Some of you may be saying I thought according to James 1:17 every good and every perfect gift comes from God? True. But what may seem good to you may not be good from God’s perspective. Let’s consider some scenarios. Is marriage a good thing? Then why are so many people getting divorced? Is working a good thing? Then why are there so many people on welfare? Is sex a good thing? Then why are there so many people violating God’s law concerning sex? Getting the point?
Let’s look at marriage. God instituted it, it was and still is His idea. God determined who marriage should be between when He created Adam and Eve. In the eyes of God His idea of marriage is undefiled. It’s a good thing, a God thing. But now society has decided that His way wasn’t good enough so they came up with same sex marriages. It may be good for society and politicians, but it’s not God.
Work is also a God idea. God worked, according to Genesis 2:1-3. The first man Adam worked, according to Genesis 2. So work is a good thing. Paul also wrote that people who don’t work and are able to, shouldn’t be allowed to eat what a hard worker provided. (My interpretation)
“For while we were yet with you, we gave you this rule and charge: If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10 AMPC
Told you🙄. It’s written in the Book. Laziness and idleness may be a career for some, sitting around collecting government handouts may be a job for some and they may see it as God providing, and call it good, but is it? If you’re able to work and through no fault of your own you’re not working, that should be a temporary situation. But some folks have made it their lifelong ambition carried out through generations to stay idle and eat from someone else’s labor. It may be good but it isn’t God. I personally know of a family where welfare was a generational problem until one young woman decided to break the cycle. She was the first and only one to do so. The Bible says, I’ll let you read it;
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the place of the dead), where you are going.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Did you catch that? Whatever! It may not be what you want, but it’s a start and an honest one. Work creates a sense of dignity and pride. When I watched and heard the comments of the thieves these past few months as they took what wasn’t theirs I have to wonder if they had ever worked a day in their lives. They may call it reparation or entitlements, they may even call it a blessing or good, but is it? It may be applauded by some but it isn’t God.
Sex outside of the marriage covenant may be practiced by some, but as good as it may seem, it isn’t God. God designed intimacy for the confines of the marriage bed between a man and a woman. Anything other than that, it may be good but it is pure lust. And Paul advised Timothy to flee it. 2 Timothy 2:22 and we should too. It may seem good for a married woman or man to leave the covenant of the marriage bed and go lay with someone else but it isn’t God. I don’t care how much you say you are in lust- I mean love. It may be good to you, but is it ok with God? The Bible has a lot to say about sexual immorality and it is a sure fire way to get blocked out of Heaven if you don’t repent.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,”Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 AMPC
That’s only one scripture, there are many. The world says if it feels good do it, God says it may feel good to you but it isn’t Me. He never alters His Word to suit the “woke generation” the world submits to His way or suffers the consequences. Suppose you’re applying for a great job and as a child of God you get a sense that this one is not for you, do you ignore the Holy Spirit and forge ahead anyway? It may be good but is it God? You get the position, but two weeks in you realize maybe that nudge was God, but it was your dream job though. All that glitters may just be fools gold.
You convince yourself you must marry that particular person, move to a certain city, buy that house. You just got to have it!! You can’t wait! All the stars are aligned. Except One Star isn’t. He keeps sounding the alarm. All those things are good. But the good thing at the wrong time isn’t God. I don’t care how much we may believe it’s a blessing from God. The absence of His peace is a clear warning that it is not. Because it’s good doesn’t mean it’s God. We need to stop talking ourselves into disobedience. There are some things that are just worth the wait. Yet there will be times when you’ll have a sense of urgency in a certain situation. My advice to you is3 Always make time to pray. Seek His Good. He knows the plans He has for you. Jeremiah 29:11-12.
Here’s another one. You’re flat broke. Working but broke. You find a wallet full of cash, inside the wallet is the identification of the owner. Do you say, “thank you Jesus, God is so good, the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the uncompromisingly righteous, hallleluyer!” Or do you walk in integrity and honor our good God and return it? It may seem good, you need the money, but is it God? Everything I’ve mentioned done God’s way is good. He wants us to enjoy HIS good and perfect gifts. He wants us to have the blessings that makes rich with no sorrow added. Proverbs 10:22. Any other way obviously will have sorrow added.
That’s why we have broken marriages, broken lives, broken children, broken governments , broken societies, STD’s, poverty, lack, depression, oppression, lawlessness, anarchy, lying, cheating, sexual exploitation of children. You name it. We’re plagued by the consequences of our own choosing. We call good evil and evil good. (Isaiah 5:20)Then we blame God. Because it’s good, doesn’t mean it’s God.
Let’s go a little deeper into this subject. Open your Bibles to 2 Samuel 7 this account is also found in 1 Chronicles 17.
“After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
2 Samuel 7:1-3 NIV
Let’s pause here a minute. David desired to build a permanent dwelling for the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of the Lord. The prophet Nathan supposedly speaking for God, encouraged Him to go ahead and do what was in his heart. From the looks of things, this must be God. It is a good thing. But it wasn’t God. Let’s go to 1 Chronicles 22 to hear from David why his good intention wasn’t God’s.
“Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon: “My son, “Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’”
1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NIV
God wasn’t mad at David, his intentions were good, but God did not want David building His house, based on what David told Solomon. We didn’t find that account in 2 Samuel or 1 Chronicles 17. So if you kept reading you wouldn’t have known God’s reason, not until we read the passage above. Because your intentions are good, doesn’t mean it’s God. Keep reading and you’ll discover that David wasn’t angry at God, He didn’t question God’s response. Instead he helped his son prepare for the building of God’s house. He could have pushed through and be disobedient, but instead he humbled himself and offered up the most beautiful prayer ever prayed. You’ll have to read it on your own time in 2 Samuel 7:18-27. That response established David’s house forever. And the covenant God made with him that day will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ at His second coming. Luke 1:31-33.
God’s response to our good thing must always be met with humility and worship.
Our response determines the outcome.
I pray we’ll stop before we make life altering decisions. I pray we will listen to His Holy Spirit and devour His Word. Everything good isn’t God. We need to know the difference. And the difference Maker is the discernment that comes from the indwelling presence of Jesus by His Spirit. Don’t marry that girl/boy when the signs are all there. Don’t give your purity away for a one night stand. Don’t be idle when you can work. Don’t give into the spirit of lust. Don’t steal. It may feel good for the moment but daylight is coming. Fall in love with God (Good) and you will be able to resist the temptation to settle when you should keep moving. Don’t stop in Haran, when the goal is Canaan. Genesis 11:31. He has only good in store for those who listen and obey.
Father in the Name of Jesus,
Help us choose only that which is honoring to You. Help us to submit to Your way of doing life. The heartaches we face comes out of our unwillingness to wait and walk in obedience to Your Word. Thank You for grace and mercy freely given to us in Christ Jesus. Thank you for second, third and even fourth chances. Thank you for the u-turns that get us back to You! How blessed we are to be in Your family. To serve a God who never leaves or forsakes us. You welcome us home smelling like pig slop with arms wide open to embrace us. We’re grateful. Eternally grateful. In Jesus Name. Amen
Our inner life with God is much more important than our outer life. J. Meyer
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant