THE GOODNESS OF GOD – PART 5
From The HeartPublish date: 06/28/2009
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 KJV
God is good and He is good all the time. You could not call Him good if He was sometimes good and sometimes not. Goodness is not just about being good and doing good; it’s about being constant and consistent; being predictably good. Because God is good, He is consistently merciful and benevolent, kind, generous and forgiving.
“O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.” Psalms 34:8 AMP
“Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation, Since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord.” 1 Peter 2:2-3 AMP
The word “taste” represents an experience. We can personally experience God’s goodness. It is our choice. The goodness and the kindness of the Lord were manifested in the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ on our behalf. God has done everything He can do to show us His goodness; now it is up to each one of us to choose to personally experience – taste – that
goodness for ourselves! We taste God’s goodness when we trust and take refuge in Him.
“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!” 1 Chronicles 16:34 AMP
“God passed in front of him and called out, ‘God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient — so much love, so deeply true — 7 loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn’t ignore sin. He holds sons and grandsons responsible for a father’s sins to the third and even fourth generation.’” Exodus 34:6-7 TMB
“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.” Psalms 86:5 NKJV
God’s goodness, mercy and kindness never run out. He displays His goodness by showing His mercy. If you sin without repentance, God will have to hold you accountable - you will not get away with it. However, if you sincerely repent and ask God to forgive you, He will do so immediately. The Lord always forgives and shows mercy to those who call on Him, but those who rebel against Him, never have the privilege of experiencing His goodness.
“Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NKJV
It’s God’s good pleasure to fulfill His goodness in you, through you, and for you! We must desire and strive to be worthy of what He has called us to do. When we have faith in God, He will work in and through and for us in power! God’s plan is that Jesus Christ will be glorified in you and you in Him.
“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You choose and cause to come near, that he may dwell in Your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.” Psalms 65:4 AMP
“Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, Streaming to the goodness of the Lord — For wheat and new wine and oil, For the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, And they shall sorrow no more at all.Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, Will comfort them, And make them rejoice rather than sorrow. I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 31:12-14 NKJV
People are drawn to and attracted to God’s goodness. God’s goodness is in His house, in His presence, and is freely available to those who are full of Him and who stay close to Him. God’s goodness is all we need. God will cause His loyal people to always be satiated and satisfied with His goodness.
“Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.” Hosea 3:5 NKJV
“Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.” Jeremiah 33:6-9 NKJV
God’s will for us is that we should experience His goodness and His prosperity. God’s people must never take His goodness for granted, but it is very important that we respect and appreciate the goodness of God and how good He is to us. God says that when the nations of the earth see and hear about His abundant goodness toward His children it will be a mighty testimony - they will fear and tremble – they will be in awe of God. Give thanks to God for His goodness!
“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalms 107:8-9 NKJV