Impossible – Praying Pint

36.q. “Great and awesome God”

Genesis 18:1 And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Deuteronomy 7:21    You shall not be in dread of them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.

Job 42:2  “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Matthew 19:26    But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Ephesians 3:20    Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us

We see a day in the life of Abraham. it’s hot and he is old and sitting in a bit of tent shade. Abraham sees messengers from God, bows down before them, offers a meal, prepares a meal, and serves them. He is told in one year’s time Sarah will conceive and give birth.

Abraham may not have known the Lord was coming to speak with him but he surely had an expectant hope that He would or could come. He invited the Lord to stay. He wanted to serve the Lord. He wanted to be in the presence of the Lord. He found comfort in the Lord. He believed in the promises made by the Lord.

We do well to simply live in the presence of God and wanting to serve Him rather than ourselves, wanting to hear from Him rather than things of this world, wanting to be in His presence rather than being out of it. It is in His presence our faith is rooted and grown and matured. It is in His presence we find purpose and meaning. It is in His presence continually that we find peace in times of unrest, hope in times of frustration, power in times of weakness, and clarity in times of confusion.

It is when we live knowing we are in the presence of God that we will find ourselves trusting, relying, believing, following, obeying, and serving Him and wanting everything we think, say, and do to Honor and Glorify Him.

36.o. ““I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless”

Genes9s 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

Genesis 18:14    Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Deuteronomy 10:17    For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.

Job 11:7   “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

Psalms 115:3    Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Daniel 4:35   all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Matthew 19:26    But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Ephesians 3:20    Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Philippians 4:13    I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

God’s first words to Abram made an introduction and a declaration of His being. By this name El Shaddai (God Almighty), God revealed His Person and character to Abram. After the proclamation of His name El Shaddai, God then told Abram what was expected of him. It was first revelation and then expectation. This communicates the principle that we can only do what God expects of us when we know who He is, and we know it in a full, personal, and real way. The word blameless means “whole”. God wanted all of Abram, a total commitment. (Guzik)

Note the revelation of God’s character, and of our consequent duty, which preceded the repetition of the covenant. ‘I am the Almighty God.’ The aspect of the divine nature, made prominent in each revelation of Himself, stands in close connection with the circumstances or mental state of the recipient. So when God appeared to Abram after the slaughter of the kings, He revealed Himself as ‘thy Shield’ with reference to the danger of renewed attack from the formidable powers which He had bearded and beaten. In the present case the stress is laid on God’s omnipotence, which points to doubts whispering in Abram’s heart, by reason of God’s delay in fulfilling His word, and of his own advancing years and failing strength. Paul brings out the meaning of the revelation when he glorifies the faith which it kindled anew in Abram, ‘being fully assured that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform’ {Romans 4:21}. Whenever our ‘faith has fallen asleep’ and we are ready to let go our hold of God’s ideal and settle down on the low levels of the actual, or to be somewhat ashamed of our aspirations after what seems so slow of realisation, or to elevate prudent calculations of probability above the daring enthusiasms of Christian hope, the ancient word, that breathed itself into Abram’s hushed heart, should speak new vigour into ours. ‘I am the Almighty God-take My power into all thy calculations, and reckon certainties with it for the chief factor. The one impossibility is that any word of Mine should fail. The one imprudence is to doubt My word.’

What follows in regard to our duty from that revelation? ‘Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.’ Enoch walked with God; that is, his whole active life was passed in communion with Him. The idea conveyed by ‘walking before God’ is not precisely the same. It is rather that of an active life, spent in continual consciousness of being ‘naked and opened before the eyes of Him to whom we have to give account.’ That thrilling consciousness will not paralyse nor terrify, if we feel that we are not only ‘ever in the great Task-Master’s eye,’ but that God’s omniscience is all-knowing love, and is brought closer to our hearts and clothed in gracious tenderness in Christ whose ‘eyes were as a flame of fire,’ but whose love is more ardent still, who knows us altogether, and pities and loves as perfectly as He knows.

What sort of life will spring from the double realisation of God’s almightiness, and of our being ever before Him? ‘Be thou perfect.’ Nothing short of immaculate conformity with His will can satisfy His gaze. His desire for us should be our aim and desire for ourselves. The standard of aspiration and effort cannot be lowered to meet weakness. This is nobility of life-to aim at the unattainable, and to be ever approximating towards our aim. It is more blessed to be smitten with the longing to win the unwon than to stagnate in ignoble contentment with partial attainments. Better to climb, with faces turned upwards to the inaccessible peak, than to lie at ease in the fat valleys! It is the salt of life to have our aims set fixedly towards ideal perfection, and to say, ‘I count not myself to have apprehended: but . . .I press toward the mark.’ Toward that mark is better than to any lower. Our moral perfection is, as it were, the reflection in humanity of the divine almightiness. To possess God is only possible on condition of yielding ourselves to Him. When we give ourselves up, in heart, mind, and will, to be His, He is ours. When we cease to be our own, we get God for ours. The self-centred man is poor; he neither owns himself nor anything besides, in any deep sense. When we lose ourselves in God, we find ourselves, and being content to have nothing, and not even to be our own masters or owners, we possess ourselves more truly than ever, and have God for our portion, and in Him ‘all things are ours.’ (MacLaren)

To walk before God is to set him always before us, and to think, and speak, and act in every thing as those that are always under his eye. It is to have a constant regard to his word as our rule, and to his glory as our end, in all our actions. If we neglect him or dissemble with him, we forfeit the benefit of our relation to him. (Benson)

34.p. ” In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe”

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 3:12     Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Hebrews 4:2    For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Hebrews 4:6   Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,

Revelation 21:8   But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur

Numbers 14:11    And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

John 3:18-19   Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Psalms 78:22   because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

Psalms 78:32    In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.

Proverbs 11:18     The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

Jeremiah 29:13-14   You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

Brethren, we call ourselves Christians; let us be honest with ourselves, and rigid in the investigation of the thoughts of our own hearts. Is there a wish for God there? Is there an aching void in His absence, or do we shovel cartloads of earthly rubbish into our hearts, and thus dull desires that can be satisfied only with Him? These are not questions to which any one has a right to expect an answer from another; they are not questions that any Christian man can safely shirk answering to himself and to God. The measure of our seeking is actually settled by the measure of our desire. (MacLaren)

Having one eye of our hearts and minds tuned into and seeking and desiring what the world has to offer, and having the other eye turned toward heaven will not find a place for things of God. The things of earth will eat away any desire and seeking that our hearts and minds would have for things of God. Whatever this world may shout loud and strong into the ears of any who would listen will influence their path in life and hinder any things of God from being heard or seen. The heart of man must want to see and hear things of God above what this world has to offer or they will blindly and deafly follow after what seems right in their own eyes and social norms.

Seek to have God open His Word and give you understanding, knowledge, and wisdom of His grace, mercy and love.

34.r.

Matthew 21:18   In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 17:20     He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mark 11:22-23    And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Romans 4:19-20  He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb.  No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,

James 1:6   But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

1 John 5:14-15    And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

John 15:7     If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

This cursing of the barren fig-tree represents the state of hypocrites in general, and so teaches us that Christ looks for the power of religion in those who profess it, and the savour of it from those that have the show of it. His just expectations from flourishing professors are often disappointed; he comes to many, seeking fruit, and finds leaves only. A false profession commonly withers in this world, and it is the effect of Christ’s curse. The fig-tree that had no fruit, soon lost its leaves. This represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in particular. Our Lord Jesus found among them nothing but leaves. And after they rejected Christ, blindness and hardness grew upon them, till they were undone, and their place and nation rooted up. The Lord was righteous in it. Let us greatly fear the doom denounced on the barren fig-tree. (Henry)

“We can only believe for a thing when we are in such union with God that his thought and purpose can freely flow into us, suggesting what we should pray for, and leading us to that point in which there is a perfect sympathy and understanding between us and the divine mind. Faith is always the product of such a frame as this.” (Meyer)

If a person takes a shallow dive into this passage they can walk away with the opinion and thought that God is their “magic genie in a bottle” to grant their wishes as they request. Many will preach this same thought and give eloquent words to support such thoughts – “if only you had more faith” – “you can move the mountains blocking your life” – “By faith all things are possible” – “Jesus said it and you can do it if you have enough faith” – and many others like them. What is missing in these thoughts about having faith that can move a mountain is:

Am I leaving room for God’s purpose and sovereignty?
Am I seeking His will?
Am I desiring His will be done?
Am I listening to the soul-deep quiet whispers of the Holy Spirits leading?
Am I living in sin or with unconfessed sin?
Am I more interested in my will than God’s will?
Am I studying by myself to be a workman of God and rightly dividing the word of truth?
Am I in line with God’s Word?

God is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. He is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, and All-Present. He is God Almighty, no one or nothing is greater than He is. The Bible gives numerous accounts of His sovereignty, power, and control over all of His creation. To think He is at our beckoning command to do all we ask, though He can, is not having a basic foundational understanding of His sovereignty, will, and purposes over His creation. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God and were determined to be faithful without any guarantee of deliverance. In their faith, they left room for God’s will. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” This is faith in God and leaving the outcome in His hands.

When we seek to honor and glorify Jesus Christ let our Faith be ever-growing in God and place our reliance on the outcome of our requests in His hands, for His purpose and plans. He sent His Son to redeem us! He did this out of His great mercy, grace, and love. Will He not, out of this same great mercy, grace, and love, do what is absolutely perfect for our lives? Let our requests be full of unyielding and abounding faith and humbly placed at His feet knowing that He hears us, we are His children, and He will graciously, mercifully, and lovingly accomplish His will and purpose, for He can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

34.j. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Genesis 18:14   Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Numbers 11:23    And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

Job 42:2    “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Psalms 62:11     Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

Psalms 3:8   Salvation belongs to the LORD

Jeremiah 32:27     “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

Mark 10:27    Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Luke 1:37    For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 18:27    But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. If men indeed were left all to themselves, none would be saved, but God can bring men to heaven by the mighty power of his grace: he can change a rich man’s heart, and take it off from too much love of riches, and make him despise and contemn his wealth, and to put his trust in the living God, or a poor man’s heart, and make him also poor in spirit and rich in grace.

The way to heaven is a narrow way to all, and the gate that leads into it, is a strait gate; particularly so to rich people. More duties are expected from them than from others, and more sins easily beset them. It is hard not to be charmed by a smiling world. Rich people have a great account to make up for their opportunities above others. It is utterly impossible for a man that sets his heart upon his riches, to get to heaven. Christ used an expression, denoting a difficulty altogether unconquerable by the power of man. Nothing less than the almighty grace of God will enable a rich man to get over this difficulty. Who then can be saved? If riches hinder rich people, are not pride and sinful lusts found in those not rich, and as dangerous to them? Who can be saved? The beginning, progress, and perfecting of the work of salvation depend wholly on the almighty power of God, to which all things are possible. Not that rich people can be saved in their worldliness, but that they should be saved from it. A poor man may have little, and love that little more than God or reject God because of it. Nothing a man does can save him. Knowing this begs the question, “Who can be saved?” If left up to each individual, no one. But, with God all things are possible. Salvation is possible. Redemption is possible, Forgiveness is possible. Eternal life is possible. Fatih is possible. Hope is possible. Peace is possible. Joy is possible. Courage is possible. Discernment is possible. Obedience is possible. Pure love is possible. Rest for your soul is possible. Victorious Living for Jesus Christ is possible. Living to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do is possible. With God, all things are possible.

34.i. “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

Matthew 19:16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

John 6:27-28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This man, like all people by nature, had an orientation toward earning eternal life. He wanted to know what good work or noble deed he could do to inherit eternal life. By asking this question he:

He believed in a future state; that there was an eternal life that might be inherited.
He was concerned to ensure that life to himself, and was more desirous of it than of any of the enjoyments of this life: thus he differed from many of his age and quality; for the rich are apt to think it below them to make such an inquiry as this, and young people, in general, are inclined to defer making it to some future period of their lives.
He had to believe that something must be done; some evils omitted, some duties performed, or divine injunctions complied with, in order to acquire it.
He was, or at least thought he was, willing to do what was to be done or to take the steps necessary to be taken for the obtaining of this eternal life. And surely those that know what it will be to enjoy eternal life will not fall short of its requirements and will be glad to accept it on any terms. (Benson)

He had attempted to keep all the commandments. He had been taught by his Jewish teachers that people were to be saved by doing something – that is, by their works; and he supposed that this was to be the way under every system of religion. He had lived externally a blameless life, but yet he was not at peace: he was anxious, and he came to ascertain what, in the view of Jesus, was to be done, that his righteousness might be complete. To “have eternal life” means to be saved. (Barnes)

Jesus knew this man’s heart and spoke to him where his heart and mind could understand. We know that no one inherits eternal life by works, no matter how moral and grant they might be. To sell all and give all to the poor will not yield eternal life. With this in mind and reading this passage, Jesus is exposing to this man what is hindering him from surrendering all, covetousness, self-worth, and self-reliance. The young man declared that he had kept the law. That law required, among other things, that he should love his neighbor as himself. It required, also, that he should love the Lord his God supremely; that is, more than all other objects. If he had that true love for God and man – if he loved his Maker and fellow man more than he did his property, he would be willing to give up his wealth to the service of God and of man. Jesus commanded him to do this, therefore, to test his character, to show him that he had not kept the law as he pretended, and thus to show him that he needed better righteousness than his own.

Such is the life of many, loving this present world and what it has to offer. Many hear the call to repentance and salvation but the love of what this world has to offer more than eternal life in Jesus Christ. It is not as though they don’t desire eternal life but rather their love of something other than Christ keeps them from repenting and surrendering all at His feet. Many will not even show a bit of remorse over the decision to reject this offer of eternal life. They just simply cast it out of their mind giving it no further thought. Many will try to do enough good and wrongly think it is good enough to inherit eternal life. Many will even teach such. With such thoughts, the eye of the needle is very small and their attempts to enter through it with these thoughts of being good enough make them the size of a camel trying to enter. It is impossible.

The eye of the needle, as it were, is reserved for those who humbly repent, turn away from sin, and the love of this worlds pleasures and offers, surrenders, follows, trusts, and relies solely on Jesus Christ.

20.t. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the day, by the grace of God, I came to the understanding of my sin, the need for salvation, and my trusting in, clinging to, and relying on Jesus Christ (belief). This was my new creation, born again, birthday. It is a special day for which I will eternally be thankful.

Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Numbers 23:19    God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Malachi 3:6   “For I the LORD do not change

Habakkuk 2:3   For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Luke 21:33   Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Titus 1:2    in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

Hebrews 6:18    so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

James 1:17   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Herbert Lockyer, in his volume All the Promises of the Bible,’ tells the story of Everett R. Storms, a schoolteacher in Canada, who made a detailed study of promises. According to Time,’ Storms, of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, reckoned the figure of 30,000 to be too high (since it is roughly the number of verses making up the Bible31,]73). During his twenty-seventh reading of the Bible, a task which took him a year and a half, Storms came up with a grand total of 8,810 promises (7,487 of them being promises made by God to humankind). W. E. Vine says that a promise from/of God is “a gift graciously bestowed, not a pledge secured by negotiation.” I believe this to be true of all promises inline with Jesus Christ, redemption, salvation, forgiveness, joy, hope, faith, understanding, wisdom, love, peace, rest, courage, power, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and others that are promised to those who would humbly surrender, honor, glorify, believe, trust, follow, and obey Jesus Christ. However, there are other promises that do not reflect the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners, eternal life, heaven, and the bestowal of blessings. These are promises of God’s condemnation, wrath, anger, fury, and judgment. Too often, we give these no thought. We do not proclaim the coming judgment, wrath, anger, and fury of God against all who would deny, reject, or by some other means not fully and wholly trust in, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ for their salvation, redemption, and forgiveness. God promised all who try to get to heaven, other than through Jesus Christ, will be judged, lacking, and will be cast into the lake of fire forever and ever. There is an urgency for understanding these two paths of promises. Without understanding the reason for and the results and outcome of sin, a person will never see the need for confession, repentance, forgiveness, redemption, or salvation. Without an understanding of God’s Holiness, Love, Wrath, and Anger, how is a person to understand the need for Jesus Christ? How is a person to understand the greatness of God’s grace, love, and mercy without understanding the effects of sin in the eyes of God? How is a person to know God’s hatred of sin without the perspective of God’s judgment of it?

God’s Word says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “The wages of sin is death.” “If their name is not written in the Lambs book of life they were cast into the lake of fire.” “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Believing in God’s grace, mercy and love also mean that there must be an understanding for the reason of needing it.

32. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come;

Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Habakkuk 2:3     For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Malachi 3:6     For I the LORD do not change

Luke 21:33     Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Titus 1:2    in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

Hebrews 6:18    so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

James 1:17     Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God does not lie, He does not change, and what He promises will take place. Think about what He has promised: Savior Jesus Christ, Steadfast love, Purpose, Justice, Power, Refuge, Courage, Hope, Love, Peace, Joy, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Forgiveness, Salvation, Rebirth – Born Again, Eternal Life, Resurrection, Heaven

He has also promised: Judgement, anger, wrath, Hell, torment, agony, separation, foolishness, disaster, chaos, turmoil, unrest, justice, eternal damnation

What separates these two paths of all of mankind? Choice!!! Choice in what we believe. Choice in who we believe. Nothing is more clear than what is stated:

John 3:16-21 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Romans 1:18-21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence, earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

21. “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Numbers 11:23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

Genesis 18:14    Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Psalms 78:41    They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 50:2    Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water and die of thirst.

Isaiah 59:1    Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;

Micah 2:7     Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the LORD grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?

Matthew 19:26    But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Luke 1:37     For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Ezekiel 24:14    I am the LORD. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord GOD.”

When God speaks do we trust what He says? Do we believe what He says? Do we cling to what He says? Do we listen to what He says? Do we rely on what He says? Are we changed because of what He says? Are we wanting to hear Him speak through His word? Are we living according to His word? Are our thoughts and actions in accordance with His word?

Many of the answers to these questions can be rooted in how we view God. We believe we are not good enough for Him to save us or work in our life. We put limits on God’s power, His love, His calling, His purpose, His judgment. These limits are rooted in our lack of understanding and knowledge of God and much by the influence of our culture. Our belief in who God is and what He can do, how He can do it, and if He is alive and present, get sidetracked and confused because of our belief, trust, faith, hope, and love needing to be grounded in His word are grounded instead by the words of man.

Man can do many things but there are always limits. Some things are possible but others are impossible. With God all things are possible. God can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. God is awesome in power and might. God is steadfast in His love for those called by Him. God is righteous and holy. God’s judgment is never wrong. God’s grace and mercy in and through Jesus Christ have given us new life. In this new life our sins, though they be red as scarlet, shall be white as snow. In Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven.

Because in God all things are possible we find in His word strength for today and hope for tomorrow. In trusting and relying on Him our days are never burdensome but rather filled with a never-ending reliance, fulfilling satisfaction of knowing we are in His loving hands. His word gives life, strength, hope, and purpose to those who seek and desire to know, understand and serve Him.

Why do you doubt?

Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Numbers 11:23 And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

Deuteronomy 7:21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God, nothing can hinder the LORD

1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Psalms 93:1 The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Matthew 3:9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

Matthew 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

When you read words like; “Nothing is impossible with God,” “He is able to do far more than all that we ask and think,” “God is able,” “God, nothing is too hard for You”, ” why do you doubt,” do you feel a bit like your faith is not living up to what God can do? In some ways this is to be expected for we do not understand the “limitless power of God”. When we come to a situation in our life where all of our being clings to, relies on, and trusts in God, we still are limited by our finite understanding and knowledge of God. This does not limit what God can do.

Even if we try to think of all the possible things God can do, we would not barely scratch the surface of what He is able to do.

Why to we fret? Why do we worry? Why are we anxious? Why do we doubt? Why do we put limits on what we think God can and will do? Why do we fear? Why do we get upset? Are these indicators of our thinking of what we think God can do in our lives and situations?

Is it possible we have limited thinking on what God can do because we spend limited time with Him. We may give him the courtesy Sunday morning nod and maybe even a christian radio station on in the car but is there more substance to our walk than this? Are these turning into a performance “check the box” kind of things and not really living and experiencing a faith filled daily walking together relationship with God.

Having a mind set on being in the presence of God throughout the day is much different than a “touch base with God” on and off during the week. Walking with Him throughout the day is a choice. This is similar to the choice to learn more of Him and from Him. It is a choice to hear Him whisper into your life. It is a choice to call on Him, to thank Him, to worship Him, to rely on Him, to wait for His leading, to follow Him, to obey Him, and to serve Him.

We will never approach seeing His mighty hand at work or doing the impossible unless we are in the presence of God, with faith leading our heart, mind, and soul closer and closer to Him.