"LET HEAVEN AND NATURE SING"

​The Earth Is The Lord's, And All It Contains, The World, And Those Who Dwell In It. Psm. 24:1

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What a marvelous Creator is He, Who made the heavens and the earth. His workmanship is fathomless to our finite minds. Yet, He lays it all before us to see, if we but have the eyes to look. "Everything in life mirrors and reflects deeper principles in God's kingdom" (The Eleventh Hour, by Michael Phillips). God reveals Himself to us in everything around us. He "displays" himself in His creation. His principles are expounded upon in nature, where we can find parallels to our lives. From the dirt comes life for all that grows in it. Take a plant out of the soil and it dies. Our Creator is our source of Life. If we don't dwell in Him, then we have no life. Jesus so vividly describes this in John 15, where He tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches. If we have truly spent time reading that chapter with "spiritual" eyes and minds then we can "see" what He is trying to tell us. We will be able to see the parallels around us every time we walk out the door or look out the window. He has hidden so much of Himself and His kingdom here on His earthly "estate". As we spend time in this estate with the "Owner" we get to know Him better because His creation tells us so much about Him.

Taking Time

One morning as I was listening to praise music my eye was drawn to the activity outside the window. There the birds were swiftly flying and hopping around the yard, in and out of the trees and bushes. To my eye they were "playing" with each other - this one chasing after that one; another leaping from branch to branch in a game of tag. The variety was beautiful, and amusing - Cardinals (the bright red males in contrast to the dark green Magnolia leaves), Mockingbirds, Titmouse, a Blue Jay and even a Yellow Shafted Flicker. (That's a woodpecker.) My pleasure was in the watching as they hopped along the ground, fluttered through the trees and flew through the air, proceeding in whatever their mission. One even flew right at me (unbeknownst to him) as he landed on the gutter above the window from which I was watching. It was as if they were celebrating the rain, the wind and the cool temperature. I stood and smiled and watched and smiled some more, knowing that our Father wants us to celebrate all that surrounds us each day. The scene ended abruptly, however, when a huge, brown, wide-wing-spanned bird flew across the yard (perhaps a hawk) and apparently frightened the smaller birds away. That bird was beautiful, too, gracefully swooping across the yard and then disappearing. I thanked God for the awesome display I had just witnessed, one of many He orchestrates every day. His hands are at work continuously as He creates each sunrise and sunset, rainbow and cloud, breeze and stillness, waterfall and dry creek bed.

Look At Me!

Sometimes I am so overwhelmed by the beauty of His majesty in His creation that my heart nearly explodes with emotion. And then I realize that my spirit has been touched by His Spirit and I weep. It's as if He is calling out to me and saying, "Look at Me. I am all around You. Be consumed by Me in all that I have created around you. I do this for your pleasure, for My pleasure in providing you with pleasure, and we are both twice-blessed." The closeness of the Creator of the Universe is so profound when I absorb what He has created around me. It makes me want to drop to my knees and cry "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Most High. All heaven and earth declare Your Glory."

How is it possible for us to come to the place where we know the Owner of the estate so well that we can hear His voice in everything around us? We first have to have the desire. Guess what? God has already given us that desire. There is a place deep within us that yearns to be filled.

When it is empty we feel lonely, no matter how many people we know or spend time with. That's because God created this place within us for His dwelling place. Nothing else can fill that space and satisfy the yearning that is there. That place is just as much a part of His estate as what we see around us. Yet, God won't force His way in, though He longs to dwell there. He is a gentleman who waits to be invited. Once He is invited in He stays. His Spirit is your constant companion, leading, guiding, "speaking" to you of His will.

His Voice

However, His voice is difficult to hear amid the noise and confusion of the world around you. It's not impossible to hear, though. But you must make the effort to hear it. How? Separate yourself from the distractions of your world and get alone with God. Step into that secret place that is reserved for you and Him only. It's there where you'll be able to hear His voice and discern His will for your life. This is the place where you will learn to develop an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father. He's waiting for you. Won't you answer "Yes!" to His beckoning? It's what He desires. There we are, back to that "twice blessed" idea again! God creates a desire within us to desire Him. He calls us to Him. We answer "Yes!". We fulfill His desire for us. Amazing, isn't it?

From The Bridegroom

"The clouds in the sky are a reminder of the 'troops' assembling for battle." (11/18/97) Just as God gave Noah the rainbow as a reminder of His covenant that He would never again destroy the earth and all flesh by the water of the flood (Gen 9:11-17), God even today gives us signs in the skies of His will and His way with His people. He wants us to know that a battle for mankind between the forces of satan and the forces of God is constantly going on....a war being waged in the Heavenlies. Our intercessions are the undergirding for the Godly troops, as well as the re-enforcements in the battles. When you "see" - Pray!

God's Chosen People

Do you remember what it was like to be chosen for "the team"? As young children, when we were playing games, we used to choose team captains and then the captains would choose who they wanted on their teams, alternating turns. You knew which team you wanted to be on. The question was, Did that captain want you on his team? God has chosen His "team" .... the seed of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. Yes, the Hebrew people are God's chosen team. In Isaiah 45:4 He calls them "... Israel my chosen one." But He didn't want to exclude the rest of His creation. In Ephesians 1:5 "He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself." Jesus came to the Jews first. But they did not accept Him. This was God's plan so that the gentiles would also be able to receive Jesus. He blinded His Chosen People so that the rest of the world would have the opportunity to share in eternal salvation. But what about God's "team?" Has He abandoned them? Never! In Deuteronomy 30:6 & 8 God tells Israel through Moses that "He will not fail you or forsake you." So, you gentiles who know Jesus Messiah, as you dwell in God's estate, spending time with Him and learning His desire for you, INTERCEDE for those to whom God came first! Pray that when they see God's creation around them, in all of its splendor, they will be drawn to dwell with Him, too, and they will come to find that the empty place within them that is longing for something to fill it, can be filled by only One - Jesus.

Current Events

The U.N. inspectors have been allowed to return to Iraq. Now Saddam Hussein expects the sanctions against his country to be lifted. Isn't it interesting? He takes one step back and then one step forward, to the same place he started, and then expects to be rewarded!!! Where is the sense in all of this? What did he do during the time NO inspectors were in his country? We can only imagine and hope he doesn't "show" us. It's no secret that the Iraqi's have developed biological weapons. How ironic that they have taken the very ingredients of God's creation and turned them into a weapon that can destroy that same creation. Not exactly what God intended!

Bottom Line

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1). Look around you. The Lord is calling YOU! God's creation shouts of His existence. Jesus said in Luke 19:40 "... the stones will cry out!". In Isaiah 55:12 we read "The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." David celebrates in 1 Chronicles 16, singing "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it." The rocks, trees, seas, and fields are still shouting, clapping and rejoicing. Can you see them and hear them? Can you hear God's voice?

Choice

Then answer, "Yes, Lord." Surrender your life to Jesus, accepting the gift of eternal life He has bought for you with His Life, Death and Resurrection and Ascension. Allow Him to be Lord of your life. You'll be amazed at how brilliant the sunrises and sunsets truly are, how peaceful the trickling stream, how loud the roaring of the waters....how awesome is His creation, when you see all of it through the eyes He gives you when you allow Him to have His way with your life.

In Jesus' Name, be blessed!

Baruch Ha ba B'Shem Adonai! 

Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord