MISSION IMPOSSIBLE by Larry W Peebles November 22, 2019 19.41

I have seen the Lord do the impossible in my life.  Born into a family of very modest financial means, and starting with a low self- esteem and small stature, my confidence was in shambles.  I was gifted with an ability to learn, so school work and grades were outstanding, but the teenage years were still difficult.  My older brother gave me the encouragement to go on to college, where academic scholarships and athletic scholarships (I could run fast) helped pay the way.  Looking back on these years, I can see the first real miracle in my life.  Near the end of my last year in high school, God showed me the woman I would marry.  I struggled with female relationships in high school, but when I saw the right girl at a dance, even though we were with different dates at the time, my life changed in an instant.  The very next week I found out who that girl was, and asked her to the next dance, which was my senior prom.  We fell in love, married, and over fifty years later are still dancing through life together.  There were no counselors involved, and no personality tests from a dating service.  The Lord said it was not good that man should live alone, and in an instant He introduced me to my wife.  He changed my despair into hope, my rejection into love, and gave me purpose.

The list gets longer.  When I almost wrecked our marriage, Jesus stepped in to put the broken pieces back together, and He fixed it even better than it was before.  I thought it was impossible to fix, but my wife forgave my mistakes, and showed me a glimpse of God’s real love at the same time.  We have beautiful children and now even grandchildren after a son-in-law and daughter-in-law were welcomed into the family.  We have never lacked for food on our table or any other necessity.  The only time I was out of work, the Lord told us He was moving us 1200 miles from our home state of Texas to the State of Florida.  I not only found work, but we also found a miraculous journey ahead of us.  Had I known from the outset where the journey would take me, I would have said the mission is impossible.

My wife had begun to walk closer with the Lord before we left Texas.  I was a mere pew warmer, more focused on career and income than the Lord.  While living in Florida, I suffered a severe back injury, a disc that produced considerable pain over a long period of time.  My wife suggested we attend a healing service on a Sunday evening at a church about two hours away.  I knew little about the Lord and His healing power, but the pain was so great I agreed to go.   With one touch on my body at that service, Jesus healed my back and showed me He knew my situation.  More important than the healing, His hand on me was a display of His great love, and it showed me He was real and was very much aware of my pain.  In an instant, I went from miserable physical pain to a new man spiritually on fire to seek Him and know Him more.

Years of formal Bible study followed, time alone with the Lord, where His wisdom and guidance jumped off the pages of the Bible.  I sat alone in the early morning with Him, my daily homework assignment, and a cup of coffee.  I was a good student and very smart, but I found in His word the wisdom I lacked.  Those seven years of study were followed by years of serving in the Juvenile Justice System of Hillsborough County Florida.  My confidence and self-esteem grew as my wife and I would walk into a maximum security room full of juvenile offenders with the toughest external looks one could imagine.  We would lead them in singing some Christian worship songs, talk to them about whatever God had put on our hearts for them, and pray with them individually.  The atmosphere would always change as Jesus brought laughter, tears, and hope into the room.  Many would commit or re-commit their lives to Jesus.  It caused a change in me as well, as I began to see the pain in their lives that brought about their criminal behavior.  God told us to tell them He loved them, and had a plan for their lives.  My wife and I were carriers of that message.  We only had an hour and fifteen minutes with these young people each meeting.  We had to come to the point quickly.  The guards welcomed us, and left us alone with them.  They said the young people were better behaved and more peaceful when we left.  I never thought it possible that I would do something that powerful for that long–17 years.

I gave the Lord control of my business career, and He led us successfully to a retirement that allows us to travel to several continents, including Africa and Asia (India).  We still preach and teach about Jesus to those who live in desperate conditions.  We still lay hands on everyone and pray for them.  His love and hope for His children has not changed, and we are grateful to again carry that message.  I now find myself doing something that gives me more satisfaction than anything I have ever done in my life.  Years ago I would have thought it impossible.

I could go on with more examples of impossible missions that have occurred in my life.  I would never have thought we could be retired for ten years, have lived off our retirement savings and traveled multiple times to Africa and India on ministry trips, all paid out of our retirement money.  At the end of ten years, we still have the same or slightly more money in retirement savings.  People would say that is impossible. 

The point I want to make in all of this can be found in 2 Corinthians 3: 5-6.  Paul says- “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our sufficiency comes from the Lord.  He has made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant- not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  God calls us to do the impossible.  But He does not label us incapable to do it.

The world teaches us to be self-sufficient, independent, and in need of no one.  It is best to rely only upon one-self.  That teaching must be tempered.  Paul says we are insufficient to claim anything for ourselves.  Our sufficiency comes from God.  In fact, Paul clarified this when he wrote in Philippians 4:13- “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”  We are insufficient through ourselves, but in partnership with and dependency upon Christ, who is all-sufficient, we can do all things.  “All things” includes the impossible.  Jesus said- “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.  (Matthew 19:26).

I am a living testimony to the case which can be made that the Lord’s plan for our lives includes a mission which is impossible without Him.  This is by His design.  He wants us to come to Him and to walk with Him through this life for the purpose of developing relationship.  When He consistently carries us through the various missions we face, we learn to trust Him.

Let’s be clear on our understanding and our terminology.  We are insufficient in and of ourselves.  He is all-sufficient.  Therefore, we are not incapable.  Rather than attempt to remain self-sufficient, the impossible becomes possible when we partner and cooperate with Him.  He loves to show Himself strong on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9).  With God, we are totally capable of accomplishing the impossible mission.