AUGUST 17th – 24th
Dear Friend of Victory Fellowship,
July 8th 2008 at 8:00 pm is a memorable day for me. This was a day God in his own unique way revealed to me the purpose and meaning of John chapter 2 in our lives. This was also a day I heard the small, still silent voice of God say to me 2008/09 will be a year of miracles. I also heard the same small, still silent voice of God say to me that Victory Fellowship will be His hand and Feet!
Fire to be His Hand and Feet!
Since the event of this revelation on June 8th, my heart has been burning with the fire to be God’s hand and feet in our home, our neighborhood, our community, our nation, our continent and to the ends of world. My spirit has been churning with a passion for mission work. We are called to be a people on a mission. Is this fire to be His hand and feet within you? Continue in prayers to be filled with the power of His Spirit!
John Chapter 2
In John chapter 2 we read that Jesus changed water into wine at a wedding. The purpose of story is not to confirm the need for wine usage. I do not believe in drinking. As a matter of fact I have never in my entire life tasted wine and I have no desire to ever taste wine. The purpose of the story is not to confirm the need for weddings either. The purpose of the story is to reveal who Jesus is in our lives. Jesus is a miracle maker! Wherever he is welcomed and involved, miracles will happen.
In John 2 we read;
1) On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2) and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3) When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4) “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.” 5) His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Reading the Passage Again!
At 5:00 AM early July 9th I was awaken to re-read this passage again. While reading I came up with a number of statements we say to each other such as; “We are out of fire to evangelize” or “We are out of breadth” or “We are out of dreams and vision” or “We are out of students” or “We are out of places to preach” or “We are out of funds to operate” or “We are out patience to wait” and etc. Can Jesus perform a miracle for these needs? You and I know that he can.
The first Miracle
John chapter 2 records the first miracle. To understand this passage we must understand that in Jesus’ day, Jewish wedding celebrations lasted a very long time. Not one day, not two days, not three days, not four days, not five days not even six days. Wedding that Jesus attend last for at least one week. We read that on the third day, “they had no more wine.”
The Script our lives:
The script of our lives my read “on the 60th Birthday we run out of work” or “on the 50th Birthday we run of good health” or “on the 30th year of ministry we run out vision and dream” or “on the 7th year of marriage we run out love” or “on the third year of our project we run out of funds” or “on the third day of our trips we run out of gasoline.”
What should we do when we run of out something of great value to us like health, employment, vision, dreams, welfare or even monthly stipend?
The Revelation
Here is a revelation God gave me on July 8th at 8:00 PM. When we run of out something, let us talk to Jesus about it. Over the course of my life, especially the last eight months I have learned that our friends, co-workers, relatives or even spouses cannot handle what has ran out of our lives. But there is someone who can handle.
In this passage we see the absence of Joseph. Most commentators believe he had died. But I like to think that Mary knew that Joseph or anyone else for that matter could not have handle the pressure or stress of things that are running out. Mary was no doubt earnestly anticipating Jesus’ day of demonstration, for it would be a day of vindication for her; but she leaves it to His will. More importantly, Mary knew that Jesus is the Son of God, the one whom our Father who art in Heaven has given all authority and power. So she talked to Jesus. You and I need to do that more often!
The WELLSPRING of miracles
The passage continues;
6) Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7) Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8) Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” 9) They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10) and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11) This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. 12) After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
For the first time on July 8th I came to understand something I had never understood. Take a look at verse 7 and verse 8. I am no expert in Greek or Hebrew, so I suggest that if you are able to study Greek look at this words. I believe you will come to the same conclusion as I have. The two words uses is FILL (verse 7) and DRAW in verse 8.
Jesus said “FILL the jars with water” and then he said again “Now DRAW some out!” If you were a Jew you would understand the action to be that either FILLING a water jug or FILLING drinking glasses. So the fist action that Jesus asked the people to do was to FILL the water pots.
Now take a keen note of what happens here. It is possible that you think that the waters on the water jug and drinking glasses changed into wine. You are wrong. The water Jesus changed was the water in the well. Jesus said “Now DRAW some out.” Jesus changed the entire WELL into wine. The water in a WELL is what you DRAW. This is the REVELATION God gave me on July 8th.
You will never run out of wine if the entire WELL is changed into wine! This is the first “sign”. Jesus said “Now DRAW some out!”
Your Life is a Wellspring of Miracles!
Your life is a WELLSPRING of God’s miraculous signs. You’ve been sick and God has healed you! You have run out finances but God has kept you clothed, housed and fed! You have suffered injustice but God has taken a stand for you. You’ve been robbed but God has supplied your needs and etc. Jesus changed the entire of your life and ministry into a WELL full of new wine.
My life is a Wellspring of Miracles!
I am reminded of miracles in my own life. The first of those miracles was my dedication as a baby on December of 1973. Others have included when I gave my life to Jesus early 1983, or when I joined Bible College by faith with no assurance of funding only for God to open a door for tuition scholarship both College and Seminary. Others have include the day I went to the Embassy for visa and was denied at 11:30 am and granted mysteriously at 3:30pm the same day. Still others have include when we left United Methodist in 2004 for a land that only God would show and the miraculous working of God through Southern Methodist Church who graciously opened a door for us and sent us Dallas, Texas on a Home Missions work.
Southern Methodist Church is a Wellspring of Miracles
The Southern Methodist Church, though the smallest of all denomination is a WELLSPRING full of miracles! At one point we have closed churches, but have seen God fill those churches again and use us plant more churches.
Victory Fellowship is a Wellspring of Miracles too!
Victory Fellowship founded in 2004 is also a WELLSPRING of miracles. At one point we thought we would not survive beyond November 6th 2005. God performed a Miracle! Next we thought our dream of becoming His hands and feet in Dallas has come to an end but God performed a Miracle on April 6th 2008.
Today we continue to expect more miracles. We are talking to Jesus about a Miracle on November 2nd 2008. A miracle that could be as simple as the start of Lay Leadership training and certification program that will prepare a way for another miracle of commissioning those trained leaders on April 5th 2009. We expect a miracle seeing God use us send the first team of called, gifted and changed servants of God on April 5th 209 to become His hands and feet through Children Outreach programs and the Public Lay Leadership Institute of Victory Fellowship. You may be one of them!
Today we continue to expect more miracles. We continue to talk to Jesus about a miracle we like to experience on November 1st 2009 when the dream and desire for Public Launch of Victory Fellowship Church Services will be realized. And still we continue with expectation of another Miracle of acquisition of about 7 acres of land along 635 or I-20 for the provision of a permanent Center of Multi-Ethnic Ministry of VFSMC that reaches to at least 300 souls. And still we want to continue to talk to Jesus about another miracle that we like to see and experience on November 7th 2010. This would be the miracle of ground’s breaking ceremony that would be followed by another miracle on April 3rd 2011 of dedication of our new center of Multi-Ethnic Ministry for the spread of the radical transformation of individuals, community, society and God’s world.
What it takes to believe in Miracles
You cannot believe in miracles without believing that there is a God in heaven, a place of eternal peace and bliss. You cannot believe Miracles without believing in existence of Satan whose abode is hell, the place of eternal torment. You cannot believe in Miracles unless you believe that man is not in control of his own life.
Do you believe that God may inspire his children and grant them heavenly visions? I do! Do you believe that God may allow his children to hear his command? I do! Do you believe God may fill his children with power of His Spirit? I do! Do you believe in a world where a donkey can speak? I do! Do you believe a world where the lame can walk? I do! Do you believe in world where an empty church can be filled once again? I do? Do you believe in a world where miracles do happen? I do!
The Biggest Miracle that we are yet to see!
The biggest miracle that we are yet to see is the TRIUMPHANT return of Jesus Christ. Are you ready for this MIRACLE?
July 12th 2008 at 4:00 pm is another memorable day, but I will talk about possibly in the next Weekly Update.
Thank you for your time!
Erick Chepkwony, TH.D 