Attributes of the Almighty: A Summer Series

I'd like to introduce you to Abed Hishmeh. Abed came from Ramallah, Jordan when he was a young adult. It was here in the states that he met Marie. Abed married Marie and the two of them had 2 children, Libby and Jim. Jim was my grandfather.  At the age of 45 Abed died from liver cancer leaving behind his wife and their two children ages 7 & 9. Marie and her two children lived next door to Edith Tapper. It was after Abed died that Edit Tapper brought dinner to Marie and her small children. 

At this time, Ms Tapper ran the primary department at her church. Here during dinner drop off Ms. Tapper decided to enter into conversation with Marie about whether or not she attended church. "Yes on Christmas and Easter," Marie replied. "Well " replied Mrs. Tapper, "in between, would you mind if I took the children to the children's class with me on Sunday mornings?" Marie agreed. 

GOD IS GOOD

The word good, is used as the 65th most common word in the English language. It is also the most frequently used adjective. The word good is meant to describe something favorable, high quality or suitable. Unfortunately, our english dictionary could never fully express with words the goodness of our God. I'd like to shift our every day ordinary word into how THE BIBLE defines goodness and how we are able to embody the goodness of God. 

We demonstrate God's goodness by leading morally right and pure lices.

"Good" is used right away in scripture. It's the word that God uses to describe His creation. The word for “good” here in Hebrew is tov. It means, beautiful, functional and fulfills the purpose for which it was created. Do you remember how when we looked at holiness, we were reminded that we were made in God’s image. If we are to bear the image of God, we need to reflect His good character. It fulfills the purpose for which we were created. But doing good in a world, that seems to be anything other than morally right and pure is defeating isn’t it? 

Galatians 6:9-10 says, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up, so then as we have opportunity let us do good to everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith." Paul knew about spiritual warfare. He knew about hard times. Here he is encouraging the Galatians and us to not grow weary in doing good.

- Do not grow weary when your neighbor has been unkind. 

- Do not grow weary when the line is long at the grocery store. 

- Do not grow weary when you don’t people have treated your kids unfairly

 -Do not grow weary living moral and pure in an immoral world

   For we will reap a Harvest. 

God places opportunities in our lives every day to demonstrate His good character. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these opportunities to you. Rely on the Holy Spirit to produce in you only the good He can. Acknowledge when He gives you the opportunity to live morally right and pure.

Ephesians 2:10 says "We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Part of being a believer in Jesus Christ is that we DO good works. We don’t just think about them, we ACT on them. We ACT on them not because God has a little check list, that he gives us checks and balances by our good works, but because reflecting morally right and pure lives is a witness to others and HE GETS THE GLORY!  For OUR Good and HIS GLORY!  

I’d like to go back to Mrs. Tapper. God used Edith Tapper’s decision to demonstrate God’s goodness by leading a morally right and pure life. 

Edith Tapper, leaned into the Holy Spirit and reflected God’s goodness by bringing dinner to her neighbor in need. Because Edith Tapper reflected God’s goodness and invested in conversation with my great grandma Marie and Because Edith Tapper extended an invitation to church, my grandpa was introduced to Jesus. Through God’s Goodness that My grandpa had a relationship with Jesus and met my grandma here at this church and together through God’s goodness introduced their family to relationship with Jesus. 

Below is a family photo of my grandma, her 4 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. That picture you see is so far from perfect people but you know what it is, God’s goodness. 

 Do you think that Edith Tapper had that in mind when she brought dinner to my great grandma’s house ? No. But God did. 

Psalm 100:5 says “For the Lord is GOOD and his love endures forever his faithfulness continues through all generations. 

Where in your life is the Holy Spirit nudging you demonstrate the goodness of God to live a morally right and pure life. Ask God this week to show you an area where you can demonstrate His goodness to others and watch how He reveals it to you.