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What do YOU think of Christ? Youth: Too happy to think-time yet. Manhood: Too busy to think- more gold. Prime: Too anxious to think-worry. Declining years: Too aged to think-old hearts harder to get. Dying bed: Too ill to think- weak, suffering, alone. Death: Too late to think- the spirit has flown. Eternity: Forever to think... God's mercy past. Into Hell I am righteously cast, forever to weep my doom. Author Unknown "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." II Corinthians 6:2 I Asked God I asked God to take away my habit. God said, No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned. I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you. I asked God to spare me pain. God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares, and brings you closer to me. I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No. You must grow on your own! But I will prune you to make you fruitful. I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things. I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me. God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea. "To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world" Draw Some Out Now "And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom" John 2:8-9 It is a fact. You can't get something from nothing for nothing. The US Patent Office will not patent, or even look at, a "perpetual motion device." Why? Because they can't be built. It is impossible to get some machine to overcome the restraints of gravity, friction, and inertia without some kind of energy being expended. What's more, once motion is started, it must have additional energy expended to keep it in motion. That is a summary of the laws of physics. Jesus said "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." What was about to happen was a miracle. It couldn't happen, but it did. The impossible was about ready to become possible. The wedding was to soon receive something for nothing! Or was it? Jesus was turning water into wine! Jesus started with something, and came up with something better. How did it happen? Jesus used the laws of physics to perform this miracle. Before you hang me for heresy, let me explain. God created these laws. He used them to create all that we see, feel, taste, smell, and hear. He had nothing physical to start with - but He had lots of energy... His. He converted that energy into light, sun, moon, earth, plants, animals, and ultimately, man. Remember the Father bent down upon His knees and formed man out of the dust of the earth - His own creation - made from the expenditure of His own energy. Then, to give this clay form life, He breathed His own breath into the creature's nostrils and he, the creature, lived! Jesus did exactly the same thing. He took a few gallons of water, expended a bit of His own energy, and the water became wine. No it didn't take much energy. Jesus never touched the water. He didn't "speak" to the water. He didn't even command the water to be turned into wine. He simply said, "Take it." They did, it did, and the headmaster of the wedding was amazed. He had no idea where it came from, but the servants did. They knew the secret. This late invitee, this last minute guest, did it! Jesus does the same with you and me every day. We offer Him our sinful lives. He takes the offering, cleans it up, washes it with the detergent called "Blood," and makes it into something that it was not. What is our part in THIS miracle? Actually, there is nothing we can or need do. The offering is simply a surrender of what is God's to God. He could simply take it. But He prefers to let us think we are doing something - He knows human nature pretty well. He does all the creative work. He cleanses. He washes. He pays the cleaning bill. He returns to us what we have surrendered to Him. We receive all the benefits while He does all the work. His energy is expended. Even in the spiritual life of man, God's laws of physics apply. Jesus turned the water into wine. He turns our sinful hearts into something glorious for the Father. It's all in a day's work - for Jesus. Hallelujah, Amen Top 10 Signs Your Baptism Service Is In Trouble 10. The Coast Guard has to become involved in some unexpected way. 9. The service is held at "Splash Mountain Water Park." 8.The Pastor is wearing a frog-man outfit complete with air tanks, into the water. 7. As the baptism begins, the organist plays the "Theme from JAWS". 6. The preacher uses a plastic `Billy the Bass' singing "Take me down to the river", instead of the traditional "Shall We Gather at the River". 5. You hear the pastor say, "Oops! Honestly, sister, I didn't know about that drop-off." 4. The pastor can't get the rather large person being baptized back up out of the water and calls for "HELP!" 3. The deacon board shows up with fishing gear and packing a cooler. 2. Just as the choir starts to sing, the Crocodile Hunter jumps out of the water and wrestles the preacher into submission. And the Number 1 Sign Your Baptism service is not going as it should.... 1. Alka-Seltzer Blessing "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever... AMEN Hebrews 13:20-21
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