Good Afternoon Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I apologize I’m late with this week’s email. My wife, children and their spouses, and grandchildren, 19 in all, traveled to Homer, AK, where we are vacationing on Kachemak Bay. We come together every two years as a family to visit neat places and enjoy the company of each other; especially the young cousins, nine in all ranging from 12 years old to 1 year old. And it is a great time for us as a family to reflect on the goodness of our Father and elder Brother. I especially enjoy the time because I can wake up early and enjoy the delights of God’s spoken Word in the visual panorama that sits before me. I can only imagine how the Garden of Eden must have looked before the corruption of sin and death cursed the people and the earth. The beauty, peace, and tranquility painted on the landscape inspires this great welling up in me of utter and complete joy, peace, and love. I and my Father are one through Jesus Christ. I’m sitting here enjoying what belongs to my elder Brother – which is mine also because I’m a joint heir.
We were sitting on the back veranda of this stunning mansion looking out across the bay at the gorgeous snow-covered mountains and glaciers with the low hanging clouds and brilliant shimmers of sunlight streaking over the mountains, the clouds, the glacier, and the bay. Two Bald Eagles flew by echoing their shrill voices as if to declare the glory of God with His creation. Two Magpies flew into an adjacent tree with their excited voices. Three seals lay sunbathing on a rock. Several of the grandchildren were running around the expansive backyard which leads down to the bay laughing while playing tag and blitz ball. I watched as one of my sons, one of my daughters, one of my daughter-in-law’s, and my wife all enjoyed each other’s company and laughed at the antics of the kids while continuously extolling the beauty before them in the handiwork of our Father. This reminded me of Isaiah 55:11-13.
Isaiah 55:11-13
11 So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Our Father has created the earth for HIS children. He didn’t create it for the world. We are to rule it by His command in Genesis 1:26 and 1:28. God has never rescinded this command. God did not make the earth and its wealth for Satan and his dominions. God made the earth and the wealth of it for His children (Psalm 115:1; Deuteronomy 8:18; Psalm 35:27; Proverbs 13:22). He made it so we can be a physical, material, and financial blessing to others around us (Genesis 12:2-3). I really like Isaiah 55:12. This is what I experienced in the spirit this morning. I was full of joy, peace, rest, and all nature around me, the snow-covered mountains, the glacier, the bay, the wildlife, and the streaking sun broke out into singing and clapped their hands because of the goodness of Almighty God – OUR FATHER – not the world’s Father – OUR FATHER.
My prayer for this trip and the bit of time away from the daily life and business is for God to expand my vision of Who He is and who I am in Him – for Him to expand the borders of my mind and heart so every day I become who He intended for me to be – a Victor coming from a Victory going to a Success – a blessing to others. We must learn we don’t encounter challenges, persecutions, problems, etc. Instead, we encounter opportunities to be the Success God has called us to be all the time. This is the “perfect man” according to II Timothy 3:16-17. Verse 17 says that we are to be “perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” “Perfect” means “godly mature,” or “one that understands how to operate in the Spiritual Laws of the Kingdom of God to consistently achieve Jesus’ results.” As we grow and mature into this, we are “furnished” by decreeing, believing, and receiving God’s promises for us so we can abound unto all good works (II Corinthians 9:8). “Abound” means to have an overflow that doesn’t stop. You see, God lives well above the “abounding.” He lives in the “exceeding abundantly” (Ephesians 3:20) realm of thinking, speaking, and receiving. However, if we’re honest, many of us live on “Barely Get Along Street at the end of Grumble Alley.” This is why God points out “HIS WORD” in Isaiah 55:11 will not return void, but will accomplish, and it won’t stop there. It will prosper – can you say double portion – in the thing whereto He sent it. Therefore, we must do as God did: decree in faith the outcome. And His outcome is in the “exceeding abundantly” realm. This is where I’m going with my meditating, decreeing, believing, and receiving.
Blessings to All in Jesus Christ,
Larry