Jeremiah the Prophet thinks not!

“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” Jeremiah 32:17

See that last Clause?

“THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR THEE.”

The substantive “nothing” translates the noun “dabar” in Hebrew. It means “thing” 231 times in the King James Bible. It means “matter” 63 times. And “acts” 51 times.

No thing!

No matter!

No act, or deed!

Yes, God can do anything He pleases, omnipotence being one of His magnificent Attributes.

The question now answers itself … “NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR THE LORD!”

Even the adjective “hard” is interesting. “Pala” in Hebrew means not only “hard” (5 times), but also “wondrous, wonderful” (20 times)! And “marvellous” 2 times!

Sounds just like the Lord: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah again, 33:3 this time!)

I just thought this verse might be encouraging to someone this morning. Someone facing a hard week. A difficult battle. A trying time. A sorrowful time.

We thank Thee, O Lord that … “THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR THEE!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Jesus promised … “WHATSOEVER ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22

And God can do it … “whatsoever!”

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Just a quick thought!

6:30 AM, Saturday Morning

I was in bed a while ago, reading. Just a book catalogue, but reading nonetheless.

And the editor recommended a certain volume (William Gurnall’s Tome on “The Christian in Complete Armour”) concerning which he said … “It’s the best ‘THOUGHT BREEDER’ in my library!

Now THAT’S why we read!

Godly Books are thought provokers!

“Thought breeders,” I wish I’d coined that term!

No wonder they say, “Readers are leaders!”

Yes … finish your chapter, lay it down, and you have implanted in your mind a dozen good thoughts for the day!

Thoughts which might even conceive and bring forth a Sermon, a Testimony, a Sunday School Class Topic some day! And certainly they make for good conversation!

Yes, the Bible is that personal … even telling us what to think!

Philippians 4:8 … “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS.”

Just a “thought” today …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I believe this thought is particularly applicable to life in America these days. These days of turmoil …

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” A critical question posed by David in Psalm 11:3.

I suspect the “foundations” of our Judeo-Christian heritage are crumbling. “Sin” is no longer a concern, apparently to the majority of voters (???) in the land today. Godless socialism is on the horizon, if not already a sure thing … coming sooner rather than later. Basic Bible Truths are either outright denied or mocked into oblivion. The mass media is a farce … “Truth has fallen in the street!” Isaiah 59:14

In light of such pandemonium … “What can the righteous do?”

Of course that question does have some answers!

Pray!

Prepare for suffering!

Fall more deeply in love with Jesus, and His soon Return!

Study the Bible as never before … our Bibles may become illegal some day. (As they are in many heathen Nations already.)

But now …

This verse … also about Foundations!

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure.” 2 Timothy 2:19

The foundations of life as we’ve known it may be under attack as never before … but GOD’S FOUNDATIONS are as immoveable as ever!

Oops, “foundation,” it is singular in our verse, isn’t it?

He, the Lord God, only has One! “One Foundation!”

Let me specify … “For other FOUNDATION can no man lay than that is laid, which is JESUS CHRIST.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

And That Foundation, our Foundation (if you are saved) … “Jesus Christ the SAME yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Never changing!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Yes, I know the devil has a sifter. Jesus told Peter one day … “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31) The verb “sift” here means “to shake in a sieve!” And no doubt Satan’s sieve is designed to hurt, to harm God’s children. To agitate us, to create doubt or frustration in our lives. To shake us to the very foundation of our faith!

But if anyone today is in such a sifter, your faith being so tried … I have some good news! Jesus immediately told Peter … “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”Jesus praying, what Power with God!

His Eye is on us … when we’re being tempted, tried!

But I’ve learned too that God has a sifter! And that one is not to harm our faith … but rather to develop and strengthen us … and likely even “to purify” our lives!

Let me show you.

“For, lo, I (the Lord) will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.”

Wow!

Oh, how Israel has been sifted through the millennia! And according to a literal view of the Old Testament Prophets and of John on Patmos … Israel still has a lot of sifting in her future! (To purify her, to convict her, to bring her to Jesus!)

But God, just as He prayed for Peter … protects that little Nation, promises Israel that she will survive. And not just survive … but not one grain (wheat is sifted, you know) will fall to the ground. In other words, the Nation will be preserved of God!

I think at times God might sift us Christians a bit too.

Never for our harm .. always for our benefit!

Our good and His Glory!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I am not saying that long prayers are in any way wrong. That is simply not the case.

I am saying that short prayers can be effective!

Psalm 12:1, for example … “HELP, LORD … for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”

Here is a two word prayer!

Everything in the Verse past “HELP LORD” … merely supplies the reason or reasons for the request.

And Peter, as he began to sink into the stormy sea (after walking on it for a while) cried … “LORD, SAVE ME.” A short prayer by any definition, Matthew 14:30!

So, I’ve here supplied you with both an Old Testament and a New Testament sample … “short praying” works!

Not as move of laziness, as a move of necessity!

Danger lurking nearby!

The godly old-timers called these kinds of prayers “ejaculatory prayers.” Prayers quickly “shot” toward Heaven in a moment of need!

Come to think of it … John on Patmos, as he completed his monumental Book of Revelation prayed this: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20) Pretty short!

Surely part of obeying Paul’s command to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) involves such “short prayers” … breathed unto the Lord throughout the day and night.

Just though I’d mention this today.

Oh yes, Elijah prayed this and the fire fell from Heaven … “Hear me, O LORD, hear me.” (1 Kings 18:37)

Enough has been said …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Jesus in Matthew 6:7, His great “Sermon on the Mount” … “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their MUCH SPEAKING.”

This as well … Jesus’ Prayers from Calvary, from the Cross … were short Prayers too!

Again … enough said!

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