Goodness

G is for the Goodness of God

Definition-  the quality of being good; uprightness; moral excellence;

 

What does the Bible Say?

According to the Bible God alone is good and all that is good comes from God. Here are some of the Scriptures we will focus on today. 
Mark 10:18 Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good—except God alone. 
James 1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow
Matthew 19:16 And behold, one came to Him and said,Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life? And He said to him,Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is [only] One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.
Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth them that trust in Him" 

Romans 3:9-12  What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.  As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Exodus 33:19 And the Lord said, I will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.
Psalm 52:1 The goodness of God endures continually.
 

Personally.... 

There is much I could say in regards to the Goodness of God. But the ultimate expression of God's goodness towards us is sending His Son.  Everyday I fall short and everyday I cling to the Cross of Christ. Here is a quote from Charles Spurgeon that says it well.

When others behave badly to us, it should only stir us up the more heartily to give thanks unto the Lord, because He is good; and when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should only the more reverently bless Him that He is good. We must never tolerate an instant’s unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary, but His nature is always the same. (C. H. Spurgeon)

Faithful

F is for Faithful

Definition - faithful; firm in keeping promise; steadfast 

 

What does the Bible say?

A faithful person is hard to come by these days with all the self-gratifying, self-promoting going around. A selfless act of faithfulness today could land you on the local news its so rare. Given that let's get to finding out what Scripture says about the faithfulness of God and of man too. Here we go!
Psalm 36:5   Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
Psalm 89:8  O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
1 John 1:9   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 1:9   God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Hebrew 10:23  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Our Part

1 Samuel 12:24  Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

 2 Chronicles 19:9 And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: 

Personally.....

 I can count on one hand the people who have stayed faithful to me over the years. My children namely, and a few dear friends. Being faithful doesn't come naturally. It requires an attitude of otherness and sacrifice rather than what's in it for me. God's faithfulness is what pulled me through my divorce many years ago. There has never been a time since where I felt so betrayed and alone than during that time in my life. Having the understanding that God is molding and shaping me for His good pleasure brings me great joy.  When I think on this,  the disappointments in life just don't have the same weight. 
Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God is Faithful! Because He is faithful, we can trust Him to stand by us no matter what. Avalon version of the hymn.

 

Eternal

E is for Eternal 

Definition - without beginning or end; always existing; lasting forever;

 

What does the Bible say?

God is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end.  Trying to even reason the idea of no beginning and no end is nearly impossible; at least it is for me. But God is Eternal and is not bound by time. Honestly, if I think about this too long it feels like my head is going to explode.  Let's look at some Scripture. 

I Timothy 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Deuteronomy 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Revelation 1:8 I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

Personally.........

Now that I am well into my 50's the subject of death is more real. Time seems to go by faster and 10 years at this stage is pushing me closer to what all of us will face; the end of life. A few years back, I was really having a hard time with this. I became fearful of the mystery of it all. As I came understood more about eternity from a Biblical perspective I became more relaxed about the inevitable  moment hovering overhead. This scripture John 11:25-26 has really helped me.

This is a video Nate Powell made for the song "Eternal God" by the Robbie Seay Band. This song means a lot to him, because it reminds him that God does not work in my time. We  need to be patient and wait for His surprising love.

Defender

 Defender

Definition- to protect or fight for as a champion; to speak in defense of; fight against or resist strongly; to ward off.

What does the Bible say?

From a human perspective that is surely an awful lot to ask of someone. Even as an attribute of God it seems with all the trouble in life that it really isn't true. Nevertheless, in the Bible from Genesis through Revelation God clearly lays out His plan to redeem mankind by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. The troubles of this world are a result of sin and we will feel its sting until we leave this earth to be with God. Here are some Scriptures:
Galatians 1:4
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father
Romans 5:12 
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
Romans 5:18-19
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.  For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
1 Corinthians 15:55-58
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

You see, God's ultimate defense for us was to send His Son to die for us so that we might live. So really any troubles we suffer today pale in comparison to our eternal destiny. Without Christ we are doomed to an eternity without God. 

 

Personally......

What can I say. I have spent a lifetime in a state of self protection. Always seeking and demanding justice for myself. What a waste of time! Now that I am subject to God, I am fully confident about who I am and where I stand. I am no longer ruled by my thoughts and emotions but rely totally on what is spoken in His precious Word, the Bible. 
2Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

    He is my Defense by Marty Goetz

 "He only is my Rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the Rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God" - Psalm 62:6-7 He Is My Defense is a timeless collection of Messianic Worship offered as a sacrifice of Praise to the Holy One of Israel.

 

Creator

CREATOR

 

Definition - Sustains the universe, maker, originator

 

What does the Bible say?

It is safe to say that in order to believe anything that is written in the Bible a belief in God must precede it. I suppose that is why this foundational truth is the very first words in the very first Book of the Bible. You only have to look around at nature. It screams of a creator outside ourselves. For those of you who believe, here are some scriptures to back it up. 

Psalm 24:1-2  

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

John 1:2-3

He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Hebrews 3:4

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Psalm 89:11

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

 Romans 11:36
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. 

Personally.... 

Since early childhood I have always had a mind of my own. Strong-willed child I guess you'd say. This caused me a lot of grief when it came to answering to authority, namely my parents. I was constantly being punished! I drove them crazy. More importantly, as a Christian I found it hard to grasp the concept of being subject to God. Meditating on the knowledge that He created everything helped me see just how big He is and how small I am. This realization provided in me thankfulness, humility and a great respect and awe for God. 

Blessed

Blessed 

Definition - held in reverence; honored in worship; made holy; consecrated; worthy of worship; holy; held in veneration; revered.

 What does the Bible say?

 
When I think of the term Blessed I normally think of this word as a past tense verb; for example I am blessed.  In this case I am writing about a noun. It is who God is. The definition itself tells it all. 
Now let's check out some Scriptures: 

Psalm 72:18
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
Romans 9:5 (ESV) 
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Ephesians 1:3 (NASB) 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Do we see God in this way?

I wonder sometimes if as a society we even exercise reverence. At least it seems like a reverence and awe for God has gone to the way side. Now friendship is emphasized where a value for His greatness is downplayed.  In Hebrews 12:28 it reads Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.

Personally......

About six months ago now I started attending a church that presented the Gospel every week and gave it's members a full understanding of the sacraments as well as all the important Biblical Doctrine that is so important to be able to worship and honor God in a way that is solemn and sincere. Living life with an eternal perspective really helps me to keep God before me. 1Samuel 12:24 Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

Adonai

 A-Z Challenge  

Today I begin the A-Z Challenge. What is the A-Z challenge you might ask? Well, for the month of April everyday except Sundays I will blog on the theme "The Names and Attributes of God" using the alphabet. This is my first year so I hope to make alot of new friends! Check out this link for more information. http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/
 

Adonai is the verbal parallel to Yahweh and Jehovah. 

Adonai (plural form composed of Adon + "ai" = my) literally = "my Lords", usually translated "my Lord" or "Lord" (capital "L" followed by small letters. Contrast Jehovah which is rendered in all caps [LORD] in NAS, ESV, KJV). 
The plural form Adonai is said to be a plural of majesty like Elohim (although some say the plural form of both of these names of God points to the truth of the Trinity in the OT).

The Bible tells us in Collossians 1:15  Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. He came with a specific purpose to serve mankind and give Himself as a ransome for many.  (Matt. 20:28)

What is God Like?

Through the month of April, I will attempt to introduce you to the God of the Bible giving you an explanation of His character as revealed in the Bible. Considering the fact that Christians make God the Lord of their lives it might be a good idea to know who you give your allegiance to. During this month my hope is that you will discover just how wonderful and to be feared God really is. Along with an explanation as given above, I will share how each name or attribute has effected my life personally. 

Personally.......

I have been a Christian for a good many years and I still haven't even scratched the surface to knowing God as He deserves. For the last 5 years I have studied the attributes of God and WOW what an awesome ride that has been!
In regards to this particular Name of God, ADONAI... I am finding greater pleasure and a deeper respect of what it means to call Him Lord. Not just lip service but in action and deed. Sort of like when you meet a new friend and your love for them grows and grows the more you get to know them. Same thing only GREATER because it's not just a friend it is GOD!
Psalm 135:5  For I know that the Lord is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.