Nothing Is Impossible (For God)

Nothing is impossible for God.  As the Almighty God over all He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond what we ask or think.  Whilst a lack of faith in God can limit Him (Psalm 78:41; Matthew 13:58), God is gracious to do miraculous things we never asked for or expected.  When God says something, we know He will follow through.  How blessed we are to be those who believe and say like Mary, "Let it be to me according to your word."

In the Gospel of Luke there are two times the scripture affirms through God all things are possible, and nothing is impossible for Him.  The context of these statements is most compelling.  The first is when Mary was met by Gabriel and was informed she would conceive and bear a son who would be called Jesus, the Son of the Highest, who would have an eternal kingdom.  She said, "How can this be, since I have never been with a man?"  Conception was not even conceivable because she was a virgin.  Luke 1:35-37 provides Gabriel's response:  "And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible."

Mary was told she would conceive the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The impossible pregnancy of Elizabeth provided an encouragement for Mary's faith, for she who had been called "barren" was now with child in her old age.  It is in this context he concluded, "For with God nothing will be impossible."  There are many women called barren in scripture God made most fruitful.  All who have struggled to conceive should take great comfort in this.  With the knowledge God has called some people to celibacy, like Jesus Christ, we can have a fulfilling life (single or married) with or without descendants.  When God says He will do something, He will do it in His time - even if it really is impossible for us.  We can take heart in God's ability to do what our best efforts cannot.

After the rich young ruler came to ask Jesus what he needed to do to enter heaven, Jesus had a discussion with His disciples.  They were shocked when He said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.  Men cannot serve God and money, and the love of money keeps many from obedience and allegiance to God.  It is clearly impossible for a camel to pass through a needle, so the disciples rightly mused:  "Who then can be saved?"  Jesus replied in Luke 18:27, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  It is impossible for any man to save himself, but through Jesus even rich men can be born again and saved by the Gospel.

If God wants a barren woman in her old age to conceive and bear a son, she can and will.  God caused Mary to conceive the Son of God without having been with a man at all!  God is able to bring new life to souls dead in sins and cause them to live forever.  Our God is one who brings life:  impossible, abundant, eternal life.  Let us continue praying and trusting that nothing is impossible for God.  Jesus has brought life and hope for all who believe, and may it be to us according to His Word!

Do What You Can

Shortly before Jesus was arrested and crucified, He and his disciples gathered in Bethany for a meal.  During the meal, Mark 14 explains how a woman anointed Him with very expensive perfumed oil with an estimated value of a year's wages.  Good perfume is always expensive, but usually not that expensive.   Because perfume is valuable the use of it is for special occasions so it will last awhile.  When this woman simply poured out the entire contents of the perfume on Jesus in a moment, it is not surprising they viewed this as a gross waste.  They began to criticise the woman and murmured about how much it was worth.  Instead of wasting it, why not sell it and help the poor?

Jesus didn't see it their way. Mark 14:6-9 reads, "But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. ⁷ For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. ⁸ She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. ⁹ Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."  Jesus knew His remaining time on earth was short and acknowledged the good work the woman did, a sacrifice He is worthy to receive.  There would always be opportunities for His disciples to do good to the poor, but this notable act this woman did was legendary.  She anointed Christ for His burial, and her gracious gift would never be forgotten.

One thing Jesus said rings in my ears as it relates to my life:  "She has done what she could."  She was willing to do what others refused to consider.  They could have poured out expensive oil on Jesus, but they wouldn't.  They couldn't justify the apparent waste of perfume, even if poured out on Jesus.  It is like this woman realised who Jesus was because of all He had done for her, and she knew He wasn't done.  He had forgiven her many sins, and He would go on to shed His blood for the sins of the world.  Because she was recognised the worthiness of Christ she did what she could for Him.  The question I am faced with is, do I do what I can for Jesus?  There are likely many things I can do I have never considered doing because I, like the disciples, do not value Jesus as I ought.  No matter how much we have done, it is likely there are things within our ability to do we have not done because we didn't see the value in it.  To obtain God's perspective we need to look upon Jesus and remember this woman's example of sacrifice.

As recipients of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we have freely received amazing blessings from God.  We have been pardoned of our sin and made righteous through faith.  We have been made children of God and filled with the Holy Spirit.  We have been given everything which pertains to life and godliness.  We who have received so much ought to do what we can to meet needs of others for Christ's sake and go even further - to graciously bless them according to God's leading because we value our God and love our fellow man.  What a testimony, that God would say of you or me, "He has done what he could."  Is there any greater compliment from our Master and Saviour than this?

What Judgmental Words Say...About You

When we are judgmental of others, we can know we are guilty of the exact attributes we find offensive.  Romans 2:1 says, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  There is perhaps no better example of this in scripture than Eliab, David's oldest brother.

After David's three oldest brothers went to fight for King Saul, his father Jesse loaded David with food and commanded him to deliver it to the front lines.  Jesse told David to run to the camp where his brothers were and to see how they fared.  David was obedient to do so.  He was shocked when his discussion with his brothers was interrupted by Goliath of Gath who spoke boastfully against God.  He was dismayed when all the men of Israel (his brothers included!) fled from Goliath and refused to challenge him in battle.  Men of Israel quickly filled David in on how King Saul had promised wealth, his daughter in marriage, and tax-free status for their family.  Yet for 40 days, Goliath had come out daily to taunt Israel and reproach the living God.  David asked, "Who is this Philistine, that He should defy the armies of the living God?"

1 Samuel 17:28 states, "Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."  Wow.  To say Eliab was sensitive is an understatement.  His mouth vomited hate.  Eliab questioned David's motive in coming to the battle.  He reminded him of his lowly status as a shepherd, tending a "few sheep in the wilderness."  He accused him of being proud and insolent (bad, wicked).  I love the response of David in 1 Samuel 17:29, for he resisted any urge to defend himself from this verbal barrage:  "And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?"  Eliab attacked David personally, but this assault only exposed his own wickedness.  He was the proud and wicked one, and he transferred his own faults to David.  His own sin negatively coloured his views of others.

In the previous chapter, David had been anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel.  I wonder if Eliab was still envious of the royal treatment extended to David!  If Samuel had his way, he would have anointed Eliab because of his handsome bearing.  1 Samuel 16:6-7 records Samuel's initial impression of Eliab:  "So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him." ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  God had refused Eliab as king because of the wickedness in his heart, yet chose to anoint the youngest of Jesse's sons:  David, a humble shepherd, a man after God's own heart.  David was not perfect, but he loved, trusted, and believed God.  Through God he would do mighty feats, and one of the most notable was when he killed the Philistine champion with a sling and stone and won a great victory.

One takeaway from this passage is when a characteristic in someone prompts a negative emotional response in us, instead of criticising or questioning their motives we must first examine our own hearts.  Harsh judgment in us indicates we have sin which must be confessed and forsaken.  Once we repent of our own sin and walk uprightly, then we can see clearly to help others be restored.  Insightful Eliab was proud and afraid, unwilling to meet Goliath in battle.  Sin is a giant only slain by faith in God and humble repentance, and this is a fight to which all children of God are called and by His grace enabled to win.

God Pardons His People

"Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. ¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."

Micah 7:18-19

Have you ever considered how blessed we are the Almighty God is a forgiving One?  We have long memories when it concerns people who have wronged or wounded us.  It seems only death is able to part people from old grudges.  Long after the offender has gone to the grave, hatred and bitterness towards the person can remain.  God could rightly retain His anger forever, for He is eternal and righteous and we are crooked sinners.  But thanks be to God, for He fully pardons those who humble themselves before Him and repent.  To be pardoned is more than being forgiven, for the connection between the offender and the offence is wiped clean.  It is a proclamation of innocence concerning every charge.

Every honest person will admit they have made mistakes during their lives, "mistakes" which the Bible calls sin.  Even as there are natural laws observed in the world, there are spiritual ones.  On earth what goes up eventually comes down, and the soul that sins will surely die.  God, a righteous Judge, is angry with the wicked every day and will also judge the righteous - His people through faith (Psalm 7:11).  When God forgives us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we are born again, God fully pardons us from all sin.  He also passes over our transgressions, meaning our past sins are not held against us in our present relationship.  God does not burn with anger, hold a grudge, or throw our failures to obey in our face again as a reason to refuse our request, but chooses not to remember them (Isaiah 43:25).  That is a good example for us to follow as believers.

It is impossible for us to love as God does in our own strength.  We are chronically focused on self:  we aim for self-preservation, keep a record of wrongs, angle to insulate ourselves from future pain by maintaining distance, retain our anger, and justify our sinful refusal to pardon others because we are suspicious they will hurt us again.  God never says faith in people is the basis for us forgiving others, but we forgive because He has forgiven us.  God has never commanded us to trust people, but we must trust and obey Him.  God's nature is to pardon iniquity and pass over transgressions.  He is slow to anger and does not retain it "because He delights in mercy."  He removes the stain of sin far from us and relates to us going forward as if we have only done right.  God has compassion on the ones who sin against Him.  Can you show genuine compassion to the person you are angry with?

1 John 1:9 says concerning Christians who have sinned against God, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Isn't the grace of God wonderful?  As we have received, so ought we to freely give to others.  Is it in your nature to pardon iniquity and pass over faults?  It is not in my nature!  Yet since God is our Father, we are to be towards others as He is to us:  to delight in mercy and to have compassion on even those who offend.  With God's help let us pardon others and throw our grudges and burning anger into the depths of the sea.