Sunday service june 23 2024

This is a sermon about the first miracle that Jesus performed at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus' ability to bring about miracles and the need to pray to God in times of trouble. They also highlight the significance of trusting in God's timing, even if it seems like the desired miracle is not happening. The speaker encourages the listeners to have faith and believe that God can and will provide miracles in their lives. Amen. Amen. Is there anybody you would receive it today in the name of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. As long as you want a miracle, the Lord will what? Will give you a miracle. Hallelujah. John chapter two. We will be taking our scripture from there. The book of John chapter two. And we'll just take a little study from verse one. John chapter two from verse one. So here, just the background, we understand that this scripture was the first miracle that Jesus did. Amen. Just like that's why I asked us, how many of us want a miracle in our lives? Amen. I know I want a miracle in my life. Amen. So we are going back to study the first miracle that Jesus ever did. Hallelujah. And what happened? So we can also understand how to get that miracle in our life. Perhaps there's somebody here you've been praying for something for so long. You've been desiring a thing. You want something from the Lord. You want healing in your body. You want a torch around you. You want some kind of miracle. And you've been praying about it. For some of us, maybe you've not prayed, but you desired it. So we are going to know how to receive that miracle from the Lord. No matter what it is. As our faces are different, our expectations will be different. Our desires will be different. But how to receive it from the Lord is the same for every one of us. So when we do in obedience to what Christ did in his first miracle, every one of us will receive something from the Lord today. Hallelujah. Somebody say, I am ready to receive from the Lord in the name of Jesus. From verse one, it says, and the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. And the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called and his disciples to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, they have no wine. Jesus said unto her, woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. Hallelujah. Glory to God. So this is a desire for a miracle. Maybe you are going through a construction phase and you realize that the money that you had is finished. But you need to do more. This is a situation of what happened with Christ in that marriage. They had wine, but what they had is finished. Amen. You had money to do something and you realize that it is not enough to finish what you need to do. Hallelujah. In our life there are different aspects of us that need a miracle in our life. So here was a very challenging moment. And nothing is as bad as being in a marriage and then food is not enough. Amen. Because guess what? People will leave and they will not remember how nice the wedding dress was. They will not remember how nice the setting and everything was. But they will surely remember there was not enough wine at your wedding. Amen. And it is a very embarrassing moment for this couple at this point in time. Just like you may be doing something in faith and you believe that you will get through. But in a moment it is looking like people are looking. Aha, she started construction. Let us see how far she will go. Amen. And then everybody's eyes on you. But you are trusting God. You started with that little miracle that you had. And it is almost becoming an embarrassing situation for you. This was what they found themselves in the scripture. A miracle. They needed a miracle. Is there anybody here that needs a miracle? I need a miracle from the Lord. They needed a miracle. Because there was a challenge right before them. And there was an enemy that was right around trying to ensure that shame come upon them. So here you see the mother of Jesus recognizing that there is a need for a miracle. And she also recognized that there is somebody there that had the ability to do that miracle. Amen. She recognized that this son of mine Jesus, he could do something about it. Hallelujah. So we must understand in the midst of our challenges, who do you believe that can come through for you that can help you? Who are you going to turn to in that moment of trouble and challenges? She recognized, Mary recognized the ability of Christ to be able to bring about a miracle in the life of that couple. What do you know that will come through for you? When we are going through challenges sometimes we call everybody else. We run to everywhere else but never recognizing God's ability to help you. You know I've seen situations where we go to people who are in challenge and say, okay let us pray. And they will literally be so angry that why are you praying? Like I need help. We are talking about prayer. They make it seem as though there is no connection between prayer and then the miracle that they need. They will be happy if the Prime Minister came and promised them something. They will be happy if the representative come and say I will give you a job. I will give you that money to complete that building. They will go excited and they know and they have confidence in their heart that perhaps that building will be completed because the minister told them that he would help them. But oh how many times we are disappointed by those that we felt had the capacity to help us. Those that we know that have the ability to lift us out of that trouble and still we don't get the help that we want. And yet the almighty God that has everything in his hands that can turn anything around, we never acknowledge God in the midst of our situations. Amen. Mary understood and recognized God, Christ in the midst of that challenge. Amen. So in the midst of that trouble and the miracle that you need, do you recognize Jesus in that midst? That's the first question. Because until you recognize Jesus' ability to help you, you will not receive anything from the Lord. You are studying and you are not understanding. Do you know that Jesus can help you? Amen. Do you know Jesus can help you to have understanding? He gives understanding to the children. You are going through some situation and you want help in your life. Do you know that Jesus can help you? That's the first thing. Do we acknowledge God's ability to help us or we only acknowledge human beings in our life and around us? And we are angry with everybody for not coming through for you. You are angry with your friends because they didn't come through for you. You are angry with your spouse because they didn't do as much as you expected. But not knowing that Jesus can help you. Hallelujah. The Bible says Mary recognized that Jesus had the ability to bring about a miracle in that situation and she approached him. And that can be likened to be prayer. So when you are in trouble, what do you do? You go to God. What? In prayer. It's never old-fashioned. It's never too late. It will never be out of place to pray about the challenges and the things that surround us. So when we are troubled children, it's not your friend that will help you. You have to what? Pray. How many of us know how to pray here? You can pray. Amen. So what do you do? You go to God in prayer. Amen. Sometimes even before you go to mommy to give you the money that you need or daddy you must learn to pray about it. Because sometimes they don't have it. So the moment you pray to God, Father Lord I need money for my new bag and I want my designer shoe and all of that. By the time you talk to God about it first, God provides for mommy and daddy. So by the time you go to them, you get what you want. Hallelujah. So prayer is very very important. So whenever we are in challenge, the first thing we must do and recognize is the place of prayer. Talking to God about it. Let it not be the last option. Let it not be like when everything has failed, you are only doing it out of doubt in your heart. Here, Mary was so confident that Jesus had the ability to bring about a miracle in that place and she came to him recognizing Jesus' ability to bring about a miracle. Because we don't value God. We don't even value the house of God. We feel that nothing happens in the presence of God. Amen. And I wouldn't blame some of us since maybe you've been around church and you've never seen any results. And it makes you think as though being in church or going to God is just something you just do. But I want to tell you about a God I know that answers prayers, that changes lives. Amen. That actually comes through for those that trust in him. That those that are in trouble, they might be down in the pit of life, they might be down in trouble and challenges, but they trust and call upon the name of the Lord and it comes through for them. Amen. And if there's anyone here, as long as your heart is open and you believe in God for a miracle, I assure you, you will not live here without your miracle in the name of Jesus. You see, the kingdom of God is not just in words. I believe in the words and the results of that words. So if God says he's going to heal, he will heal somebody. Amen. If God says he's going to deliver, it's not just for you to hear that God can deliver. Part of the reason why people don't believe so much is because they only hear, but they don't see the results of those things. But somebody will be surprised here today in the name of Jesus Christ. You're going to live here with your surprise of miracle in Jesus precious name. So Mary recognized that's the first thing. Can you recognize God's ability to help you? Or you are confident in your own self to help yourself or your friends or your parents to help yourself? Do you believe that God can help you? That's the first thing. Hallelujah. And then the next point, very importantly, brothers and sisters, is when Jesus spoke to her, that his hour has not yet come. Amen. Jesus spoke to her. He said, yes. Remember, he didn't say, I will not help you or I will not do it. So for some of us, sometimes when God is telling you the hour is not yet, we have lost it all. Maybe you want some kind of money and you're praying for it. And it has not come true for you. It's not because God will not give you. Perhaps the time has not come yet. You're not ready. According to God's times and season is not yet that right moment for you. But many of us take offense in God because of our waiting season. Amen. Because of what? Our waiting season. But there is something we ought to do in our waiting season. And that's the key point of today's word. And that is in the next verse. In verse five, the Bible says, is more than Mary. After Jesus has told her to wait. After he has told her that this is not yet the time for that miracle. When the right time comes, I will do it. It will happen. After Jesus would have responded to her, look at what she did in our waiting season. The Bible says in verse five, and his mother said unto the servant, he said, whatsoever he say unto you. What? Whatsoever he say unto you. What? I can't hear you. Can't still hear. Amen. Brother Gary laughing. Amen. So the Bible says, whatsoever he asks you to do, do it. This was the instruction of Mary to the disciples. So in your waiting season, brothers and sisters, while that prayer, you have prayed, you've done what you ought to do. There is one thing God requires of you, is to be obedient to whatsoever he asks you to do. Amen. Whatsoever the Lord instructs you to do, do it. That's what it takes because your miracle is in your obedience to God. Amen. Your miracle is in what? In your obedience to God. Children, whatever your teachers and parents ask you to do, what do you do? You do it. Because your miracle of excellence and excelling is in what? Obedience to what? Your parents and your teachers and to what the Lord says. And for every one of us, your miracle that you're desiring is in obedience to God. Why? Because when you continue to read that scripture, you realize that there are certain things that God might tell you to do that it might not look like so much correct and okay to you. For instance, when Jesus was ready, it was time for the miracle to come. The Bible says he asked the disciples to fill the pot with what? With water. And when theologians studied that water, it wasn't just any kind of water. It was quote and unquote unclean water. Amen. So it didn't make sense. Hallelujah. And not only that, the Bible says Jesus never prayed for it at all. He never prayed. All he did was ask them to fetch water from where it is not clean and put into the pot. And not only that, from there, from the pot, take it, not test it, not bring it, let me test and see how it is. Let's be sure that the miracle works. Not give it to the host and let them see what is happening. He said, take it to the governor, the chairman of the occasion, the highest person in that place for the person to drink it. Doesn't that sound crazy? How does it sound to you? But you must understand that for that miracle you are desiring to come, whatsoever he asks you to do, do what? Do it. It's not because God cannot help you. It's not because you cannot come out of that struggle. It's not because you can't come out of that pit. The question is, you must understand that whatsoever he asks you to do, you must what? Do it. Or if it's so okay, if Jesus came and asked them to bring water from the spring, clean water, and then he came and started praying on it and praying on it, and tested it, okay, it's good now, nice wine, go and serve. There wouldn't have been an issue. The water wasn't clean. It was dead water. They were asked. That's where they could get water and fill the pots. And without testing, he said, take it and serve everybody there. But the Bible says they obeyed it. Sometimes it is in your obedience to God that your miracle manifests. God has already done it. Somebody needs to hear this. God has already done that miracle for you, but he has also given you an instruction, something to do, something you have to do. It might not make sense in your heart, but it is when you obey that obedience, that action of faith in obedience to God is what will bring about the manifestation of what has already been done. So how many of us can obey God? God is all about obeying. There's somebody that met Jesus in scripture, a man, people that have leprosy, and the Bible says as they came to Jesus, he didn't necessarily pray for them. Guess what he did? He said, turn back and go and show yourself. You see, I have seen in this course of ministry and over the years, people offended just because maybe you did not pray the way they expect you to pray. I've had people come and they need some kind of help or deliverance or prayer, and as the leading of the spirit, I'll just say, don't worry, it is well with you, you are okay. How many of us will take that word? They say, but pastor didn't pray for me, he didn't have time for me, didn't pick my call, and they're offended at everything. It is not any less that word that says you are well, you are healed, you are delivered, than the show of prayer that will come to you. It is about the anointing of the spirit, and God's spirit has the ability to make happen whatsoever it says. Many people lose their miracle because of that, so instead of going in obedience, they start carrying grudge and bitterness in their heart, and there cannot be a miracle that way. Amen. Even when you get it, the enemy can take back, can destroy that which you have received from the Lord. Whatsoever he asks you to do, do what? Do it in obedience to God. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Simple obedience to God, it will lead you. God is instructing you to pray every morning, just do it. He's instructing you to go to the house of the Lord, and you come once, twice, and you have not received your miracle, the pain is still there, and you're already angry. Whatsoever he asks you to do, what? Do it. When the prophet instructed Naaman to go and put deep himself seven times in river Jordan, now that's another miracle. Dirty river. As a matter of fact, the man who is the captain of the Syrian army, Naaman, he said, why would I be saying to that dirty river, are there no clean rivers around that you can send me to? But thank God for his maid that encouraged him. Amen. Sometimes the simple things that God asks us, they are too simple that we can't believe it. The simple things that God asks us, they are too simple that we don't obey them to receive the miracle that God has for us. But that is there, our mighty miracle is. Today, the Lord is speaking to every one of us that whatsoever God asks you to do, just do it. That's where your miracle is. Amen. Just do it. And you could imagine Naaman putting himself the first time into the river, coming back, the leprosy is still there. Going the second time, the leprosy is still there. Remember the instruction was how many times? Seven times. Going to the fourth time, the leprosy is still there. Going up to the sixth time, I could see some people already get out and just move out of that river. Because we think that if it's going to work, when I go in the first time, I will see a little change. And perhaps when I go halfway, maybe after the third time, I will see some kind of change so I know I could continue. But with the things of God, it does not work that way. It is complete obedience. Up until the sixth time, there was no change in the body of Naaman until he went the seventh time. God is very particular about obedience to what? Instructions. People of God. God is very what? Particular about what? Obedience to instruction. God loves it more than anything else. As I told King Saul, he said obedience is what? Better than sacrifice. I am telling you, you want a miracle from God, you have to be obedient to God. That is the way to keep what God has for you. You want to be blessed children, you want to score high in your grades, what do you do? Obedience to what? Your teachers and your parents. So when they give you homework to take home, what do you do? You do it. When they ask you to study at home, what do you do? You study. And when you do that, you are going to come out with what? A miracle of what? Good grades. Anybody want a miracle of good grades? Excellent grades, right? Okay. So the way to get it is by what? Obedience to your teachers and your parents. Hallelujah. And every kind of miracle that you desire from God, there is no other way. Obedience to God. We must learn to be obedient to God. And listen, somebody might ask, but pastor, it is so difficult to obey sometimes. You see, God is looking at the heart that wants to obey and then he will give you the ability and the grace to be obedient. Desire to be obedient to God. Desire to want to do the things that God wants you to do. Once you have that heart, the Lord will strengthen you. Because no human being has the ability to be perfect on their own. It is by the Spirit of God, the grace of God, the enablement of God. But when you have a heart willing to obey God at all times, he will give you the strength to be obedient. And in that obedience you will receive miracles. Amen. Listen, because in your life, even in adulthood, certain miracles will come your way. God will instruct you to make investment in places and things that nobody would think is wonderful and nice. But yet that will be the turning around of your life. God will lead you to places. He will lead you to things that might not make sense to you. Somebody might offend you, but God will tell you to go and apologize to that person. It doesn't make sense to you. Because they are the ones that offended you. But in that instruction is your healing because you are sick in your body and God wants to heal you. Sometimes the instructions of God might not connect. How does healing have to do with going to apologize to somebody that offended me? But that's how God is. The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of man. The ways of God might not make sense to you. And that's why the only final thing we must learn to do is whatsoever he asks you to do. Do what? Do it. Don't have to reason for it to make sense. You don't have to for everything to connect. If the instruction is from God, all you have to do is what? Act in obedience. And then you will see unending miracles in your life. You will see transformation like never before in your life. Your finances will change. Your health will change. Your health will change. Your trouble will change. But the question is, can you obey God? Can you do what he asks you to do? Or you are going to hold back? It's not because God does not want to help you. There are some of us here, God has given you certain instructions and you are refusing to do it. You are allowing yourself to come between you and the instructions that will bring about your deliverance in your life. That will bring about a change in your family. You are letting pride, you are letting certain factors to hinder you from what God has for you. And that's why this morning you are going to cry to God for help and let God touch your heart. As you live here in obedience to God, miracles will never end in your life. Every time God wants to do a miracle, he brings about an instruction. He wanted to help a widow from struggles and lack. The prophet asked her, what do you have in your house? What do you have? She's telling the prophet, I need money. I don't have anything. In fact, we are dying. And yet the question was, what do you have? She had to think so deeply to even remember that she just had a little oil in the house. How? What has a little oil got to do with all the money I need to pay off my debts? But the ways of God does not make sense to men. You must understand that. If you want to be a man and a woman that God will show for these miracles, you have to be that person that will dare to do the things that does not make sense to you when God instructs you. And all she had to do, imagine when she says she has oil, the prophet asked her, go and borrow vessels. Amen. You don't have enough, but God is saying, go and buy or get things. And as long as she obeyed the instruction, she received a miracle. Almost most of the miracles in scripture came at the instance of obedience to instructions of God. Whatsoever He asks you to do, do it. There is no way around it. The reason why there is constant delay that has not happened till now is because you have not done what the Lord asks you to do. The reason why you are still struggling is because you have not done what the Lord asks you to do. And this morning, all I want you to do is to say, yes, Lord, I'm ready to do your will. I'm ready to obey. I'm ready to be obedient to you, Lord. And that miracle will come your way. That healing will come your way. That transformation will happen in your life. God will tell you things that will not make sense. Things that sometimes you will look at it and be angry, but your salvation and miracle is in that instruction. Hallelujah. I want you to rise up on your feet this morning. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Obedience to God. Obedience to God. Obedience to God. Obedience to God. There is no other way. There is no other way. I want you to close your eyes. There is no other way. There is more about you. There is more about your life. God can help you. God can save you. But in obedience, you have to come to the Lord. God can do it. He can do it. God can do it for you. Glory to God. I want you to talk to God at this moment. Somebody talk to the Lord. You are in the presence of God. God is about to take you to your next level.