“Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!’ This amazed them. But Jesus said again, ‘Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, 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!’ The disciples were astounded. ‘Then who in the world can be saved’ they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.’” (Mark 10:23-27 NLT)
As you look at your life, the activities of your day, how much is impossible for you to do without the Lord? Don’t answer that too quickly because the reality is, you couldn’t lift your eyelids, you couldn’t even take a breath of air without the powerful presence of Almighty God. Some may muse: “Whoa! That can’t be true. I don’t believe that!” Suit yourself, but I tend to take what God’s Word says very literally unless the context dictates otherwise, and when Jesus said in John 15:5: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do NOTHING!” (emphasis mine)
Yes, I realize Jesus was speaking to those who have placed their faith and trust in Him, and so am I, but the reality is, as one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess, that every word that came from the mouth of the Savior was true, we will then understand that EVERY person, believer or not, was and is subject to the authority of the Savior.
The air He allows us to breathe, the energy and intelligence to work, to do the things we do from day to day are a gift from Him, largely taken for granted and ignored. But for those of us who know Him, love Him and are seeking to serve Him, we view virtually every detail of our lives as miraculous. It’s in that context I invite you to view whatever the Lord has called you to do, be, say, or think as IMPOSSIBLE without His divine intervention, guidance, and grace.
Just as it’s impossible for someone to have a transformed life except through the power of God’s Spirit, it’s impossible for us as believers to live above sin, to have a holy life, to walk in obedience to the Spirit’s leading, to live, to move, and to even exist without Him. Every detail of our being is impossible for a child of God. That’s why the faithful man of God, George Müller wrote: “Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”
Think of the implications! Listen to what we say: “I’m going to: lead this class! Preach this sermon! Talk to this person about Jesus! Lead this person to Jesus! Go to the store! Eat this meal!” and on and on it goes day after day operating in the energy of the flesh. Yes, of course, when we think about it we realize we can do nothing without the Lord but isn’t that the point! We shouldn’t have to think about it!
Our second nature should be to realize before any activity of any kind whether “spiritual” in nature or not: “Lord, enable me by Your grace to fulfill this responsibility/activity/whatever it is, in your strength and in a manner that renders You glory, honor, and praise.” The Lord Jesus should constantly be in our thoughts and on our mind, leading, guiding, equipping, instructing, empowering, us to be wise in whatever He is leading us to do.
Our most important mission is to help others see Him more clearly, leading them to a saving knowledge of Him in their own lives. And do you know when they’re watching our lives most closely? Not when we’re “presenting the Gospel,” but when the Gospel is presenting itself in and through the way we conduct ourselves in the normal course of our day.
Are we living in utter dependence upon the Lord, realizing nothing is possible for us without Him, or are we still trying to accomplish everything we do in the energy of the flesh?
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 