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

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

This is one tiny piece of the story told in John 2:1-11closeJohn 2:1-11 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (ESV) , where Jesus transforms water into wine for a wedding celebration. It’s the part where the amazing thing happens, where water stops being water and starts being something else, because Jesus needed it to. Part of the amazement for me, maybe the biggest part, is how very tiny this section of the story is.

I find the same thing true for a lot of the stories about miracles: it’s not merely that God demonstrates his power, but it’s how completely unfussy and undemonstrative God’s power is. Jesus completely changes the reality of the water in the jars, and he doesn’t need any preparation, or incantation, or ritual, or prayer, or hand-waving, or even time. He doesn’t fetch the water, touch it, speak any words over it, draw it out — as far as we can tell, he doesn’t even look at it! He doesn’t seem to put any effort at all into the transformation, as if it simply isn’t necessary. It just happens, easy as breathing. The ease, the apparent lack of exertion, makes the miracle all the more astonishing. Jesus does the impossible, and it’s like he doesn’t even have to try.

God is the same now as he was then, and this effortless power, this complete control is also the same. God is more real than reality, and nothing will keep him from doing anything he has in mind to do — the same in my life as in six water jars. Do I give him credit for that? Where in my life am I hanging on to the idea that this thing or that problem, this bad old habit or that situation simply isn’t going to change? What am I not taking to God, not even asking him about, because deep in my heart I’ve written it off as impossible? No reason to even try?

Are you holding on to something “impossible,” something that it’s not even worth bringing up to Jesus, because what could he possibly do? Remember the water in the jars, remember the ease with which Jesus changed reality then, and dare to believe he can do the same for you.

The gift that God has for you is worth more than any amount money. It is worth more than the finest gold. It cannot be bought, earned or deserved. It is worth more than anyone could ever afford. It was paid with a heavy price. God has only one criteria for His perfect gift, it is totally free to anyone who will accept it. God’s wonderful gift is the gift of His Son Jesus Christ, the gift of eternal life in heaven with Him! The gift of salvation where God the Father sent His Son Jesus to earth to pay the price that we could not pay for sins He did not commit. To right the wrong that man started in the Garden of Eden and to restore the fellowship between God and man. It is a gift that none of us deserve nor can we ever earn, but God has made His gift available to us. For the spilt blood of the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, was offered as our sin sacrifice.

God isn’t surprised or shocked at what you have done. God isn’t mad or upset with you. God accepts you just as you are for His love for you is great! God’s love sees past all of your faults, flaws and failures. All that God sees is the true heart of the person that is you who desperately needs Him. That person who is willing to give up their old sinful life and allow God to be God in their life now. That person who needs God’s peace, joy and love. Who needs His help, guidance, compassion, deliverance and cleansing. That person who needs His healing and restoring touch. God isn’t looking for perfect people but for people who will allow His Holy Spirit to perfect in them His Son Jesus.

Jesus came to earth fully knowing what He was here to do and to complete. 1 John 3close1 John 3 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (ESV) The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. John 10:10closeJohn 10:10 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (ESV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. God’s gift to you is His Son Jesus. His life as God on earth as man, His commands, ways and promises, His death on the cross for your sins and His resurrection from the grave and victory over Satan and death. God’s gift of salvation is a free gift to you, how do you accept such a gift from God? It is easy to do. You must believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God. Just ask Him to forgive ALL of your sins and come live in your heart. That is it! God through the Holy Spirit will do the rest.

The best part of God’s gift to you is that it is truly a gift that keeps on giving. You now are adopted into the God’s family and you are now one of His children. You have in you Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The absolute greatest potential ever made available to God’s children in you through God’s gift. You are now a new creation in Christ. You are no longer part of the kingdom of darkness but part of God’s Kingdom. You are a citizen of Heaven, a visitor passing through this world. For you have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, your feet have been set on the Solid Rock that is Jesus and you are now clothed in His righteousness. Where you were not worthy or deserving before you are now made worthy, deserving and made holy by Jesus Christ who now lives and dwells within you. You are now much more than you thought that you could ever be and much less than the world thinks that you should be! For the world doesn’t know or understand the heart of God.

If you have already excepted His gift of salvation, what have you done with His gift? All of us will have to give an account of what we did with His gift to us, His Son Jesus Christ. John 14:12-14closeJohn 14:12-14 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (ESV) 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. You now have God’s gift and the promise of Jesus, now use it in Jesus name wisely! Are you ready?!?

John 6:47, 48closeJohn 6:47 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. John 6:48 48 I am the bread of life. (ESV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I am that bread of life.

John 6:51closeJohn 6:51 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (ESV) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Our tendency, as Christians, is to feel as if we already have a “full knowledge” of truth, when the reality is that we may have only experienced truth in an “introductory phase” of God given knowledge. This is exemplified extremely well in the story of Nicodemus.

The Deception Lurking In The Phrase “I Know.”

John 3:2,3closeJohn 3:2 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” John 3:3 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (ESV) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou
art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God
be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus tells Jesus that He is a teacher from God and that God is with Him. By stating,
I know who you are, where your from and why you can do these things, Nicodemus is claiming this, I know where you came from, where you are, and where your going; I know you. Jesus replies by letting Nicodemus know he doesn’t know what He thinks he does:

John 3:10closeJohn 3:10 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (ESV) “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things”?

How Much Are We Willing To Give?

Nicodemus is being challenged by Jesus to know what he didn’t know, but thought he did.There is a deeper truth to be seen from the question in verse 10, that will most definitely challenge us. When we choose to be the master of our lives, we cannot conform to the winning formula that gives us life, and the knowledge of God. What is that formula? It’s this:

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.

Notice that the first part of this formula has the knowledge of the truth. Knowing the truth is God inspired and is a miracle in its development. Having spiritual knowledge and God given insight is an awe inspiring thing for which our inclination is to say, I know it now Lord, put me in the game! However, the formula suggests a metamorphous requiring and challenging us to give of ourselves. The words “truth shall make” requires an adaptation from a role where Gods truth was more of a receiving connection, to an affiliation of “being made”, which may feel like we’re receiving very little. This altering often feels like leaving what felt like being a master, to being a servant. The reality is that Jesus is graduating us from knowledge, to the application of that knowledge, which requires we draw on more of Gods truths and less on self. In this process its important to note that our relationship with the Lord is strengthening through the truth strengthening us. Gods truth doesn’t always line up with our reasoning, so to receive the freedom in truth we must exercise self denial and a “make over ” we can trust. The outcome, both here and in heaven, are crowns of life containing blessings we wouldn’t have thought to ask for; and an abundance of true knowledge!

To Know Truth; Truth Must Know You

Galatians 4:9closeGalatians 4:9 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? (ESV) But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Being “known of God” has in His character and design, a transfer of supernatural knowledge through a relationship with His Son. This supernatural knowledge begins in an awareness of entering a relationship and knowing someone who we previously did not. Being “of the truth” is a good expression of this awareness, meaning we have relationally entered into Gods family. Saying we are “of” Gods family is to say we are of the truth. A relationship with Jesus, containing the gifts of His love, has only one requirement to accept His proposal; we must see ourselves as needing Jesus to be willing to accept Him. The Christian journey needs to be a continuing of a willingness to accept Him by being willing to hand over our will, and receiving His will. The more we are persuaded do this within the relationship with Jesus, the more we are known of God. Being known of God generates a supernatural knowledge, which is the knowledge of His truth that increasingly enlightens us into His spiritual guidance and a knowledge of our purpose in Him.

To know our God given purpose in life, our purpose must be allowed to know us.