Turning Whines into Miracles!

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

⁴ “Woman,^[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.^[b]

⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, ⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰ and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

¹¹ What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: A Mud Covered Truck and A Mud Covered Faith

Pastor Tim's Benton Blog: A Mud Covered Truck and A Mud Covered Faith: From This To This A few months ago I purchased my first new vehicle, yes the preacher is driving a new pickup truck! My wife (Lyn...

A Mud Covered Truck and A Mud Covered Faith

From This

To This

A few months ago I purchased my first new vehicle, yes the preacher is driving a new pickup truck! My wife (Lynne) will testify to the fact that I keep my vehicles very clean, especially the new "Preacher Mobile".

This weekend I was traveling down winding country roads in Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois, to say the least my truck got very muddy. As I drove my truck to church this morning, I thought about the new truck being muddy and a thought came across that said: "So What"!

This happens with most of my purchases in the fact that when the newness wears off, I become less and less fanatical about the care of something. Last night The Holy Spirit woke up in the middle of the night (that's when the Holy Spirit usually wakes me up) and gave me this message.

When vehicles of any kind get dirty, they need cleaned, and when they fall into disrepair, they need maintained. I believe the same goes for our faith walks in the fact that every so often our faith needs cleaned and needs maintained, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Recently I have been reading a book by Suzanne Woods Fisher titled: "Amish Proverbs". These bits of Amish wisdom are good advice in regards to simplicity and common sense ways of life. Amish advice in regards to ones work ethic can be stated in this wise Amish comment: "Rust ruins more tools than use does"! When we let our faith walks fall into disrepair, when we do not properly maintain our relationships with God, we become a broken, dirty, rusty tool. This occurs when when a faith walk is non-used or improperly nourished and nurtured.

So how to we keep our walks with God clean, well nourished and well maintained?

1. We find ways to constantly stay nourished in faith, and accept those ways when God presents them to us.
2. When our lives feel full, we allow room for God's presence to dwell inside us.
3. We discard the artificial in our lives, and grasp what is real, true, self-cleaning, and self-maintaining. (The Word of God!)
4. When the body and the faith are weak, we grasp onto God for his Strength and Grace as to re-energize ourselves back into a well functioning follower and believer. 

May our prayer this week lead us past bent knees and reverent spirit into determining choices for our daily living. May it bring our wills to bear on all things that lead us away from serving God. May we find ways that keep us consistently clean when we feel dirty, and well maintained when we feel in disrepair. 

See Ya At The Car Wash

Pastor Tim