As Christian’s, it’s our job to live a life set apart from the things of this world. To be “set apart” means we stray from things we know aren’t good for our spirits. We should strive daily to abstain from sinful habits and mindsets. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Because of the sinful nature we’re born with, there is a constant struggle between our flesh and our spirit. We have the power, through Jesus, to overcome those things but, many times, we choose not to. We would rather feed that flesh “monster.” Unfortunately, every time we feed him he gets a little stronger until he seems to be in control of every decision we make. It may sound odd but, I’ve come to realize, there’s a prostitute in all of us. We walk into situations feeling we’re in complete control. Rather than employ self-control, we sell ourselves out to the highest bidder and allow the world to control our decisions, thoughts, and actions.   No matter how hard we try, our flesh is always going to be drawn towards things that are unhealthy for our spirits. Essentially, we whore [harsh term, I know, but it’s true] ourselves out to the very things we should be abstaining from.

I recently preached on a well-known prostitute from the Bible named Rahab. This woman lived a sinful life. Who really knows what drove her to think this was the only way she could provide for her family. I can only imagine the abuse she suffered over the years, all because of the repetitive bad decisions she had made. She was, no doubt, the talk of the town—and not in a good way. One day, two men came to her house. They were spies sent by Joshua, the leader of the Israelites. Their mission was to scope out the land in preparations to fight and overtake it as fulfillment of their promise from God. When the king found out, he sent soldiers to demand they be turned over. Rahab lied and sent the soldiers on a wild goose chase to find the men. Her only request of the spies for helping was protection for her and her family. As they were preparing to go to war, scripture states in Joshua 6:22-23, “²² Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.” ²³ The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel.” That day, her whole family lived because of one right decision she made.

Closing remarks and encouragement: Rahab lived a life full of bad decisions. One day, she decided to change. That decision made a huge difference in her life. My friend, like Rahab, you can make many mistakes in your life. But it only takes one RIGHT decision to change the trajectory and direction of your life. So what’s so special about this prostitute turned Christian? I’m glad you asked! Upon joining the Israelites, Rahab went on to marry a man named Salmon. She would give birth to a son they named Boaz. Boaz would marry Ruth and birth Obed. Obed would father a boy named Jesse. Jesse would go on to father a son by the name of David. David would become one of the greatest kings of God’s people. Eventually, some centuries later (and through that same prostitute’s lineage), there would come a baby of virgin birth named Jesus who would die for the sins of mankind. The decisions we make in the present will determine what our future looks like. God can use us all to do mighty things for the kingdom. But that will hinge on our ability to make the right choices. Will we continue prostituting ourselves, or will we finally get it right? The choice is yours.

Have a blessed week, my friends!

Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash

One minute, life is moving along smoothly. The next minute you fall into a tailspin by an unexpected prognosis, the loss of someone or something you held dearly, an unfair assessment, a disappointing result of something you worked hard at, false accusations, or any number of things. I was recently reading through scripture and came across the stories of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They are referred to by many of us as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. After King Nebuchadnezzar and his army had taken over their country these men, along with others, were taken from their homes. The king changed their names, forced them to be indoctrinated with a foreign education, as well as feeding them from his own table (an action that would have been considered an honor-he was wining and dining them) to change their diet. He had plans for them and every change he made pointed to such. For most of these changes, these men went along with it. But they realized eating food from the king’s table, food that literally and figuratively wasn’t kosher for them, would been considered defiling themselves. After some wise and crafty dealings with the chief eunuch, they were allowed a diet that more closely resembles a vegan diet.

Eventually, the king forces these men and those under his rule to worship a golden image. Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego respectfully refuse to do so and are sentenced to be thrown in a fiery furnace. Scripture tells us the king chose his strongest soldiers to bind them with ropes and toss them in the fire (that had been heated to 7 times hotter than normal). The soldiers that threw them in the fire died instantly from the extreme temperature they experienced outside. After a short time passed the king (according to the Septuagint- a Greek version of the Hebrew Bible that was made for the Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt) states he hears praises coming from the furnace. The soldiers throwing them in had died from the heat. Common sense tells us these boys are probably a little ashy by now. When he looks inside he sees the four men walking, unbound (v. 25) and the fourth man he likens to the Son of God. When the king calls them out, I love what Daniel 3:26-27 tells us, “…So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. ²⁷ Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!” Literally, they were thrown in the fire bound but emerged UN-bound and not having been burned– nor did they smell like smoke.

Closing remarks and encouragement: Friends, there’s nothing in the word of God that says we won’t have to go through certain situations in our lives. Scripture even tells us it rains on the just and the unjust (Matt 5:45). This story proves to us God won’t always prevent us from going through the fire, but we can be assured He will meet us there! The ONLY thing that burned off them was the thing that had been holding them bound. Is it possible the Lord allows us to go through the fire to burn some things off us that has been holding us bound? I firmly believe the answer is a resounding–YES! Friends, there’s a greater purpose in the fires we go through. Don’t despise the struggle. Embrace the heat! It’s not there to define you. It’s there to refine you! It won’t be comfortable, but it’s necessary….and it’s worth it.

Have a blessed week, my friends!   

Photo by Maxim Tajer on Unsplash

Every few months I’ve come to expect a phone update from the company that produces my cell phone. I never know what’s coming. Recently, I updated my phone and discovered a new feature that, frankly, freaked me out. As is my habit, I woke up this past Sunday, got myself ready for church, and went to my car to begin my trip. As I approached my vehicle, I heard my phone make a foreign noise. Once inside, I glanced down at the screen. The display informed me my trip to (insert the street name) would take 14 minutes. This street is the exact location of my church. I immediately questioned, “HOW DOES MY PHONE KNOW I’M GOING TO CHURCH? HOW DOES IT EVEN KNOW TO SUGGEST THE ROUTE I SHOULD TAKE BASED OFF CURRENT TRAFFIC?” After some consideration and research, I realized the suggestions are based off my habits. Apparently, the phone update had placed software on my phone that was meant to track my habits/routines and offer helpful suggestions to aid me in my travels. This instance caused me to reflect over my daily routines. After some consideration, I realized I AM predictable. As a child, my routines, habits, and travels were (more or less) dictated to me by my parents. Upon becoming an adult, I’ve found value in those lessons and I stick to much of what I was taught. This thought instantly made me realize the importance of how I’m parenting my own children and the types of things I’m teaching them.

As a child, I was taught the importance of living a Godly life. Part of that teaching focused on my personal time with God and daily devotions. Even more important, part of that teaching focused on the importance of church attendance. Will church attendance get someone into heaven? Absolutely not. But can church attendance be beneficial to your spiritual growth? Absolutely!! We’re taught in Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT), “²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Gathering together with fellow believers in a church service or outside of those meetings should be more than a habitual action. Gathering as a body is (and should be viewed as) a necessity. Something happens when we come together and sing praises to God. We receive the encouragement we need to stay strong and strive forward, especially during those season’s hardship. There’s value in living in community and doing life together. These scriptures remind us while in the presence of like-minded Christians we can receive (and give) encouragement and motivation to continue our journey. We become motivated to do better and be better. We become motivated to love harder and help those in need. For Christians, church attendance must be a “non-negotiable.”

Closing remarks and encouragement: The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He’s always looking to attack those who have pulled away from the pack. When we distance ourselves from fellow believers, we open up ourselves to even greater attacks. Our Christian journey, while requiring some purposeful and soloistic actions on our part (personal prayer, Bible reading, etc), is best lived together in fellowship. Find a church family. Get yourself rooted in His word and in a fellowship of believers. Become predictable!  I assure you, it’s the best decision you’ll even make.

Photo by Carolina Jacomin on Unsplash

This summer season is just beginning and it has already proven to be a hot one! Finally, after a few weeks of extreme heat, God blessed us with about five consecutive days of rain. I was recently coming home from work during one of those heavy storms. As I approached and pulled into my housing development, I could see something in the distance (near my house) that seemed mildly out of place. I wasn’t sure what it was until I got closer. On the corner of our street there were four tweens sitting in huge puddles of rain water. They were laughing and having a grand time. My first instinct, as a Dad, was to roll down the window and say, “Get out of that nasty water before you get yourself sick! There’s no telling what kind of bacteria is in that!!”  When I was able to put those thoughts to the side, I just stared at them and smiled. I remember those times as a child when the simplest of things seemed like fun. I don’t ever remember being worried about germs or bacteria. I miss those days of blissful ignorance. As I’ve aged, I’ve become cynical and calloused because of the things I’ve seen, experienced, or heard.  I’ve seen how terrible certain things and people in this world can be and I’ve allowed it to affect everything I do.

Is that you? Can you relate? When was the last time you played in the rain, mud, or allowed yourself to be like a kid again? I know, I know! We’re adults and we should act like it. Maybe.  But what is wrong with choosing to place your worries and burdens to the side and just focus on the joy of living. Life has a way of chewing us up and spitting us out sometimes. After a while, we don’t trust or have faith in people as we once did. We stop giving people the benefit of doubt. We stop playing in the rain. Psalm 28:7 (NLT) says, “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” God has already proven He will be our protection when we need Him. If He’s done it before, He’ll do it again. Why wouldn’t we trust Him and choose joy over worry or anxiousness? Joy is a choice. Joy is choosing to be happy in spite of the negative circumstances that surround us. Worry accomplishes nothing. It is a thief and an uninvited visitor that overstays it’s welcome. Those are the kind of things/people that need to be kicked to the curb.

Closing remarks and encouragement: As children, we don’t worry or fret as much because we expect Dad and Mom to take care of the problems around us and rescue us when we need it. It should be the same with out Heavenly Father. Why worry when we know He’s looking out for us and has our best interest at heart? Go have a little fun! Go enjoy the life you’ve been given. Go play in the rain! God’s got this!!!!

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash

It has become my daughter’s habit to create these perfect (to her) little scenarios of how she wants a certain day or weekend to go. The problem is, she doesn’t take the ideas and choices of others into consideration. Recently, as we were coming home from spending time with my parents (celebrating my Dad’s birthday), my son decided to grab my wife’s cell phone and call his Gram (his maternal grandmother) to see if he could spend the following night with her. The problem with this scenario was, it wasn’t a part of my daughter’s weekend plans. Her goal was to sleep late, go shopping for a specific piece of clothing the next day, and do whatever her heart desired over her long weekend. She was given the choice to go to her grandparents as well but her F.O.M.O. (fear of missing out) was preventing her from making a concrete decision. Eventually, the decision was made for her and she wasn’t happy with the outcome. Our goal with our children is not to make them miserable. Actually, just the opposite. We want them to have a joyful life. But we also realize, reality isn’t always roses, white picket fences, and the perfect scenarios we create in our heads. The reality is, sometimes things turn out (though we have good intentions) negatively. Some things are simply out of our control.

Life is full of dominoes. Every choice we make causes a ripple affect in the tapestry of our lives. If we make good decisions (in most cases), good things will come. If we make a bad decision….well….you get the idea. Every decision sends the dominoes falling in one direction or another. And sometimes, life just takes unexpected twists and turns, the decisions are made for us. The word of God is full of principles on the importance of making good choices. Scriptures like Prov 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Or, Prov 18:13, “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.” And Luke 6:31, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Or even Rev 3:15-16, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” God has a plan for our lives and it will always come to pass if we listen and follow his directions. Personally, I don’t believe God frets over whether we choose to eat grits, toast, cereal or a combination of the three in the mornings for breakfast. But there are certain crossroads we will all approach where we need to listen and discern what God is directing us to do. It’s as simple as: pray, listen, & execute.

Closing remarks and encouragement: We have decisions to make almost every moment of our lives. It’s not something that should stress us out. That still small voice of the Holy Spirit will always guide us, if we will listen. Simply, “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt 6:33

Have a blessed week, my friends!

Photo by Marco Lermer on Unsplash

The church I pastor is a smaller building with stained glass window, a stained wood ceiling, and high-wood beams throughout the structure. Recently I found myself in a compromising position of sorts. We have been installing new stage lights and speakers to the ceiling. Somehow, our projector was jostled causing the entire projection to seem unfocused, grainy, and not set within the boundaries of the actual screen. Knowing the issue had to be addressed, I had a friend come help me accomplish the task. I set the 12 ft ladder on the stage and began my ascent. Folks, I don’t care for heights. If I’m in a secure area with rails or some kind of protection, I’m not as bothered. But when I get in unstable situations, naturally, I get freaked out. I noticed very early on, if I kept my eyes looking above me rather than below (where the hard floor beckoned me to fall), I was ok. Any time I looked down it was a reminder of my distance solid ground. That reminder paired with my shaky legs were the perfect recipe for an accident. Determined to finish and get down, I set aside my fear and pressed forward to finish my task. When I finally made it back to the bottom I was happier than a fat kid at a dessert buffet. Not to mention, I simply felt accomplished by overcoming my fear to complete the task.

It’s easy to allow ourselves to get too involved with the problems that arise on earth. As Believers, we tend to get too caught up what’s going wrong around us we fail to keep our eyes focused on things above. When something does goes wrong, we panic and begin questioning how God could ever fix or rescue us from that particular situation. Here’s the crazy part, if our eyes had been focused on God to begin with we probably never would have become so worried.  Colossians 3:1-2 states, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”  When I read this scripture I was reminded of the old hymn that says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”  When we have our eyes set on Him, we won’t notice the stresses of this world nearly as much. If we’re His, He’s already promised to take care of us. Why waste our time worrying when we can spend it worshipping Him?

Closing remarks and encouragement:  When things go wrong -and things WILL go wrong-it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. Set your eyes on things above and watch as God does the miraculous in your life!  Worrying does nothing more than consume your energy mentally, spiritually, and physically. Just keep looking up!!!

Photo by Enrique Fernandez on Unsplash

I hate waiting. I’ve always been somewhat of an impatient person and, while age has mellowed me a little, I’d much rather spend my time doing what I want rather than waiting on something/someone. I remember the year I turned 16. In the week’s leading up to that birthday, I reminded my Dad frequently I was ready to get my learner’s permit and begin driving. A few days after my birthday, he walked through the front door of our home and tossed me a driving manual from our local DMV. I could have burst from the excitement! I quickly set about studying. Within a day or two, I informed him I was ready and pushed him to allow me to take the test. Knowing I wasn’t ready, he told me to go study more. I studied another two days and returned to him. I received the same answer as he stressed to me the importance of studying and learning the manual to the best of my abilities. I took another few days and studied longer and harder. When I returned the third time he sat me down and began grilling me with questions at our kitchen table. Thankfully, I got most of the questions correct and he felt I was ready. I went and took the test and passed. Had he allowed me, I would have taken the test much earlier and failed it. He knew I wasn’t ready and required me to wait, study, and prepare.

We love to rush our lives along so we can get to the parts we’re excited about but sometimes, things just take time. Broken bones take time to heal. Trust that has been lost takes time to restore. Broken relationships aren’t easily mended. If you rush any of the aforementioned processes, you’ll end up in a mess.  Years ago, Heinz ketchup presented a commercial I’ve never forgotten. In the commercial, a young guy enters a restaurant and places his usual order. While he waits, he holds a ketchup bottle in the air leaned to the side in anticipations of his food. Everyone knows the ketchup will soon drop out of the bottle and they wait to see if the cook will get his food to him before the red mixture ends up on the table surface. The food reaches him just as the first drop pours out and lands on his burger. Everyone laughs as the narrator of the commercial states, “Heinz. The best things come to those who wait.” James is speaking on the subject of faith and endurance (waiting) when he states in chapter 1 verse 12, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Waiting isn’t a bad thing. While frustrating, it’s also necessary. You’ll always benefit from waiting.

Closing remarks and encouragement: While it may seem a nuisance, some things in our lives will take time– and there’s nothing we can do to rush the process. If you’re in a waiting season, stop and enjoy the scenery. Whining accomplishes nothing. I assure you, there are valuable ways you can spend your time and valuable lessons that can still be learned. Chances are, your Dad is requiring you to study more because He knows you’re not ready for the test yet. As Heinz so graciously reminded us in the 80’s, “The best things come to those who wait.”

Have a blessed week, my friends!

Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash

Recently, my wife began creating a grocery list. After a few days of the list being filled with things , I saw the familiar 7 year-old writing of my son along the bottom. [see the pic above] It said, “spinach did [sic] – wheat thins” (he meant “dip” but his writing was messed up). I thought it was cute as it’s something he’s never done before. I decided to make sure to get the spinach “did” and wheat thins. Fast forward to our grocery trip yesterday. We’re walking through the store as he and his sister attempt to convince me they need this or that item (junk food, of course). With my son, it was the same cycle for a while–ask for an item, I respond “no”, he whines and cries, then he pouts until he find something else he wants to ask me for. That thirty minutes felt like an eternity. As we were checking out, both of my children were helping me get the items onto the conveyor. My son came across the dip and said, “Daddy!  You got my dip!  I didn’t see you do that!!  When did you put that in there?”  I said, “You didn’t see me put it in the buggy because you were so busy complaining you didn’t to notice what I had already done for you.” He responded with a big smile, “Thanks, Dad!!”

In that moment, I knew I had stumbled across a valuable lesson. The Holy Spirit began speaking to me saying, my people are so busy praying and asking for everything they think they need they fail to notice what I’ve already done for them. It’s true. We come to God with this grocery list of desires we attempt to disguise as needs only to get frustrated when He doesn’t give us what asked for. Let’s be honest—if I gave my children everything they asked for, I’d be broke and they’d be spoiled brats. As a father, my desire is to give them everything they ever want.  But I also realize, there are certain things they don’t need because it’s not good for them. I withhold out of a desire to protect them. But youthful ignorance and immaturity prevent them from realizing that. The Apostle Paul is closing his letter to the Philippian people by thanking them for what they had done for him in the past and present. In Philippians 4:11-13 he states, “¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” The importance of his message is this- regardless of my situation—I’ve learned to be content. His contentment came from knowing he could endure anything, good or bad, because God had given him the ability to do so.  

Closing remarks and encouragement: As a society, we live in a constant state of discontentment. Our discontentment comes from frustrations that stem from what we don’t have. Believers would do well to learn to be an example to the world to stop begging God every time we see something shiny and be grateful for what we already have.  As the old country song states, “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” How much easier and less stressful would life be if we could simply learn to be content in any season? Life would simpler if we just learned to say, “Thanks, Dad!”

My teenage years were spent in a house on the mill hill in Greer, SC. Every year (that I can remember) living in that house, my Dad had a garden. Well…..it was his garden but he had my brother and I do most of the work 😊 In the early spring we would always set about preparing the ground with a tiller, planting seedlings, and nurturing those plants throughout the summer with water and fertilizer. Farming is hard work. Most do it because of the payout. Anyone who plants a garden of any kind walks into the situation with an expectation of a specific outcome or harvest. All farmers begin the process of sowing with the end in mind.  They have learned that their expectations must drive their habits.  If there are specific things you expect to have by the end of the year, you must plan and prepare by sowing the right seeds/seedlings. In our case, my Dad did so with the intention of eating those vegetables throughout the rest of the year and into winter. While it would have been nice, never once did we plant the garden in the morning and end up with a harvest by the end of the same day. The harvest came over time, after we had put a lot of hard work into it.

Galatians 6:7-9 states, “⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. ⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” While this scripture was written by the Apostle Paul to address a certain issue, there is an important principle being presented here regarding sowing and reaping. The ideal of sowing and reaping is found throughout the Bible beginning as early as Genesis 3. As believers, essentially, we are farmers for the kingdom. There are important lessons that we would do well to learn from this scripture. 1. What you reap (plant) is what you will sow (harvest). 2. Reaping and sowing will always happen in different seasons. 3. You will get tired. 4. Most importantly, there is a DUE SEASON. Your due season is an expected time when something that is rightfully yours is received or comes to fruition. It can be seeds you have planted attempted to lead unbelievers to a saving knowledge of Christ or any number of things including a promise you received from the Holy Spirit (a blessing of some sort, a physical/mental/spiritual/financial healing).

Closing remarks and encouragement: The work we do for the kingdom of God can be tiring both mentally and spiritually.  Be assured, the closer you get to fulfillment of your due season, the enemy will cause you problems. His only intentions are to steal, kill, and destroy. He will do everything in his power to prevent you from entering your due season. But if you “faint not,” you will reap a harvest. Your due season could be right around the corner. Don’t give up! Keep pressing on, my friends! God has something wonderful waiting for you on the other side of that battle. And remember, the enemy wouldn’t be fighting you so hard if there weren’t spoils (blessings) that await you. PRESS ON!!!

Have a blessed week, my friends!

Photo by Sushobhan Badhai on Unsplash

John 2:1-12 tells us the story of Jesus’ first miracle.  It took place at a wedding celebration He, Mary, and His disciples had been invited to. In Biblical times (specifically in the time period our scripture was written), the wedding celebrations lasted up to a week. Knowing the background of Mary and Jesus, this wedding would most likely have been for someone of the same social class (most likely peasants) they had a pre-existing relationship with. At one point in the celebration, Mary (who seems invested in the success of this particular celebration) approaches her son, Jesus, and informs Him they had run out of wine. Jesus response in John 2:4 is, “Dear woman, that’s not our problem. My time has not yet come.” Without missing a beat, Mary turns to the servants and instructs them, “Do whatever he tells you.” (Don’t mess with Momma–she ain’t gonna tell you twice because you heard what she said the first time 😊) Even though his time has not yet come, Jesus knew better than to disobey His mother. He instructs the servants to take the 6 stone water jars (that had always been used for Jewish ceremonial purposes) and fill them with water. Each jar could hold anywhere from 20-30 gallons of fluid (an estimated 250lbs each—not to mention they were stone jars). The servants followed Jesus precise directions and the water is turned to wine. As instructed, the servant takes a cup of the new wine to the master of the ceremonies who states (not knowing the liquid had been water moments earlier) the wine he was drinking was better than what had originally been presented. There are some very important lessons to be learned here.

First, it’s interesting that Jesus chose to use ceremonial jars. His actions are a non-verbal representation that things are changing. His appearance on the scene was to teach them about the more personal relationship with God His sacrifice would offer rather than one based on traditions and laws that the Jewish people had come to know. Secondly, by using the servants, He allowed them to shoulder the burden and share in the blessing of what He had done. The servants could have chosen to do things halfway and they would have only experienced HALF the blessing. By following His instructions, they maximized their own blessing. Jesus commands probably didn’t make sense to these servants, but their submission provided a blessing for everyone around them. Thirdly, this scripture is a reminder to us, when God does something, He never goes halfway. He can and WILL do “…exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think.” (Eph 3:20-21). This was the first of many signs that proved Jesus was the Son of God.

Closing remarks and encouragement: Jesus could have chosen to use ANYTHING as a container for the wine, but He chose to use something He had on hand. When Jesus fed the 5000, He could have used ANYTHING to feed them, but he chose to use a little boy’s lunch. We like to complain when we feel we don’t have enough. We gripe endlessly when we run out. Is it possible, the answer to our prayers has been staring us in the face all along? What are we doing with what we already have….what God has already given us? The miracle can be found in God using the little to create much. It’s also possible that God will sometimes allow us to run out of what we have because He has something BETTER for us?  He is the God of MORE THAN ENOUGH!  We must be wise in how we use what we’ve already been given. For example, are you having financial problems? Stay away from those $6 cups of coffee and $200 home satellite packages. Be wise in how you use what God has already blessed you with. What are you doing with what you already have?

Have a blessed week, my friends!!

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash