Do You Believe

John 2:9-11 - KJV 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

The Bible has numerous stories of miracles. They’re found both in the Old and New Testaments.

A miracle is defined as, “An act or event that occurs outside the bounds of the normal or natural order.” and “An event that defies common expectations of behavior and subsequently is attributed to a superhuman agent; an occurrence that demonstrates God’s involvement in the course of human affairs.”

Often times, miracles are how God identifies himself or makes himself known to man, as if his mere creation wasn’t enough. Miracle number one.

God uses man, such as the Old Testament prophets like Samuel, Elijah and Elisha. He uses nature such as the flood during Noah’s time and the plagues of Egypt to show Pharoah his power.

God parted the Red Sea and blew on it’s floor all night, so the Israelites could walk through on dry. Then when they were all safely through and pharaoh's army went after them, he closed the sea and they all drowned. Don’t mess with God’s people.God will deliver them with a miracle.

When the children of Israel were in a war, they needed just a little more daylight. Joshua prayed and asked God to make the sun stand still and he did. It was a miracle.

When Elijah wanted to prove the power of God he challenged the pagan gods to a show of power. He set up two alters and let them go first. The challenge was to call down fire to burn up the sacrifice laid on the altar. After hours and hours of calling, after shedding their own blood by cutting themselves, after taunting them, it was finally Elijah’s turn.

He started by repairing the Lord’s altar, placing twelve stones (one for each tribe), then the wood, and digging a large trench around it. He cut up the bull and placed it on the altar. Then he had them pour not one, not two, not three, not ten, but twelve barrels of water on the wood, filing up even the trench. Now anyone who knows anything about burning wood knows wet wood won’t burn. But this was different. God was going to make a point.

When all that had been done Elijah prayed to God and God dropped fire, that burned the wood, the stones, the sacrifice, and the water in the trench. When God does a thing he does it completely. If it’s half done, if it brings trouble to you. if it makes you worry, it’s not God.

In the New Testament Jesus performed many miracles, starting with the fact that he himself was a miracle coming through the virgin birth of a woman.

Jesus began his list of miracles with our text turning water into wine. He healed paralytics, those who were demon possessed. A woman with a bleeding disorder. The lame, the deaf, the blind and those injured by others.

Jesus walked on water, he hosted huge dinners, feeding thousands on more than one occasion, taking little and making it more than enough.

He brought the dead back to life, he healed hurts and heartaches. He calmed the raging seas, making the wind and the waves obedient to his command, just uttering the words, Peace, be still.”

And then there was Jesus’s miracle of resurrection. Something no other little g god has ever done. When they died, if they were even alive, when they died they didn’t rise again, they had no heavenly Father to return to and they aren’t sitting, praying on behalf of their followers.

Our God isn’t sitting on a mantle or table waiting or needing to be moved by the one who carved, manufactured or worships it. Incapable of doing anything for themselves, let alone someone else.

The Bible talks about the miracles performed by the 70 disciples sent out by Jesus. It tells us the accounts of many miracles performed during that time. But what about now? Is God still performing miracles today or did He use them all up?

When Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding it was the first of the miracles he performed in his short 3-year ministry. But what about now? Do you believe God is still performing miracles?

Every time a woman delivers a child and mother and baby are alright, you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

When an anesthesiologist administers anesthesia before and during surgery and the patient wakes up with all their faculties, you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

When a race car driver drives at speeds reaching over 200 mph and finishes the race unharmed, you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

When a person rings the bell at the hospital declaring they are cancer free…you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

When a Black woman raises seven college educated children and there was no father in the home…you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

When a man is working on his car and it slips off the jack and his wife lifts the car off him and he’s uninjured…you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

When a woman goes to the doctor and they feel a fibroid, but when the ultrasound is done to confirm it and they can’t find the tumor… you’ve just witnessed a miracle.

And saints when you see me standing here preaching the Word of God… you are looking at a miracle.

On Father’s Day we didn’t have worship service because I was in the hospital.

Last year in late Aug, early Sep I contracted COVID-19. I got really, really sick, but praise God, I did recover. But I would later discover it was not a recovery without damage.

I had a lingering cough, but thought nothing of it because there was no mucus with the cough.

Finally in Nov. after two sleepless nights, because every time I tried to lay down I couldn’t breath, I ended up at the Atlanta VA Hospital where they discovered my heart and lungs were surrounded by fluid.

The fluid was restricting my lungs, so they couldn’t expand. It was restricting my heart making it work harder trying to get blood to my body.

I didn’t have the usual symptoms of swelling in my feet, ankles or abdomen. Just the dry, nagging cough.

But when they did the tests, they discovered I was in heart failure. My heart was enlarged from working so hard to get blood to my body.

I had mitro valve regurgitating. Blood was backing up in my heart because it was enlarged.

Ejection fraction is the measure of how well your heart is pumping blood to your body. It says how healthy your heart is.

Below 40% is possible heart failure

40 - 55% is low function

55-70% is normal function

>70% is high function

In Nov. my ejection fraction measured 20-25%… I was in congestive heart failure.

God gives us doctors to diagnose problems in our bodies and to help us fix them if possible.

My treatment plan was to

Exercise to strengthen the heart muscle.

Change my diet to limit salt to keep the problem from getting worse.

And medication to try to reverse the damage.

The team gave me little hope of a full recovery. But I know a God who never fails. I know a God who is the ultimate doctor, a God who has never lost a patient. I know a God who can heal every disease, including congestive heart failure. The stripes Jesus endured provided my healing.

Miracles come in many different ways, through many different avenues. When you’re looking for a miracle don’t put God in a box, don’t limit God and don’t ever forget He is sovereign, he does what he wants, when he wants, the way he wants and what he does, is always perfect.

I took my medication as prescribed. A good friend helped me exercise, and I changed my diet. I followed my medical team’s orders to the best of my ability.

On Jun 17th, I was at a Juneteenth celebration with my granddaughter. We had walked around the venue, taken some pictures and fellowshipped with some people until I had a sudden medical emergency. I got dizzy, sat down, sent Angel for some water, drank a couple of times, and the dizziness kept getting worse. I would later discover that by the time I drank the water it was too late there was no stopping what was about to happen.

I passed out. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance, only to discover it was a combination of the heat, humidity, dehydration and being over medicated.

I believe God allowed that emergency to happen so they would do another echo cardiogram. They needed to do another one to report…

My heart is now a normal size.

There is no mitro valve regurgitation and

My ejection fraction is now 56-60%

Is God still performing miracles? If you had doubt, just look at me.

I stand before you today to tell you God is a miracle worker.

I stand before you today, to tell you that God is still on the throne.

I stand before you today to tell you that God is a healer.

I stand before you today to tell you that Jesus took those stripes so we can be healed

I stand before you today to encourage you to trust God, take him at his word. He said his word would never return to him void, that it will accomplish what he sent it forth to do.

I stand before you today to tell that, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

I stand before you today to tell you that he gave his only begotten Son to atone for your sins and for mine. Whatever they may be. You see all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. There is no big sin and little sin. No such thing as a little white lie. A lie is a lie and God hates liars.

Solomon tells us this, “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil, 19 a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord in a family.”

So before you start to group people and judge their sin, take a look at God’s list, take a look at your heart and pray like David, “Lord Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I stand here today to tell you as long as there is breath in your body, you have an opportunity to get on the winning team. The team who has access to a God that’s never lost a battle.

I stand here today to tell you that Jesus gave his life so you can have eternal life. It’s a free gift lest any man should boast. All it takes is a prayer.

Father, I am a sinner, I believe Jesus is your Son and that he died for my sin. Jesus, I give my life to you, please come into my heart. In your name I pray, amen

It’s that simple. If you prayed a prayer similar to that welcome to the family. Contact us at www.lovechristianctr.org and let us know so we can pray with and for you.

We are in the process of starting a food pantry to help those in need in the community. Please pray and consider supporting that ministry. Your gift could help feed a family. Consider making a monthly commitment to support the ministry.

You can make your donation on the online giving page of our website at www.lovechristianctr.org. Scroll down to your gift matters and you can designate the ministry your gift supports..

Do you believe God is still doing miracles? I stand here today to tell you… yes he is.