It is not insignificant that the Lord would choose this particular time, when we celebrate and reflect on the awesome act of love, power and glory displayed when He sent His BELOVED Son to die on a cross for us and to be resurrected three days later, to give much greater insight and understanding concerning one of the most important scriptures to all of us as we stand for the restoration of our marriages. How many times have we ALL said “All things are possible with God!” But let’s look at that in context; Matthew 19:26 says Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Even though the insight is so simple, it is extremely profound, because it was as if I caught the importance of the key conditional word “with” for the first time. And instantly so many other verses came flooding into my mind, along with the memory that the REST of the verse does in fact also say that “with” man it IS impossible. I kept thinking “With, with, with…what does “with” REALLY mean in this context?” So as I began writing this, I looked it up on Dictionary.com, which just confirmed the point the Lord was showing me.

Two passages of scripture that came to my mind immediately were Proverbs 3:5-7, which says Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.; and then Psalm 37:4-7, which says Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Then I remembered Matthew 6:33, which says But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. and then John 15:5, which says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Needless to say, a lot was going on in my mind almost instantly, and it’s difficult to adequately express that, but it really made quite an impression and gave me a more profound outlook on what it means to say that all things are possible with God. And it’s amazing how it confirms so much of what we’ve been focusing on in the ministry over the past weeks too. Because we’ve focused on the power of God and how to live and walk in it, the power of humility, the dangers of pride and the fact that doing things God’s way, gets God’s results; and doing things the world’s way, gets the world’s results. And we know God’s way is life and blessings and the world’s way is death and curses. John 10:10 makes the choice pretty clear, because it says The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

So we need to amend our casual use of “all things are possible with God” to “all things are possible with God WHEN we do things HIS way.” But we have to remember that when we choose to do things the world’s way, the things we want from God are impossible, because that’s what “with man” means. So one of the saddest verses to standers witnessing the deception under which our spouses now operate has to be Proverbs 14:12, because it says There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. But we can put our faith and hope in the GOOD NEWS found in the following verses:

Psalm 118:16-18
The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Ezekiel 18:21
“But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.< Ezekiel 18:28 Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die.