Nothing Is Impossible with God

by Gregory A. Johnson

We are trained throughout life to reason things out. We are taught human reasoning skills throughout our education, and the training continues into the workplace. Human reasoning or logic is not bad unless we apply it to God and His Word. Human reasoning is the opposite of faith. Faith is placing our total trust in God and His Word’s application to our life and impossible situations.

Faith comes and increases by the Word of God. The more of God’s Word that we believe and obey, the more faith grows in us. God speaks His Word to us through the Bible and often confirms it through prayer and through other people. The Word that God impresses on our heart through prayer or the Word spoken through others will never be in conflict with God’s written Word. The more of His written Word that we learn, understand, and obey, the more we are able to discern and identify the many voices that we hear today. Everything should line up with and be in agreement with God’s written Word. As we learn and obey God’s Word, faith grows in us.

Mary gave herself to God in total trust. Gabriel continues with his message from God for Mary:  "And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.'

"And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:35-38 ESV).

Even though Mary could not comprehend what was being told to her, she submitted herself to God’s Word. She could not figure out how it all was going to come about, but she allowed faith to rise above human reasoning; she trusted God and His Word. God fulfilled His Word and accomplished the impossible in Mary’s life. Through her, baby Jesus was birthed—God came into our world.

Beloved, this speaks to us today. God will do the impossible in us and through us as we allow faith to rise above human reasoning. No matter what the circumstances may be, as we place our total trust in God and His Word, He will work in our seemingly impossible situations. Absolutely nothing is impossible with God.

Will you stop trying to figure it all out and just place your total trust in God and His Word today? He desires to utilize your life for His glory. Your sphere of influence, friends, family, and all those around you will see you place your trust in God and His Word, and many will witness God doing impossible things in your life.

Excerpted from the book, The Characters of Christmas: God at Work in Our Lives by Gregory A. Johnson. Copyright © by Gregory A. Johnson. All rights reserved. 

How to Make the Right Decisions

by Gregory A. Johnson


Please know that whatever God is speaking and through whatever avenue He chooses to speak it, it will always line up with His written word. The angel that came to Joseph in a dream lined up God’s plan with God’s Word. He lined up what was happening with the Word of God spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Throughout our life, we will continually have to make decisions in difficult situations and circumstances. To make the right choices, we must seek God’s plan. How do we know when we have found God’s plan? There will always be two indicators that will let us know when we have found God’s plan. Number one, God’s plan will always line up with His Word (click to tweet). Number two, we will have a peace that God gives us about the plan.

God’s plan will always bring peace (click to tweet). “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus” (Matthew 1:24-25).

Joseph received God’s plan that lined up with God’s Word, and he received a peace from God that allowed him to execute the plan. This Word and this peace enabled him to scrap his plan and execute God’s plan instead. Did it make his life easy? No, Joseph lived his life with everyone talking about how Mary got pregnant prior to their marriage ceremony. You know how people are. I imagine that people shamed Mary and Joseph all throughout their life on this earth, but they were chosen and blessed vessels of God. I imagine they are living pretty nice today around God’s throne as they both submitted to God’s plan and not human reasoning.

Beloved, God’s plan for our life in each situation and every circumstance is far better than our plan (click to tweet). As we seek God through prayer and as we wait on Him, He will lead us, and He will guide us. Weigh every decision you make on two premises. Does it line up with God’s Word? Do I have a peace about the decision? Unless you can say yes to those two questions, continue to pray and wait. If you act on your own plan, you will miss God. If you act on God’s plan, you will receive His blessings. Pray. Wait. Stay in the Word. Receive His peace. Be blessed.

Excerpted from the book, The Characters of Christmas: God at Work in Our Lives by Gregory A. Johnson. Copyright © by Gregory A. Johnson. All rights reserved. 

It's a Wonderful Life

by Gregory A. Johnson

It is during those times when life does not seem to be working out, feeling as if life could have been different, failing to see our impact on others, wishing we had not even been born, that we need to realize that it truly is a wonderful life. 

It's hard to see this throughout the entire year, as we deal with the ups and downs of life regardless of the calendar. It doesn't have to be just at Christmas time, as in the climactic scene in the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life when George Bailey, played by the one and only James "Jimmy" Stewart, found himself in a situation that seemed impossible. George was contemplating ending his life, wishing he had never been born, failing to realize that his life had impacted so many in positive ways until he was shown by an unlikely source, Clarence Odbody (Angel, Second Class) played by Henry Travers, that if he had not been born, the people of Bedford Falls would not have had such a wonderful life.

It's a Wonderful Live - Movie Trailer

Through it all, the movie projects that God had a purpose for George Bailey and was working through him to help others in ways that would not have materialized if George had not been born. The Bailey house had a merry Christmas that year because God answered the prayers of people who loved George, and He sent a messenger to show George his worth just in time. It's a Wonderful Life is a great movie recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 best American films ever made.

In our house, my family and I have traditionally watched the movie on Christmas Eve, although it is a good movie to be watched at any time of the year. Because of our tradition, when I think of characters of Christmas, George Bailey is one who pops into my mind.

I wrote the book, The Characters of Christmas: God at Work in our Lives, to encourage people to realize that God is always working in our lives, even if we cannot see it or feel it. The book is not about fictitious characters from a movie, like George Bailey, and it's not just another Christmas book or a book to be read at Christmas time. In the book, I take the real-life characters of the Bible at the birth of Jesus and show how God worked in their lives while making it relevant to each reader by showing how God is working in his or her life, no matter what he or she is going through. It will speak to you during any season of the year and regardless of the season of life that you currently find yourself in. I pray that, as Clarence Odbody, God will use the book as a messenger to show readers and those they recommend or give it to, that God is truly at work in their lives. With some, it will be just in time.

Please know today that you have value; you are favored by God. He allowed you to be born for a purpose.  He is working in your life. He is working in your seemingly impossible situation. As you realize this, you will realize that this truly is a wonderful life. Know that you are loved, gaj

Favored by God

by Gregory A. Johnson

Are you facing something impossible in your life right now? If you read that question and can’t think of anything impossible that you are facing at this present time, please still keep reading. You will face something down the road on your journey that will be an impossible situation for you to handle without help.

For most, as they read that question, something immediately comes to mind as it is always on their mind. They go to bed thinking about it, and they get up thinking about it, and it consumes their thoughts throughout the day. Not knowing what to do or where to turn next, they reason, they plan, and oftentimes they make the wrong choices and execute the wrong plan which only causes more pain and heartache. Impossible situations can overwhelm, discourage, and depress while ostracizing us from those we love and those who love us.