Nothing Shall be Impossible with God: Except for This…

We are living in a “seeker” generation. People everywhere are eager to hear from God. The want to feel Him. They want to hear Him. They want to encounter Him. They are looking for sensation. They want the power the Gospel offers. But they don’t often want the sacrifice the Gospel requires. They want the Jesus who loves and accepts them, and even saves them. But they don’t want the One who judges, disciplines, or demands repentance.

There is so much more out there than mere “itching ears”. There are hungry hearts. There are confused yet curious minds. And there are lost lives. Yet, Christ declares that the narrow way is one few will actually find. In Matthew 24, Christ reveals a remnant of followers whom He terms His “elect” (Matthew 24:22, 24, 31). And although many are called, few will be chosen (Matthew 22:14). In all this, there will ultimately be many more “seekers” than there will be “finders”. With that said, let’s remember that God’s promise to those who seek Him with their whole heart is that He will be found of them (Jeremiah 29: 10-14).

So why the remnant? Because although God may be found, not everyone will follow. Whether or not those individuals will surrender their lives, repent of their sin, and truly follow Him is the determining factor. And although many consider themselves “seekers”, they are not seeking God with their whole heart. In fact, they are trying to disprove Him via alternate spiritual routes.

Christ Jesus reveals Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He says that no one comes to the Father except by Him. And no one comes to Him except the Father first draw him. That reveals the will of God as it operates within the Holy Trinity. It also reveals a divine calling. Therefore, if anyone seeks God, it is because the Father has first drawn Him. Therefore, that human desire is not independent of His divine will and desire. Nor is that human desire without purpose in finding God, or apart from His promise of revealing Himself.

But the Gospel of Christ doesn’t stop there with this divine introduction between God and man. Christ makes clear demands upon all those who would follow Him: that one should count the cost and repent of their sin, which means turning from the power of Satan to God, and from darkness to light, that they might receive forgiveness of sin and be saved (see Acts 26:18). It means taking up the cross daily and following Him. That cross is a clear picture of a crucified life — one who no longer lives for self, but for God; one who is no longer controlled by the flesh, but who walks in the Holy Spirit.

Such are few. In the Gospels we find accounts of those who sought God and found Him, only to discover He was not what they wanted (see Matthew 19:16-26). He didn’t fit their profile. In such cases we do not find Christ bending toward their moral justifications for sin and selfishness. Instead He clarified the salvation message for those who did choose to follow Him. In the Gospels we find many who followed Christ. He was thronged with crowds. Yet when tested they did not endure and fell away. The same individuals who hailed Him with praises of “Hosannah” were also those who condemned Him, shouting, “Crucify Him!”

Christ makes it clear that many will fall away (see Matthew 7:22-23, 24:9-13, 25:1-13). He makes it clear that few will truly find the narrow way that leads to eternal life. He makes it clear that many will say “LORD, LORD” and yet deny Him with their actions of what He terms, “lawlessness”, to which He will say “I never knew you.” He makes it clear that He is the only way to the Father.

The Liberal Gospel

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ, (Galatians 1:8-10, KJV).

The true Gospel of Christ is absolute, unyielding, and unapologetic.

There is a liberal spirit at work in the world today. It’s everywhere and in everything. This liberal spirit is one that challenges and condemns any moral absolutes. There is no longer right or wrong; good or bad; truth or falsehood. It is hateful, intolerant, selfish, and easily offended. It’s affecting every industry, every institution, and every government entity. There is also a liberal gospel being preached which no longer endures sound doctrine. It’s a gospel where sin is not confronted or condemned but rather condoned for the sake of avoiding any possible offense; love is equated with tolerance for the sake of fearing man instead of God; and the Christian life no longer embraces sacrifice or suffering but selfish pleasure, self-promotion, and ill-gotten gain via a gospel of greed. The church that embraces this liberal gospel is unwilling to endure persecution for the LORD, being one who commits spiritual adultery with the world yet expects Him to rapture them from it. This liberal gospel preaches a Christ who no longer confronts sin and demands repentance. Nor does He rebuke and discipline His Church. Instead, He is a spiritual entity of sensuality who strokes spiritual egos, romances us with spiritual tingles and smooth prophetic words, pacifies our flesh, and permits a carnal lifestyle. Let it be known that this is a false christ, an angel of light, an antichrist spirit which is causing great destruction in the Church. It creates a spiritual atmosphere where nothing is questioned, nothing is tested, none are held accountable, everyone is free, and therefore all are harmed.

This false christ is one that lulls to sleep, deceives with false teaching and prophecy, and opens doors to the demonic in very subtle yet gradual ways that are otherwise imperceptible and undetected to those who are not spiritually sharp, wise, or mature. As a result, the shepherds are sick and selfish, the sheep are scattered from one church to another, and the lambs are led to slaughter by wolves in sheep’s clothing via the serpent’s smooth sly tongue.

If you are in church and sin is not being addressed appropriately, compromise is embraced for the sake of being politically correct and spiritually comfortable, repentance is optional, righteousness in Christ is not being pursued, prophecy is preferred over the authority of God’s Word, men are exalted, hype and entertainment are the means by which the Spirit of God moves and is corporately discerned, and the Word of God is not being preached as the final governing authority in the believer’s life — you’re in a dangerous place and very vulnerable to the deception of which Christ warns His elect.

True Faith

True faith is demonstrated, not merely verbalized. And the true Gospel is one of genuine providential power – not superficial hype and entertainment. That power is realized in lives that are transformed and set free by a  holy and unrelenting passion for Jesus Christ and His perfect will, an unapologetic conviction of sin and righteousness that demands repentance, and a manifestation of His presence through the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts He freely bestows. The life of a true believer will be an accurate likeness (reflection) of Jesus Christ.

A confession of faith can only be verified by a lifestyle that emulates Christ to a lost and dying world.  Christ makes it clear that the hallmark of a true believer will be the sacrificial love for one another — the kind of love Christ demonstrated. The love Christ demonstrated did not romance people into spiritual apathy or lull them into a spiritual bed of sensual slumber. His love was bold, holy, passionate, merciful, unyielding, and uncompromising.

Christ’s primary passion was for His Father’s will to be done. Every word He spoke and every deed He performed was predicated upon this. Christ sought His Father diligently in every moment of every day, demonstrating to His disciples what walking in the Spirit really was, how that happened, and personally trained them in how to deliver His Father’s will to the masses. He was unapologetic for the offense of the Gospel. In fact, He offended many. He was fearless. He loved others enough to confront their sin and tell them the truth. He demanded repentance for the salvation He offered. And although He humbled Himself to meet people where they were, He didn’t pacify them or leave them there. He told them to “get up” and “sin no more”. He rebuked Peter, addressing Satan himself. He took a whip to the temple because the love for His Father’s house was unyielding and uncompromising. He condemned the Pharisees calling them a “brood of vipers” and “sons of hell” because he loved them enough to tell them the truth. He promised His followers tribulation and persecution. He also promised us peace and that He would not leave us or forsake us. And finally, He suffered and died, telling all who would follow Him that they must be willing to do the same for Him and their brethren. He never minced words. He taught all to count the cost. This was no weak Christ. He overcame every obstacle presented to Him. He challenged every one who challenged Him, silencing His enemies. He did not fear man. He never apologized for the truth. He fulfilled every prophecy. He fulfilled every requirement of the Law. And He fulfilled the will of His Father on earth as it was in heaven, being able to declare with His last breath, “It is finished.”

Those who believe in Him and follow Him are called to be like Him. This is no weak Gospel. And this is no weak Christ.

Christ Jesus was utterly dependent and therefore wholly submitted to His heavenly Father in perfect obedience. He demonstrated that without fail for all who would follow Him. As believers and disciples we are called to the same dependence, submission, and obedience as He. Those who confess Christ are urged to both test and prove themselves to see whether or not they are in the faith (see 2 Corinthians 13:5). We are urged to grow in Christ being spiritually rooted in Him (see Colossians 2:7). We are commanded to leave elementary principles such as repentance and to pursue maturity, in which we put away childish ways and carnality, thus becoming spiritual men (1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Hebrews 6:1-6, and 1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Also, we are told that the LORD will try the reins of our hearts (see Psalm 7:9, Jeremiah 11:20 & 17:10). He does that in numerous ways, and He tailors those tests for each individual believer. I’m personally convinced that when we encounter various trials or strange circumstances that we should be mindful of the LORD’s willingness to test us in our faith. He’s looking for substance of what we verbally claim to be true. If it is genuine, and we are learned of Him as His disciple, we will pass that test. If not we get to repent, die to self, submit — and in due time, take the test again.

The current Gospel being preached is one sadly devoid of repentance. It’s bathed with altruistic love, acceptance, and “come as you are” hymns, yet those who answer this spiritual lullaby often find a spiritual frustration in its powerless doctrine. Love that does not bring the inner transformation found in genuine salvation is not love. It’s merely a spiritual pacifier. The salvation Christ offers and brings to mankind offers radical transformation in which we become like Him.  This transformation is predicated upon the principle of repentance, which is a loving invitation into the freedom and transformation He offers. In fact, there is no salvation apart from repentance. One must repent if we are to go from spiritual “slavery” to “salvation”. In today’s modern gospel the command to repent is missing — having become nearly obsolete, and therefore the believer is bereft of the changes they personally seek or desire, as well as those Christ publicly offers and passionately purchased for all those who would follow Him.

Time and again God invites us to believe Him with statements only He can make; invitations only He can bestow; and declarations only He can fulfill. But are we listening to Him?

Are we believing Him?

Are we obeying Him?

The God Who Cannot Lie

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of he Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS,  AND LORD OF LORDS, (Revelation 19:9-16, KJV).

The God who says:

For with God nothing shall be impossible, (Luke 1:37, KJV).

also says:

For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us…” (Hebrews 6:16-18, KJV, emphasis mine).

When we come to understand and accept that God cannot lie, we will finally lay all arguments to rest. When we understand that Christ is the Word made flesh, who is the incorruptible seed, and that His word is both spirit and life, that not even one jot or tittle will pass away, and that we will be judged by His Word which is eternal and inerrant, and that He upholds His word even above His name — perhaps we will come to terms with Whom we are dealing.

For the God who says:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out,” (John 6:37, KJV).

also says:

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (Matthew 8:11-12, KJV).

The Word of God is not subject to man’s opinion. Never. We are subject to the Word of God, who will judge all with impartiality. We must come to a place where we fear God appropriately, with an acute and ever-present awareness that we are utterly subject to Him. Because there is one thing He can’t, won’t, and therefore will never do — He cannot lie.

And therefore, every opinion and interpretation of man must be rightly judged by the Word of God.

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word, (Isaiah 66:1-2, KJV).

Seeking and Finding God

Even more than you may seek God, know that He is the One seeking you first. Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost. That has always been, and always will be His mission and passion. He hasn’t stopped. He’s still doing that today. When He is lifted up, He draws all men unto Himself.

Seeking the LORD begins with a genuine humility of heart that trembles at His Word with the understanding that Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh, to which every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is LORD. All things were created by His Word, and by His Word all will be judged. All that we presently see and know will perish and pass away – except for the LORD, His Word, and those who are born again by Him, being found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. His Kingdom is without end.

The Lord does not seek and save in vain. Nor does He allow others to seek Him in vain without finding Him. If you are genuinely seeking God — He will be found by you. You WILL have an encounter with the living God, who is Jesus Christ. So be ready. If you encounter Christ and choose to follow Him, your life will drastically change. If it doesn’t then there is a serious problem. Either the christ you’ve found is not Christ at all, or you’ve failed to surrender your life to Him.

What Gospel are you believing? Is it the one Christ preaches?

Which Christ are you following? Is it one who permits your sin and is powerless to deliver you from it? Are you still struggling with sin, the flesh, and the devil? Perhaps you are following a false Christ. If you are following the Christ found in the Word of God, He promises salvation to all who come to Him — but it is not without repentance. And when you surrender your life to Him alone, you will experience the power of His Spirit and His Word, being set free and fully liberated from all that would bind you and seek to destroy you and deceive you.

By what word are you living your life? Is it the one man has taught you? Are you living by vain imaginations, false prophecies, and the doctrines of men? Or is the Holy Word of God governing your life? When the Word of God becomes your God, and you seek truth in all things by Him, He becomes the foundation upon which you build your life, and your life is not only saved, but completely transformed — to the degree that you are willing to surrender and repent. His Word is living and creative. If your life is not being transformed, and your mind is not being renewed, then deception is at work either within you, or within the doctrine you are believing and following.

The Gospel of Christ is one of power. And it is one of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (see Romans 1:16 & 14:17).

All things are possible with God, except for this: He cannot lie. And that is the truth by which we must live and order our lives. It is absolute and unapologetic. Don’t ever accuse Him of saying something He didn’t. Don’t ever think you’ll get away with putting words in His mouth. Don’t ever speculate upon things He’s said which you don’t understand. Don’t ever assume upon Him something He didn’t speak. God does not take kindly toward libel and slander. Don’t ever attach His name to something by saying “Thus saith the Lord”, when all you have is an impression, a thought, or a spiritual tickle. True prophecy will always be by the Spirit of God, which is the very testimony of Jesus Christ. Don’t ever believe it to be anything less.

Every Word spoken by God is wholly pure, entirely true, and absolutely irrevocable (see Psalm 12:6 and 119:140, Proverbs 30:5). It is eternal, unalterable, inerrant, and completely one with who He is. He is the Word. Remember, He exalts His word even above His name (see Psalm 138:2). All things are possible with God. But He cannot lie.

The enemy of God is therefore called a liar and the father of lies (see John 8:40-47). Christ calls His disciples to walk in His Truth and be on guard against deception, false teachers, false prophets, and false christs. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

A WORD OF WARNING TO ALL THOSE WHO WOULD SEEK GOD:  If you seek God — and He should be found by you — you are no longer a man or woman of ignorance. Your days of ignorance are over. You will know with all certainty who He is and to whom you are eternally accountable. Thus, you become responsible for the Way, the Truth, and the Life revealed to you. In that discovery, you will inevitably come to a place a reckoning in which you must make a decision to either surrender and be saved, or turn away and be condemned. That choice will always be yours.

Count the cost (see Luke 14:26-35).

As for me, He is worth it all (Genesis 15:1).

Cheers & Shalom,

For more on the above topics, consider the following bible studies: