1 Corinthians 13:1 – “THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love in my heart, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
The English word LOVE must be one of the most unusual and difficult words in our language for someone learning it. It is supposedly packed with meaning, yet it seems inadequate when we really want to say something. Let me explain what I mean.
Edgar Allen Poe said, “We loved with a love that was more than love.” What? I believe that the word LOVE like the word Blessed, is overworked in the English language. Some dictionaries list as many meanings as twenty-five for love. We use them all in our daily conversations. Thus, I insist that having just one word for the many kinds and dimensions of Love leads to confusion and absurd comparisons.
We Love our lifelong sweetheart, but we also love things like fried chicken or nice cars. Thereby comparing marriage with chicken or cars. Inadequate and almost insulting. We Love our parents and children, but we also love things like football, fishing, golf, etc. That puts mom and dad on par with a weekend at Vail or the Golf Course. It places little Johnny our Suzie in competition with our favorite team. That is not good!
We love Freedom which is surely more precious than some new shiny vehicle parked in the driveway. But we love the car. We love our pets. We love new clothes, and certain foods, right? We Love Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, but we love certain music or movies. Nothing can compare to the Lord and the English word Love leaves us wanting for a proper comparison.
We read books with Love as the theme. One writer speaks of Love, but he is speaking of sexual attraction. Another uses the word Love in referring to an abstract ideal and yet another, writes of Love as romance. Still, another uses Love to speak of intense family loyalty and yet another describes an undying friendship by the word Love. I suggest that is inadequate to fully comprehend the meaning.
The Greatest Love Story ever is that of John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he even gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” When we study Blood Covenant in the Bible, we discover the power of Love.
The Church (Believers) are the Bride of Christ! We have a covenantal relationship with the one who forgives us of our sins. We drink the cup with Him and realize that He paid the ultimate price for our salvation. That is LOVE! He promised in John 14:1-3 – “LET not your heart be troubled; believe in God, and believe in me also.2 In my Father’s house there are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and take you to me, so that where I am, you may be also.”
Love is not simply a many splendored thing it is that devotion, commitment, and obedience to Jesus Christ our Savior. Yes, in English unlike many other languages we have only one word for Love and that makes it an overused and inadequate word to describe our devotion in so many ways.
God bless you as you walk in Love on this beautiful day the Lord has made and rejoice!
Ruth 1:16-17 – “16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” NKJV
The incredible power of devotion and faithfulness is seen in the Book of Ruth in both Ruth and Boaz. However, for it to have reached the place where Boaz could take Ruth as a wife, there had to be a commitment by Ruth to make a Covenant with Naomi. Ruth’s husband was dead, and Naomi had no other sons and no prospect of having sons that could marry Ruth and raise up seed in the name of his brother. Ruth was released by Naomi as was Orpah, but Ruth refused to desert her mother-in-law and her covenant vows are seen in these verses.
Naomi was moved by Ruth’s commitment and selflessness but more importantly, God took note of her heart which produced her actions. When they returned to Bethlehem, they were destitute, and among their relatives was a rich man named Boaz Ruth requested Naomi’s permission to go to his field to glean so they could eat.
There is no evidence that Ruth had a plan to get Boaz to marry her, rather she was seeking to care for her mother-in-law. It was the custom of the Jews to allow strangers to gather the corners of the fields and even glean the trampled down grain so when Ruth came to the field the workers honored the custom and allowed her to glean. Boaz took note of her and upon inquiry realized who she was and was, no doubt, moved by her devotion to Naomi. He invited her to continue day by day gleaning in his fields and instructed the workers to drop handfuls on purpose for her so that she would be sure to have a goodly amount to sell and for Naomi and her to eat.
When Ruth reported what had transpired to Naomi, her mother-in-law sensed the heart of God and knew the Law of the Kinsman-Redeemer, so she encouraged Ruth to return with specific instructions. Her willingness to comply and her demonstrated virtue moved the heart of Boaz as God worked His plan looking down the road to the Christ being born. Boaz sought to protect her reputation and took action to approach the Near Kinsman to enact the Kinsman-Redeemer rights. The Near Kinsman declined for personal reasons allowing Boaz to fulfill the role and duty required by the Law.
Ruth and Boaz had a son. The child was named Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David from whose line Christ was born. In the life of Ruth and Boaz, we get a picture of the Kinsman-Redeemer Jesus and in the Book of Revelation Five, we find one of the elders told John that there is one that has earned the right to open the scroll in heaven and that one is Jesus our Kinsman-Redeemer. He, Jesus, has redeemed us, is redeeming us and will redeem us in the Last Days and seal forever our eternal place with Him in glory.
Two thoughts I want to leave you with. One, the heart of a servant can clearly be seen in Ruth and the servant’s heart was rewarded by God. Two, it was not enough just to serve but Ruth cut a covenant with Naomi, and God is a Covenant Making and Covenant Keeping God and honors His covenant forever. Ruth, in my mind, gives us a picture of what we should and can be in Christ!
God bless you as you embark on today’s leg of your life’s journey!
Acts 1:15-20 – “And in those days Simon Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (there were there a number of men, about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 Men and brethren, it was proper that the scripture should be fulfilled, that which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that seized Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us and had a lot in this ministry. 18 He is the one who earned for himself a field with the price of sin; and falling headlong, he burst open in the midst and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And this very thing is known to all who dwell in Jerusalem; so that the field is called in the language of the country, Kha”kal- De”ma which is to say Ko-ri-ath”dem, the field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no one dwell in it; and let his duty be taken by another man.”
In the last devotional, we compared Judas to Benedict Arnold in American history and considered the reality that Judas began right but ended wrong. He had what it takes to succeed but did not follow through on his commitment to Jesus. The reasons may have been multiple and probably were and his fall did not happen suddenly but over a period of time.
JUDAS ALLOWED SIN TO ENTER INTO HIS LIFE…
When sin is allowed to take root, it controls the life and dominates. Jesus said in John 8:34, “whosever commits sin is the servant of sin.” Paul warned in Romans 6:16, “Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey his servants you are…” Sin never coexists it dominates and controls.
Mortal man lives in one of two camps. The Camp of the Lord or the Camp of the devil. Although Judas had fellowship with Jesus for a time, he turned from his calling and commitment and allowed the devil to guide his thinking and his life.
He Gave Place to the Devil. There are many today who have the idea that a little bit of neglect is not dangerous, but it is the little foxes that spoil the vine. If you dropped BBs into a rowboat, nothing would happen with the first few hundred but if you continue to drop them in the boat eventually the weight of the BBs will sink the boat. Sin is dangerous and its negative effect is cumulative.
Judas apparently failed to deal with one of the deadliest sins known to man – Covetousness. I suggest that Pride was also a major factor. Remember his protest when Jesus was anointed with the costly oil and/or perfume? It was not out of love and compassion for the poor but because he had already become a thief and he had control of the treasury. He permitted sin to go unchecked in his life and it destroyed him.
Judas became a faultfinder and that is a sure path to destruction. The faultfinder often is trying to hide the blackness of their own soul and points the finger at others seeking to tear them down to elevate himself. He became Jealous and the green-eyed monster of jealousy is incredibly destructive. Sin always tries to cover itself up, cloak itself in a self-righteous garment, and blame others. I remind you of the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 6:23, “…the wages of sin is death…” There is a payday for sin as sure as the sun comes up in the East every morning.
SADLY, JUDAS GOT HIS PAYDAY…
He functioned as an instrument of the devil. Yes, it was prophesied that it would be, and he fulfilled scripture but that is not a justification or commendation only a reality of what transpired. God knew and yet loved him. He had been rebuked by Jesus and it is possible that his wounded pride was a part of his decision to betray our LORD.
His physical or material payment was thirty pieces of silver. What he got with that payment was guilt that he could not hide or cope with. His shame drove him to suicide. He traded his hope for heaven for a few coins. He lost what he could have had because he did not finish the race set before him. All because he gave place to the devil. He allowed sin to enter and take root.
I suggest that he sold out for thirty pieces of silver but got much more than he bargained for. The devil is a liar and only tells half-truths to entrap the gullible. Judas sold out for thirty pieces of silver, but some have sold out for much less. Maybe it was a one-night stand that destroyed a marriage and a testimony and led to a life of corruption. Maybe it was prestige or promotion that opened the door to destruction because it was never checked, repented of, and rejected.
We need to deal with things in our lives right now! We need to make things right today. Do not allow the enemy of your soul to sidetrack and shipwreck you. Guard against those things which could and would destroy you. Resist the devil and run to the Cross, Jesus is waiting there.
Acts 1:15-20 – “And in those days Simon Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (there were there a number of men, about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 Men and brethren, it was proper that the scripture should be fulfilled, that which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that seized Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us and had a lot in this ministry. 18 He is the one who earned for himself a field with the price of sin; and falling headlong, he burst open in the midst and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And this very thing is known to all who dwell in Jerusalem; so that the field is called in the language of the country, Kha”kal- De”ma which is to say Ko-ri-ath”dem, the field of blood. 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no one dwell in it; and let his duty be taken by another man.”
Many if not most believers who hear the name of Judas Iscariot think of him as a traitor and he is readily seen as a villain. He betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin for thirty pieces of silver. Our view of him is justified but we tend to forget that he started well.
In American history there was a general in 1776 who led a regiment into Canada (by the time they arrived they were barely alive), they fought bravely at the Battle of Saratoga. This general was placed in command of the fort at West Point and was a trusted warrior. The British in New York seemed in danger, but the tide suddenly turned in their favor when this general sent a message to the British offering to sell West Point for twenty thousand pounds sterling. Imagine that!
Here was a man who saved the American cause at Saratoga and was now willing to betray his country and countrymen. The very country he had risked his life to save, he was now willing to betray America for a pot of gold. Who was this general? General Benedict Arnold. He died branded as a traitor even though he began well.
Why did he do it? That would require much speculation but some of the apparent reasons or excuses were because of a root of bitterness. He was deeply dissatisfied with the American Patriots. He had married a British loyalist. He was deeply in debt and had been reprimanded at a court-martial or misappropriation of government property. There are similarities between him and Judas.
JUDAS HAD WHAT IT TAKES…
Think about it for a moment. Jesus favored him and selected him to be one of the twelve disciples. He was hand-picked by Jesus Himself. That is noteworthy. He was apparently capable of handling money because he was selected as the treasurer of the group. That suggests that he was capable, trusted, and intelligent. He had what it takes to succeed.
Even at the Last Supper when Jesus was asked who it was that would betray him, Judas was not suspected by the others. He had intimate fellowship with Jesus. He had power over the forces of hell, power over disease, and sickness, and could cast out demons. In Matthew 10:1 we read, “AND he called his twelve disciples, and gave them power over the unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and sickness.” In verse four we read the name of Judas, so he was part of the band of brothers Jesus had chosen.
The Power of God operated in his life! Remember the words of Jesus in Mark 3:23, “How can satan cast out satan?” Judas began incredibly well. He walked with Jesus.
Also, his name was written in heaven. Before you argue that it was not, I suggest you read Luke 10:20, “But do not rejoice in this that the demons submit to you; but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Judas was one of the twelve, but He was tempted by the devil, for whatever reason, and lost and left his first love. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver! I suggest that his fall did not happen overnight or suddenly but was progressive. He began well but did not finish the course. That behooves each of us to carefully consider our walk, our work, our attitude, and our commitment to Jesus. We can overcome, He has empowered us to do so but we must continue in Him.
I want to address this a little more but will pause here and pick this up in the next session.
Ephesians 4:14 – “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…”
1 Timothy 4:1 – “The Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will fall away from the faith, praying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” NASB
(KJV) – Seducing spirits.
The word doctrine means in its simplest form, teaching. The danger is that those who embrace doctrines not biblical become followers of seducing spirits of deception and fall away from the LORD and live according to the flesh. False teachers creep into the church and promote apostasies that are inconsistent with the Words of Jesus and the tenets of the Bible. When you manipulate the Word of God to accommodate your theory and dismiss the value of the Cross and ignore the aspects of God’s Character that include Holiness and Justice but embrace only the dimension of Love, you are heading down a destructive path.
There is one doctrine that has been resurrected from obscurity and is dangerous because it plays to the selfishness of human hearts excusing them from godliness and dismissing the idea of eternal separation from God. It may sound logical to deny the existence of an eternal hell, but it is taught in God’s Word and although the adherents of this doctrine insist the translators got it wrong and they are setting things right, they are wrong.
What is that doctrine – “Universalism.” The followers of this heresy teach that everyone will eventually get into heaven regardless. That is foreign to the words of Jesus, the teachings of the apostles, the early church, and the entire Bible. God is a Holy God as well as being Love. He is just and for God to ignore sin that is not repented of would be to render Him less than genuinely loving and divest Him of His Holiness. God is Love but He cannot wink at sin. To believe this would make the Great Commission without value.
The misapplication of Acts 3:21 and Colossians 1:20 regarding the restoration of all things as meaning that He will return man to the condition of Adam before the Fall is in contradiction to the rest of the Bible. They use Romans 5:18 and Hebrews 29 as their proof that everything will be returned to that state through Jesus. They contend that eventually everyone will be brought into a right relationship with God (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
The Bible says that “ALL who call upon the name of the LORD” will be saved and united with Jesus eternally not that ALL people, in general, will be saved. Jesus taught that those who reject Him as Savior will spend eternity in hell after they die.
Matthew 10:28 – “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but who cannot kill the soul; but above all, be afraid of him who can destroy both the soul and the body in hell”
Matthew 23:33 – “O you serpents, and seed of scorpions! how can you flee from the judgment of hell?”
Matthew 25:46 – “And these shall go into everlasting torment, and the righteous into eternal life.”
Luke 16:23 – “And while he was tormented in Sheol, he lifted up his eyes from a distance, and saw Abraham, with Lazarus in his bosom.”
John 3:36 – “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; and he who does not obey the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God shall remain on him.”
Those are just a few of the many declarations of Jesus regarding eternal judgment and separation from God. We can ignore that, and it may seem rational in the mind of man and meet our need of not being accountable for our sins, but it is not biblical. We are told that it is appointed unto me, once to die and after that the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27).
Universalism ignores God’s Justice which is as much a part of God as His Mercy, Grace, and Love. In fact, it is out of the Love of God that He is Just and Holy. We can deny the self-existing attributes of God of holiness and justice and embrace only His love and we reduce God to a being of our creation for our own purposes rather than being transformed into His image and nature.
The Psalms are filled with references to God’s Justice. How do we ignore the horrific genocidal maniacs such as Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc.? How do we so weaken the work of Jesus on the Cross to make it meaningless? We are told that without holiness we will not see God. (Hebrews 12:14).
If everyone gets into heaven regardless of how they live their lives, regardless of their beliefs, and without repentance, then Jesus died for nothing. The idea that God would not be a loving Father if He allowed or sent anyone to eternal hell needs to be pressed to the fullest consideration. If that is the view, and everybody gets in regardless then Jesus died for nothing, and the Father would be incredibly sadistic sending His Son to the Cross for nothing. Yes, that is ridiculous but so is the doctrine of no hell and that everyone gets to heaven.
They take the Greek word ‘aion’ which means ‘age’ and contend that it has been consistently mistranslated proving that the doctrine of hell is false. However, if they would be a little more thorough, they would discover that the identical Greek term ‘aionas ton aionon’ which means ‘ages of ages’ is used to both describe the eternal worth of God and the eternal fire of hell.
Think about it this way. Based on that translation of the phrase then either God’s worth, like the fire of hell must be limited in time or the fire of hell must be eternal like God’s worth. You cannot pick and choose when something is limited. It either is or it is not. If hell is limited, then so is God and we know that God is Eternal.
I remind everyone of Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
I have heard some famous people and some nationally known preachers insist that there are many paths to the same God. They believe that as long as you believe in a supreme being you are okay. That is foreign to the words of Jesus, that He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Door. Paul informed us in Romans 10:9, “IF you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made to salvation.” You cannot avoid the IF because that indicates that IF you do you are saved and IF you do not you are not.
God placed the idea and description of hell in the Bible to warn us. He places that reality alongside His invitation to come and receive His mercy. He never intended for mortal man to go to hell, but He cannot and will not violate His Holiness and Justice by winking at sin. He will not and cannot say, “It’s okay, I wasn’t serious in my commandments.”
That would mean that God did not send His only begotten Son to die for mankind if that sacrifice were not required to satisfy the divine justice and make a way for us to be restored to Him and become part of the Family of God through Salvation.
I have gone long and only touched the high points. I may do more on this because I see it as an incredibly harmful doctrine that places people are risk of being lost forever. Teaching people that no matter what you are getting in tosses off all restraints and makes God’s command to be Holy because He is Holy a meaningless doctrine.
Jesus has provided the way to salvation and invites WHOSOEVER WILL to come. Will you come?
We have considered what it looks like when Jesus takes over and addressed the fact that Jesus always addresses Himself to our human needs. The miracle begins at the need and salvation comes at the point of recognizing and acknowledging our failure.
I want to take this another step and consider another of the three results when Jesus takes over.
JESUS INVITES HUMAN COOPERATION
This may come as a shock to some, but God uses human instruments. Whenever there was a human instrument available Jesus used it in every miracle. In the account, at the wedding feast, He used water pots and people to fulfill the miracle. Therefore, any old pot that is available to Him could be used in the performance of His miracles. Are you ready? Please, don’t take offense at me saying, “any old pot” neither I nor God views you as an old pot, but the saying elicits our embracing the truth.
I also call your attention to the fact that Jesus used what was on hand. Just because something is old does not mean it has lost its value or usefulness. It may be an old waterpot, but He can still use it in the miraculous.
It is also important to note that those present and involved did what He said. He told them to fill the pots with water and they complied. We tend to debate it and argue with God, but they obeyed. They filled the pots to the brim with water. There was no deliberation, no debate, no questioning, they simply did what He said to do!
Then, He told them to draw some of the liquid out of the pots and take it to the head waiter. I can only imagine what might have gone through their minds, but they obeyed. That is incredibly important. That is what is required for a miracle! That is true in every situation of your life. Jesus is ready to take over, but we must be obedient and do whatever He says. They did what He said, and He did the rest!
JESUS REVERSES HUMAN INCLINATION
When Jesus takes over, He reverses human inclination. What do I mean by that? Human inclination is to start with the best and then serve the inferior. The flow of humanity in this world is downward not upward. That mentality carries over into our ideas and philosophies of Christianity.
Everything in this world is temporarily new. It begins to age and deteriorate immediately. The car depreciates, and the clothes grow old. Everything in life is progressing from being new to being old and useless. Everything is in a state of decay.
The process of death is at work in our world. This is the work of the devil. When sin set in, decay began. The nature of humanity is to enjoy the best first and then settle for whatever is left.
The custom at Jewish wedding feasts was to serve the good wine first then when people had imbibed the lesser quality would be served. Serve the expensive first then the cheap. That is the method of the devil. If the devil offered his worst to humanity, he could deceive no one. He dares not show his true colors until he has his prey trapped and deceived.
John 2:10 – “…Every man at first brings the best wine; and when they have drunk, then that which is weak; but you have kept the best wine until now.” You have kept the best until the end. That is the nature and manner of operation by God. He does the opposite of the world. He just keeps getting better and better.
Even in the pollution of this world and the reality that this world is on a downward spiral, there is another direction – THAT IS GOD! If we will let Jesus take over, we will move with the flow of getting better as the days go by.
Jesus manifested His Glory in the miracle, and He stands ready to take over and work a miracle in your life. A miracle is the unveiling of the True Nature of Jesus. It is time that we surrender our lives and Let Jesus Take Over!
God bless you as you embark on this journey of victory in Jesus!
In our last session, we presented the idea that the most important thing regarding the wedding feast where the miracle of turning the water into wine occurred was the fact that Jesus was present. We also opened the door for consideration of what it looks like when Jesus takes over.
Jesus was both guest and host in a very real sense. He was first in attendance as one of the guests. He later assumed the role of a host through the prompting of His mother as she informed Him of the crisis the couple faced in running out of wine.
I cannot ignore the reality that Mary knew that He was more than simply her son and she brought a problem to Him that only a miracle could resolve. Mary said something that if we would heed in our daily lives, it would be revolutionary. She said, “Whatever He says to you, DO IT!”
It seems that Jesus did not delay very long and took over the situation and as John 2:11 declares, “This is the first miracle which Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and he showed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
I urge you to call to mind the words of Colossians 1:17, “in Him all things consist.” He is the answer to every problem in the universe. He is the glue that holds everything together. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and He is the Door to the Father. When Jesus is in a situation, in any situation, He has the power to move that situation into its proper perspective. When He takes over at least three things transpire.
HE ALWAYS ADDRESSES HUMAN NEED
His mother Mary presented the need to Him. She informed him that the couple was facing disastrous embarrassment by running out of wine. Could this be a reminder that our world is filled with things that are exhaustible in their supply? Can you name anything in this earthly realm that we cannot run out of? Some run out of hope, others joy, patience, and even love. Their supply becomes glaringly diminished. Marriages run out of fulfilling purpose, churches run out of expectant enthusiasm and people run out of reason to live.
Wherever the need is, is where Jesus beings. He is the answer to failure. Sin is a failure and when man realizes that He is a sinner, he realizes that he has failed and come short of the glory of God. Jesus stands ready to do His work, but He does not being His work until there is an admitted need.
Miracles are performed on the basis of positive need or realized failure. Can we enumerate a few from the Bible?
Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes in the midst of man’s failure to provide adequate food for the multitude. The need was the launching pad for the miraculous supply.
Jesus calmed the storm when the disciples ran out of confidence and faith. The need was made visible in the presence of their fear.
He touched the man who was blind. He brought light to that man’s night, but it all started with a need.
He calmed the tormented soul of the demoniac of Gadara.
He forgave the woman who had failed to keep herself pure. She had run out of purity, yet, when she came to Jesus and admitted her need, He forgave her.
He spoke to the paralytic who had been crippled for 38 years and had run out of hope.
He raised the widow’s son who had run out of life.
Jesus came into this world to address to the fact of human failure and the need and to bring healing to us. In Luke 19:10 we read, “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
He is the Positive Supply of Man’s Needs! He is the answer to the dilemma you now face. He is the answer to that broken marriage, that broken relationship, that life of addiction. He is ready to provide whatever it is that you have run out of. That is His business.
Therefore, please do not be afraid to address the fact of your need. Remember that what Jesus gives does not run out or become exhausted. The wine He gives does not numb the brain and sicken the soul. It gladdens the heart and lifts the soul into the presence of God. It secures the heart against fear, and it is in Unlimited Supply.
The failure of man is readily apparent. We are full of fear, disease, hate, confusion, ignorance, depression, and discouragement. Have you run out of something? Have you failed? Jesus is the answer. No matter your need He is your supply. He is ready to address Himself to your need.
Remember the words of Mary, “Whatever He says to you, DO IT!” If you are ready to place it all in His hands, He is ready to respond to your need.
I want to take this another step in the next session but will pause here and ask you to examine your life, your heart, and your situation. If you have realized failure and need, then take it to Jesus, He is ready to address your need.
John 15:5 –“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains with me and I with him will bear abundant fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
John 2:1-11 – “On the third day there was a marriage feast in Cana, a city of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.2 And Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the marriage feast.3 And when the wine decreased, his mother said to Jesus, They have no wine.4 Jesus said to her, What is it to me and to you, woman? my turn has not yet come.5 His mother said to the helpers, Whatever he tells you, do it.6 And there were six stone jars placed there for the purification of the Jews, which could hold several gallons each.7 Jesus said to them, Fill the jars with water; and they filled them up to the brim.8 Then he said to them, Draw out now, and bring it to the chief guest of the feast. And they brought it.9 And when the chief guest tasted the water that had become wine, he did not know whence it had come; but the helpers knew, who had drawn the water. Then the chief guest called the bridegroom10 And said to him, Every man at first brings the best wine; and when they have drunk, then that which is weak; but you have kept the best wine until now.11 This is the first miracle which Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and he showed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”
Jesus Christ came to be and wants to be our LORD and Savior! He wants to be the LORD of our marriages, homes, families, jobs, businesses, churches, etc. He wants to be LORD OF ALL. If He is, then there is the open door for lasting peace and blessing. If He is not the spiritual head then try as we may, we will never experience all the blessings He desires to bring. He said, “Without Me, you can do nothing.”
The First Miracle that Jesus did was performed at a wedding feast. It was the first link in a chain of irrefutable evidence of the Deity of Jesus and the manifest Power of God. The miracle addresses the Power of God in the area of human need. We must remember that Jesus not only came to be our LORD but our example and “as He is, so are we in this world.”
I do not know who was getting married, but I know that Jesus, His mother, and His disciples were all present. It could have been a relative and the fact that His mother appeared to have some responsibility in the festivities suggests it could have been. This account is found in the first eleven verses of John Chapter Two.
The presence of Jesus at the wedding feast indicates at least three things.
He Was Invited.
He accepted the Invitation.
He was sociable and enjoyed visiting with the guests.
The presence of Jesus was the most important fact of that gathering. That is true of any gathering. However, until the crisis, His presence was relatively unnoticed, and he was able to intermingle in obscurity. His presence there is the reason we know about the story. We do not know the names of the people being married. The miracle affords us a clear opportunity to observe what happens when Jesus takes over.
Does that interest you? I hope so because I am going to pause here and pick this up in the next devotional. I hope you will think about what happens when Jesus takes over until we come together again on the morrow.
God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!
John 14:26 – “But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything, and remind you of everything which I tell you.”
We have considered the ministry of the Holy Spirit and reflected on the truth that He reminds us of Jesus Himself and that He reminds us of the Teachings of Christ. Today I would like for us to take a step deeper into this understanding and hopefully, it will minister to our hearts.
HE REMINDS US OF THE MIRACLES OF JESUS
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated power over nature or the natural. He brought the supernatural into the natural world. We see that He turned the water into wine, walked on the sea, stilled the storm, and caused the catch of a net full of fish. He has power over all the power of the enemy and has all power in heaven and on earth. He is LORD of All.
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated power over sickness and brought the power of God into the bodies of people driving out disease. He healed Peter‘s mother-in-law of a fever. He healed lepers, those paralyzed, maimed, crippled, deaf, and blind. Sickness could not stand in His presence.
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated power over the devil. He cast out demons, delivered the demoniac who had the legion of demons, healed demon-possessed, and set them free. The Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus did and that we have been given the authority over all the power of the devil. We have the Promise of the Father in the Person of the Holy Spirit to empower us.
HE REMINDS US OF THE SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH OF JESUS
Isaiah prophesied that He would suffer pain for us in Isaiah 53:5 and Paul told us in Galatians 3 that Jesus became a curse for us on the Cross. Then John brings to light in 1 John 2 that Jesus died for the sin of everyone if we will receive His mercy and grace. We dare not forget the Cross and the importance of the Blood of Jesus.
HE REMINDS US OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
In Matthew 28 we discover that the stone was rolled away, and He was no longer in the grave. In Revelation 1:18, John informs us that Jesus conquered death and hell, and in 1 Corinthians 15 we are called to remember that His victory over death is the Hope of all believers. We too shall rise from the dead.
HE REMINDS US OF THE PROMISE TO RETURN FOR US
In John 14:1-3 we have the incredible promise of Jesus to come back for us and take us to His Father’s house where our bridegroom has prepared a place for us. In Revelation 22:12, Jesus declared to John in the vision, “Behold I come quickly, and My reward is with Me.” Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4 to comfort each other with those words. The Holy Spirit keeps that promise fresh in our hearts.
Therefore, if we listen to the voice and nudging of the Holy Spirit, He will remind us of ALL that Jesus did and spoke. He will make the scriptures real to us and enable us to apply them to our lives. He comes to encourage us, strengthen our faith, and make us effective witnesses in this world.
John 14:26 – “But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything, and remind you of everything which I tell you.”
I love reading and studying the life of Jesus while He was here on earth. He devoted His time to the redemption of mankind. Before He went back to heaven, He promised us Another Comforter who would enable us to stand in the present world victoriously. He was and is our example in everything!
The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, ministers to us and reminds us, so that we do not forget what Jesus did and what our purpose, provision, and power are. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is vital to the church and to the believer as we can see in this passage in John 14:26, that He (Holy Spirit) will teach us and remind us of everything Jesus taught.
As mortal finite beings, we discover that we forget things. Maybe you don’t, but most of us do. If we dwell on our earthly circumstances, we will lose sight of the Vision of Christ’s Glory and Power. The Comforter (Holy Spirit) is given to both empower and remind us of our LORD. He keeps the heavenly vision fresh in our minds and hearts.
Jesus spoke of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 16:15, “Everything that my Father has is mine; this is the reason why I told you that he will take of my own and show to you.” He will take of Mine and reveal it to you. In John 15:26, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would testify of Him. That is important and powerful.
Therefore, in light of that reality, I would like for us to consider some of the things that the Holy Spirit comes to remind us of.
HE REMINDS US OF JESUS
The Holy Spirit keeps the spotlessness of Jesus before us and in the forefront of our minds. Even Pilate told the Jews, “I find no fault in Him.” (Luke 23:4). Jesus came, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death on the Cross, rose again on the third day, and is now ascended to the Right Hand of the Throne of the Father.
The Holy Spirit also reminds us of the humanity of Jesus. He was fully God and fully man otherwise He could not have qualified to buy us back from the dominion of the devil and reclaim what Adam gave up in rebellion. Jesus needed food, water, and rest just like we do. According to Hebrews 4:15, He faced temptation.” For we do not have a high priest who cannot share our infirmities, but we have one who was tempted with everything as we are, and yet without sin.”
HE REMINDS US OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
If we went no further than Matthew 5, we would have a lifetime of knowledge that is powerfully liberating. The Holy Spirit takes those beatitudes real and brings them to life in practical application. If you go through that list, you see a life that is never lacking in victory. In Matthew 6, He reminds us of the prayer we call The Lord’s Prayer and its life-changing power and revelation. In Matthew 6:25-34, He helps us to understand God’s cure for anxiety and worry. Then in Matthew 7, He teaches us how to receive answers to prayer and the power of persistence. Ask, Seek, Knock!
I want to pause there and take this up again in the next devotional. We need to be reminded of what the Holy Spirit comes to remind us of. We need to embrace those truths and exercise the authority we have been given and pull down strongholds and take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus.
God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!
Roy's Covenant Corner 