Hello Saints,
Sometimes it seems like
Paul and I have had more promises than praise reports.
Ever feel that way? Recently we have not only been
dealing with some physical things, we have also been battling a financial
mountain. It has forced us to dig deeper into the things
of the Spirit and it is causing changes even in the way we think.
Yesterday Paul asked me to share some of what we have been chewing
on.
Greater
Works – Miracles and Such
John
14:12
Verily,
verily, I
say unto
you, He that believeth
on me,
the works
that I
do shall
he do also; and
greater
works than
these shall
he do;
because I
go unto
my Father.
Many people today are
looking for the greater works that Jesus promised. I
have heard some preachers explain them away by the fact that people couldn’t
get saved until after Jesus died and evangelism is the greater work we do.
In one sense that may be true but it isn’t very
comforting if you are the one needing a miracle. There
are many prophecies of a great end-time revival with signs, wonders and
miracles still to come. We all want to have a part in
that but somehow our logical brain seems to get in the way and our faith
just doesn’t seem to be enough.
Let me assure you,
there is nothing wrong with your faith. Romans 12:3 tell
us that God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
It’s just that faith is a spiritual substance. You can’t
weigh it on a scale. You just have to believe His Word
is true and that you have it. You have to use your faith
for it to grow. The carnal mind has a hard time
accepting that and it explains why we sometimes have to get in such a bad
situation that there is no natural way out before we begin standing on the
Word of God and exercising our faith.
What
brought forth the first miracle that Jesus ever did?
In
the second chapter of John, the Bible says that Jesus, His disciples and His
mother went to a wedding in Cana of Galilee. In John 2:3
it says His mother pointed out that there was a problem.
They had no wine. In John 2:4 Jesus answered her and
said, "mine hour is not yet come". Then in verse John
2:7 Jesus has them fill the waterpots and the water was changed into wine.
(The solution to the problem.)
Since
Jesus had clearly stated that it wasn’t time for Him to do anything, what
changed the season and brought about the miracle? It
wasn't that they were out of wine or even that Jesus had sudden compassion
on the married couple. God doesn't respond to need.
If He did, everyone’s needs would have been satisfied when Jesus
walked on the Earth and we know that wasn't so.
Everybody has a need of some kind. If Mary had
responded with her natural thinking, they would have been drinking water
that night. Somehow, she looked past the circumstances
and touched the heart of God.
Remember,
Mary had never seen Jesus work a miracle. This was His
first one. However, she was there when He was conceived.
She pondered the circumstances of his birth and the prophecies spoken over
him in the temple. She remembered
Elizabeth's
salutation when she had been pregnant and visited her.
Mary knew who her son really was and because He was the Son of God, she knew
nothing would be impossible for him. Therefore she spoke
with faith and God responded to her faith.
The thing
that produced the miracle was FAITH. Did you catch that?
By FAITH, Mary turned a season of “mine hour is not yet come” into a
NOW miracle time. Mary only spoke of the problem once
and didn't even tell Jesus what she thought He should do.
(How many of us can resist that?) Even after
seemingly being rebuffed, she simply placed her faith in Him and spoke to
the servants.
John
2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he
saith unto you, do it.
For us to walk in the
greater things Jesus talked about, we are going to have to begin exercising
our faith. Maybe you need to believe that you even have
faith and that by faith, you can be part of this great end-time harvest.
Don’t let your brain talk you out of it. Begin to
line your confession up with the Word of God and let it change how you
think.
Next time I want to
talk a little bit about the substance of miracles.
Your sister in Christ,
Glenna Andree
