Spiritual Maturity #4

A. Ever been at a complete loss? Task seem humanly Impossible? Where do you turn, what do you do? Such frustrations, are not new, not unique. One of todays common questions is, “Where do you go to find the Answers?” This lesson and the next we’ll look at the Bible as it addresses the subject of our impossibilities.
Jer. 32:17. Nothing is to difficult for God. What we call impossible He calls possible. Question? Do you really believe that? Do you have that kind of faith in God? That question is power packed with all kinds of possibilities. And from that question you can be filled with all kinds of assurance.
a. Jer. 32:27. God asks this retoricle question, “Is anything to difficult for Me?” That question is
asked, not to test your knowledge or lack of it. God is not testing your IQ. Asking you to stop
and think. Study on it, contemplate it and come to a logical, honest, conclusion. Are you
intellectually honest? Are you as believing as you say you are?
(A) Do you say, “I believe in God.” and then live as if there is no God or as if you believed
God would lie to you and let you down? As if you believed He was not capable of doing
the impossible?
(1) God says, “I spoke the universe into existence. I commanded and the earth was. I
said, ‘light be and light was.’ I formed you from the dust of the ground. If I can do that,
can anything be impossible for Me?” What does that question challenge you to do?
(a) God is asking you to substitute your impossibilities for His very real power and
abilities. I have problems, difficulties in my life. But all I need to know in life is
God and His promises and that He has never lied to me. That’s the bottom Line.
New Testament example. Mary is told in Lk. 1:31-37. Then he says in Vs. 37, "For with God nothing will be impossible."
Mary’s question, “I’m a virgin, how is that possible?” What’s the answer? “With God nothing is impossible?” Now the question to you is, Do you understand? Do you believe that?
(b) Our existence, the Bible, the nation of Israel, the history of Christianity all give tacit testimony to the fact that, “With God nothing is impossible.
(2) Luke 18:18-27, The rich young ruler had just asked Jesus how to get into the
Kingdom and be saved. Jesus said, “Make Me the most important thing in your life.
Put Me before all the wealth and riches you have. It says he went away sorrowful
because he was a very rich man.”
Then in Vs. 27, Jesus said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?
Now listen to what Jesus answered, ”The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Nothing is impossible with God. That includes the rivers you have to cross, the mountains you have to climb in your life of service to Him. He makes all things possible. Turn to God and leave your life to Him in a faith that refuses to doubt. Now, lets see this principle illustrated, Jno. 6:1-12.
(2) Up on a mountain. 5,000 hungry people and No Albertsons, United, Lowes, or IGA supermarket. No body knows what to do. And that’s what Jesus wanted. The miracle He’s about to perform is not for the people. It’s an object lesson for the disciples and for you and me.
(1) Vs. 6, says “Jesus already knew what He was going to do.” He always knows. He’s God, He knows the end of a thing before It’s beginning. And because He created man, He knows that the eye is a better pupil than the ear.

(1) Jesus is about to use an awesome visual aid that will teach a very important truth. remember we grow by Learning. What you learn you grow into and what you grow into is the result of what you practice in your everyday life. That’s why you have to be careful about what you let get into your head. Need to cultivate and cull the influences in your life very carefully.
(b) What are they going to learn from this miraculous visial aid? You always trust
God in the impossible situations of life.
(2) Vs. 5b, says, “Jesus looked up and saw the great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Why Philip? He needs growing. JNO 14:8, Jesus is trying to get them to trust Him and Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Let us see God and we’ll ask no more questions.
(a) Philip was a doubter. He had to see everything. A statistical pessimist. Get out
the calculator and check the ledgers and financial resources.
(b) Look at Vs. 7, Jesus asked “Where?” Philip asks “How much?” Philip failed the
test. Jesus asked, “Where get it? and with that question, He’s saying, “Look at
Me.” Philip was looking at the answer and focusing on his own human resources.
Philip is so earthbound he cannot see past his own pocket book.
(1) All Jesus wanted him to say was, “Lord I don’t know. It’s impossible for me. But I know that it’s not impossible for you. I’ve seen you turn water into wine, heal the sick, raise the dead.....For you nothing is impossible.” Vs. 8-9. To bad Andrew doesn’t stop when he’s ahead. Look what he says in the latter part of Vs. 9. He just walks off with a shrug seeing only the Impossible. So spiritually blind he can’t see beyond the end of his nose to see Jesus.
(3) How many Christians are like that? What I have to offer God is so small, so worthless that it really doesn’t count. It can never make any difference. So what? All that little boy had was 5 biscuits and 2 dried perch. That was all Jesus needed.
(1) What ever you can do for God or give to God. He can multiply for His glory. Can you believe that at one time I could not stand before any group and speak? Now it’s hard to get me to shut up and sit down. You are hearing the result of God making my impossibilities possible.
(2) Don’t fence God into your lack of faith. Don’t limit yourself to your impossibilities. Let go and let God. He will grow you beyond you wildest dreams. Use you in ways you never thought possible. Just believe in and give yourself to the God with whom there are no impossibilities.
(3) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 10/06/02 am Bob Martin