Last night a bunch of women enjoyed getting together and talking and reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit, "Goodness" led by Kelli Luke. It was a wonderful evening. This truth keeps ringing through my ears,
"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24
Kelli did an excellent job of "spurring" us on.
SPUR- to incite;prompt;stimulate;to rouse to activity;provoke to action;stir up, urge on
A good teacher is suppose to make us hungry and thirsty for more and that's exactly what Kelli did last night. I was looking forward to waking up this morning and spend more time reflecting on goodness. Listen to this definition and these truths about "good"/"goodness"
GOOD- Having positive or desirable qualities; not bad or poor.2. Serving the end desired 3. not spoiled or ruined; able to be used 4. In excellent condition; whole;sound 5. complete; thorough 6. genuine; real 7. Full; pleasant;enjoyable 8. of moral excellence 9. well-behaved;obedient 10. valuable & useful
"God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light. God saw that the light was GOOD." Genesis 1:3
"God called the dry ground 'land' and the gathered waters he called 'seas'. And God saw that it was GOOD." Genesis 1:10
"God made two great lights- the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars...God saw that it was GOOD."
It wasn't until "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" that he said, "it was VERY GOOD." Genesis 1:31
Then came the Fall, sin entered the picture....and we can agree with Paul, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ...As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out......What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? THANKS BE TO GOD-THROUGH JESUS CHRIST." Romans 7:15-25
Jesus comes and fufills this truth, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a new heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Ezekiel 36;26
So we become "VERY GOOD" once again. IF YOU HAVE THE SPIRIT OF JESUS WITHIN YOU- YOU ARE VERY GOOD! NOT JUST GOOD- VERY GOOD!
Listen to some more of these "good" verses:
"Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD." Psalm 34:8............Have you tasted? What is holding you back?
"Trust in the Lord and do GOOD"- Psalm 37;3
"No GOOD thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." Psalm 84:11
"You are forgiving and GOOD, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you." Psalm 86:5..........are you calling out to God?
"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are GOOD, and what you do is GOOD." Psalm 119:67 & 68
"It was GOOD for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." Psalm 119:71.......Could you be afflicted right now b/c God wants you to learn about Him?
"A cheerful heart is GOOD medicine." Prov. 17:22........................Are you good medicine to yourself and others?
"He who finds a wife finds what is good." Prov. 18:22.......If you are a wife- you can be a really good thing for your husband.
"She brings him GOOD, not harm, all the days of her life." Pr. 31:12 How's it going wives? Are you bringing him good or harm?
"Do GOOD to those who hate you."Luke 6:27......What!!????? God's ways are higher- goodness melts a hard heart
"Hate what is evil; CLING to what is GOOD." Romans 12:9........hold on tight, remain close, resist seperation from what is good my friends. HATE EVIL!
"Let us not become weary in doing GOOD, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP!" Galatians 6:9.......don't give up. hang in there
"Fight the GOOD fight of the faith." 1 Timothy 6:12............life is war. life is a fight....now fight- the good fight. Don't fight all the bad fights.
""Being confident of this, that he who began a GOOD work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil.1:6........God is the one who is reaching down to you and initiating a good work in you. He will finish you. Give Him access to every part of you. He will present you "blameless"
Oh how I love God's words. Oh how I love God. There are so many more truths about "goodness" but I'm out of time. In this world that seeks to cause us to doubt the goodness of God- May I encourage you to let these words "dwell in you richly".May His goodness draw you to Him. Could the One who made the sun, the moon, the flowers and everything else be anything else but good. Could it be true that God's great desire for us is simply to "enjoy Him and bring enjoyment to others"????? You know- the 2 greatest commandments- "Love God and love people." Is God really that good that He wants us to have the richest, most abundant and full, joyful, overflowing, best kind of life? I believe it! Doesn't even the word "good" speak of God? It just has an extra "o". Maybe to remind us to say "O God!" Not "O God" as a swear word, taking His name in vain, but rather an "O God- everything in me cries 'you are soooooooooooooooo good.......I am in awe of you." May I
encourage you to walk into this day believing in the deepest part of you that if you have the Spirit of Jesus in you YOU ARE VERY GOOD! May I encourage you to FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT! Blessings from Bombadil. May your soul be watered and may you water another's soul. Kristy Joy Link
P.S Saturday evening at 6:30 I will be at my friend, Amanda's house, doing a GOOD thing. I will be praying over her house and doing a "clean sweep" of all that is evil and bringing God's light and goodness adding to her home things that will spur her on to fight the good fight. I welcome all who know her and even those who don't to come join me. She has given me permission to send this out to anyone. E-mail me and let me know. : )
