Is Anything Too Hard For the Lord? - Part 2 of 2

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glory's of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace.

This is L'say Rayleigh, Jr., welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. Who forms the stars out into space and holds them in their proper place? Who, like a curtain, spreads the sky to make a place for birds to fly? Who sends the wind and sun and rain to nourish fields of golden grain?

Who forms the seed that makes the wheat and gives us daily bread to eat? He takes a sinner, plain and mild, and makes him as a little child. Subdues his will and guides his feet and draws him to the mercy seat. Let all creation lift his voice and in the Lord let us rejoice. Let all his words praise and confess the glory of his righteousness. We all know if we believe in the true and living God that there is nothing too hard for him.

But sometimes in our struggles we lose sight of that truth. So as we continue the message today, is anything too hard for the Lord? I hope that you will be encouraged. If the message is a blessing to you, we'd like to hear from you.

Our mailing address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. First Peter chapter 1 verse 5 says, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. How is it that you're kept? It's not by your power, it's not because your worth, your merit, your efforts, you are kept by the power of God. Is it not a consolation and a comfort to know that when God has saved a soul, that soul is secure? Oh somebody says if you believe that, if you preach that doctrine, that's dangerous.

That's going to give people a license to sin, not at all. Because this God who has drawn you and called you has moved into your heart by his Holy Spirit and will convict you when you go astray and will chasten you when you're walking in disobedient paths. Because he loves you enough to make a difference, to change you, to transform you. But you're being kept by the power of God. And then I love this verse, Jude verse 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Isn't that a marvelous thing to consider? Ultimately standing in his presence faultless, nothing to be laid to your account because all of your sins have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ and his righteousness has been imputed to you, credited to your account, so that you stand absolutely pure because of what he has done for you. He keeps you from falling. Yes, nothing, nothing too hard for the Lord.

No work too hard for him to finish. And no sinner too hard to save. You may think about family members, friends, people with whom you're acquainted. And you may have at times tried to present the gospel to them and you could see that they have a heart of stone. They were not interested.

They want no part with it. Let me tell you, nothing, nothing is too hard for our sovereign God. First Timothy chapter 1 verse 15, the words of the apostle Paul. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Paul considered himself the very chief of sinners because he had persecuted the church. He had put Christians to death.

It troubled him deeply. But he says, knowing that he's able to save me, the chief of sinners, he can save any others no matter what their circumstances may be. No matter how deep one has sunk into sin, no matter how long they have been pursuing a sinful course, this wonderful Savior can save. And as we pray for those who are upon our hearts, for those who seem to be so long pursuing an evil course, having no desire for or interest at all in the gospel, praying that God's Spirit will move upon them by his power so that it may be said to them as it was of Lydia, the Lord opened her heart so that she attended under the things which were spoken of Paul. Sometimes we've seen the Lord deal with some who seem the most unlikely prospect.

As a matter of fact, who would have ever suggested that Saul of Tarsus was a good prospect to become a member of the church and become a preacher of the gospel? I might have said, I don't want to get near that man. He's dangerous. He's killed Christians. I don't want to go try to witness to him. But let me tell you, when the Lord struck him down and transformed him, oh, what a change, what a miracle. Let us pray that we might see evidence of true conversions, that in a time when our culture around us grows more and more antagonistic toward Christianity, toward the true gospel of Jesus Christ, that even some of those who speak out against it may be humbled, brought to the foot of the cross, to faith in Jesus Christ. And then, as we see the need to be constantly reminded of the omnipotence of God, the greatness omnipotence of God, the greatness of our God, the power of our God, our weakness is confirmed. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Now, we encounter a lot of hard things in life. Job chapter 14 verse 1 says, Man is born of a woman is a few days and full of trouble.

Must we not acknowledge that to be true? Full of trouble. All kinds of troubles.

Can't ever get the idea. I'm going to finally reach some plateau here in life that troubles are behind me. Friends, that only occurs when you get to heaven. As long as you're in this life, they're going to be troubles. Isaiah chapter 40 verse 30, Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. So we're talking about man's weakness. Even those who are young and strong and you expect to be able to run successfully the race before them, they shall faint. They'll become weary.

The young man shall utterly fall. So where does that put the rest of us? We are weak, frail creatures. And then Jesus said to his disciples in John 16 33, These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.

I have overcome the world. Now there are some troubles that are common to all men. Doesn't matter whether they're a Christian or not. There are just troubles with physical infirmities and conflicts between people and all kinds of difficulties that just are common to the human race. But there are some troubles that are unique and special for those who are followers of Christ. Jesus says you're going to suffer persecution. If you follow him, if you adhere closely to the teaching of scripture, you embrace the doctrine that is there.

You take the direction given about how you ought to live and you try to live that way. You're going to have people that will criticize you. You're going to have people who will call you a religious fanatic.

You'll receive various kinds of persecutions. Jesus says this, In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Have overcome the world so you have strength and hope in him. Living the Christian life is presented as a challenge. I hear it said sometimes today, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.

And if you just follow him, everything's going to be better. Some go on to promise prosperity, saying you become a Christian, you have faith, you're going to be able to overcome all obstacles, not going to ever be sick, you're going to be wealthy. Friends, Jesus never promised that. We just read where he said, In the world ye shall have tribulation.

So the Christian life is not something that we set out here and say, just come on and follow Jesus and everything's going to be smooth all the way to heaven. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 11, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Now what's that sound like? That sounds like real warfare, does it not? You become a follower of Christ, you're engaged in warfare.

Look at how formidable the enemies are, principalities, powers, the rulers of darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places. So he said you must put on the whole armor of God that you may be prepared, that you may be able to stand, having done all to stand. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1, Let us run with patience the race that is set before us. It's just talking about a race that you're running. I'm sure some of these young people and some who run on a regular basis could run some miles and impress all the rest of us. Many of us wouldn't make a very good start at trying to run a race.

Wouldn't be long till we're out of breath. But let me tell you, this Christian race is one that no matter what your age may be, no matter what your physical infirmities may be, you need to run this race successfully. And how are you going to do it?

By looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Say this is not a spectator sport where as a Christian I just sit on the sidelines and see what's going on. No, you're a participant, you're running the race. Running the race. And then 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 24 says, Know ye not that they which run and race run all but one receiveth the prize, so run that ye may obtain.

That means you've got to be serious about running. You've got to be diligent. You've got to be concerned to move forward and get the prize at the end. You know there's an attitude among some Christians this day and time that there should never be any competition.

Even down to the sports activities of some of the kids. They arrange it in such a way that not to be any competition. Everybody is a winner. Everybody is a winner. Well that's not biblical. Apostle Paul tells us here that they all run but one receives the prize. He says I want you to run to receive the prize. I want you to run this godly course, living a godly life, putting the Lord first in every detail. And then Luke chapter 14 verse 26 Jesus says, If any man come to me and hate not his father and his mother and his wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea his own life also cannot be my disciple.

Oh somebody may say what on earth? What's that mean? Anyway I thought we're to love our father and mother we are. We're to love our brethren, love your wife. What's he mean? He says if you're going to come after me you've got to hate all these.

Simply by way of comparison. Your love for Jesus Christ is to be so strong and so intense that by comparison it would be as though you hated your own life and even your own relatives. All he's saying is when you take up your cross to follow him you die to self and he is to be first and foremost in everything that you do.

Now see you read passages like this. Somebody might say well I don't know if I want to profess faith in Christ. That sounds like something that's pretty challenging and pretty difficult. Well it is but the good news is that the grace that we need to be able to sustain us that we can run the race and that we can live the godly life is ours through Jesus Christ our savior. There are hard things which involve our Christian duty. Sin. Temptation to sin is a constant problem. 1st Corinthians 10 13 says there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able but will with the temptation make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it. The problem is that most of the time when a person is being tempted and God provides the way of escape the person doesn't want to take the way of escape they've moved so close to sin they just want to enact whatever it is they have determined to do. But it's hard yes hard to overcome the temptations of the flesh hard to overcome our weaknesses hard to resist temptation but he said there's no temptation but what is common to man and that God provides a way of escape. What is common to man and that God provides a way of escape and then we preach about forgiveness.

It can be hard. Ephesians 4 32 says be ye kind one to another tenderhearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Say but you just don't understand how deeply I've been hurt how can I forgive this person what they've said about me what they've done to me I just cannot forgive all but you miss part of the text you forgive even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

When you consider your sin the magnitude of your guilt before God and he has forgiven you for Christ's sake how can you then be reluctant to forgive somebody else? Yes it's hard but by the grace of God you can forgive. What about love? Some people are easier to love than others. Some people actually make it difficult to love them. Some people can be challenging and at times downright obnoxious but Jesus said in John 13 34 a new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you so as the Lord had loved you you are to love others. So well there's something about them that's not very lovable I'll tell you there's probably something about you wasn't very lovable either but the Lord loved you in spite of it and so we're to love as he has loved us and by this shall all men know that you're my disciples if you have love one to another and then there are trials that we face all kinds of trials.

Sickness, financial problems, marital problems, a wayward child, conflicts, depression, lives disrupted by sin. How are we going to get through the trial? The words that the Lord delivered to the apostle when he had prayed three times for the thorn in the flesh to be removed it said my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness for when I am weak then am I strong. My grace is sufficient. Say I'm just at my wit saying my grace is sufficient. I can't take anymore. My grace is sufficient.

I'm down for the count. My grace is sufficient. I'm discouraged. My grace is sufficient in all things whatever it may be whether it's overcoming temptation to sin whether it's forgiving whether it's loving whether it's dealing with trials in all things here's the solution John chapter 15 verse 4 Jesus says abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself to accept and abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in the vine I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing. We need to have that clearly set in our minds and hearts. As soon as you start trying to help God out even as did Abraham and Sarah initially you create problems chaos many times without me you can do nothing so whatever you're going to endeavor to do obviously at first needs to be preceded by prayer and by the examination of God's word that you follow what he has revealed in his word to be his will and then you're going to trust him and as you abide in Christ there's where you can find the great difference be tenderhearted how can you have a tender heart abiding in Christ will generate a tender heart and then you can love and then you can forgive and then you can be kind and then you can be patient and then you can move forward even when you're in the darkest time of the night because I'm finding my strength in the Lord but notice our faith is required Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6 but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him you must believe that he is no no need to pray if you don't believe in the true and living God the lady said to me oh yeah I believe there's something out there somewhere we're not talking about praying there's something out there somewhere I heard a man the other day saying you know you need to believe in something if you haven't got anything else believe in that doorknob I thought how on earth can anybody be ensnared by such folly as to think believing in the doorknob is going to help you I'm telling you about the sovereign God that created heaven and earth I'm telling you about one who can do great things I'm telling you about one of whom it is sad that nothing is too hard for the Lord so you believe that he is he is the one true and living God he's the God of hope he's the God of comfort you're going to believe in him and you're going to diligently seek him Proverbs chapter 8 verse 17 says those that seek me early shall find me too many times you don't seek him early you create a lot of problems and trying to help God out and then finally when you're in desperate state then you seek him he says those that seek me early shall find me Psalm 119 verse 10 with my whole heart have I sought thee when you seek the Lord is to be with your whole heart it's not just a little side thing over here to say well yeah I think maybe a little prayer sprinkled over this problem might be good no this is the whole thing I'm going to seek him with my whole heart I know that I desperately need him I can't get through this without him Jeremiah 29 13 and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart do you seek him do you realize that he is the source of your help the only one who can lift you up so that you can say it's anything too hard for the Lord and resound absolutely not nothing is too hard for the Lord my God we must come in faith with expectation said you must believe that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him so if you're going through the routine of prayer but you're not really expecting an answer you really have given up I don't think this can happen then save your breath there's no need to pray that kind of a prayer when you pray you must believe that he is and he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him matthew 7 verse 7 ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be open unto you for everyone that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth unto him that knocketh it shall be open psalm 81 verse 10 says open thy mouth wide and I will fill it there's expectation every time I read that I think about little birds in the nest with their mouth wide open have you ever seen that and the mother birds out bringing the worm to them they're expecting something they got their mouth wide open to receive it and this is what the Lord says we ought to be in that attitude and frame of mind when we come seeking him open thy mouth wide and I will fill it what a blessing to know that there is nothing too hard for the Lord we should certainly be praising him continually for his greatness and power let us seek him earnestly we may have to say with that man who came to Jesus asking that he would deliver his son and Jesus said do you believe he said I believe help thou mine unbelief we look at so many difficult situations today I meet with people on a regular basis whose lives are just torn apart a mother on drugs who will say I just want so much to get my children back a man with a young family facing a long-term prison sentence I just made such a mess out of things he says somebody that's so bold and brazen and independent has to resist every effort for somebody to help them and I see that out in the world around us but then I think about the problems and challenges that each of you have in this congregation if there was some way that all of those things could be displayed obviously it wouldn't be appropriate because of confidentiality but if every burden that every person here feels today would be put on a screen you'd probably be amazed you look around at other people and think I know I've got my burdens but they they seem to be doing they seem to be doing okay so many different burdens so many many problems is anything too hard for the Lord absolutely not he's the God of all power who rules and reigns in heaven let us then come boldly to the throne of grace with expectation let us come seeking him as he enjoins us to do let us come believing let us believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him if you appreciate the messages that we bring on a daily basis from God's word and would like the program to continue you can make a donation by going to our website at baptistbiblehour.org now until we greet you next time this is LaSara Bradley Jr. bidding you goodbye and may God bless you This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Saviour, Praising my Saviour, Praising my Saviour, All the day long.