 Unspectacular Miracles
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Above photo: Miracle of a Christian digging a ditch!
Major Ian Thomas, founder of Torchbearers Ministry, has said that the Christian life is not spectacular, just miraculous. I love this statement!
We live in a day when outward appearances that many people view as being spectacular can actually eclipse the inner reality of the miracle of Christ's indwelling life. I suspect this has always been the case as our enemy's #1 strategy is to divert our attention away from Christ.
After a ministry service where people have responded emotionally in a spectacular fashion (e.g., in response to someone being healed), I have heard the exclamation, "Wow, God really worked in an awesome way today, didn't He?!" Surely this exclamation is not to imply that God does not always work in awesome ways at all times, including the bulk of time during non-spectacular happenings.
I am convinced that many Christians do not realize how miraculous we really are by God's grace through the miracle of Christ alone.
This week I thought of a couple of unspectacular events during the earthly walk of our Lord Jesus and how we can likewise miraculously relate to Him!
THE MAJESTY OF WALKING AWAY
When those in the synagogue heard Jesus,
they rose up and thrust Him out the city,
and they led Him to throw Him over the cliff.
Then passing through them, He went His way.
(Luke 4:29).
Wow! Religious men tried to throw Jesus off a cliff! And Jesus did not use His power to spectacularly free Himself from their grasp. And He did not call upon a legion of angels to spectacularly set Him free.
Walking as a man indwelt by the Father and the Spirit (just like you and me), He chose the miraculous over the spectacular. He trusted the Father through the Holy Spirit to know that it was not His time and...He simply walked away.
He simply walked away. Wow. Can you imagine the awe of the mob of men who watched Jesus walk away through them in His princely majesty as the men apparently were held back by the Spirit of God?!
When (not if) temptations, accusations, and persecutions come, we, too, can trust the Spirit in us to "part the sea" so we can simply walk through, and away from, these things, all the while glorifying Jesus living through us!
It is not by our power, but by the Spirit that we overcome, i.e., that Jesus overcomes through us in unspectacular miraculous ways (Zechariah 4:6).
THE HUMILITY OF WASHING FEET
Jesus rose from supper and laid aside His garments,
took a towel, girded Himself, poured water into a basin,
and He began to wash the disciples' feet
and to wipe them with the towel.
(John 13:4-5)
Imagine this! The Creator of the universe humbling Himself as a man and moved by the indwelling Spirit to wash the feet of the created! This is perhaps the most unspectacular miracle I have ever heard of.
With the same Spirit in us, should we ever be above our Master to not serve others?
By faith, we can realize, with awe and worship of the Lord, the miracle of all the common things we humbly do throughout each day to serve others...things that most people will never hear about...things that glorify the Lord as much as anything anyone could ever do.
Everything we do should be simple, not spectacular - simply miraculous and miraculously simple!
I am convinced that trusting Christ to live through you as you dig a ditch is just as miraculous as trusting Christ to live through you as you preach to 10,000 people. For you see, it is not how spectacular the event appears to be that is the miracle. Christ in you is the miracle!
And because of this miracle, you and I can grow to walk more and more in the majesty and humility of Christ in all moments of life!
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PS
THE GIFT OF BEING NON-SPECTACULAR
Isn't it interesting how Jesus' descending to a lowly manger was spectacular only to the non-spectacular shepherds?!
And isn't it interesting how Jesus ascending to the highly heaven was spectacular only to the non-spectacular disciples?!
Wow. If you are non-spectacular by worldly standards, you are in good company. God has prepared you to be humble and to have eyes of faith both to know the miracle of Christ in you and to experience His spectacular life through you in all things!
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About 
Discipleship through
Counseling
Teaching
Training
Gregg Gibbons
Pastoral Director
Michael Chalmers
Training Director
Kellie Boggs
Fellowship Director
Joy Gibbons
Ministry Assistant and women's ministry coordinator
Carole Blyth
Board member and women's ministry coordinator
Randy Garrick
Board member and Elder Holly Ridge Baptist Church
Paul Crews
Board member and Pastor Mountain Creek Baptist Church
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Partnership
I believe with all my heart that ministry is through relationships.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you for your partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:3, 5).
 
YouTube link below of my ministry commissioning service that included testimonies from several partners, including Bobby Richardson, former 2nd baseman for the NY Yankees.
Please contact me to learn more about partnering with me. I'd love to hear from you!
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On September 19th, Lifetime Ministries (formerly Lifetime Guarantee Ministries) published one of my Rest Stop articles.
Following is the link to this article:
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Ministry News
Next 8-month Advanced Discipleship Training to start January 2013. Clink on the following link for our brochure:
Gregg teaches freedom from anger through Christ at The Haven of Rest rescue mission in Anderson, SC Mondays 6:00-6:45 pm. You are welcome to attend with Gregg anytime!
Gregg is mentoring men and couples in an office at Holly Ridge Baptist Church in Simpsonville SC.
Michael is mentoring men and couples in an office provided by Mountain Creek Baptist Church, Pendleton Street Baptist Church,and Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville SC.
Carole and Joy are preparing to lead discipleship Bible studies Jan 23 through March 20, 2013 for 7 female employees at an industrial plant.
Michael is leading a weekly small group for Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville using the Grace Life Handbook.
Gregg will be speaking at the Bar None Cowboy Church in Owings SC in January and/or February.
Journey in Christ is partnering with Hunts Memorial Baptist Church of Greenville SC to teach at a women's retreat April 20, 2013.
On Nov 8-10, Charles Payton and Francie Beard of Grace Life International Charlotte were ministry partners for teaching our 8 students in the 6th of 8 sessions for our 8-month Advanced Discipleship Training. See photo below.
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Archives
Link for Rest Stops
since August 2010:
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Contact Info
JOURNEY IN CHRIST, INC.
655 Fairview Road
Suite H-188
Simpsonville SC 29680
(864) 483-3201 (Gregg cell)
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