The Goodness of God (2)

1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Good

a prim. root, to be (trans. do or make) good (or well) in the widest sense:—

Sometimes we don’t feel that, do we?

When circumstances are adverse & not going exactly the way that we want them to, somehow we translate that into that God is NOT GOOD.

We can often feel that if God doesn’t make everything great and easy and overflowing that He is not really THAT good.

We let our children go through some hard things - it makes them hard.

(Example of too much hand sanitizer)

Daniel 3:13–18 NKJV

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

What caused these men to believe so strongly in the Goodness of God

God has NO MIXTURE!

God is PURELY GOOD!

1 John 1:5 NKJV

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

James 1:17 NKJV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

We have enemies!

The devil can’t do much - He uses people

Psalm 140:1 NKJV

Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men,

2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Psalm 91:3 NKJV

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.

Our Trust Response in a Good God:

Romans 12:19–21 NKJV

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

James 5:4 NKJV

Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

Proverbs 6:16–19 NKJV

These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

If we do our own defending and avenging, we stop God from being the Lord of Armies & the “Master Avenger”

Let God do it - He can do it better!

Just One Thing:

God IS Good. Live like & treat Him like He is!