Love your spouse, love your children, love your family, love your friends!! Let our Ryker always be in your spirit to remind you of these things. May you always remember the impact a small little girl, who was alive for just 5 days had on people all over the world. Do not be sad for Keeli and I, be happy, because we are new parents. Be happy because we just got to spend 5 wonderful days with our daughter. It was five amazing days that we would not trade for anything. In the NICU they say that babies leave as either miracles or angels. Ryker was an exception to this saying. She left as both a miracle and an angel. We are going to have a celebration service sometime in the near future and I would like to invite anyone who was touched by our Ryker to come and celebrate with us. God Bless!!

Max Gaskins

Being an Example, Part 1

Last Sunday I heard a sermon about living holy in all that you do, presenting yourself holy in all aspects of your life.  Immediately I began to think of a thousand mistakes I’ve made and how those mistakes prevent me from living the holy life.  Not only that, those mistakes are damaging those around me.  I have little eyes watching me everyday.  My life is an example.  My child spends everyday, all day with me.  I’m supposed to be protecting her from danger and teaching her to do what is right.  Then I realized something, I have been the biggest danger in her life.  I am the one she looks up to, the one who should be showing her the right path, I should be her safe ground.  Yet, I am failing.

Ezekiel 19:10-11, “Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters. 11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.”

Here we see that a mother’s influence runs deep.  Her influence is compared to a vine in the bloodline.  Something that runs in your blood is part of everything about you, vital to living.  As parents, not just mothers, don’t we want that vine to be love for the Lord?   The Bible encourages us to show our children the path they need to take while they are young, and if we do that, our children will stay the course.

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

How are we supposed to go about training our children?  There is an old saying, “Practice what you preach.” I’d like to submit this same idea is true when raising and training our children.  Don’t just read the Bible, live the Bible.

I would like to do a short series on how we can be better examples for our children.  I want to look at living holy and training our children through our example and how that can make huge strides in teaching our little ones to love the Lord in what they do with their eyes, mouth, hands, and feet.

The next 4 parts will cover those things individually.  My hope and prayer is that my eyes, mouth, hands, and feet will start being an example to Lexi so that she will literally use her whole body for the glory of God.

Before part 2 I want to leave you with a few questions to ask yourself:

What kind of vine am I running through my child’s bloodline?  What kind of example am I to my children?  Are the choices I am making going to help my child have God as a vital part of their life, having my love for the Lord being as a vine running through their veins?

Elise Fleming

She Made The Choice

She’d had enough. Once again he would not listen to reason. She was sure that he was not making an informed decision. Yes, he had already purchased a couple of rent houses, and yes, they were making some money but he was not in the real estate business, he was just a company man. What if this went bad? How was her husband going to fix it? How was she going to make him follow her advice?

It had been this way for years. She pushed, he pulled and they were never happy. They would argue and fight which led to resentments and bitterness. They knew they needed to do things differently. They started going to church in hopes they would be able to find some help.

The elders would say, when asked, that they needed to get their life in line with God’s word. They kept pointing out Ephesians 5 and talking about submission to her husband and he being the head over her. Try as she might, she would never be able to submit to him. In fact, she would rather die than surrender.

As I ponder what it means to be subject to someone, I find that there is a lot of misconception regarding biblical subjection. We find this concept in Ephesians 5 where we, as Christians, are to be subject to each other and the wife is to be subject to her husband as unto the Lord.

The idea of being subject to an authority is constantly under attack. The world teaches that you should not be under anybody for any reason. “I am sufficient unto myself” seems to be the motto of the day. To the world, to be subject is to be subjugated in forced surrender whereas to God, to be subject is to voluntarily place your self under someone’s authority. I can force someone to surrender but I can’t force him or her to be subject to me. That is a voluntary action taken by someone else.

Luke 2:41-52 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

When asked why he had worried his parents so, Jesus responded, “Why are you so worried, don’t you know I must be about my Father’s business?” Yet, he chose to go with them back to Nazareth “being subject to them”.

Christ shows us how this choice works. As a boy of 12, the Son of God knew He had the responsibility of saving the world and the authority to do that very thing. So here is the Son of God, the Messiah, in the body of a boy, being confronted by his parents about his causing them mental anguish at his disappearance. He could have given them his response and gone about the business of saving mankind, but he didn’t. The bible tells us that Jesus “went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them”. Here is the ultimate expression of subjection: Jesus, God on earth, voluntarily placing himself under the authority of his parents. He remained under their authority until the age of 30 when he began his ministry that led to his ultimate subjection to the will of God; His choosing to die on the cross.

Philippians 2:1-8 sums up subjection pretty well: “1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

We are called to place ourselves under authorities in all areas of our lives. God tells us through his word that we, as Christians, are commanded to be under subjection. Wives are to be subject to their husbands, children are to be subject to their parents. We are supposed to be subject to the government authorities and religious authorities. This is not a punishment but a great help to us.

Luke 2:52 tells us that because Jesus was subject to his earthly parents, he “…increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” We grow as individuals and incur the favor of God in following his design for our lives here on earth.

1 Peter 5:5-6 says, “5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

It’s been 20 years now, and she and her husband are not only happy but also living together in a fulfilling relationship. She made the choice to submit to her husband and he learned to be the true head of their home. She says, regarding the process, “It isn’t easy, but it sure is worth it.”

To be subject to others helps us grow as humans, teaches us to humble ourselves as individuals, and allows us to grow in the grace of God. It is your choice.

ShawnMcCorkle

Dreams, Success, and Priority

Growing up I always wanted to be something great.  I wanted to accomplish awesome things that many would think to be astonishing goals.  I remember fondly practicing my juke moves on the invisible linebacker at the fifty yard line which was my grandma’s front yard.  I remember hitting a racquetball over the house across the street and thinking how my skill would equate to hitting a ball over the fence at Wrigley.

I was still dreaming big dreams when I graduated high school.  The dreams changed as I focused more on what I would do with my life.  Instead of standing in front of thousands of adoring fans while holding the Heisman, I turned my thoughts to the huge corporate office that awaited me after I received my diploma.  As we all know, most dreams do not come to fruition and most plans never materialize like we would wish.

Now sitting close to the age of 30, many of my dreams have changed yet again.  I no longer wish to work for a fortune five hundred company.  I realize there are more important things to seek after than wealth or popularity.  There are loftier goals that I should be aiming towards.  One day I hope to be a good father.  I aspire to be a loving and supportive husband to my wife Jana.  Most of all I hope to serve God in a manner that is pleasing in his sight.

When we are young, we see the pedestals that athletes, movie stars, and singers are placed on.  Naturally we grow up thinking that they are the perfect picture of success.  As we get older, we start understanding the importance of the dollar in our society.  We search long and hard for a way to make money because our society measures success by how much stuff we have.  It is easy to fall into this trap of measuring our lives on material things.

In the end our success will not be measured in silver and gold.  Our achievement scale will not be weighted down by our popularity or athletic skill.  Instead, our success will be measured by how committed we are to God.  We will see the good we have done by building our families on the sturdy foundations of God’s word.  Our success will be shared by those who we influenced to trust in God’s word and obey his commands. While many of the dreams we dream growing up are usually unachievable, an eternal life in heaven is a goal that is in our reach.  If we strive to serve our Father and put him first in our lives, he has promised to provide for our needs and give us an everlasting life with him.

The world does its best to influence us to put other things before our God. Satan will trick us into thinking that our jobs and families should come before our God.  So we must examine ourselves daily to see where God ranks in our lives.  We must strive to make God our number one and let everything else fall into place.  So I leave with this question today, what priority level does God have in your life today?

³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt 6:32-33 (KJV)

Noah Hall

Let Your Light So Shine

People enjoy being around others who enjoy life. I know I do! It is amazing to me, how I can be in a grumpy mood and run across someone that is all bouncy and fun and it completely changes my attitude. Being around someone all of the time that is bitter, or grumpy or depressed, is not what I call having a good time. I want to spend my time with someone that celebrates life and is full of passion! So…  Why can’t I be that person that loves life?

If we enjoy being around people like those afore mentioned, we should BE those same people. Isn’t, or shouldn’t our goal be, to spread God’s word? Shouldn’t we be most concerned with those in life that are struggling? Don’t we want others to join us in our true worship to God? If we answer yes to all of these ideas, shouldn’t we BE that person, that we love to be around?

John Wesley stated, “When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and watch you burn.”

Jesus tells us in Mat 5:16  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

There are a few things that we can do, or change in our attitude that will help us become (become stronger) that lively, good natured, fun loving, exciting person that we so love being around.

First of all, we should expect the best from everyone. If we can exert the “air” that we know everyone around us, can and is, being the best that they can be, they will expect the best from themselves!  Everyone will feel better about themselves, because they know, without a shadow of a doubt, that regardless of their circumstance and regardless of their shortcomings (for we all have them) they are being the best person that they can. Certainly there is a time and place to show disappointment, but it should be used sparingly and only for exhortation; much like the apostle Paul used it (Rom. 11).

Secondly, we should give others hope. Hope can be displayed in many ways. We can let others know about the hope that we have. When something doesn’t go our way, we can talk about the better way and discuss the opportunities that where given to us in our efforts. We can also present an attitude of hope. Instead of slumping in our chair or dropping our head in defeat, we can keep our demeanor one of happiness and encouragement. Then there is the follow through. If we don’t put our demeanor and words of hope into a positive action of hope, we don’t accomplish anything. Our words and attitude will be hollow.

Lastly, with expecting the best of everyone and giving others hope, we should share ourselves. We can give others what small amount of wisdom we have gained through our struggles. We can share God’s word, and share our time with others. Time is a valuable thing to all of us. I personally am always touched when someone takes the time out of their busy life, to spend it with me in exhortation and love. Also, being able to empathize with others and learning to relate to what is important to others is invaluable.

It all comes down to our attitude. If we want to spread the Good News, and encourage others to come to Christ, we need to let our light shine and let it shine in a way that would be most productive.

May your life be filled with love and happiness and hope!

Max Gaskins

Satan the Schemer

We had a sermon at church a couple of weeks back about Satan the Schemer. Above was the title slide from the Powerpoint. Spooky eh? Wow, I mean, if Satan and his schemes are that evil and frightening, why would any of us mess with him?

That got me to thinking. The truth is that (almost) no-one would mess with an evil demon if it was an obviously evil giant, and looked this scary, Red with wings & horns, etc. But what if Satan might look more like this…

Would you be more likely to let him into your house? Would youlisten to what he had to say? Would he be welcome at your dinner table? Listen to what the Apostle Paul said “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness” – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

And just like Satan himself, his schemes often don’t seem evil, they just seem like common sense. Exact revenge…if you let them get away with it, they’ll just do it again, either to you or someone else. That just makes good common sense right?

You gotta look out for ole number one. If you aren’t cheating you’re not trying. Who in their right mind would report cash on their income tax statement? I mean, c’mon, their bleeding us dry as it is. We’re two consenting adults, it’s nobody’s business how I live my life! I Just want to be happy, doesn’t God want me to be happy? Oh, so you think you’re perfect? Don’t you judge me! It’s my body, I should be able to choose to do whatever I wants with it. It just wasn’t a good time to have children. We don’t need a piece of paper to legitimize our love…

You’ve heard ‘em, probably even said ‘em. We can still be friends, and the kids can go to his place every weekend, it’s better than us fighting all the time. I just want my children to be happy, spanking a child just teaches them to be violent. Drink responsibly. You’ve got to vent you frustrations, let them out, you’ll be much happier if you do. It’s a disease, not a sin, there is nothing I can do about it, it’s not my fault…

Now, I’m not saying that everything that seems to be common sense is a scheme of Satan, but we need to be aware. Satan is far too crafty to walk up and say “Psst, hey, look at this, it will destroy your home, devastate your children, ruin your career, steal your health, then you get to go to Hell for all eternity…All it will cost you is everything!

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” - Proverbs 14:12

MichaelMcCorkle

Know Your Enemy

To be successful in the realm of spiritual warfare, you must have a clear understanding of who you are fighting against.  It is easy to give the answer that “Well we battle against Satan”.  But what does that answer mean, and do you really believe that or do you give that answer because it’s the right answer to give.  Here is what I am getting at, it is one thing to say the right thing when answering the question but it is an entirely different thing to know who your enemy really is.  Good, solid, dependable intel (intelligence) is vital to fighting a successful war.

You, as a Christian, must identify Satan; know his tendencies, his tactics, and his desire to separate you from your loving Father in Heaven who created you for his service.  All the intel needed to be a successful soldier is found in the Word of God.  Satan is dangerous, powerful, and seeks only to devour those who will give into his deception and craftiness. He is a roaring Lion, (I Peter 5:8-9) he is cunning and crafty, (Ephesians 4:14) and he can transform himself into an angel of light, (II Cor. 11:13-15).  When an enemy is not taken seriously, dismissed as an unworthy opponent, or underestimated in a war, that is when he is the most dangerous.  Never miscalculate the power that Satan has nor ignore the fact that Satan seeks to attack each one of us on a daily basis.  Be assured that Satan is fighting just as hard if not harder out on the battleground.  Consider this; Satan was able to tempt our Savior in the wilderness after Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights.  If Satan had the ability to tempt God’s only begotten Son, rest assured that he can and will seek to attack you.  Be on guard!

Satan is successful many times simply because he understands our nature as human beings.  He deceives you and I today just as he deceived Eve in the garden. You and I all have areas of weakness and Satan is aware of what those weak areas in our defense are so it shouldn’t surprise us that in the areas of our life where we are weak and aware of the weakness, that is where Satan will focus his attention and begin his attacks.  Though we may have different specific weaknesses, they all fall into one of the following categories; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.  This is all Satan needs to know to begin his barrage of strikes against us.

Ephesians 6:10-12

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

One of the best ways to defend against this is to be aware yourself of your weaknesses and fortify them.  Avoid situations where Satan might have an easy opportunity to attack you. Too often we do Satan’s job for him because we choose to put ourselves at risk of attack because we choose to put ourselves into situations and arenas where we know we will be tempted.  STOP IT!  Know your weak areas and work to strengthen those areas by focusing on what it is that is contributing to that sinful behavior and begin removing those contributing factors one by one.  Do your best to stay away from settings and environments that have proven to be grounds of temptation for you and if you are tempted, look for the way of escape that the Lord has given you and run.  Let me say that again RUN!!!

Finally, we should always remember that no one can do it alone.  Find other Christians that you can trust and tell them the problems you are having and ask them to help you to change and ask them to hold you accountable for changing your sinful behavior.  Remember to pray, study, and meditate upon the Word so that you can begin to correct the sin you have and begin truly following the example of Christ.  Everyone needs help and I want to challenge you to ask the Lord everyday to do the following:

Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Let the Lord work in every aspect of your life so that you will be exactly what he wants and created you to be.  And when you do this you will certainly be on the front line battling with Satan for the souls of all men and defending yourself and others against our enemy on the battleground.

Psalm 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Chase Palmer

Ready to Give an Answer

Elise Fleming