Goodness of God – Part 2

Jesus is our good news. He is the Word, and every Word out of His mouth—written and revealed—is an expression of His goodness (Strong’s #2097).

He calls us to “…Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous” (Ro 12:9 TPT). To “hold on to what is good” (1 Th 5:21).

We can experience God’s goodness of new (eternal) life when we call upon His Name and walk in agreement with Him (Ro 10:13).

James 1:17 TPT reminds us of His faithful and complete grace being worked out in our lives by saying, “Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change.”

I love how King David expresses His praise for our Lord in this regard by saying, “What a glorious God! He gives us salvation over and over, then daily he carries our burdens! Our God is a mighty God who saves us over and over. For the Lord, Yahweh, rescues us from the ways of death many times” (Ps 68:19-20 TPT). “Yahweh,” he sings, “you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you’ve done for me” (Ps 103:2 TPT)?

Life is always about glorifying God. Even in the midst of what we endure, redemption rules. Our God made us conquerors in advance, and faith is our “standard of measurement” (1 Jn 4:4, Ro 12:3 TPT). So, let the redeemed say so.

I believe we are in a special time of redemption—a time where we will see greater forms of prosperity pursue “the God-lover,” those who responded to God’s Word by clinging to it and keeping it dear as they endured difficult circumstances in faith. I believe God will bless them outwardly in many ways, as a reflection and a fulfilling of John 10:10 and John 15:5 abundant life (Pr 13:21, Lk 8:15).

Psalm 84:11 AMP assures us that “…the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Romans 8:31-34 NIV asks us, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

His higher, eternal life flows from righteousness and justice by grace as God’s people submit to Him by His life-giving faith and do not surrender to evil out of fear (Is 32:1-2 TPT).

1 John 4:18 AMP reminds us that “There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].”

Nothing can separate us from this perfect, unlimited love as we trust God to protect and bless us (Ro 8:38-39, Pr 30:5).

Romans 8:37 TPT affirms this by saying, “Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!”

I love what Moses said to Joshua before Joshua was about to enter into God’s greater promises. Moses said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (De 31:7-8 ESV).

I love how God is with us where we are and also out in front of us simultaneously, waiting for us to step further into the unique destiny He has for each of us.

God is our Commander of Angel Armies, a shield. He protects us, delivers us, spares us, and rescues us, “just as a bird hovers over its nest to protect its young” (Is 31:5 TPT).

In this way, He has been traversing us through former places into His greater promises. He has been fortifying and guiding us as He purifies our souls. Safely crossing us over into a more advantageous position that requires us to follow Him even more closely.

So, let’s always reach for Him. Living life in the fullness of God without compromise is where the higher life is. He desires to bless us with His stores. So, let’s choose Him and His standards and ways above lesser ones and prove victorious. Let’s think honorably and do good (2 Co 8:21, 13:7; He 13:16).

Remember that “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor” (Pr 11:25 TPT).

So, Lord,

Help us to be Your hands and feet. Help us to “show mercy to the poor and not miss an opportunity to do acts of kindness for others, for these are the true sacrifices that delight” Your “heart” (He 13:16 TPT).

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Goodness of God – Part 1

God is good no matter what we experience or do, even when we operate in self-justified sin. But, as we look to His beauty and trust and obey Him, we can see His goodness progressively in our lives.

He will fulfill His divine promises to us and bring us into abundance as we follow our Good Shepherd (Jesus) and do life His way (Jn 10:11).

Deuteronomy 30:8-9 NLT says that when we obey Him, “The LORD your God will then make you successful in everything you do…”

So, if you are a person who has a hard time depending on anyone, the good news is that you can always count on God, even when people fail you, because He is faithful to His Word.

Psalm 107:9 TPT assures us of this by saying, “How he satisfies the souls of thirsty ones and fills the hungry with goodness!”

God invites us to feast at His table, to partake in all He has for us—His fruit of Spirit and earthly inheritance as He wills.

There is no shortage in God’s Kingdom. He gives good gifts to His children who ask, and those gifts are always better than what we think we want on demand (Matt 7:11).

Many already know this truth and shine with praises to God as loving Father.

Psalm 89:1 TPT says, “This forever-song I sing of the gentle love of God! Young and old alike will hear about your faithful, steadfast love—never failing!”

“For he has conquered us with his great love, and his kindness has melted our hearts. His faithfulness lasts forever, and he will never fail you” (Ps 117:2 TPT).

Psalm 52:1 ESV reminds us that “The steadfast love of God endures all the day.”

It is from this enduring, everlasting love that His goodness prevails.

God’s goodness is His intrinsic moral excellence (Strong’s #19). This Fruit of the Spirit in us is what enables us to do good. It’s what makes us useful and well-fit for Kingdom purposes and is void of harshness (Strong’s #5544). God’s goodness is full of benefit and is for our welfare (Strong’s #2896).

God’s Word is filled with His goodness. His (good news) gospel is more than the first four books of the Bible. Every Word from His Spirit is gospel—written and revealed—because His Word brings life to us when we receive His invitation for all He desires to give us by faith.

God has been carrying us through opposition into our land of Promise. The Word Holy Spirit gave to me in early September was “traverse.” He has been traversing us, as in defending us and moving us along by His amazing grace-power.

People who share in God’s heart of love, especially get to participate in His victory of goodness. Those who learned to fight in the Spirit, above the flesh, are now being delivered into their promises. As they learned to trust and believe that God’s power carries weight and that they don’t have to add any false weight of harshness (Ro 12:21).

1 Corinthians 2:9 AMPC says, “…What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. [Isa. 64:4; 65:17.]”

Even if you don’t feel like you are on the winning edge right now, you are still one of these people as you turn your heart toward God.

2 Corinthians 7:10 TPT tells us that “God designed us to feel remorse over sin in order to produce repentance that leads to victory. This leaves us with no regrets. But the sorrow of the world works death.”

God assures us of this victory promise in Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV, which says, “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

As we trust God for our bright future He has stored up for us, waiting to be released, He offers us a key strategy in Isaiah 41:10 TPT, which says, “Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with My victorious right hand.”

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You that You love me enough to not leave me in a lifetime of harsh regret. Thank You that Your written Word offers me examples of Your righteous goodness and that, by Your Spirit, You will deliver me into it fully. This day, I hand You my sorrows. I confess my selfish wrongdoing and turn toward You to restore my life. You say in Psalm 6:4 TPT that when I turn to You that You will “rescue my life because I know Your faithful love will never fail me.” So, I am asking You to rescue and restore my life to Your higher place of holiness, filled with abundant blessings. I surrender my ways to Yours and invite You to do that which only You can do in me, for me and through me.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen.

Now, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope” (Ro 15:13 AMPC).

To God be the glory.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.