Now, I’m going to start off apologizing for the length of this blog post, because like most of you, I lack the time needed to condense my thoughts and words into a more concise statement.
I believe in the Bible. I believe that God authorized every word of the Bible. And since I build my world-view on this truth, I also believe that we have an enemy, who seeks to steal, kill and destroy our souls. He will stop at nothing to achieve this goal and he realizes that his time grows short.
So how can this enemy keep utilizing the same strategy on humans for thousands of years without us realizing the trap he keeps setting?
The simple truth is this, we fail to remember our place.
Our place is living in a world that suffers from the curse of sin. Our place is that we are sinners in need of grace. But we are prone to forget the eternal and quick to embrace the finite and the enemy uses this to his advantage. If we fail to study the Word of God, believe the Word of God, and then apply its truth to our lives, we will never gain access to the Kingdom of God that awaits all believers in the world to come.
The enemy’s approach is profoundly simple, because we are inherently foolish. We forget that there is a cosmic battle going on for our souls. Most of the time we even forget that we have souls! We forget that we are designed for eternity, not for a few decades on this planet, that we were designed to have a relationship with God, not ignore His very existence. That is why this strategy keeps working, because we fail to inform and protect ourselves using the weapons God has given us in His Word.
This is the same approach the enemy used when tempting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-7), and it is one of his primary means of attack on us today. If he can convince us that God is not good, that He truly does not care for us, that He is apathetic to our struggles, fears and pain, then the battle is won. (Or we start to doubt that God even exists at all . . . ) Once we start to consistently doubt the goodness of God, all our faith and belief systems will fall away in short order.
Have you noticed when discussing spiritual matters with your friends, a great deal of the time this conversation will reveal a singular moment where faith and doubt hung in the balance? This moment is usually a emotional, pivotal point in their life where they felt that God did not act in the way they thought He should have. Maybe He did not heal someone they love, maybe He did not protect someone (or themselves) from great trauma and pain. It is a very perilous distance from that opinion followed by apathy and then disdain for a God who failed to provide the basics of love, protection, healing and comfort for His creation.
And being honest, there are times in most of our lives that we can point to where God didn’t move or act in a way we felt was right or just. That season of unemployment that plunged your family into financial ruin, the prodigal child who still rejects your love, the death of a loved one, the dreams that never came close to fruition. This world is hard, and sometimes it can become difficult to see the goodness of God. But please remember this, there is nothing that has or ever will happen to you that God cannot overcome if you give Him that chance. He desires to give you life beyond your wildest dreams and to free you from everything that binds you. Jesus himself painted us a stark contrast between what the enemy desires and what He desires for our lives, "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10)
God, of course, is very much aware of our struggle in this area. He has given us His Word which conveys His love for us throughout its pages. He also addresses those seasons of pain, disappointment and hopeless that touches all of our doorsteps. The greatest demonstration of His love came from His sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the punishment for all of our sins and provided a way for us to have a relationship with Him forever. So if God is for us, wants to free us from the bondage of sin, allowing us to live a rich and satisfying life, not just in Heaven but on this planet, why do we listen to the voice that wants to kill us?
Because you choose to hear what you want to hear.
One of my jobs was in communication and I quickly learned this truth, people only invest in what they care about. You can place your message on multiple social media platforms, using creative media content and information but if you don't invest in explaining why they should care, they won't.
God realizes the same process is true for Him. So He demonstrated His love for us, while we were still His enemies, by sending Jesus to die for our sins.
His Word is the pathway to learning more about Him, and the more you know about God cares for you, the more you want to know Him! His Word becomes the primary basis for your decisions, and you desire to please Him above all. But it requires a proactive choice on your part. The Bible says this about getting to know God, "Draw near to me, and I will draw near to you." (James 4:8)
There are many more verses that speak to His love and goodness, but first a gentle reminder, the Bible was never meant to be read absent from the context of its entire message. To understand Revelation, it is important that you have read Genesis. Now that doesn’t mean that individual verses and books of the Bible cannot be used for our good, but it does mean you need to be careful with hanging your theology on a few verses without a broader discourse on the entire Bible itself. The Kingdom of God that is revealed in the Bible is the greatest treasure you will ever find! (Matthew 13:45-46)
For instance, the Bible is clear that we will face trials and tribulations on this earth, that our lives will be difficult, and that the Kingdom of God is not yet realized on our planet. Evil still reigns in the hearts of many, and we have an enemy who desires our destruction. That is why a solid knowledge of the Bible is so important! Without it you will be like a boat without a rudder, and where you ultimately end up will not be a place you will desire.
But God’s promises, which are many, will always be brought to fruition. His Word will never fail, He is eternal, He will never change, and His plans will always come true. He even promises us that everything that happens to us, the good and the evil, that in all these things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
I hope these verses bring you comfort and joy.
1. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. (Exodus 34:6)
2. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
3. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” (Ezra 3:11)
4. Good and upright is the Lord. (Psalm 25:8)
5. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)
6. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:9)
7. No one is good but One, that is, God. (Mark 10:18)
8. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)
9. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11)
10. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)
11. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness. (Psalm 145:5-7)
12. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:5)
13. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8)
14. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting. (Psalm 100:4-5)
15. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalm 107:8-9)
16. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14)
17. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. (Psalm 143:10)
18. The Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (Psalm 92:15)
19. You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 119:68)
20. You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. (Nehemiah 9:20)
21. Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. (Psalm 69:16)
22. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7)
23. Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. (Psalm 31:19-20)
