Your Bible – The Book Of Possibilities

Your Bible – The Book of Possibilities

By Pastor Jim May

Last night I sat for a little while to watch a movie called “Last Holiday”. I was struck by the dreams of the star of the picture that had lived her entire life, as she described it, “in a box”. All of her life had been spent much like you and I, just getting by, making a living the best way she could. She was somewhat successful in her job. She had many friends, and of course, a few people who weren’t so friendly. But the one thing that stays in my mind was the book where she kept all of her innermost desires and dreams, with pictures and cards and all sorts of mementos placed inside. It was as though she always lived for tomorrow and did the best she could for today. That book, she called it her Book of Possibilities, was her hope for the future and her dreams that she hoped would become a reality.

As I thought about it, I began to realize that all of us have dreams, ambitions, goals, plans and things that we would want to do and accomplish in this life. We also have big dreams for that eternal life that will come when this life is over. We too, have a Book of Possibilities and it’s called the Holy Bible, the very Word of God.

In this book you can find every dream your heart desires. You can find an answer to every question in life and you can find whatever you need.

In Matthew 19:26, "… Jesus … said … with God all things are possible." What prompted Jesus to say such a thing? The answer is that He wanted to show us all that what we think can’t be done, is no challenge at all to God for God can do anything and He will make a way where there is no way.

This message of hope came forth after the Rich Young Ruler had come to Jesus seeking the way to eternal life. Eternal life was that man’s greatest hope, but he just didn’t want to pay the price to have it. His worldly wealth was more important than the world to come and he turned away sorrowful. His salvation had become impossible only because he chose to abandon his dream.

In Matthew 19:24-25, just before Jesus had said that all things are possible with God, this is what he had said to His disciples, "… It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?"

Do you want salvation? It’s impossible with men, but with God – it’s possible! Do you want to see your children saved, or a friend come to know Christ? It may seem impossible right now – but with God all things are possible!

There is one day in my life that I shall never forget as long as I live. That date was June 13, 1968. That was the day that I stepped onto a bus in Donaldsonville and stepped off of the bus at Fort Polk, Louisiana, at the new recruit reception station to begin serving my obligation to Uncle Sam in the U. S. Army. It was not the happiest day of my life. In fact, it will stand out as long as I live, as one of the worst days that I have ever known. I was not a gung ho patriot who went down to the recruiter’s office and joined voluntarily. No sir, they had to draft me and then drag me away kicking and screaming with nail prints in the asphalt. I surely didn’t want to be in this place.

On that first night, when I began to think of my beautiful wife that I had to leave behind, and of the uncertainty and mortal dangers that could lie ahead, and of the fact that I could do nothing about it but endure it to the end, I began to pray to God to help me make it through somehow. My dreams weren’t in Fort Polk, or in Vietnam. My dreams were in Baton Rouge and that’s where I wanted to be.

When the lights were out, after our heads had been shaved and uniforms issued, you could hear the quiet sniffles of a number of people who lay on army cots all around the barracks. There were 45 of us in that open room and I dare say that every one of us had dreams in other places. I doubt that even one of us looked forward to the days ahead with joy.