#4 - What Can God NOT Do?!!!

[Hey, all!!! First of all, you haven’t heard from me in a week partly because I haven’t been feeling well, not just lately but for a long time now. But also, I haven’t heard from any of you who’ve visited this site about what you think about what I’ve been writing, the resources I’ve alerted you to, and most important, what things you have a question about or personally struggle with or what you just are excited about as a Christian that you’d like me to share with others. I could just comment about things I THINK you might be interested in reading about, but I want this to be a blog discussing things YOU tell me you’re interested in. I’ve been told that, for some reason, it’s been hard to register a comment on this site. I don’t know how to correct that yet but until then, please just EMAIL ME your comments at: yonashiro@bellsouth.net I would REALLY appreciate hearing from you!

And please remember, again, that because of my health, you may not hear from me for a week or more. If that happens, DON’T ever assume I’ve abandoned this blog. If I do, I will clearly tell you that on what would then me my last posting. Until then, please continue to check this site. With your input, I continue to hope this will be a place you will look forward to visiting each time you do.]


I just read an email from a student friend in high school, Elizabeth. She talked about her desire to see revival take place at her high school next school year and of feeling alone in believing God to do that. As I shared with her, I felt that way a number of times in the 33 years I was involved in full-time ministry. Once was while I was serving in Japan and was the only of our ministry staff working on a certain college campus. I heard about a traveling ministry music group that was going to be in our city and I asked if we could have them put on an evangelistic concert on the campus. All of the Japanese staff members I worked with as well as most of the people at my church said that such a thing had never been done there and could not possibly happen. Fortunately, I had the support of my city director who basically said, “Go for it!” I worked with the several students I was meeting with to plan the details of the event and had the help of a member at my church to help us transport the music team’s equipment for set up on the campus.

On the day of the outdoor concert, it rained heavily all morning and the dirt ground they were going to perform on was obviously muddy. Because we were dealing with electrical equipment, we considered canceling the event for the safety of the performers. But the group was willing to go ahead with it, and so, at the noon lunch hour, with a heavily overcast sky up above, they assembled and soon began their concert. While it could have easily begun raining again, just as they began the first song, the clouds above parted and a shaft of light shot through and hit the performers right where they stood (I kid you not!). It was almost like a heavenly spotlight that shone on them the entire time they performed. The weather remained good throughout the concert and it was only an hour afterwards that the clouds covered that shaft of light and it began to rain! You talk about something that was God-ordained –wow! I still get goose bumps every time I recall that day.

I honestly don’t remember any particular students who were at the concert coming forward and speaking to us about the spiritual message. But I do remember the following Sunday at church and the excitement among the people about how God had done such a mighty work that day on campus. Because we were moved to another city a short time later, I don’t really know how that excitement translated into greater steps of faith by the people at that church. But I do know it was probably a long time afterwards before any one forgot what God could do if we just step out in faith and attempt something.

As I shared with Elizabeth, in I Kings 19, even after he saw the great work of God on Mount Carmel as he battled the Baal priest, Elijah had fled to the desert in fear of Queen Jezebel’s threats. There, in v. 14 he talked about how he felt like he was alone in standing up for God but in v. 18 God reminds Elijah that He still had 3,000 in Israel “whose knees have not bowed down to Baal. I share all of this to encourage you that, as you seek to believe God to do something supernatural (which is what you should ALWAYS expect of Him), you may feel alone and may even experience opposition. But I promise you that when God leads you to believe Him for something, He HAS raised up others to stand with you. Just start praying with one other friend, even if that friend doesn’t believe God will work as you do. Then watch and see what God does. I believe that God will use the united prayers of two or three (Mat. 18:19) to do something very special.

And so, why am I sharing this now. I know, it’s summer and all you can think about is doing fun things and hanging out with your friends and family. But as you’re doing that, I challenge you to think about the next school year and to begin asking God NOW to do something supernatural at your school through you and your friends. I believe with all my heart that He wants to do the supernatural a whole lot more than we’re seeing if we just invite Him into our circumstance and ask Him to do it (that’s what intercessory prayer is all about). And why wouldn’t He? That’s what He’s about, isn’t it?