On the first day of creation, God’s Spirit brooded over the fallen situation of the earth and brought in light to establish mornings and evenings — a cycle for us to experience God in high times and in low times. This relates very much to our experience. The second day of Creation, as described by brother Titus, is a little different: it relates to learning about what God has provided for us.
Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
– Genesis 1:6-8, NASB
You have three overall provisions. You have the expanse (the firmament). You have water above. You have water below.
Titus Chu. 2017 Winter Conference. Message 3
On the second day we find that three realms are established: waters below, waters above, and an expanse (or, in some translations, “firmament,” which means “the heavens or the sky”) between them. We live in the midst of this firmament which is between the waters and can partake of both the waters above and the waters below. All three of these realms are for our growth, our sustenance and our enjoyment.
First, we have the firmament, or the expanse between the waters. This is an expanse which covers the whole globe — it is very great in size, full of room for us to move, explore and grow.
God did something you can’t believe. Here is the earth. … So the Spirit is brooding, hovering over the surface [of the deep]. Eventually God will say “let water be divided, let there be a span” and a firmament developed. Do you know how big that firmament is? It’s bigger than the globe. God says “I will give you an expanse for you to live, to survive, to develop, to travel, to minister, to labor, to fight.”
On the second day, the lord begins to show the principle of life. The principle of life is “I will give you no boundary. Everything is yours. You have everything on the surface of the globe. Go!”
Titus Chu. 2017 Winter Conference. Message 3
An important step in our walking with the Lord is recognizing just how much the Lord wants us to grow. He placed us in such a grand, far-reaching expanse which encompasses the whole globe so that we might live, survive, develop, travel, minister, labor and fight. Yet many of us Christians settle ourselves to something familiar and small. It is so easy to place ourselves in “boxes,” whereby we limit our development by not recognizing God’s provision and desire for our growth. We may find something we can do, then become content with only that much to the extent that our growth slows or even stops. We must be vigilant to recognize that God desires us not only to survive, but also to grow — to be able to explore this far-reaching expanse. What might this look like? Titus offers one example:
If you know how to preach in the meeting already, don’t preach anymore. Let the young brothers do it. Because you know it already. Brother, expand yourself. Remember, God has given you a huge expanse for you to explore.
I tell you, you will be such a blessed person if you realize, ‘Lord, I’m too small. I’m too narrow. My thinking, my logic, my consideration, are all not according to you.’ We want a little spot, but God wants us to be in the expanse.
Titus Chu. 2017 Winter Conference. Message 3
Lord, uplift our eyes to see the great expanse you have for us!
When we realize just how much room our God has given us to grow, and recognize His desire for our growth, we may have the feeling “Lord, You want me to grow? I feel You are asking too much! How can I go on?” He would answer “Look at what I have provided you. I have given you waters above, and waters below.”
God desires to provide us with the rich heavenly waters, as Christ declared that He is the water of life and that whoever comes to Him will never thirst again (John 4:14, 6:35). But at the same time, God also asks us to breathe in the air (the expanse) while living on this earth. Healthy Jesus lovers must know how to properly enjoy the earthly water so they can partake of the heavenly water. Then, with the heavenly water, their enjoyment of earthly water will be higher and higher.
Titus Chu. The Marvelous Signs of the Divine Growth, p. 11
In other words, God has provided the heavenly water of life, which is Christ Jesus. Christ, as the heavenly water of life, is to be our portion, our strength and our reward. As we partake of this heavenly Christ, He begins to uplift and strengthen us to experience more growth. More than that, the more we partake of Christ as the heavenly water, the more we can enjoy the earthly waters. This heavenly enjoyment changes our earthly tastes so that we can enjoy what God has provided us in our earthly living. This can be an appreciation of nature, of the seasons, of food, of clothes, of our lodging, etc. Such things become an enjoyment for us because of our enjoyment of the heavenly Christ. Yet their enjoyment is not for themselves! They too are for our continuing spiritual growth.
Remember, don’t just say “Hallelujah I have good food; hallelujah I have good lodging.” You have to say, “Hallelujah I have good food, I can enjoy Christ more! Hallelujah I have good lodging, I can enjoy Christ more!”
Titus Chu. 2017 Winter Conference. Message 3
The lessons learned in this stage form a necessary base for our lifelong spiritual growth in the Lord. First, there is a great expanse available for us to grow into. Second, the Lord desires us to grow in this expanse. Third, He has provided us rich heavenly waters by which we can grow, and also blessed us with earthly waters which we can enjoy as we grow.
This is marvelous. A Jesus lover can boldly declare: “The span I am in is so great. However, I do have heavenly waters with earthly waters for me to advance.”
No wonder God called the firmament “Heavens.”
Titus Chu. The Marvelous Signs of the Divine Growth, p. 12
