[Discoveries] 09-03-08 Big Idea #3 -- John 15:5

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

"/*... apart from Me, you can do nothing." -- John 15:5*/

Big Idea #3. God expects the impossible ... but He doesn't expect it to 
be achieved without Him.

We are instructed to carry the life transforming presence of Jesus 
Christ into our world. It is expected that we will touch people's lives 
and their cowardice will be turned to courage, their trembling fear into 
perfect peace, their anger into love, their shame into radiant joy and 
purity, their death into life. That's a tall order.

In the meanwhile, we are expected to rejoice in the middle of trouble 
and suffering. We are to live a righteous life which, among other 
things, means delighting in doing right and detesting doing evil. I 
could go on with the list, but I think we all understand the point: The 
Christian life is impossible. Nobody can live it. You don't have to read 
any further than the Sermon on the Mount to know that Jesus expects the 
impossible.

To top it off, when God wants something -- shall we say -- out of the 
ordinary done, He usually calls on us to do it. (Read Exodus 4 for 
starters.)

I think there comes a point in every Christian's life when it finally 
dawns on us that God is asking us to do something that cannot be done. 
There comes a point where we throw up our hands and say, "God, this is 
impossible!"

Then He smiles and says, "I knew you'd figure that out, sooner or later. 
Congratulations! You're learning."

My friend, Tom, and I have a joke between us. We describe our situation 
in life as "brilliance obscured by inadequacy." Well, that inadequacy is 
there for a reason. Without our inadequacy, there would be no room for God.

Josh McDowell, the famous Christian apologist, describes himself as a 
stuttering guy who can't think on his feet. Yet, he successfully debates 
atheists on college campuses all over the world. Why? Because he knows 
the secret. He can't do it, but there is Someone near who can.

Be encouraged!
Dwight

What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of 
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supernatural happens.

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