We use the phrase “it’s all good” as an expression, suggesting we are okay with what’s just happened or is about to happen. But sometimes things are not really good and we don’t mean it at all. Let’s talk about the real meaning of “good.”
Every time I read the first few chapters of Genesis, I pause when I read these words: “…and God saw that it was good…”
It reminds me that everything God does is good, in creation, and now. Romans 8:28 is a powerful statement that begins with these words, “for we know…” It goes on to say, “…that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose.”
Why do we know this? Because everything God does is good. Even His judgment is good because it teaches us to live responsible, accountable, and upright lives in reverence for God. We will give an account to God, and that too is good. Imagine a world where there was no order anywhere — it could not survive.
Historically, when people or even nations follow God’s goodness, they eliminate so much suffering from their lives. When we follow God’s relationship rules, all our relationships are better. When we follow God’s moral laws in business and work, life does go better.
We will give an account to God, and that too is good. Imagine a world where there was no order anywhere — it could not survive.
Of course, though God is good, many things in this world are not good. The human heart outside God is wicked. Genesis 6 tells us of the corruption of man to the point where it says “God saw the continual wickedness of humankind.”
It did not start this way. It started out good. Man started out good, made in the image of God, and placed in the most perfectly created garden with unlimited access to God.
There at the beginning of creation, in the midst of perfect beauty, evil was present. Lucifer or satan showed up, either taking the form of a serpent or physically possessing a serpent, and approached Eve. He showed up as the deceiver, liar, and manipulator that he really is. He never stops trying to destroy God’s work.
I am sure satan was present observing creation in production as God created the universe and the world in all its beauty. As God finished his production by creating the garden of Eden and then making Adam and Eve, it was so good. They walked and talked with God. Satan’s first action was to lie to Eve and teach her to question God.
It’s no different today. Anyone who has aligned themselves with God is a target. He opposes your faith in God, your success in life, and your joy in anything that could possibly be from a good God. He literally “wars” against the followers of God.
So we wrestle. We stand fast against satan. We resist him, his temptations, and his works. We give him no place. We discipline ourselves to live aligned with our good God — not because there are “rules to follow” but because we believe in the goodness of God.
Anytime you align yourself with the enemy and give him the right to work in your life, something NOT GOOD will happen.
Oral Roberts was arguably the greatest faith preacher of the last century. He always said this: “God is a good God and the devil is a bad devil. There is no badness in God and no goodness in the devil.”
It’s true!
What voices do you listen to? Any voice that takes you away from the love of God is satanic in origin and will ultimately lead to a troubled life and some bad outcomes. You will not be able to say, “It’s all good!” But anytime you listen to the Holy Spirit, you will have peace and joy and the best possible life on this planet. It will ALL be good.
It really is worth it to live for Jesus. He is good. There is no badness in Him. We could say, “He’s ALL GOOD…so therefore IT’S ALL GOOD!”
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