Mission Impossible?

In yesterday's service we focused on Jesus' saying "with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible" from Matthew 19:26. I stated as stronly as I could that although God sometimes changes impossible circumstances by healing an illness or providing money out of nowhere to help us make ends meet, the most impossible, and important, thing he always does is change us when we are "with Him." If He can change our hearts than our circumstances don't matter all that much. When we are "with God" that's when "all things become possible." "With men" even the possibilities of life seem impossible at times.

Here is what I want you to share. Click on the "comment" icon below and share with us how God has done something impossible in you. I'm sure you can recount times when God did something impossible for you (changing circumstances) or through you (to impact others), but stick with sharing about the impossible things God has done in you (character transformation).

True Love

Although the Bible was written to guide humanity’s relationship with God, so much of it actually addresses how we relate to each other. Why? Because God says to us through the Bible that “if you cannot love your brother whom you have seen, how can you love God whom you have not seen” (1 John 4:20). In other words, true love for God will be evidenced by our love for each other. Those who boast about their grand love for God and yet couldn’t care less about other people, deny their love for God.

The Corinthian Church, which Apostle Paul writes to, had this tendency. They tended to boast about their love for God and their spiritual gifts, even though they took each other to court and had many factions and fights within their congregation. So, Paul takes out his pen and papyrus and writes to them in order to define what true love looks like for Christians wanting to love God.

As you read Paul’s definition below, please reflect upon two questions and feel free to comment on these two questions: First, which part of the definition below represents the area in which you have experienced the most growth over the past few months or years? Second, which one of the components of the definition below represents the greatest challenge to your love for others? Simply put, which word/phrase describes your strength and which describes your weakness when it comes to loving others.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

I encourage you to spend some time in prayer, thanking God for the area in which he has helped you love others better and asking Him for help in that area of love that continues to challenge and sometimes get the best of you.