Nothing is Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

- Mark 10:27 -

Photo courtesy: God Loves U Ministries

You're The Last In Line

Photo courtesy: Packrat Comics

They came to Capernaum.  When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.  Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”  He took a little child and had him stand among them.  Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

- Mark 9:33-37

Applying Rick Warren’s 40DITW (40 Days in the Word), Probe It with S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S. for this study verse is a challenge and a good exercise.

Is there a SIN to confess?

Like the disciples, most of us are focused on attaining personal success, becoming to be always at the top.  Pride keeps us having selfish ambition. Wrong motives arise for wanting to be always the first or the greatest.

Is there a PROMISE to claim?

In this verse, Jesus said that whoever welcomes one of these little children, welcomes Him; and whoever welcomes Him welcomes God.

Schedule of Activities

 

What kept Jesus busy during His three-year residency on earth?  Jesus’ schedule book must have been full-packed with tons of activities (preemptive states not yet included).  And, oh! His scheduled activities had been written way before He stepped on the planet Earth.

So again I ask: What kept Jesus busy on earth? According to the book of Mark, I enumerate most, but not all, the following:

Laugh at Him

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.  "Your daughter is dead," they said.  "Why bother the teacher any more?"  Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."  He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion with people crying and wailing loudly.  He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing?"  The child is not dead but asleep."  But they laughed at him.

- Mark 5:35-40

I confess that at times, I am one of those people who laughs at Jesus' words.  I can't help but laugh when God tells me something that He would do to my life that seems impossible.  It's just absurd. Crazy. LOL!

The Edge of His Cloak

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus.  They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever he went -- into villages, towns or countryside -- they placed the sick in the marketplace.  They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

- Mark 6: 53-56

Jesus was one famous, high-profile, head-turner, eye-catcher, headliner, history-maker individual of His time (and all time). He was like a magnet which people were drawn to Him wherever He went.

As I read the phrase, "as soon as," I could imagine Jesus stepping out of the boat and just as He stood having His deep breath, a man, probably a fisherman in his mid-age, while untangling his net, looked up, glanced at his side, and saw Jesus just arrived.  The fisherman to his surprise, tapped his buddy beside him with his elbow while saying, "Look! It's Jesus!"  Then, it went like a wildfire.  It was broadcasted throughout the whole region of Gennesaret that Jesus has arrived. I could imagine people crowded around Jesus.

The thickness of the crowd must have made Jesus and His disciples moved around town in a snail's speed. If this happened in modern day, Jesus must have been trending on Twitter, Top 1 in major search engines, and probably would have had a thousand "Likes" on Facebook and Instagram... hehehe!!!

Setting aside Jesus' popularity, what struck me in these verses was the response of the people.  They ran throughout the whole region; they carried their sick on mats; they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They followed Jesus to wherever He went.

And to me, this is the winner: They begged him to let them touch even the edge of His cloak [emphasis mine].  Imagine...the kind of faith they had!

Photo courtesy: bridegroomofmysoul.blogspot.com

The edge of His cloak.

The edge.

The.

Edge.

That's it. All who touched Him were healed.

All.

Touched.

Healed.

Imagine that!

Whoever Jesus touched was healed.  It is a given fact. This time, it's the other way around: whoever touched Him was healed. Jesus not only healed whom He touched, but also those who took the initiative to touch Him (even just the edge of His garment).

What's the secret to Jesus' healing power?

The power of healing did not come from touching Jesus' cloak.  The cloak did not have some special power.  Rather, it is by Jesus, through a person's faith, that one is healed. The kind of faith that says, Jesus can heal any disease and, that which is manifested through one's action. Only faith in Jesus can bring healing, and not through touching the edge of the cloak.

In Mark 5:34, Jesus said to the bleeding woman, "Daughter, your faith has healed you."  In Mark 9:23, Jesus said to the father of a demon-possessed boy, "Everything is possible for him who believes." In Mark 10:52, Jesus said to a blind beggar, "Go, your faith has healed you."

Faith is the key to healing.  Faith is the key to restoration.  Faith is the key to freedom.  And who is the object of faith? JESUS. How can one be saved? By faith in Jesus, not by works of our own.

Photo courtesy: thefaithpal.blogspot.com

How can one be completely healed? As it is written in Acts 3:16, "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong.  It is in Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see."

There is power and healing in Jesus' touch.  There is power and healing in Jesus' name.  There is power and healing being released as we believe that Jesus can.  He can when we believe He says He can! And He will!

Believe!

Have faith!

Be assured!

Be confident that you can get healed, having faith even to the point of just brushing a tip of your finger on the edge of Jesus' cloak.

[Journal entry: July 12, 2012]

His Deep Distress He Went Through

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."  He took Peter, James, and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them.  "Stay here and keep watch."  Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what you will."

- Mark 14: 32-36

I can't just imagine what Jesus felt the night before His "The Day."  Jesus felt greatly troubled; He felt deeply distressed.  He knew He would suffer into the hands of man, and he knew He would be crucified.  The thought that He would be crucified must and must suffer in the process would really bring stress and trouble into one's soul.  Imagine, the Son of God, the Lord, would go through shame, pain, suffering, and unjust treatment from mankind.  Jesus said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death."  What Jesus went through was no joke.  If it were me, I would have really died from great sorrow and distress before my crucifixion.  I am so thankful to Father God and to Jesus that I didn't have to go through what Jesus went through.  Jesus took my place on my behalf!

I noticed in the following verse what Jesus did with His intense feeling of distress, He brought it up to His Abba, Father.  He prayed, He communed with His Father in heaven, He let His deepest sorrow out to His Father.  He was so distressed that He even prayed to take Him out of His upcoming suffering, but Jesus, despite what He would be going through, chose to obey His heavenly Father and clung on to His Father's will.

Jesus knows every pain, every suffering, every hardship we are facing.  He has a full understanding and complete consciousness of what we are going through, for Jesus Himself went through suffering before us.  The great thing is we have an open line to bring our distresses to our Heavenly Father.

[Journal entry: March 7, 2012]

He is Not Here. He Has Risen!

The day that changed everything. He is not here for He has risen. Jesus conquered death and in Him is life. A glorious resurrection Sunday everyone!

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Mark 16

 1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Nothing is Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." - Mark 10:27

Yes, Father God, all things are possible with You.  Nothing is impossible with You. Nothing is too hard for You.  There is no illness so incurable that You cannot heal. There is no relationship so broken that You cannot restore.  There is no debt so big that You cannot pay.  There is no need so big that You cannot provide.  There is no person so sinful and dirty that You cannot forgive.  There is no problem so big that You cannot solve.  When everything seems impossible and when everything seems endless, YOU lift a finger of Your hand and do what is impossible to us!  You are the God of impossibility! Nothing and no one can stop YOU!

Not even death could stop you, God! Not even death! Death is not a dead end.  And You have proven it 2,000 years ago on the cross!  Thank You, God for You have sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross.  Through His death and resurrection we gained life in Him.  See, not even death could stop You. Not ever! You are the God who says who You are!

We were once dead, but through Your Son, Jesus, You offered us new life! Who in this universe could ever do that? Nobody.  It is only YOU!

Praise You, Father God!  I exalt Your name! You are worthy of our praises! You deserve all glory and honor!

[Journal entry: September 26, 2011]