Anticipating Miracles

South Bay Community Church

Anticipating Miracles

October 29, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • John 2:1–11

This message begins a mini-series titled “Anticipating Miracles.” Do you believe in miracles? This was the question yelled by Sportam defeated the previously undefeated Soviets reminiscent of the David and Goliath event. Even as scientific as our society is now, 80% of Americans believe in supernatural elements of life that go beyond reason. This belief in miracles spans a variety of religious affiliations, spiritual belief systems, and generations. Miracles are part of God’s signature from the beginning of time through today. A biblical miracle typically refers to a supernatural event that transcends ordinary happenings it is viewed as a direct result of God’s power and engagement. Miracles also may be defined as our personal experience that shows us the ways God is a miracle worker in our day-to-day lives. The ongoing activity of God sustains life, upholds the universe, and works things out for our good and the glory of God. We may call this a God movement or a God moment. Believers in Jesus Christ would say that God is the source of miracles because we serve a God of the impossible. We anticipate, recognize, and celebrate the many miracles God does every day, desires to do, and will do.

Anticipating Miracles in Relationships

November 19, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Genesis 32:1—33:11

This message concludes our mini-series on Anticipating Miracles. The holidays are here; we spend time with family and friends. For many, these are special and precious times, but for some, these are dreaded or painful times. At the core of these times are relationships. Regression (called psychological time travel) with family or friends can throw us back to yesteryear, triggering memories, regressive behaviors, unresolved issues, and painful conversations. We all have relationship wounds potentially with family, in a marriage, or with co-workers or neighbors. Sometimes, the wounds are minor and heal quickly; other times the wounds are deeper and take a while to heal; other times wounds may get buried until feelings of hurt, bitterness, or resentment remind us of the wound. Wherever there are relationship wounds, there is a need for a relationship miracle. The keys to anticipating miracles in relationships are: (1) Remember God is present, (2) Seek God in prayer, be honest about your requests and needs, (3) Embrace the struggle of God’s work in our deep inner self with forgiveness, repentance, and healing, (4) Initiate in faith with courage from God, (5) Trust God’s timing, (6) Release and leave the outcome to God.

Anticipating Miracles of Healing

November 12, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Psalm 103:1–5

This message continues our mini-series on Anticipating Miracles. God is so much more active than we notice. God is performing miracles all around us each and every day through both supernatural and natural means. As I have been communicating about anticipating miracles, my prayer is that your antenna has been raised, and you have become more aware of God’s orchestrations, interventions, and numerous acts of love. Whenever, however, and in whatever form there is healing, God (Jehovah Rapha) is the originator. In Jesus, Jehovah Rapha became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus’ healing miracles: (1) demonstrated Jesus’ power, authority, and divinity; (2) reflected God’s heart of compassion; (3) illustrated God’s kingdom and wholeness; (4) invited us to follow Jesus and love Him with one’s whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Anticipating Miracles of Provision

November 5, 2023 • Pastor Tammy Long • Philippians 4:10–20

This message continues the sermon mini-series called Anticipating Miracles. We are defining miracles as any moment we see God’s hand or a divine intervention. This applies whether it is supernatural in the purest sense, or God’s orchestration of events or circumstances with God’s fingerprints all over it. We explored the first miracle by Jesus at the wedding of Cana. Your posture for anticipating miracles should include (1) Make your request known, release worry, and leave it in God’s hands. (2) Remember God has a master plan, and it is always about the Will of the God the Father. (3) Accept that God’s timing is not our timing, but worth the wait. (4) Tell the Story of God’s miracles and give God all the praise. (5) Recognize that God can be trusted; strengthen and deepen your faith in God. In anticipating miracles in the Kingdom of God, We have the rhythm of provision in anticipating miracles of provision. We keep our focus on Jesus and trust that Jesus will provide. We can be generous as God leads us because we know that God has us and can be trusted. God receives our generosity as an act of worship and trust. God provides generously from God’s glorious riches. In this message, we each had time to share a short testimony about God providing and giving God all the praise. We are learning to see God’s hand in our day-to-day living. More details on the testimonies and analysis of Philippians 4:10-20 can be viewed on the video of this week’s message. The provision of God does not have to be big. Here are the questions we answer in order to share a brief testimony about miracles of provision. (1) When did it happen? (2) Where did it happen? (3) Who was involved? (4) What happened? (5)What did you do next in response? We are learning to see God’s hand in our day-to-day lives, so we can learn to trust God more and more.