“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Luke 1:37
What a statement!
The Lord said to Jeremiah, 'Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?' (Jer. 32:27)
The answer is a resounding NO!
“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 )
How do you know if you are being wise according to God’s standards? This verse gives the answer.
It must be pure
Pure is defined as not mixed or adulterated. Having no moral failing or guilt. To be virtuous, ethical, good, righteous, honorable, reputable, wholesome, clean, honest, upright, upstanding, exemplary, irreproachable; decent, worthy, noble, blameless, guiltless, spotless, unsullied, uncorrupt.
It must be peace-loving
Peace-loving is defined as appeasing, peaceful, amicable, calm, conciliatory, diplomatic, friendly, gentle, neutral, peaceable, peacemaking, quiet, tranquil, untroubled.
It must be considerate
Considerate is defined as careful not to cause inconvenience or hurt to others. It’s attentive, thoughtful, solicitous, mindful, heedful; obliging, accommodating, helpful, cooperative, patient; kind, unselfish, compassionate, sympathetic, caring, charitable, altruistic, generous; polite, sensitive, tactful.
It is submissive
Submissive is defined as ready to conform to the authority or will of others; meekly obedient or passive. It is compliant, yielding, acquiescent, unassertive, passive, obedient, biddable, dutiful, docile, pliant.
It is full of mercy
Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. Mercy demonstrates leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, charity, forgiveness, forbearance, soft-heartedness, tenderheartedness, kindness, sympathy.
Full of good fruit
Good fruit is defined as that which is produced by the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22)
It must be impartial
Impartial is defined as treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just. To be impartial means to be unbiased, unprejudiced, neutral, nonpartisan, nondiscriminatory, fair, fair-minded, just; without favoritism.
It must be sincere
Sincere is defined as free from pretense or deceit; proceeding from genuine feelings. To be heartfelt, wholehearted, profound, deep; not dishonest or hypocritical.
Wisdom is the principle thing!
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Prov. 4:7)
Need God’s kind of wisdom? Ask God for it!
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)
“Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Luke 12:24)
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)
Therefore
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”(Matt. 6:31-32)
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)
Absolutely sure!
We do not have to be in doubt! It is wonderful that we can know for sure that we have eternal life because our Bible, the Word of God says so! This is in stark contrast to all major religions that do not give assurance of salvation.
“Religion” vs “Christianity”,
There is a huge difference between religion and Christianity. Let me explain. Simply put, “religion” can be defined as all of man’s ways of trying to “reach” God. “Christianity”, on the other hand, is God’s way of reaching man (Jesus).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
Therefore
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Heb. 7:25)
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Rom. 10:9-10)
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
“Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:25)
You need others!
We all do! And as you get closer to the “Day approaching” you are going to need Christian brothers and sisters for encouragement and support! That is a huge reason to be a part of a solid fellowship of believers, a church.
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”(Gal. 6:2)
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:8-10)
Therefore
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16)
1 Cor. 6:9-11 “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
These people “won't inherit the Kingdom of God”
This verse lists a few kinds of people who will not inherit the kingdom of God: wrongdoers, sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who have sex with men, those who practice homosexuality, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, and swindlers!
But, there is good news!
But there is hope for them! God has the power to change people, no matter what they have done orhow sinful they may be!
That's what some of your "were"
This same passage says something else truly remarkable! “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.d.”
God has the power to change people!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17)
Therefore
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Rom. 10:9-10)
“He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.” (Psalm 146:7)
God knows what you need
Matthew 6:31-32 “Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them.”
You won’t starve
Proverbs 10:3 “The LORD will not allow a righteous person to starve, but he intentionally ignores the desires of a wicked person.”
Psalm 107:9 “For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
Proverbs 13:25 “The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.”
Therefore
Luke 12:31 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.”
Philippians 4:19 “And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.”
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
We shouldn't limit God!
· An Ax head floats (2 Kings 6:1-7)
· The sea parts so God’s people can walk safely through on dry land. (Exodus 14:21)
· 3 men survive in a blazing fiery furnace without even the smell of smoke on them. (Daniel 3:23)
· A donkey speaks. (Numbers 22:28)
· Peter walks on the water. (Matthew 14:29)
· A man, dead for days, comes back to life. (John 11.43)
“Ah Lord GOD! behold, you have made the heaven and the earth by your great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17
“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27
Psalms 103:1-5 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
Remember
Yes, we should remember God’s many wonderful benefits, and there are many! The above passage reminds us of seven benifits to remember and to “bless the LORD” for:
1) He pardons all your iniquities
2) He heals all your diseases.
3) He redeems your life from the pit.
4) He crowns you with loving kindness.
5) He crowns you with compassion.
6) He satisfies your years with good things. And,
7) Your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Therefore
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)