Posts Tagged ‘Goodness’

THE LORD IS GOOD

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

Day 262

“Taste and see that the Lord is good”
Psalm 34:8

Our Father loves us. He values us above all things for we are the pinnacle of His creation. Even in the face of our rebellion, He pursued us and established a relationship with us through His Son, Jesus Christ. The intensity and cost of His Son’s sacrifice stands as an eternal statement of love. He loved us before we loved Him. He is faithful to us even when we are not. His faithfulness is unchangeable.

What we believe of God sets the basis of how we see Him. Out of this are many misconceptions about God. These perceptions may be crippling in our relationship and destroy an inner freedom. It should not be this way. We need to see God as He really is. He is good, upright and instructs us in our ways. He loves righteousness and justice, and the earth is full of His unfailing love (Psalms 25:8; 33:5). We are surrounded by His unfailing love.

The psalmist declared, “You are good, and what You do is good; teach me your ways.” That should be the cry of our heart. His goodness covers us and makes us right. Are you discouraged, tired, in trouble, need help? Cry out to your Father, “Show me Yourself and Your ways.” He is a refuge in time of trouble. He cares for those who trust Him (Nahum 1:7).

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And being with You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart fail, but God
is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”
Psalm 34:25-26

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GOD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Day 256

“The God of patient endurance and of encouragement”
Romans 15:5

Paul has outlined a very important principle for us. Everything in Scripture is written for us. Scripture is relevant because it speaks to our deepest needs. It is God’s letter to us and the emphasis is on being (living) in Christ, that is, walking in His character and nature.

The Holy Spirit reveals God’s word to us. As we read Scripture, it gives us light over our nature and our ways. We will increasingly become more and more conscious of how sinful we are and how holy God is. We see our need and realize how much God’s grace and mercy has covered us and how we must set ourselves to seeking righteousness. Paul says that through patient endurance of applying the word, we have hope.

Paul closes with a prayer declaring God our Father as the Source of patient endurance and encouragement. So, as God’s word reveals more and more of our sinfulness and need, He, at the same time, is the very source of our endurance. He is our strength. We may be wounded, but He will heal. We are given hope. We are given eternal promises in Him. Glorify God today for He is our hope, encourager and Source of endurance.

“Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory”
Ephesians 1:13b-14

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DIVINE SCHEME

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Day 177

“My thoughts are completely different from yours,
My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine”
Isaiah 55:8

We like to have everything tied up neatly. Our doctrine, beliefs, liturgy, time, etc. Most of all, we like our understanding of God all wrapped up and packaged so as not to disturb us. Peter, James and John ran into this problem. He was transfigured before them by His face shining and His clothes becoming white as light. Then Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Jesus.

Peter immediately spoke to Jesus about putting up three tabernacles (shrines), one for each of them. Here they were witnessing a miraculous manifestation of Christ and the heavenlies and Peter wanted to capture it. But, God had another plan – and His voice came out of the cloud surrounding them saying, “This is My son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” They were scared and fell facedown, but tender Jesus came to them saying, “Get up, don’t be afraid.”

Isn’t this the way we are? We like everything packaged, but God will always break out and move in a way we don’t think or know about. Why, He even reaches right down into our wicked, sinful lives and takes us unworthy people and suddenly sets us free! He comes suddenly and unexpected. He overcomes us with His love. He delivers us. Who is this God? He is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world that pursues us with love.

“God will rejoice over you”
Isaiah 62:5

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GOD’S UNFAILING GENEROSITY

Sunday, July 11th, 2010

Day 130

“Every good and perfect gift is from above”
James 1:17

Who are we to receive such good and perfect gifts from God? He loves us and gave Himself for us [Galatians 2:20]. He is a God who gives Himself to sinners. He gave us opportunity for a new birth. He made the way by taking our sins and placing them on His own Son to pay the penalty. He removed condemnation from us.

God then equipped us to live our lives in Him until the day of coming face to face to Him. He gave us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us. He equipped us with everything we need for life and godliness. He forgave us our sins, past, present and future. He placed a seal on us so we will not be lost.

And after the great gift of eternal life, He gave us a family to live in, the church, the community of the redeemed. Here He is our great Shepherd, priest and king. We dwell in His pasture and He feeds and cares for us. He plants His footsteps in the storms of our lives, calming the winds and seas. He comes to us in our hour of need comforting us with His presence by spreading a table before us in the presence of our enemies. He fills our cup to overflowing.

“Goodness and Mercy have followed me
all the days of my life”
Psalm 23:6

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GOD’S GOODNESS

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Day 91

“O taste and see that the Lord is good”
Psalm 34:8

People of the world always ask the same question: “If God is so good, why does He allow so many to die?” Interesting – Satan did the same thing with the first man and woman. “Did God say . . .” Or in other words, if He is so good, why can’t you eat from the Tree of Knowledge?

That seed Satan planted has plagued man ever since. One of the ways has been God’s people questioning His goodness. After they were freed from Egypt, they complained, grumbled, and basically lacked belief in God’s goodness and provision. All the way up to today, people still hold a skewed view of God. He is perceived to be a harsh judge who will send a bolt of lightning if you miss the mark; that He will allow you to be lost, impose sickness on you, or a myriad of other false beliefs.

None of these views of God are true.

There is a great verse in Matthew that reveals the nature of God’s goodness: “What man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or, if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” [Matthew 7:9-11]. Even in our own failures God is good to us. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made, declares the Psalmist [145:8-9]

Knowing the goodness of God is a life-transforming truth.

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good”
Psalm 73:28

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