Coffee With The Lord

In my Bible reading today I was reminded of who I really am without the Lord… Believe me, not much to brag about! A farm kid from Western Montana, near two little itsey-bitsy towns (Ronan and Pablo), pimple-faced kid from a graduating class of 40… never out of the state until 18 years of age… I could go on…

Fortunately God blessed me with some wonderful Christian parents (Ewalt and Vera Bartel)! Home for the Bartel boys was a safe and welcoming haven. Lots of farm chores and fun country living! Was introduced to Jesus as my Savior at a very early age… then “baptized (empowered) by the Holy Spirit.” Attended a little Assemblies of God Church (never ran over 70 people in its best years). Had a wonderful, nurturing pastor; faithful, loving Sunday school teachers; and was given an opportunity to discover and use my God-given gifts to build and bless others…

Blessed! Fortunate! But certainly nothing to brag about… I guess if I wanted to, I could be ashamed of my humble roots… I’m not! I’m just very grateful!! Thank you Lord!!

My Bible reading this morning during “coffee with the Lord” reminded me of all of this…

“Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters… Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, SO THAT NO ONE CAN BOAST IN HIS PRESENCE! He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘LET THE ONE WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD!’” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31 the NET Bible)L

I enjoy words! Here’s your word for the day… “Palaver” It’s definition? A long speech between persons of different levels of culture or sophistication. Idle talk, chatter, misleading or beguiling speech. To talk profusely or idly.

Believe me, I’ve listened to a lot of “palaver!” (It comes out of the mouth of most politicians like a swollen, gushing river… especially when they are “campaigning!”) Palaver… many words – little consequence! Here’s another word for it “baloney!”

That word came to mind as I read what Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25:

“The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God! … In the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God. But God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom, but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (from the NET Bible)

This testimony from Apostle Paul also came to mind… He said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel! It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes!” (Romans 1:16)

The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is NOT palaver! It is powerful proclamation! It is a message with the power to change lives… Behind the message is a faithful person (the Lord Jesus Christ) and a potent provision (His death, burial and resurrection on our behalf). The gospel has the power to transform the lives of those who believe and embrace it! “Palaver” accomplishes nothing but boredom and annoyance! I’m fed up with “Palaver” – give me the gospel!

I’ve got good news to report… God can and does do what seems impossible! Nothing is too hard for the Lord!

It’s always interesting to me the rationale – the evidence – that the Bible gives for God’s ability to do what seems impossible. This is what I read this morning during “coffee with the Lord (Isaiah 44:24)…

“This is what the Lord says… ‘I am the Lord who made everything! Who alone stretched out the sky, who fashioned the earth all by Myself!’” Hebrews 11:3 amplifies upon and explains the miraculous nature of what God did… “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out the things that are visible.” In other words, God created what exists out of NOTHING! He spoke and everything (that’s right EVERYTHING!) came into existence (check out Genesis 1:1 – 2:4)! I know… that’s seems impossible! But God did it! And God can do what seems impossible!

God’s miraculous act in creating the universe becomes the rationale – the evidence – for doing what seemed to be another impossible thing in the Old Testament… Gathering His scattered people who had been exiled because of their sin and commissioning (and calling by name) Cyrus, a pagan king, centuries before he was even born to arrange for their return to the Holy Land, and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple that had been destroyed and left an ugly pile of rubble for 70 years! For Israel it seemed an impossibility! … But the God who created the universe out of nothing could do it!

Here’s what Isaiah the prophet predicted… “God, Who fulfills the oracles of His prophetic servants and bring to pass the announcements of His messengers, who says about Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited!’ and about the towns of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up!’ … Who commissions Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd to carry out My wishes and too decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘she shall be rebuilt!’ and concerning the temple, ‘it will be reconstructed!’” (Isaiah 44:26-28)

And it happened! Check out history! Cyrus did it!! It seemed impossible… But I’ll say it again… God can and does do what seems to be impossible! So if you’re facing an impossibility today… Pray about it! Ask for God’s help! Claim His promises! Trust Him to do what seems impossible! He did what seemed impossible at creation… and He’s continued to do what has seemed impossible down through the centuries!