Father of Lights: The Lord's Compassion

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

  God is a Good God. He is a Good Father. Or is He? The way God our Father is portrayed by Christian religious tradition it seems He is the God who afflicts and tears down and destroys. Is that who God really is?

 We are in a new series studying the truth of who God really is. In this fallen world, we do see desolation, devastation, and disaster abound. What is God's role in this? 

 According to religious tradition and hyper-sovereignty teaching, this is the handiwork of God. God is controlling every aspect of this planet therefore He must be responsible for all the disasters and the desolation. We also must never question this because He is God and must have some mysterious purpose for this.

 I passionately disagree. I believe we should stay with the source God Himself gave us to know and understand who He is. He gave us His Word to see His character revealed. God is a Good God and according to the Word, He is not the author of the storms but the calmer of storms! 

 In this fallen world, we see disease and distress and sickness abound. Does this mean God ordains or orchestrates this? Again, look at the Word, the revealed will of God. Jesus saw sickness and removed it, He never added more to the afflicted.

 Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. Jesus is the revealed will of God. Jesus never encountered someone and said I see you're sick I will increase the symptoms so you will really learn humility and patience. I never see Jesus afflict people with pain and agony and suffering to "better" people or to chasten or instruct them. 

 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14 NKJV

This is the Savior the Word reveals. A compassionate Lord who heals. What motivated Jesus? Was it some mechanical reaction to prove something? Cold religious traditions of men declare Jesus only healed to affirm He was the Messiah. This is the false notion of cold, lifeless, joyless, bleak man-made religion. 

What motivated Jesus?

35 Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they fainted and were scattered, like sheep without a shepherd Matthew 9:35-36 MEV

 Jesus didn't heal anyone to prove who He was. The Scriptures prophesied that the Messiah would heal. The prophets of old were only recording what the Spirit revealed to them. Traditional religion misunderstands and misinterprets this. 

 They can't comprehend what the Lord did in revealing the work of the Messiah to the prophets. They got a glimpse of the future work of Jesus. It's like they saw a peek into the daily life of Jesus as He walked this earth. They saw Him do many things and simply stated what they saw Him do. Cold, barren religion only sees Jesus working miracles as a wooden, mechanical action to advertise and confirm His identity.

 Jesus already knew who He was. He didn't need to prove this to anyone. The problem with this view of Jesus' healing is that it gives credence to their cessationist position. Jesus won't heal today because He only ministered life back then to show peasants and plowmen He was their Messiah. This strips the true heart motive from Jesus to minister to people.

 Look how Jesus responded to the people He encountered who were in distress. Jesus ministered life because of His compassion, not any other reason. His heart overflowed with compassion and He wanted to stop suffering. He didn't want to extend it or exacerbate it.

 Jesus is also the person of Grace. When He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion. He was not repelled by any of their sins or shortcomings. Surely, we must know there were people in the crowd who weren't living perfect lives. Yet Jesus was still moved with compassion and ministered healing and life. 

 Sins, failures, and faults do not stop the Savior's healing hands from sending health, healing, and wholeness. His compassion overshadowed the weaknesses, flaws, and sins of the people. His Grace is greater than sin.

 So the question we must ask is, is Jesus any less compassionate today? Has His healing mercies stopped flowing today? Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus is still the merciful loving Savior today. The Father of Lights has no shadow of changing or turning. If He was compassionate to heal then He is still compassionate today. He is Good, receive from your loving Savior today! 

Image by patricia nahat from Pixabay

Father of Lights: Is God really Good all the time?

 

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

 James declares God our Father in Heaven is the Father of Lights. He informs us that He is unchanging. This is Good News! This tells us that God is Good and He is always Good and there is no changing with Him! 

 The Father of Lights has no darkness. That means only Good comes from God. John echoes this by declaring that in Him is Light, and there is no darkness. No darkness means no evil, wickedness, destruction, or death are within God our Father.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 The Word of God reveals the Father's great Love and character to us. The challenge we, as humans and even believers face is whether we actually believe this. I think that experience, life in a fallen creation, causes many to doubt this Goodness.

Do we, as believers then, really believe God is this Good? Do we really believe in His all-the-time goodness, or have personal experience and living life in a fractured creation distorted our understanding of God? 

 Let's look at the basics. First, all sincere believers know and believe God forgives sin. Yet even with a basic truth as this, we still find limits surrounding His all the time Goodness coming from traditional religion. 

 God's Goodness reveals a Father so Good that He forgives sin. This is amazingly Good News! We all need mercy even after salvation. As believers, we trust in His lovingkindness when we sin.

 This is His Grace, and we rejoice. We can see so many rejoice in this Goodness. Now let the believer sin that same sin again. Let's see the believer continue sinning that same sin. Do we still believe His Goodness covers that sin? 

 This is where we see how much we believe and trust in His Goodness. This is where we see how much trust in His Finished Work of Redemption. Sure there is a place of correction and instructions in these times but more than that there is Love and Grace that is restoring and forgiving.

 What about when disaster looms on the horizon? When severe thunderstorms, tornados, or tsunamis threaten the city or the coastal region? What is the initial reaction? Do we believe God sent the storm? Do we believe God directed the tsunami to punish sin, to judge the city? Do we believe God is striking the area? 

 What is our first thought? Do we align with God's Goodness, sending prayers of protection to the affected area? Do we intercede for those directly affected? Do we do what we can to bring relief, render aid, and contribute to the recovery operations? 

 What about if there is a negative report from the doctor? Do we believe the sickness or disease is merely our cross to bear for Jesus? Do we believe God is the One afflicting? Do we believe healing is done away with today, and sickness perfects the saints?

 This is where we all live, practically speaking. We daily have opportunities to believe and affirm God's Goodness. In a fallen and fractured creation, we will face disasters, death, disease, and disobedience in the life of believers. What holds us, what anchors us in the fallen world? 

 Resting in and knowing God is always Good and only does Good gives us hope and peace in a fractured creation. David said He would have given up if he didn't believe he would experience the Goodness of God in his life. This proves trusting in His all the time Goodness is key to living victoriously in this life. 

 God's Goodness is the foundation of the Gospel of Grace and the life of Faith. The revealed character of God gives us the basis to believe that He is Gracious and has forgiven us of all sins and His perfect work of Redemption is a completed work that the Father accepts. He is so Good, He honors the work of His Son.

 His Goodness revealed and understood is what fuels our trust in Him enough to step out in Faith. We know His character so we can take Him at His Word. We know He is so Good so He will honor and keep His Word. This is the basis for our Faith to flourish.

 God's Goodness is not just a theological truth—it is the foundation for a victorious life! Take a moment to reflect: In what areas have you struggled to believe in His all-the-time Goodness? Will you choose today to trust that He is always Good, always faithful, and always for you?

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Abundance of Grace: More than Enough!

 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:17 NKJV

For if, through the transgression of the one individual, Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 WEY 

 There are various religions and spiritual paths that mankind has followed for centuries. Some follow philosophies, creeds, and reasonings. What distinguishes Jesus and Christianity from all of these voices in the wind? What is the distinction between the Gospel of Christ and the other religions? 

 Grace is the distinction from all the rest! Our Gospel is rooted in what Jesus Christ has done for us. Our Gospel is based on Jesus' work and not any other. The foundation of the Gospel is Jesus' perfect work of Redemption, and nothing we have achieved, nothing we are doing consistently, and nothing we can accomplish with enough consistency.   

 The Gospel distinction is that Jesus' work was more than enough. The Cross of Christ was more than enough to purchase and procure and provide for Redemption for whosoever receives. The Cross was more than enough to forgive our sins past, present, and future. The Cross was enough to permanently save us, securing our salvation forever. The Cross was more than enough to remove condemnation for all time and eternity.

 Traditional religion keeps looking at our sins, shortcomings, and failings. Grace keeps looking at our Savior and His completed work and the more than enough sacrifice that forgave those sins. Grace isn't making light of our sins but standing in awe of the forgiveness purchased by the shed blood of the perfect Savior, Jesus Christ!

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. Psalm 130:3-4 NASB

 There is complete Redemption and forgiveness in Christ alone. This Grace distinguishes Jesus from all the rest. No other religion, no other philosophy can provide this peace and reconciliation. No amount of charity and good works could merit this Love and mercy. No level of discipline or abstinence from wrongdoing could earn or achieve this forgiveness. 

 How does this abundance of Grace alter or affect our lives practically? What does the knowledge of the forgiveness of our sins and security in Christ produce? What is the benefit of focusing on this Grace? 

 To the child of God, the believer, and even those who are outside, lost in their sin and unbelief, it brings hope and brightens our path as a shining light, a beacon of expectation of goodness unparalleled and unmatched by anything. The focus shifts from ourselves and onto this Loving Savior and Good Father. The realization is we can trust in Him completely and know He is for us and will not hold our failures against us.

 It opens our eyes, that this Cross and work of Christ was more than enough. It leads us to the truth He paid it all in full. He has more than enough Love, mercy, forgiveness, and new life for us.

Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption Psalm 130:7 KJV

O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. Psalm 130:7 NASB

 When we know there is plenteous Redemption for us we can lay down our own works and performance attempts to be loved and accepted by our Father. When we know there is more than enough Redemption the lost soul can stop running and run to the Father and find forgiveness and a new life. When we know there is abundant Redemption for us we can lay down worry and anxiety and know our Father is there caring for us and providing for our needs. 

 Grace is the personal realization that Jesus' work was more than enough. This Grace has provided for anything we would ever need in this life. Jesus is our one thing! He is the only thing! He is more than enough!

 The Cross was more than enough, and the Father has accepted this once for all sacrifice. That means our sins are forgiven once and for all time, and they will never be accounted to us again. This also means that our Father is not against us but for us. That we are welcomed in the presence of God and celebrated there. 

 Embrace this abundance of Grace. It's all about Jesus. It is all about knowing and understanding Jesus' work was more than enough. This produces such gratitude and thankfulness for Jesus and His Redemptive work. This is true honor and glory given to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our lives will never be the same the more we focus on Grace and the More than enough Savior Jesus!

image by Grok,X AI