Jesus honored His mom again in at a wedding in Cana. John recorded the account for us in John 2:1-11.  as the week ran on the host was running out of wine.  As if the people weren’t drunk enough, Mary tells her Son Jesus to see to the problem.  After telling Mary that, “it was not yet His time,” Jesus performs the miracle per His mother’s request.

And at the cross - bloody…beaten…and dying - Jesus honored mom by looking at His close friend and author of the book of John and charged him (John) with the responsibly of caring for Mary after His own death. John 19:26

Ephesians 6:1-2 reminds us that God thinks so much of honoring mom that He attaches the promise of long life to it.

So today – send the flowers, make the phone call, and buy her lunch.  More importantly find ways of honoring mom each and every day.  Make her realize how much you love and appreciate her.  If you are at odds with mom – forgive her and move on.  As the bible promises “it will go well with you.”  And remember, chances are good that your children will treat you in the same manner you treat your own mother.

Here is an exert from her post,
“I’m Still Here and I’m Still Dancing”

Last Sunday, I was visiting Albany for the weekend, which meant I went to my beloved home church of Connections.  The service was too awesome for words.  God did a lot of healing that day.  I mean, a lot.  Even I wasn’t safe.

During all of the healings and testimonies, I went up to the senior pastor and my spiritual father, Doug.  I cried to him that I was scared of not having a job, lonely, and scared of being lonely.  He embraced me and said, “Anne, you’re in mourning.  It’s ok.  There is a time to mourn, and a time to…dance.  I never thought about it in that context.  Anne, you’re going to dance!!”

Anne did in fact dance that day.  But as I read the rest of her post I realized that God was doing far more in her than eye could see. Her full post is well worth the read. Here’s the link

LIZ WRITES:
I think for most of my life I’ve thought God was just a story in a book. An all mighty being that made the world and me. I’ve began to realize that God is more than just the “clock maker” He cares. He doesn’t create us in the womb and once we’re out send us on our way. He wants to know us. He wants US to know Him. My brain still can’t wrap around that God cares about the dumbest things that upset me in my life or the things that make me happy. God cares. Period. He wants us to help ours realize His love for them. God feels so deeply for you that it should bring up so many emotions. Crying is honestly the only thing that can come out when I’m in touch with Him.

“Son of David, don’t pass me by. Cause I am naked, I am poor and I am blind.” That line has been stuck in my head forever. I love it. God I’m saying don’t look me over. I want to help You. I know I am nothing. I know I have nothing to offer and I know I don’t know what I am doing. But what I do know is that I am trusting You. I’m stepping out with faith. I’m BEGGING You to do whatever You need me to do. God, please don’t overlook me because I am a coward or because I am not trusting. I am reminding myself how amazing You built me. How humble and caring You’ve made my heart and soul. I love Your people. I want to see them through Your eyes. I long to feel what You feel towards them which is scary. I know that I’m built for wonderful things and I can’t wait for those things to be more clear to me. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Liz was just one of many who had an unexpected yet gripping encounter with the living God.

Peter never questioned Jesus.  He didn’t ask, “what if I sink.”  Peter responded to Jesus words – proving that with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26).   Mary, the mother of Jesus, heard a similar phrase in Luke 1:37.  After an angel told her that she was to be the mother of Jesus, and that the child would be conceived without her ever having relations with a man, the angel tags his announcement with the words, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” The word used here that was translated as impossible means that: any word from God will have strength, power, and ability to be performed.  That is, God empowers what He says to do. Upon hearing the news Mary replied, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Mary, seeing herself as The Lord’s servant, simply trusted that God would empower His word that was given by the angel.

When it comes to obeying God, most of us prefer to stay in the boat.  “What if I fail” is a common question I get from folks whom I have asked to take part in Connections in some way.  My answer is commonly, “just get out of the boat.” You may be thinking, “what if I start to doubt like Peter?”  The bible says that, “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

Maybe The Lord has asked you to do something but you’ve been reluctant.  Perhaps you’ve tried and failed.  Sure Peter could have stayed true  and not got caught up in his circumstances as people often do.  But If you feel like your sinking in some way, grab hold of Jesus. As with Peter, The Lord will be readily available to lift you up before you go completely under.   No matter if its school, a business or career, a duty in your local church or what have you, God will not let you sink if you obey.  Notably Peter went on to see countless thousands saved and many healed of all matter of diseases under his ministry.  Just get out of the boat.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.

In the thinking of our Jewish friends, this scripture well defines the very essence of salvation.  What is salvation through Jesus Christ if it’s not delivering us from a place of bondage to sin to liberty (Romans 6:18 Galatians 4:7)

Just as our ancient ancestors were set free to serve The Lord and enjoy His blessing we too have been made free to allow only His Spirit to be our driving force.  No longer would sin have the power to dictate our thoughts, our emotions, nor our actions.  These now would be under the control of a new master – The Lord Jesus Christ. It’s good for us t remember that “freedom” was not given to us that we might do as we please but rather as He wills. (Exodus 7:16 Romans 12:1)

As bond servants of The Most high we willing yield our mind and bodies to serve this new master who loves us and always thinks good of us.  No longer are we driven to serve by a master who sole desire is to use us for his personally gain.  This Lord invites to be a part of building His perfect Kingdom that shall last forever.  In His Kingdom, we will for eternity enjoy His divine protection and blessings.

Jesus now offers us His yoke which is both easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30). He becomes our sage and we the disciple of the One who proved His love for us on a tree.  He took the curse of the slave master upon Himself so that we might know his truth and be free. (Galatians 3:13 Galatians 5:1 John 8:31-32)

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. (John 8:36)

Meet Aaron – the brother of Moses. Here’s the guy who is about to be anointed High Priest of Israel. Aaron was God’s choice for the highest ranking, spiritual official in all the land. I could give you more of a background for this first bible verse – but I won’t have too. You don’t need to know the story to realize that what Aaron said to Moses in Exodus 32:24 was a lie.

So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off. When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—AND OUT CAME THIS CALF!”

Yes, he really said that. #ministryfail

Of course that’s not what happened. Aaron caved under the pressure (and perhaps fear) and built a golden idol for the people to worship (Exodus 32:2-5). Worse, he attempted to cover it up with a lie.

I’d say Aaron “blew” it!

Ironically, the account actually makes me feel pretty good about my ministry. I am by no means comparing myself to the likes of Moses’ brother. It does, however, give me hope in that although Aaron fashioned a god for the people to worship, the REAL God saw past even that and anointed Him as high priest. Aaron was in direct violation to the very first of the Ten Commandments. Granted, Moses had not yet posted these new laws of God on Facebook yet. But non-the-less, the words from God to Moses, (Exodus 32:7), and from Moses to Aaron, (Exodus 32:19-21), makes it clear that Aaron knew what he had done was wrong. Still, after it was all said and done, Aaron was in fact anointed as High Priest.

So what do I do when I have blown it?
Engrave this next statement into your brain

God always sees who we are becoming…not what we have done

God already knew every stupid thing we would do, planned for our forgiveness, redeemed us regardless, and planned for us a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Our “What was I thinking” decisions did not throw God’s plan off course. He is still in the business of conforming us into the image of Jesus 1John 3:2 2Corinthians 3:18 Romans 8:28. We can’t alarm God nor cause Him to be angry with us. In His mind the matter is settled. Philippians 1:6 says that, “…God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

These promises and others certainly don’t excuse Aaron’s bad behavior nor does it excuse ours. Let me also remind you that there are often negative consequences for our actions. But never think you’ve gone so far that God won’t complete what he began in you.

When you THINK you blown it – God can and will start again
Jeremiah 18:1-4

my first time fishing from a boat (featuring my serious face)

It’s Humorous – How can you just go back his job after what he had seen and done over the last 3 years? In the previous chapter (John 20), Pete went to the tomb and found it empty. The huge bolder blocking the entrance had been rolled away, and he saw the burial garments lying there. Mary told him that she had seen Him. But if 3 years of miracles and the aforementioned weren’t enough, Jesus walks through a locked door and starts talking to them. While He was there, Jesus imparted The Spirit to them. Find it humorous yet?

WAIT THERE’S MORE. 8 Days later Jesus walked through the wall again! This time He showed His scars to Thomas who was not around the first time. Tom had mentioned that he needed to see these before he could believe. Then the 20th chapter closes with Jesus doing many more miracles in Pete’s presence. And just before Peter utters the words “I go fishing” Jesus shows up again. Maybe it’s just me but I can’t help but to laugh. Is that really the only words Peter could muster up to say? Not “We will follow you Lord” or “Jesus you freak me out.”

It’s Promising – Even after Peter’s abandoning Jesus in His hour of need, and all the guilt, embarrassment, and shame that he must have felt – God still used Him in mighty ways. Peters’ story tells me that I can really blow it and still be a force for the Kingdom.

How many of the “great people of faith” of Hebrews 11 got it wrong – before they got it right. That gives me hope…hope it does you as well

Related post: “What to do if you’ve blown it”

my first time catching a saltwater fish (such a little by inside)

Sometimes we just “blow” it.  There’s the  car you shouldn’t have purchased or the job you should have taken.  Perhaps for you its a relation that ended before its time, or an error in judgment that cost you dearly. We all have those, “What was I thinking,” events that have tripped us up over the course of our lives.  But is there still hope?  Yes there is!

At Connections we use the acronym H.O.P.E – it stands for Humility, Obedience, Prayer, and Expectancy.
In 2 Chronicles 6:26-42 Solomon, having completed the temple, prays and dedicates it to The Lord.  As he prays, he asks The Lord ‘what if.’  The king was concerned that the people may turn away from the teachings that were passed down from his father King David.  You will need to read the prayer in its entirety to appreciate the magnitude of Solomon’s concern for the people in his care.  In essence he asked, ‘what if we blow it?” (verses 26&27)

The answer comes in the next chapter, (2 Chronicles 7:14). This verse was quoted by then president Ronald Reagan in 1980 during his 1^st inauguration.  It reads, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” And that is where we find H.O.P.E.

Humility –  Without humility, we will never be at a place to admit we’ve blown it.  Pride tells us that we are too good to admit we were wrong or that we might need help in overcoming the situation.  Show me someone who has had a moral failure and I will show you an individual that was to proud to admit they were in trouble

Obedience  – We see this from the phrase, “turn from their wicked ways.”  Its good to have the humility required to say that you’ve blown it. but we must also do our best to right-the-wrong. I realize that’s no always possible.  We should do what we can to adjust our behavior to reflect God’s way of doing things in the arena in which we have blown it.

Prayer – Have a heart-to-heart with God.  He already knows that you’ve blown it so you may as well talk to Him about it.  His desire is to heal, forgive, and to reconcile. James 1:5 tells us that He wants to give us the wisdom needed to get through the situation we have placed ourselves in.  Humility will cause us to pray.  His word of wisdom should cause us to obey.

Expectation -  As I mentioned in the last paragraph, God’s will is always good for His people!  It is an act of faith to assume God will bring about a good end to bad circumstances (Romans 8:28). God is good for His promises(2 Corinthians 1:20).Look for part 2

I used as an example and interaction between God and an Old Testament prophet. In Jeremiah 1:11 The Lord asked the prophet what he saw. As the prophet answered The Lord explained to Jeremiah the meaning of his vision. The process repeats itself in the verses to follow. Then in Jeremiah 1:18 The Lord will instruct Jeremiah to “see” what is going to happen that he may, in turn, warn the people (see also Joshua 6:2). Jeremiah didn’t understand why he saw what he did, but God gave him insight once he spoke it.

To understand better the power of our, “saying what we see”, I offer Job 22:28. It reads, “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.” In a nut shell, we say it, God establishes it, and then we get the illumination we need to move forward. The word declare means to, “cut or divide”. It was used by the Hebrews to “cut a deal” or “to make a covenant.” Abraham did this with God and He saved part of his family from a certain and horrible death. If you have family issues you will want to pay close attention.

The bible tells us in Genesis 18 that God was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham had family in those cities. So Abraham talks to God in a manner that we would consider almost blasphemous. Abraham makes his declaration in Genesis 18:15. Abraham said, “Surely You wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, You would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely You wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” Abraham did not see God allowing his (Abraham’s) family, whom Abraham considered good, being killed in this mass judgment of God upon evil. Once Abraham spoke it, God established a covenant with Abraham, and he receives the necessary information (or illumination) to get his family out of town before it was destroyed.

What do you see happening in your family, at your job, or in your church? It doesn’t have to be some great spiritual vision. Good or bad is irrelevant. If you want God involved you must tell him what you see. The verse in Job offers us this great promise, “light will shine on your ways.” You will get the light you need to move on your situation after you speak. The Lord will also let you know of you are not seeing correctly. (1Samuel 16:7) That too can be very helpful as you make plans to buy a home, or perhaps expand you business.