WHEN THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLY POSSIBLE!

Word from the Center
Written By Dr. Gregory Seltz

WORD FROM THE CENTER:
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2024

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections on His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s verses are Mark 9:20-24, where the Bible recounts this event in the ministry of Jesus:   

20 They brought the boy to Jesus. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

WHEN THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLY POSSIBLE!

Our lesson for today comes in the context of another healing event in the ministry of Jesus. It not only demonstrates Christ’s power over all things, but also the power of faith IN HIM amidst all the doubts and struggles that we may be facing. There is so much to learn from the honest confession of the father in this reading. This dad knew what his son needed, but felt helpless in response. He also knew what he needed -- stronger faith. When he meets Jesus, he expresses sentiments something like these: “I’d like to have great faith, but I know that I’m inadequate, especially now when I need it most. In fact, I’m overcome by circumstances and doubt. Lord Jesus, while I believe, help my unbelief.”

Today many people don’t seem to struggle with their doubts; instead, they tend to revel in them. Some even claim that there is “faith in honest doubt,”[1] as if our skepticism is the key to an authentic, honest pursuit of truth. In his book, Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton rightly critiques our modern “skeptical” faith this way:

The man of the nineteenth century did not disbelieve in the Resurrection because his liberal Christianity allowed him to doubt it. He disbelieved in it because his very strict materialism did not allow him to believe it. Tennyson, a very typical nineteenth-century man, uttered one of the instinctive truisms of his contemporaries when he said that there was faith in their honest doubt. There was indeed. Those words have a profound and even a horrible truth. In their doubt of miracles there was a faith in a fixed and godless fate; a deep and sincere faith in the incurable routine of the cosmos.[2]

That’s not the struggling faith of the father of our text. Rather than a faith that revels in skepticism, true faith trusts God, even while struggling through our doubts. Believers don’t dismiss their struggles or diminish their problems and fears. Instead, believers wrestle with them as they tenaciously trust that God hasn’t and won’t forsake them. The father’s encounter with Jesus occurs amidst skeptical people’s rejection of Jesus and their ridicule of His ineffective followers (see verse 19). The father is tempted in this direction as well, as he prefaces his request to Jesus with the words, “If you can.” But he comes to Jesus with an honest assessment of Jesus’ strength and power, looking to Him for relief that even his faith cannot give. “I do believe; help my unbelief.” I pray that your faith in Jesus is like his.

Now Jesus doesn’t tell the father to come back when he has more faith. In the midst of the father’s struggle, Jesus heals his son (see Mark 9:25-27). As always, our faith is not the key to our power and strength. Even one’s authentic skepticism grants no special power to faith. The key to true and vibrant faith is its object. And when faith rests itself IN JESUS ALONE, that which seemed impossible becomes possible (Mark 9:23). Sins are forgiven. Illness and struggle are temporary. Even death is overcome. Reconciliation with God and with others is possible all because of Jesus’ work on our behalf.

Today, amidst your struggles and even your successes, revel in the great news that God knows your weaknesses and your faith-failures. Even amidst “weak” faith, God is strong. And know that even with “strong” faith in Him, such faith doesn’t enhance our blessed relationship with Him. But it can give us the strength needed to serve others IN HIS NAME amidst their struggles, their failures, and their flailing faith too. Oh, and if you are like the father today, one who realizes that you need “more faith,” the Bible has an antidote for that as well. In Romans 10:17, St. Paul teaches us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” When the fires of your faith are reduced to embers because of doubt, suffering, or circumstance, stoke the fire with His promises, His Word, and the record of His actions of grace and mercy for you. Such faith knows that seemingly impossible things are possible with God, and that, no matter the circumstance, we can always put our trust in Him.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, our doubts often seem to put up limits on what You can do in our lives. Amidst our doubts and the difficult circumstances of the moment, may we be bold to trust You. We believe; help our unbelief!  AMEN


[1] For example, see Alfred Tennyson, “Faith in Honest Doubt,” @ http://static1.squarespace.com/static/55914e2ee4b0478467cdb875/t/56e2a06fb654f9980164d620/1457692783775/31+Friday+after+Mothering+Sunday.pdf

[2] https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Orthodoxy/Chapter_8

 

Other Devotions
WHEN THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLY POSSIBLE!
WHEN THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLY POSSIBLE!

Our lesson for today comes in the context of another healing event in the ministry of Jesus. It not only demonstrates Christ’s power over all things, but also the power of faith IN HIM amidst all the doubts and struggles that we may be facing. There is so much to learn from the honest confession of the father in this reading. This dad knew what his son needed, but felt helpless in response. He also knew what he needed -- stronger faith. When he meets Jesus, he expresses sentiments something like these:

“I’d like to have great faith, but I know that I’m inadequate, especially now when I need it most. In fact, I’m overcome by circumstances and doubt. Lord Jesus, while I believe, help my unbelief.”

Is There Anyone like Jesus?
Is There Anyone like Jesus?

There’s a question that many are asking today. Actually, people have been asking questions like that for almost 2000 years. Here’s another one: “How can you believe that Jesus is the only Savior, the one that is the Savior for all people?” You can believe it because there is no one like Jesus. You could try to give me another name or show me another savior, but there isn’t one.

Put God’s Protecting, Empowering Armor to Use!
Put God’s Protecting, Empowering Armor to Use!

Have you heard about the class action lawsuit aimed at a company called Second Chance Body Armor? Second Chance manufactures bulletproof vests for police officers and security personnel. Their products are used by hundreds of police departments throughout the country.

Apparently, several policemen have been killed while they were wearing the vest. Following some independent field tests on several of their vests, a flaw was discovered in some of them compromising their ability to do what they were intended to do, to stop a bullet that was fired at those whom the vest was designed to protect.

God’s “NO” and God’s “YES” – THEY BOTH MATTER FOR OUR LIFE!
God’s “NO” and God’s “YES” – THEY BOTH MATTER FOR OUR LIFE!

When we take God’s Word and try to “domesticate” it, as if it were something we could add to, alter, improve, or manipulate in our futile efforts to fulfill it, we do as the Pharisees did, only to be unmasked and exposed by Jesus. Such confusion creates a false religion based on human rules and works. Jesus says clearly, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Replacing God’s Word with human observances is empty at best and, at worst, destructive to the eternal life and salvation God desires us all to have as His free gift

WHY LEAVE WHEN YOUR SAVIOR ASKS YOU TO STAY?
WHY LEAVE WHEN YOUR SAVIOR ASKS YOU TO STAY?

I tried to come to grips with the depth of the questions and the issues that are at hand in our text for today. Think about it. There is Jesus in the flesh, the Savior of the world, teaching a group of followers and disciples. Just when Jesus starts to lay things on the line, calling people not just to some generic faith, but faith IN HIM, many who had followed began to leave. This prompts His question to His disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Wow! That’s almost too hard to imagine.

CAN YOU SEE WHAT YOU REALLY NEED?
CAN YOU SEE WHAT YOU REALLY NEED?

As we think about our text today, we need to be reminded again of the situation that we are in. We are seeking to live the life that we’ve been given by God. But it’s a strenuous one, full of challenges, opportunities, and even dangers. No matter our perceived expertise, there is one thing that finally matters for the climb.

Don’t be Fooled by Things that Don’t last!
Don’t be Fooled by Things that Don’t last!

What do you seek for your life so that it might be what God intends it to be, an eternal one, full of love and grace? Do you seek something that’s merely “shiny?” Do you seek things like the “bread and miracles” that even the religious people of Jesus day yearned to see? Or do you seek what God offers, a reconciled relationship with the one who created you and redeemed you in the person and work of Jesus Christ?

WHEN AFRAID, NOTHING’S LIKE JESUS’ VOICE TO CALM YOUR FEARS!
WHEN AFRAID, NOTHING’S LIKE JESUS’ VOICE TO CALM YOUR FEARS!

This world is a frightening place. So much so that even the most seasoned among us can become unhinged at the challenges before us. Just ask a veteran who has been in combat. Just ask a policeman who must patrol the cities at night. Just ask a person struggling with illness, disease, or the loss of a loved one who meant everything to them. Those are comparable to the fear the disciples of Jesus felt one dark evening on the Sea of Galilee.

God’s Plan for the World, for You!
God’s Plan for the World, for You!

God has a plan for you! He has a plan for us. He has a plan for the whole world. God indeed has a plan. The problem is that we also have our own plans and they eventually fail to remedy what really needs fixing. And, worse, they often don’t jive with God’s plan for us or for others.

FREEDOM IN CHRIST – THE FOUNDATION OF ALL FREEDOMS!
FREEDOM IN CHRIST – THE FOUNDATION OF ALL FREEDOMS!

Throughout the past several years, fear has been “ramped up” in our culture -- fear of disease, fear of disasters, fear of our fellow citizens, and even the fear of the unknown. Sadly, amidst all of these fears, the government continues to stifle the church and its ability to minister to its members and to its community.

BENEVOLENCED BENEVOLENCE - LIVING THE LIFE OF FAITH GENEROUSLY!
BENEVOLENCED BENEVOLENCE - LIVING THE LIFE OF FAITH GENEROUSLY!

The Christian life was meant to be lived “in faith toward [God] and in fervent love toward one another,” and to do so generously. Paul reminds the Corinthians that such a way of life begins with the awesome realization that God loved us generously by sending His Son to die for us so that we might live. God’s merciful and gracious benevolence motivates, empowers, and directs the lives of believers to “benevolence” others as a reflection of His love. In this passage St. Paul challenges believers to look to the needs of others as an opportunity to put their faith in God into action.

REAL PEACE AMIDST THE STORM!
REAL PEACE AMIDST THE STORM!

God’s peace to you amidst whatever “storm” you are facing today.

I think that’s an appropriate greeting for Christians because of the many issues we are encountering in our lives. There are the typical troubles of health and well-being that all of us face, that’s for sure. But there is also an especially vitriolic feeling in America toward anyone or anything that asserts God’s moral limitations to our libertine attitudes of absolute freedom. We know how to protest, but we don’t seem to know how to be virtuous anymore, right? And the attacks on those who even remotely hint at such moral truths are getting more and more noxious by the day.

A BRIDGED GAP CAN STAND IN THE GAP!
A BRIDGED GAP CAN STAND IN THE GAP!

In Washington, D.C., it is truly miraculous when people can bridge the gap between the great divides in our culture without demeaning what is precious to us in the process. In fact, it’s virtually impossible today. Why? Because in life in general, people more and more treat others as enemies to be vanquished, rather than people to be loved and served. And politics, at its core, is ultimately not about service, but power. Oh, people speak about a “benevolent” government, but there is no such thing. When you forcibly tax people, garnish wages, and demand obedience, and then punish those who do not do as the law requires, that’s about power, not benevolence (no matter how much of other people’s money one gives away). When you can force people to do what you demand that they do, that’s about power.

HOPE AMIDST THE STRUGGLE!
HOPE AMIDST THE STRUGGLE!

I’ve been concluding my latest emails and letters with the phrase, “Peace amidst the struggle,” in order to share with people the biblical reality that God is in control even when things look dire. The Christian life is meant to be full of peace, hope, and wonder, and that can always be true, even in the middle of the chaos of this sinful world. For example, one of the hardest lessons to learn as a Christian is that suffering, and trials persist in the lives of those who fervently believe in Jesus. Unfortunately, some see suffering as a sign of a weak faith. Others claim that suffering is proof that God is displeased with a person. Some religions even have names for it, such as “Karma;” others simply view it as “getting what’s coming to you.” Today I’d like to invite you to think differently about the suffering and trials of life so that you can receive God’s peace and hope amidst whatever struggles you might be facing.

LAW AND ORDER VERSUS GRACE, OR BOTH?
LAW AND ORDER VERSUS GRACE, OR BOTH?

Have you ever noticed that there seem to be two kinds of “religious” people? First, there is the “Law and Order” person. That’s the person who knows that there is right and wrong, and also knows that when you do wrong you should be punished. On the other hand, when you do right, you should be rewarded. Of course, if we are honest, wrong thoughts and deeds always seem to overwhelm the right ones.

ETERNAL LIFE IS REAL LIFE!
ETERNAL LIFE IS REAL LIFE!

There’s a caricature out there about the Christian view of life. It goes like this, “Christians are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” In other words, people accuse Christians of being so focused on eternal life that the issues of today become insignificant to them. Is that really true? Chuck Colson, a ruthless political operative whose later life was transformed by faith in Jesus Christ, realized that life changes when you realize that it is eternal.

THE ONLY DIVERSITY THAT LASTS!
THE ONLY DIVERSITY THAT LASTS!

6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”….. Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:….21 “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

FOR UNITY, YOU NEED THE TRUTH!
FOR UNITY, YOU NEED THE TRUTH!

In his younger days, Bob Barker, former host of the television show, “The Price is Right,” hosted another show called “Truth or Consequences.” On this program contestants were asked questions and if they gave incorrect answers, there were consequences. There was a penalty for getting things “wrong.” Now the consequences weren’t life threatening. They involved comical stunts which may have been a bit embarrassing, but were endured as good-natured fun. At the close of every program, Barker signed off saying, “Good night, hoping all your consequences are happy ones.” It was an instant and enduring hit from the 1940s through Barker’s time with the show in the 1960s.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE?
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE?

In All’s Well that Ends Well, William Shakespeare wrote, “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” The Beatles remind us of the same idea in their song, “All You Need Is Love.” But is it really that easy? If love is all we need, if love alone matters, and if love works, then what’s the problem? Why are we as a country at each other’s throats? Why are divorce rates so high? Why are so many people not even getting married at all? Why are children growing up in increasingly broken homes? Why aren’t people loving each other if that is all we need to do? Good question

THE FRUIT-PRODUCING POWER OF FAITH IN CHRIST FOR LIFE!
THE FRUIT-PRODUCING POWER OF FAITH IN CHRIST FOR LIFE!

Many people come to Washington, D.C., because they want to make a difference. They want their lives to matter, to mean something. Who doesn’t? Unfortunately, politics tends to promise what it can’t deliver. In fact, a truly meaningful life is more than politics, more than the accumulation of wealth or influence, and more than one’s vocational skills and abilities can produce. Ironically, the key to a purposeful life isn’t primarily about your works at all. It’s not about “who” you are or what you do, but about “whose” you are. Jesus reminds us that He is the Vine, the source for real, lasting life. We are like branches.

SO WHAT MAKES A LIFE WORTH LIVING?
SO WHAT MAKES A LIFE WORTH LIVING?

The following saying is often wrongly attributed to G.K. Chesterton: “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing — they believe in anything.” He actually said that if we stop believing in God we lose our common sense.1 For many, that’s that same thing. When you deny the one who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6), and who calls Himself the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11), you don’t replace Him with nothing. Instead, you tend to replace Him with the most absurd “other things.”

WHAT FIRES BURN IN YOUR HEART TODAY?
WHAT FIRES BURN IN YOUR HEART TODAY?

What a Bible study it must have been that day! On the road to Emmaus, Jesus ROOTED those disciples in the firm promises of the Bible that had come to fruition in Him. Even more, Jesus set their hearts on fire by anchoring their faith in Him in all things (verse 32). That’s a fire which comes from God’s love and grace through faith in the Son of God.

BELIEVING IS TRULY SEEING!
BELIEVING IS TRULY SEEING!

Is seeing believing? Or are there things that are very real, even very true, that we cannot see with our eyes? Our garage doors open by unseen forces at the touch of a button. We put our food and drinks into little rectangular devices and hit the button believing that, absent a heating element or a flame of any sort, microwaves will make our food or beverages piping hot. Even the most empirical of scientists has things which he/she believes long before they are tested or visible to human eyes.

CHRIST’S RESURRECTION – REAL HOPE FOR YOUR LIFE!
CHRIST’S RESURRECTION – REAL HOPE FOR YOUR LIFE!

Jesus is risen; He is risen indeed! But there’s even more good news for those who believe in Him. He clearly says, “Because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Wow! What a statement. In the midst of wars, rumors of wars, fears, violence, and the growing cultural pressures to jettison biblical truth for public acceptance, in the midst of it all, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus call all people to an everlasting life of repentance and faith that the world can never take away. It calls believers to a confident hope that comes from knowing that even death itself has been conquered by the One who created and redeemed us.

WHAT A MINDSET, WHAT A MISSION
WHAT A MINDSET, WHAT A MISSION

Mindsets matter. I remember back in my playing days how important my “frame of mind” was on the day before a big race or a big game. If I was confident in my training, confident in the game plan, and physically and emotionally focused, my mindset often gave me an edge when the contest began. Search the internet and you’ll find all kinds of “mindset” programs and seminars that will help prepare you for the big game, as well as for the big presentation, investment, or promotion. Mindsets matter.

LEADERSHIP IN GOD’S KINGDOM IS DIFFERENT THAN IN THE WORLD
LEADERSHIP IN GOD’S KINGDOM IS DIFFERENT THAN IN THE WORLD

There is no such thing as “generic” servant leadership. Or is there? Whenever I read this passage of Scripture, all the servant leadership programs in our world today immediately come to my mind. And it’s not just Christian colleges or businesses who espouse such things. Evidently, there’s an eastern and a western philosophical view of servant leadership. They both call for leaders to be empathetic and active listeners who serve their employees rather than just boss them around.

GRACE IS NOT A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM!
GRACE IS NOT A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM!

An ad for the U.S. Marines pictures a sword with these words beneath it: “Earned, not given.” If you want to become a Marine, you have to earn the right to be called a Marine through sacrifice, hardship, and training. If you get it, you deserve it. In this world, there are jobs that only Marines can handle. There are even efforts that demand special forces like the Navy Seals. When it comes to maintaining law and order in this world, there have to be people who say, “This far and no farther,” so that we can all live in relative peace. But here’s the problem.

WHEN DID GOD’S LAW BECOME MERE OPINION?
WHEN DID GOD’S LAW BECOME MERE OPINION?

When did greed, coveting, promiscuity, character assassination, violence, and even intimidation become our “cultural values?” When did things like these even become entertaining to some? When did “virtue” become such a dirty word? Indeed, it seems that all too often vices have become virtues and virtues have been turned into vices. Look, I realize that all of us are sinful and broken. I also know that it’s hard to have these conversations because the finger points back at each one of us. Furthermore, we must all admit that even our best efforts at living morally and virtuously fall short, often when we needed to be at our best.

WHEN CHRIST RAISES YOU UP!
WHEN CHRIST RAISES YOU UP!

What are your deepest hurts and your grandest hopes? Do you have worries and fears, or great dreams and expectations? What happens when an ugly reality seems to rear its head no matter your planning or provision? What then? Does answering any of these questions really matter in the end?

Yes! The great preacher Charles Spurgeon was right, "We have great needs, but we have a great Christ for our needs!" And the living Christ is here for you in His word to offer you His life and His salvation as a gift. There is one question that engulfs all other questions in this life. The question comes from Jesus himself, “Who do you say that I am?” Another question springs from it, “Who then are you IN HIM?”

NOW IS THE TIME OF GOD’S FAVOR!
NOW IS THE TIME OF GOD’S FAVOR!

Now is the time of God’s favor? Really? Now?

Sometimes larger circumstances can overcome the reality of a specific situation. In other words, the things that are happening all around us are better viewed in terms of other, more significant events with even more far-reaching consequences. That’s what it was like for some of the people fighting in World War II. The ceremonial surrender of the Japanese government and the “Victory over Japan” proclamation (VJ Day) did indeed mean that the second major, worldwide conflict of the 20th century was officially over. But that did not stop the fighting of many Japanese infantrymen against U.S. Marines in the South Pacific. Some fought for many months, even though their defeat was assured, inevitable, and even officially admitted. As the website “Military History Now” notes:

Dr. Gregory Seltz
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