The Goodness of God for You and Your Family (Pt.1)
Part 1 –
God's Goodness Gives Vision for the Impossible
Hello, Faith Heights for Help Mates and Husbands,
Today, I'm writing to you from sunny Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Jessica and I have been here celebrating our 20th anniversary of being married, and we're having the time of our lives. It feels like the honeymoon we never had and always wanted. God is SO good!
From day one of our vacation, Jess and I "set up camp" at this little poolside cabana that has direct access to one of the most beautiful Caribbean beaches you've ever laid eyes on. One moment, we're splashing around in the pristine infinity pool like a couple of grade-school kids, with chilled drinking coconuts in hand. The next moment, we're running towards the beach to cool off in the refreshing ocean water. Talk about options! Haha!
We arrived here last Friday, May 30, and since then, we've been resting, investing in each other, and refueling to gain renewed inspiration for our family's life and for the ministry God has called us to fulfill. For instance, I've never been able to envision a swimming pool at our house, or anywhere for that matter, but now, I can TOTALLY see it!
I told Jess earlier today, as we were both lounging by the pool surrounded by tropical plants, tropical trees and fauna and the turquoise-colored ocean in the backdrop, "Design a pool for our backyard! Let's get completely ready to put one in!" You see, I received this fresh vision and inspiration for a pool of our own by being immersed in this amazingly picturesque, tropical atmosphere.
The gorgeousness of my surroundings, the perfect weather and temperature, the sea breeze blowing in our faces, the glow of our sun-kissed skin, the quantity and quality of rest we've been getting, the gourmet food and fresh-fruit smoothies, and all the cold brew coffee we can handle! But most importantly, sharing all of this with the love of my life, Jessica, filled me with beauty, delight, and thanksgiving for the abundant goodness of God we’re enjoying. And out of all that came VISION and inspiration! The pool is just one thing I've chosen to mention as we've received both spiritual and natural vision for things to come, as well as wisdom and direction for the immediate future.
Now, hang with me and please don’t unhook. We’re going somewhere!
Traditionally, swimming pools—especially in-ground ones—are viewed as expensive; an unaffordable luxury reserved for the wealthy. That's one side of the ditch, so to speak. People in this ditch can never fathom they could be wealthy or “rich” enough to be able to have an in-ground pool, let alone have money enough to maintain one. If they tried to picture it, the only thing they could envision would be a plastic kiddie pool in the backyard with a green garden hose running to it. I know what it feels like to be on that side of the ditch. Thank God for kiddie pools and pools of any size or kind! I’m not knocking them. Growing up, I enjoyed MANY hours in my neighbor’s above-ground pool. They fixed it up super nice and I have so many fond memories from that first summer they put it in.
On the other side of the ditch, the notion that you cannot enjoy something until you can "afford it" or you can't enjoy something until you can make it happen yourself by saving and saving is highly prevalent. Moreover, many people take pride in living spartan-like lives. They get a twisted sense of satisfaction from how much they can do without and are often tempted to judge others for the things they desire in life. In their judgment, they exclaim, "That's just too much for anyone to have! Why would anyone need all of that?! They're probably in debt up to their eyeballs…” or, “They're a bunch of crooks!"
They wish others would be more like them and learn to live their lives without spending any money, time, energy, or thought on pursuing things they deem unnecessary or superfluous. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, they set themselves, their lives, and their way of living as the standard for everyone else. If you're agreeable to them, then you're good, and they have no problems if you run for the neighborhood HOA, you model citizen you. They may even send you a dinner invitation! But if you're not agreeable to them, you better watch out! They don't understand your ways, and they can't possibly conceive what it is you do. "Do you know the 'so and so's? Yeah, they're strange. They’re too rich for my blood!" They have significant difficulty understanding those with some financial means, ability, and know-how. The bottom line? This kind of person judges others unworthy of good things—tangible or intangible. When they’ve measured themselves against you, they couldn’t see how they could have it, or why they would ever need it. So, they don’t see why you should have it or need it!
We do not have the audacity to put ourselves in the same class or compare ourselves with some who [supply testimonials to] commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they lack wisdom and behave like fools. [2Cor. 10:12, AMP]
Don't get me wrong! Being wise with your finances is good! Saving and purposeful spending are also prudent practices. However, as followers of Jesus, only living life according to the above examples and lines of thinking—and oftentimes unscriptural reasoning—leads to disregarding what the Bible says. And like Romans 3:4 boldly states in the NET, "...Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar..."
Family of God, what the Bible says and what it teaches MUST trump everything in our lives. To follow Jesus fully and experience what the Bible promises us as New Covenant believers, we must submit our understanding and ways of thinking to God's Word—the way He thinks.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. [James 1:17, NASB95]
Notice it says, "Every good THING" and "...every perfect GIFT" comes from the Father. This means, if it’s good, it’s from God! Good things are gifts from Him! It’s so simple, a child can understand it!
It’s the unrenewed, unscriptural, unbelieving thinking that messes everything up.
Is God good enough to give you a kiddie pool and a green garden hose to fill it up? Yes! Many people have them. Is God good enough to give you an above ground pool? Certainly! Tons of people have them and they’re very affordable! Is God good enough to give you an above-ground pool and enough money to build a deck around it, and furnish it, and decorate the surroundings just how you like? Absolutely! Okay! Well, how about an in-ground pool? Is God good enough to give you more than enough money to put an in-ground pool in your backyard, or does God’s goodness reach its limit, its breaking point, when it comes to in-ground pools? Does God shudder when we start to consider the possibility of having something as nice as an in-ground pool as if to say, “That’s too big of an ask! I’m not sure if I can make that happen, my precious child.” Hahaha! That’s laughable! Our Father God creates PLANETS! What’s an in-ground pool to Him? I mean, He’s the inventor of them! Pools are His idea in the first place!
God thinks pools are so much fun, He created entire oceans for His creation to live and play in. Do you know how vast the Pacific Ocean is? THAT is a big pool! So, you see, it’s preposterous to limit the Goodness of God in your life with such limited thinking. Come on, Family! Let’s lift our eyes up higher! Let’s see our GOOD Heavenly Father for Who He is, and let’s let Him increase our vision to match His Word.
"Well, Brother Matthew, I don't need a swimming pool, or anything highfalutin for that matter. God never promised He’d give us our wants, only our needs."
To the first point—me neither! But I'd still like to have one! I can live for the rest of my life and go to be with Jesus and never have a swimming pool of my own. That wouldn't bother me a bit. It’s nice to have, not “got” to have.
To the 2nd point, that’s a perfect example of completely unscriptural thinking! Yet, Christ followers everywhere believe this and things just like this. Would to God that Christians would believe Scripture over hearsay!
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11, ESV)
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalm 37:4-5, NASB95)
You see, you may not want or feel like you need a swimming pool, and that’s just fine! But to Jess and me (we're in total agreement), it's a good thing, and we believe our Heavenly Father is big enough and good enough to give us one if we asked Him and trusted Him for one.
That’s not the same as making it happen ourselves, going in debt for one, or trying to save and save and save until finally we’ve accomplished it by our own means and ability.
In letters to come, we’ll dive deeper into this subject (pool pun!), but it’s the good things—tangible and intangible—coming to pass in your and your family’s life that glorifies God. God’s goodness on display in YOUR life, your marriage, and your family glorifies HIM, not you! When YOU make it happen for yourself, that glorifies YOU—your smarts, your affluence, your ability— YOU. But when the Father is able to do it for you, He does it in such a way where HE gets the glory, the devil is defeated, and Jesus is exalted!
And what happens when Jesus gets exalted or “lifted up”?
And I, if I am lifted up from the Earth, will draw all men to Myself
(John 12:32, NASB95)
And according to Scripture, what is a big part of God’s character that draws or leads you to Jesus?
“…the goodness of God leads you to repentance…” (Romans 2:4, NKJV)
Many other translations say “kindness” instead of “goodness.” And that’s also true! God’s goodness is kind, and His kindness is good! That’s revelation in itself! Selah.
It’s taken some major mind renewal compared to how I was raised, but Jess and I don’t believe we’re limited by what we—Matthew & Jessica Curtis—can do. We’re not limited by our salaries. We’re not limited by how much money we have saved up. We’re not even limited by our lack of knowing how it’s all going to work out; how it’s going to happen. According to the Bible, the only limiting factor is our faith. Real faith in God is the power to believe or trust Him for something we desire—something unseen, unrealized, even seemingly impossible—to come to pass in our lives. Like my father-in-the-faith says, “Our pictures become fixtures!” Hallelujah! True faith in God makes the intangible TANGIBLE! Genuine faith in God will turn the dream into reality! Faith in God makes the impossible POSSIBLE!
Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.”
(Mark 9:23, GW)
But did you know that experiencing the goodness of God in your life, your marriage, and your family will lead to an increase in vision and inspiration for things to come? Things you didn't think were possible can become possible—easily doable and obtainable! Before, you couldn't see it, and you didn't have the inspiration for it, or the gumption to do it; but now, you can see it! You see how it can work. You see it from an inspirational perspective, AND you're inspired to begin the process.
Regarding our pool vision, it doesn't mean we'll spend the money as soon as we get back and have a pool designed and installed; it means we'll create a design for our new pool, and this design will be a tangible focal point for our pool vision. We'll put it up somewhere for Jess, Miah, and I to see. Even Chester Copperpot, our mini goldendoodle, needs to see it! Haha!
Always keeping the vision in front of us ensures we won't lose sight of it. As they say, out of sight, out of mind! Now, that's not a Scripture, but it's certainly applied to Matthew Curtis many times as I've endeavored to live by faith. So, from experience, I’ve learned that keeping the vision in front of you keeps your expectations stirred and the vision alive.
Thank you, FHFHM family, for trusting us to minister to you through these letters. My goal in this one and in the following ones is to address the topic of "The Goodness of God for Your Marriage and Family." Does the Bible have anything to say about this subject? You bet it does.
In today's letter, we’ve jumped into the shallow end of the pool. In the letters to come, we'll make sure to take the pool slide into the deep end of the goodness of God! Did you catch the swimming pool puns? Haha!
Until next time and with all our love,
Matthew & Jessica