August 20, 2996

There is nothing too hard for thee
Gen 18:1 -15

Today I want to examine this passage and others and see if anything is too hard for God.

I read this passage and I ask myself some questions. I ask myself if God is able then why Rick Mark Dave died out there. And you may have those same doubts as well. And why did thousands die in a tsunami? Why the devastation of Katrina? Why does God allow natural disasters and plagues if that is so? Why do our loved ones suffer?

But there is ample evidence through history that, believe it or not, God knows what He's up to.

Lets pop ahead a thousand years in Israel’s history to Daniel: 3:1 -18

“ Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kind

Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worships, [that] he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, [Is it] true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.

But if not, be it‘ known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Notice these words if you will. These are the words of three men who have walked with God, haven't just learned about GOD, BUT HAVE BEGUN TO REALLY KNOW HIM. THEY HAD PERHAPS READ OF JOB and heard his reply from the depths: Job 5:19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. Job 34:29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth [his] face, who then can behold him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man only: Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every [thing], and [that] no thought can be withholden from thee.

They no doubt KNEW the power of God but also they knew Gods words to Job:

Job 38:1-12 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who [is] this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling band for it,

And brake up for it my decreed [place], and set bars and doors, And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; [and] caused the dayspring to know his place;
These men knew that God ‘s ways were higher and better than man's ways. They were servants who trusted Him , like Job who said “though He slay me still I will trust Him.” Death was no big deal.

Were they afraid? Yes, but not of God’s plan, because they knew There is nothing too hard for God.

Look with me at Daniel 6 and recall there that a trap had been laid for Daniel which landed him in a lions den because he prayed as was his habit. Now Daniel had favor with the king and the king was trapped too, and remember his question to DANIEL in the den?

Dan 6:20-23 As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?"

"O king, live forever!" said Daniel. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

These men knew God. They knew from scripture that God was all powerful and that he was NOT obliged to plan things their way, but rather they knew it would be for His glory. As True servants they minded that NOT A BIT. Their prayer was like Christ's “Not MY will but thine be done“.

Look at some references to Gods ability,

Ps 93:1 GOD is King, robed and ruling, GOD is robed and surging with strength. And yes, the world is firm, immovable,

Jer 32:17 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:
Mt 19:26 But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Lu 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, to HIM be glory...

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

There is NO THING too hard for God, but the thing He wants most is our trust. It is not enough to memorize the verses, we need to trust the author.

God is Sovereign Lord;

Psalm 2:28 says “For dominion belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations.

1 Chronicles29:11 Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power the glory splendor and the majesty; for everything in Heaven and on Earth is thine; thine O Lord, is the Sovereignty and thou art exalted over all as head. God will is all powerful and all perfect. His ways are past finding out. Job understood it when he said in 23:13 What He desires, He does . His word, according to IS.40:8 will abide forever.

Pay attention now, do not miss this or you will fret a lot more in life: God works in us to will and Do HIS good pleasure. get that?

that's in Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure. also

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

I think we have tried to bend God to OUR good pleasure in these days, we have rewritten God and fashioned him in our image.

People seek NOT Gods glory but their own, they ,we have an attitude of “what’s in it for me” not “How can I best glorify God.” and we miss out on Gods very best because we fight Him the whole way.

What is your attitude toward God? Is He a being that you can bend to your will by your technique in prayer? Or by living a certain way? Then you have a false God.

Or do you come to God realizing that HIS ways are best, the only ways that matter?

I challenge you to surrender in total trust to the Father. Letting God be God .

Accepting HIS ways, obeying His word because you trust his way and that there truly IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD.