Good Afternoon Brothers in Christ,
What a blessing to walk with our Father each day and receive an unending supply of grace and peace from His Word. David refers to it as waves that continually wash over him – waves of our Father’s loving, unconditional grace and peace. Hopefully from past emails and from Caleb’s Promise studies you have an understanding of the totality of grace and peace.
What is your vision based upon for your self, your family, your business, your ministry (yes, all have been given a ministry), etc? Let’s take a quick look at examples of three visions from God’s Word. In John 6 we read of Jesus feeding the 5,000. We know it was more like 15,000 with women and children included. The bottom line, it was a lot of humanity to feed. In this chapter we see three visions related to the feeding of the “great multitude:”
- In John 6:7, we have the vision of Philip which was based on the vastness of the problem. Philip was focused on the fact the challenge was so vast, it overwhelmed the supply.
- In John 6:8-9, we have the vision of Andrew which was based on the limited size of the supply. Andrew was focused on the fact they only had five loaves of bread and two fish, a supply that didn’t even scratch the surface of the demand.
- In John 6:6, 10-13, we have the vision of Jesus which was based on an unlimited spiritual supply. Jesus was focused on the supply of the Father which He knew of from the Father’s Word.
We could spend pages on this topic, but for the sake of brevity, we’ll just hit the very high points. What is your vision based upon: a vast challenge, a limited supply, or the Word (promises) of your Father, God? One only needs watch how we react to a situation to tell if our vision is based on what God has to say about us or what the world has to say about the situation.
Left to Philip or to Andrew to decide, they would have sent the great multitude away stating the challenge was too great and the supply too small to meet the need. This is the reaction of the world, the carnal man. I clearly remember many of my personal and business decisions being made based on the size of the challenge or the size of the supply. Our Father wants us focused on His Word as the solution to our challenges, our situations, our problems. God wants us focused on the spiritual and not the carnal or physical.
Jesus had the people sit down in the grass (Psalm 23; maketh me lie down in green pastures), in an orderly fashion (the shepherd watching over His flock), to “receive” the blessing He was about to impart to them. Jesus gave thanks (why did Jesus do this since He was clearly thanking Himself? To demonstrate to us how we are to conduct such situations), brake the bread, and distributed. Likewise with the fishes. In the end, there was plenty of bread and fish to feed the great multitude and have 12 baskets left over of fragments of the barley loaves. And, notice, in verse 12, it says “when they were filled.” Everyone had plenty to eat. No one had to have just a portion and was still hungry. They were all fed until they were full. Our Father deals in abundance, more abundance, exceeding abundantly. He never just meets your need.
Let’s quickly list some verses that apply to Jesus’ vision in the previous paragraph:
Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
The supply from God is based on His riches by Christ’s redemptive act of death and resurrection for us.
Ephesians 3:8
Unto me, who am less that the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ;
We are supplied the “unsearchable” riches of Christ. This doesn’t mean we can’t know what the riches are: we can know them from His Word. It means the riches are never ending. You could never ask for more than God can supply. The greatest request you could think of in enormity wouldn’t even make the lights of heaven dim for a split second.
Ephesians 3:20
Now unto Him (Jesus Christ) that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
The power that worketh in you is the faith of God. You increase the force of His faith in you through the study of His Word. Once you do, you won’t think small anymore, and God will continually challenge you to think bigger and bigger. Our Father is a Father of “more than enough!”
II Peter 1:3
According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life (physical and material) and godliness (spiritual), through the knowledge (Word) of Him (God) that hath called us unto glory and virtue:
We are given all things, whatsoever we desire and ask for as long as it’s not for our lust and according to God’s will. All things physical, material, and spiritual. You learn what these things are, the will of God for you, and how to ask for them through His Word.
What is God’s will for us. Collectively, God’s will is spelled out in III John 2. God will have other things for us individually as He has an assignment(s) for each of us:
III John 2
Beloved, I wish (will) above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
It’s our Father’s will, ABOVE ALL THINGS, that we are prospering in all areas of our physical and material life. But, our physical and material life will not prosper until our soul prospers. Our soul prospers by studying God’s Word and receiving the promises of it by faith.
And finally, as a testimony to the truth of God’s Word, we are nearing the end of May 2018. God has prospered my business to the point of 200% growth year-to-date. And, I’m expecting to grow by 500% this year. This is ALL by the grace and hand of God. My only play in this is to study, decree, believe, receive, and then bless others in return (Genesis 12:2-3).
And, my precious Brother James, in the email address line, is a man of God with a greater knowledge and belief than me. His business has grown exponentially last year and this year. So, our Father’s Word is true. I leave you with a precious promise about the promises:
II Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are yea, and in Him (Jesus) Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Our Father has given you the Promised Land. But, you must believe and then act on His Word. Our Father’s promise to you is:
Isaiah 1:19
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.
In Christ,
Larry