Monthly Archives: May 2016

Let us consider our Lord today! Let us consider the one we serve. Who is the Lord?

The Lord is good.

Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The Lord is loving and kind.

Psalm 107:43 Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate.

Psalm 111:4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.

The Lord is worthy of praise.

Psalm 113:2 Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.

The Lord is our creator.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

May God bless you with a glorious day!

 

 

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:19)  Peter’s words seem strangely out of place for us today. In our age and time, we seem to value to comfort and ease above most anything else. It is for this reason that Peter’s teaching (as inspired by the Spirit of God) strikes us so forcefully.

As Christians, we will suffer. Suffering is not limited merely to the realm of the wicked. The righteous also endure pain and agony as we traverse this life.

We want to think that following Christ will somehow exempt us from suffering.  But, the hard truth remains that Believers struggle with physical hurts, material deficiency, relational pain, and emotional injuries. Suffering occurs in everyone’s life at some point.

There will be times that we will even suffer as a result of following God. Peter says that those who “suffer according to God’s will” should continue to follow God and love others. Following Christ may result in particular pains as those in the world reject us, harm us, and smear us.

In those times of heartache, remember that God is with you. (John 14:8)  We should also understand that all who follow a righteous path will suffer. (Matthew 5:12) And we ought to consider that Christ suffered for us. (1 Peter 2:21)

We can make it through difficult times. The pain that we endure is only temporary. We await a day when we will be with Jesus. In Heaven, all suffering, heartache, and pain will cease. (Revelation 21:1-7) Even so, come Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

 

Let us consider a few thoughts about the goodness of God from the Scriptures.

**God’s goodness is the displayed in His mercy.

Isaiah 60:10 “The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you.

**God’s goodness is granted unto those who seek Him in righteousness.

Psalm 5:12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

**God’s goodness will lead us to repentance and relationship with God through Christ Jesus.

**Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

God’s goodness calls people to salvation.

Titus 3:4-5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

God is eternally good!

 

 

Holiness is a moral attribute of God. At its core, holiness means to be distinct, set apart. The biblical word “holy” (as it applies to God) carries with it the idea of God being separate and distinct from any other person or anything else in the entirety of the universe. Holiness also imparts the fact that God (being uncreated and eternal) “does not depend on anyone or anything to bring Him into existence or to sustain Him in being.” [1]

 God’s holiness means He is majestic and powerful. The Scriptures declare “There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.  (1 Samuel 2:2) God is above and beyond all His creation. He is sovereign over all creation.

 Isaiah’s vision of God holiness was breathtaking and awesome. Around the throne of God, the angels cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3). Nothing can compare to the God of Scripture.

In Revelation 4, John gives us a companion scene to Isaiah’s vision. The cries of “Holy, Holy, Holy” rise up continually amidst the throne of God. He is awesome, mighty, and powerful. No one can resist His plans.

Dear fellow Believer, the God of the Bible is holy. The God we serve and owe everything to, He is Holy, Holy, Holy. He calls us to be holy and separate as well. “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 6:7) He is holy. Therefore, we should seek holiness every day.

Tony French

[1] Feinberg, John S., No One Like Him, pg. 340