Hello friends – just checking in. Lately I’ve been thinking about God’s goodness toward us. Our Heavenly Father is SO GOOD, it’s a broad subject, but let’s look at just a few verses in His Word:
Jeremiah 29: 12-14: For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity.
The LORD was instructing His prophet, Jeremiah, to encourage the disobedient people of Israel by revealing His plan to limit their captivity in Babylon to seventy years. At the end of that judgement period, He promised to forgive their pride, and restore their inheritance and covenant with Him (Jeremiah 12: 14-17).
Thoughts of peace and not of evil – God’s plan is to restore people to their previous status of enjoying a personal relationship with Him forever. Adam and Eve experienced this during their time in the garden called Eden before their fall from grace. Yet God always thinks kindly toward mankind and wants only good for each person.
Call upon Him – Our God is a gentleman. He has gifts, knowledge, and much to share if we ask. 2” Thus says the LORD … 3’Call upon Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” ~ Jeremiah 33: 3
Isn’t that the desire of most people? Don’t most of us aspire to become greater and learn more about lofty things? Isn’t God offering unimaginable rewards to those who seek Him?
Then go to Him! Seek after Him with your whole heart. He promises that we will find Him. I believe that happens through accepting God’s Son, Jesus, Who sacrificed Himself for our sins so that we can find our way to God, repent, and obtain forgiveness. Paul exhorts us to “Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” ~II Corinthians 13: 11
This verse is short but deep. Do you notice that our LORD is the God of peace and love? He comforts us and helps us to achieve wholeness. That’s REAL GOODNESS! God is good all the time, but His nature is only shared with us when? – when we agree to come together and co-exist in peaceful harmony. That would exclude wars, lawlessness, human trafficking, and a host of other global human disgraces. Of course, our sinful nature does not condone peace. But with God … He promised to send a Redeemer to Earth that would rescue men from sin. After many centuries His Son, Jesus, arrived on Earth and was rejected by God’s people. Nevertheless, Jesus (who never sinned – as He was God in the flesh) allowed Himself to be crucified in our place which changed everything for those willing to accept eternal life. Following Jesus changes our hearts from darkness to light. We are reborn into a new life filled with the Holy Spirit, Who guides us on how to live a more acceptable life in the eyes of God. Whatever sin has a grip on us, the incorruptible power of Jesus can break the chains of guilt and shame; setting us free to live as God intended from the beginning of Creation.
If you are undecided about whether Jesus is real or have any questions regarding how a person can know where he or she will spend eternity, pleased take care of that today. Shoot me an email at sherron@thefragranceofchrist.com and I will be happy to share my Jesus with you.
Through prayer, has God provided for you when hope was lost? Has he rescued you from a dangerous circumstance? Reconciled a broken relationship? Or blessed you with a family that loves you dearly? If so, you have surely experienced the goodness of God. Every day we can praise God for His goodness toward us. So, let’s do that right now … Thank You, LORD, for loving us and showing us nothing but your goodness. We worship You right now for using Your awesome power to bear us up even when we don’t deserve Your mercy. Instead of casting us out, You invite us in! We believe in Jesus because of Your mercy, which is greater than all our sin. HALLELUJAH!! REJOICE!! Blessed be the LORD!!! Blessed be the name of Jesus!! Amen.
Does God hear us? Does He keep His promises? Absolutely He does, according to the verses above and in many other passages of scripture: Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” ~ Exodus 33:19
Many would say that we are living in the latter days. I hope so. Maranatha! Maranatha! Come soon, Lord Jesus:
They shall fear (be in awe of) the LORD and His goodness in the latter days. ~ Hosea 3:5b
Friends, let us not war against God’s Spirit as we see the world do. Galatians chapter 5 describes what it looks like to walk in the Spirit. It looks like love. It feels like kindness, gentleness, and comfort to the soul.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ~ Galatians 5:22-26
That’s not just for Valentine’s Day, folks! It says we are to LIVE that way every day!
Let’s finish today with an admonition from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians, 5:13-15:
13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
I seldom hear verse 15 cited, but God’s Word is true – every word. Now bless you all and thank you for subscribing to this blog.
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