"God is Always Good"
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever noticed that there are some words that we just say without thinking about the meaning? There are some words that roll off our tongue so easily.
The word Good.
“That steak was so good.” “I got a really good workout in today.”
“My kids were so good today.”
“Let me tell you where to go on-line to get a really good deal.”
“That player on that team is really good this year.”
Sometimes we just use this word, and just don’t take time to think about it’s meaning. So, when we read that God is good, what’s meant to happen inside us doesn’t always happen. Listen to these words from Scripture.
Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
Many of us have heard verses like this before and we have heard pastors talk about God being good, but we often forget. In fact I believe that we walk through life without a sense of gratitude. We try and go out an handle life and our situations and relationships with an attitude of entitlement, instead of looking to God our Creator. And so what happens is generally there are several problems that come up.
The first problem that comes up is most often we are not looking for God. We are busy focusing on ourselves or looking at other’s lives or what they are doing or saying on social media. We forget that God is with us. We forget that the God of this Universe is with us, His very presence, and that He stands beside us and hears our prayers when we seek Him.
A.W. Tozer once prayed, “O God and Father, I repent of my sinful preoccupation with visible things. The world has been too much with me. Thou hast been here and I knew it not. I have been blind to Thy Presence. Open my eyes that I may behold Thee in and around me. For Christ’s sake, Amen.
The second problem that can arise is we can sink into despair. Despair is never a good thing. The dictionary defines despair as destitute of positive expectations. If you are in despair, you can’t see anything good in your future. You will look at your life and wonder how can my life improve? Your focus will be in the dark things of life, and hope will seem to have gone out the window. Church, we need hope and we need to zero in on the goodness of God. Listen to this quote by Tozer.
“The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.” A.W. Tozer
“The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.” A.W. Tozer
How can we trust in the goodness of God?
How can we trust in the goodness of God?
1. God shows us His goodness in all that He is and does.
1. God shows us His goodness in all that He is and does.
God is by nature good. He can’t stop being what He is. He always does what is right. We know this to be true because ultimately God gave us His one and only Son “JESUS” Jesus came to this earth and gave His life for us. This is the best example we have to know and see that God loved us so much that He gave us a perfect gift. God is so good!!!
We also know that God is holy and separated from all evil. It may seem hard to understand God’s goodness because apart from Him we wouldn’t know goodness. Compared to God we fall extremely short of His goodness. No one is like God. Paul tells us in Romans that no one is good, no not one. Even in our good intentions there is sin. However, the intentions and motives of the Lord are free of sin. Everything that the Lord created was good. God did not create evil and sin. However, He does allow it for His good purposes.
So, Truly God is good in every possible way. Good in:
-He is Righteousness. God acts rightly in all his works and judgments. -He is infinitely wise. -He is infinitely loving. His love is unconditional.
-He is all Powerful. He can move mountains and calm storms.
-He shows us Grace everyday. Grace is God’s unlimited kindness towards us His people regardless of what we deserve.
-He is Faithful. Faithfulness characterizes God’s loyalty to his covenant people. He is trustworthy and His word is true.
-He is a God of Provision. He provides exactly what we need and doesn’t always give us what we want.
-He is a God of Mercy. This shows us that He is a God of compassion.
-And He is Sovereign. He is in control. Control of this universe, control of your life, the big, the small and all of the in-between.
2. God’s goodness leads us to repentance.
2. God’s goodness leads us to repentance.
As I mentioned just a moment ago, one of the most amazing things about God is that He gave us His Son. None of us deserves this wonderful gift, but none the less it is God’s wonderful gift to mankind. God’s great love and the excellence of the cross draws us to Him in repentance. His goodness and His patience towards us leads us to have a change of mind about Christ and our sin. When we take a look at ourselves and our sin we realize how messed up we are. We realize or should realize how short we fall and that we cannot save ourselves. We all desperately need a Savior. So, through the goodness of God and the gift of Jesus we can repent and have salvation. God’s goodness!!!!
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
In the NIV version the word kindness is shown as goodness.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God is so patient and kind. He doesn’t want any one to perish and go to hell. Now that doesn’t mean that people die everyday and go to hell but he gives everyone a chance to come to him and eventually some never do. My point is this, God’s goodness should lead us to repent and see our sin and God’s gracious gift of Jesus.
3. God’s goodness should lead us to praise His name.
3. God’s goodness should lead us to praise His name.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord: “ ‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.
Throughout the Bible we are given an invitation to praise the Lord for His goodness. What happens is that when we begin to praise the the Lord we are setting our focus on Him. We are worshiping Him. In my own life this can often be tough because so often when I am praying or focusing on the Lord I just dive right in and give God my petitions. What I mean by that is that so often my focus is on all the things I need God to do for me.
-God Heal these people.
-God help this relationship.
-God help these people to overcome addictions.
Let’s all learn to be still for just a moment and think on God’s goodness. When we do this we can learn to praise the Lord in all situations for He is good.
“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.”
Matt Chandler
“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.”
Matt Chandler
4. God shows us His goodness even in suffering.
4. God shows us His goodness even in suffering.
God gives us himself in suffering. Ultimately God gave us His Son Jesus.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
Pain can make us more attentive to God’s voice. God will give us clear direction. Why??? Because He is not the author of confusion.
Most of my suffering has involved some type of loss. I have lost my grandparents, and friends. I have lost a job, possessions, etc. I have been involved in car accidents and several health issues, but through all of this I can still find joy.
So many times when i mention the fact that God is good our minds tend to think yeah but if God is so good why do bad things happen??? If you’ve ever experienced any kind of loss or trauma, you know that one of the first questions often asked in pain is, “Where are you, God?” The question is not a new one. It is one that generations of hurting people have said in the depths of their trials and tragedies. When life gets hard, it is no wonder that we worry and despair.
We can feel like God is absent in our pain, or ignoring our cries. When we experience hurt, we need to know exactly where God is as our hearts deal with the brokenness we encounter this side of heaven.
If you’re in a place of asking that question right now, here are some important reminders of where God is in the midst of your hurt:
1. God is near you in your hurt
It is in the moments of our deepest wounds that He is closer than ever. King David was well acquainted with grief and pain in his life, which is why his words in Psalm 34:18 are so encouraging, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
If God is feeling distant right now in your hurt, remember that God is with you. He never leaves us or forsakes us. God will always show up in our pain and make Himself more real than ever before. Get on your knees and seek Him and open up your heart to Him. He will comfort you and guide your steps.
2. God sees you in your hurt
Nothing can quite make us feel as alone as going through a heartache. It can be easy to think that no one understands or cares about what we are enduring day in and day out. And yet, one of the many names of God is El Roi, “the God who sees me.” Psalm 56:8 tells us that God keeps track of all our sorrows and collects all our tears. He records every pain we’ve ever endured. In the middle of your hurt, God sees you and every tear that streams down your face.
While it can feel like God is distant when we are experiencing heartache, the truth is God is standing beside us, like a father near a toddler learning to walk. He is always present, ready and able to catch us when our steps are met with teetering. So, as you find yourself stumbling in the dark of unexpected trials and tragedies, remember the truth of where God is in your ache: He is right beside you, holding you in your pain and seeing all you are enduring.
God is always Good!
(Pray and lead into Communion)