Water to Wine: Holding Him in Our Hearts

Matthew 1:21-25
21 She will bear a  Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior] , for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God].  22 All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, 23 Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel---which, when translated, means God with us. [Isaiah 7:14]
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from his sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him; he too [her to his side as] his wife. 25 But he had no union with her as her husband until she had borne her firstborn Son; and he called His name Jesus. Amplified.

Jesus was the firstborn and the begotten of God!
As those inherited rights of a Son, He was granted that to which would see after the widow, the orphan, the stranger.
As the Head of the family, He would teach them the doctrine,
Colossians 1:15-18
 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 
NKJV

Jesus became that "patriarch" that came to teach the world of the family God intended. As the High Priest, He showed the relationship with the Father, not only worship of the Word and thankfulness but also in prayer. He showed the walk of righteousness. And He still teaches us today by His Holy Spirit.


In our everyday lives, we need the "Savior", the One who leads us by His Holy Spirit. In reading and spending time in the Gospels, my favorite is the book of John. I think in my heart I see it as the "up close and personal Jesus" that John saw. I think the wedding we read about below is about John's wedding. When we go through each chapter, we find something so personal that was of a "one-to-one relationship" indeed!
In Matthew we read of Jesus, those concerning Jesus' ancestry, the promises of God, the prophecies given, and Christ the King and His passion! In Mark we find: history of Jesus, the Servant, lowly Servant, His holy anger and of His prayer.
In Luke of course, we read of His birth, the announcement to the shepherds in the field by night.......we read of His water baptism, (the circumcision of the heart) and His Sacrifice ( his life) given for many. It is the Gospel of Jesus as Man. It also contains miracles.
And of the book of John, we find, Jesus, the One Who was in the beginning with God. He was the Word (John 1:1.) Chapter 2 is of water into wine.

John 2:1-12
2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." 4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
NKJV

AND this was the beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory. His disciples believed in Him.

From the above, we see a wedding taking place. This chapter follows the one where Jesus has talked with some to follow Him. Like the verse where Nathanael speaks to Philip, "can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

In that same text it is Nathanael telling Jesus, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel."

Recognition is very important in to seeing where we are going and to where we are headed for the kingdom of God.

Mary told Jesus, "They have no wine" and Jesus' reply was "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?" "MY hour has not yet come."

What did Mary see in Jesus?

This was her son. She knew Him from His birth. 

She saw "the wine" within Him! She was not looking on the outward man, she was seeing His Spirit!
People like services where a prophetic word is given. And they really "love" it when it is given directly to them in their own name.
I have heard many, many teachings over these years of life and all have in part been different. But I see something.....that the "wine".......that fruit was showing, was in abundance and was fresh and fragrant!
Where Jesus was headed was going to be in power, and might of the Holy Spirit. It was not going to be the same 'ole service, the same 'ole thing, but a new!

In this area we drive by many vineyards. In the cities you can see billboards along main routes into the metropolitan area advertising that wine. Yes, one can note and see the signs and billboards out by the roadways, especially those two lane roads out in the gorge area and they designate their next "wine tasting" event!

But this is a different thing!

In Jesus' speaking, teaching and relationships, He carried a confidence in God His Father. He always spoke as He and His Father were ONE!
John 17:9-26
9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake's I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

NKJV

Jesus spoke of the Oneness with the Father and how it was to be for us "those who believe" as well.


In Chapter 3, we see Jesus having a one to one with Nicodemus. Yes, a well-educated man, yet he hung from a tree branch to get a glimpse of the One Sent by God! Amen!
How many times have we needed to do that? Hang out on that branch.........and speak with Jesus?
Ahh yes, Chapter 4 is the Samaritan woman..........John 4:7.
And then we move on into Chapter 5 ......that water being stirred at Bethesda. See Blog: STIRRING OF THE WATER

Chapter 6 is feeding that group of 5,000 men and add women and children, wow, you have a crowd!

Jesus is concerned with our everyday, every moment, every need. He wants to remind us that He is Emmanuel, God with us! By the time we get to chapter 15, my favorite chapter is "abiding" in Him. And in John 14, He came that our dead "things" would come to life again. Like a marriage, or a relationship with a friend, God can certainly resurrect, but He can resurrect someone's life again to that which He destined for them to live. By John 14:4, He stated to  "let not our heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me." That meant, don't get depressed.........I, Jesus, the Holy One, Emmanuel is with you. In John 14:26-27, He tells us of the Comforter Who is to come and abide with us. He was to be in our hearts. And Jesus said, "Peace, I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]Amplified
In John 16:13 Jesus tells us that "When He, the Spirit of Truth (the life-giving Spirit) comes, He will come, and He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth), For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority] but He will tell whatever Hr hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. 14 He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

In that of the wedding in Cana of Galilee, Jesus told them to get the six stone pots and fill them with water. Six is the number of man.
In looking at the Amplified for John 1, it states this!
1 In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God and the Word was God Himself. [Isaiah 9:6] 2 He was present originally with God. 3 All things were made and came into existence through Him and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. 4 In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. 5 And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered [put it out or absorbed or appropriated it and is un-receptive to it].

9 There it ----was the true Light [was then] coming into the world [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] that illumines every person. [Isaiah 49:6] 10 He came into the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him [did not know HIM]. 11 He came to that which belonged to him [to His won----His domain, creation, things, world], and they who were His own did not receive Him and did not welcome Him.

Mary knew who He was. She knew those things which she pondered in her heart, from the message by the angel Gabriel, to Simeon in the temple to Jesus being 12 and holding back in Jerusalem to be found with those who taught and Jesus had wisdom and favor with God and man. Although Jesus dismissed her about the timing of which belonged to Him, yet He was found in a one to one relationship that was of regular earthen stoneware. That which was made from the earth, filled with water. much like the water of the Word of God to become that which comes when God touches our life with His goodness.
How do we recognize them? Well, they look like Jesus, sound like love and act out in righteousness that is glorifying to God and Him alone.
I have seen some of them. They continue. They do not bring any act or any working back to themselves, but simple fulfill that which God asked them to do. They have the softness of a baby's skin when they touch your heart with only love that is expressed in God's Words. Their acts of goodness leave you standing in awe that God sent someone to do that for you. Yes, someone who has the freshness of a gentle breeze after that rain storm, that first hint of spring, that baby's first cry, that snuggle of a little dog's wet nose on your cheek, lets you know that God has been here FIRST. He has been in all my moments and yours and some how always add that special-ness that is of God and His alone. For when God touches us in our hearts, in those wounds, in that depressed state, He always gives us that smile that can stop the world. He laughs letting us know that all is okay and and when He embraces us with that peace that will destroy the devil, yes, I recognize Him, and I welcome Him.
Oh sweet Jesus, turn our water into wine today. Whatever our situation, by Your Holy Spirit, have YOUR way into all that is on the scene. For we desire to be found with You, that which is the genuine, the steadfast, the perfect that only God can give to us. We love You with our whole hearts!


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