Impossible is Nothing

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they´ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it." Adidas was really on to something when they came up with that advertising campaign. However, Jesus taught us the same concept some 2000 years ago, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed...nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matthew 17:20). Nothing shall be impossible unto you. And again, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23). All things are possible. That´s a pretty incredible promise! Paul in his epistle to the Philippians reiterates Jesus´teaching, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). I can do all things. Now the qualifiers: only "If ye have faith" or "if thou canst believe" and only "through Christ" is this promise fulfilled. Jesus teaches again, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me...the same bringeth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Without me ye can do nothing. Obviously a branch can´t do anything without a central vine to receive nutrients etc; that´s exactly how our relationship is with Christ. He further explains, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7). Ask what ye will. Do we understand how enabling the gospel of Jesus Christ is? With it "impossible is just a big word." Ammon explained this concept perfectly, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; but in [God´s] strength I can do all things" (Alma 26:12). There it is again, all things. After witnessing various miracles through Ammon´s faithful service, Lamoni convincingly declares, "I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things" (Alma 20:4). Oop, and again--all things. From Samson who was given strength from his youth for obeying God´s command to never shave his head to captain Moroni and the 2000 stripling warriors who were strengthened and preserved for relying on God, the scriptures are not short of stories where the seemingly impossible is made reality. "Yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him." (Helaman 12:1). But let us be aware that only through God are we given such strength. Often those who are blessed to witness such miracles soon forget the qualifiers they met that made the miracles possible and start relying in their own strength and wisdom. "Yea, and we may see that at the very time when he doth prosper his people...that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God" (Helaman 12:2). The consequence of this is fit, because of "bosting in their own strength, they were left to their own strength: therefore they did not prosper" (Helaman 4:13). I love the promise found in Ether, "my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27). It´s like a formula of how to strengthen our lacks and reach the impossible. This gospel is so empowering! With all the love of a big word, Elder Lounsbury