REFLECTION 7:   WHAT IS THE GOODNESS OF GOD?

"God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."

"God is love."

"God is spirit."

"God is one."

"God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow."

"God is completely revealed in character and nature by Jesus Christ."

"God does not create or allow evil."

"God disallows all evil through Jesus Christ."

"God has already disallowed all evil though Jesus Christ."

"God manifests His past victory over all evil as we unfurl it by faith."

"God exercises His power only according to His nature."

"God only operates in all-powerful goodness and love."

"God NEVER operates in wrath or violence."

"God only operates in life, blessing, healing, wholeness and reconciliation."

"God overcomes all evil ONLY and ALWAYS with goodness."

"God's preset victory is quenched from manifesting by our neglect and unbelief."

"God's nature is grossly distorted by the  literal reading of Scripture."

"God's nature is revealed clearly in the spiritual reading of Scripture."

"God is revealed and understood only by influxes of the Holy Spirit."

The above statements form the basic dynamics of God's goodness. I believe all of these statements to be thoroughly Scriptural, with many being verbatim passages.  Future Reflections will refer back to these statements. Take some time to chew on them slowly while asking the Holy Spirit to help illuminate their meaning. Specific Scripture references will be provided in future discussions.  Learn these dynamics.  Internalize them and you will never again doubt or question God's perfect goodness.

Understanding the terrific truths above leads us the alarming truths below:

"Evil is not of God, from God, by God or in God."

"Evil starts when God's character is questioned."

"Evil incubates wherever God is neglected, disbelieved or misunderstood."

"Evil stems from man's misuse of freedom."

"Satan has the power of death."

"Satan is a murderer from the beginning, the death-bringer in other words."

"Satan steals, kills and destroys by manipulating violent acts of nature."

"Satan steals, kills and destroys by inflicting illness and disease."

"Satan steals, kills and destroys by motivating men to act violently upon others.”
"Satan has the power of wrath."

"Satan attacks with lies and accusations."

"Satan's primary lie is that we suffer some current LACK in God."

"Satan enforces all the CURSES of the law."

"Satan oppresses with literalism."

"Satan enslaves with legalism."

"Satan entices with lust."

"Satan distracts with the cares of the world."

"Satan ONLY thrives in the vacuum of our unbelief and neglect."

"Satan is powerless where mercy, grace and forgiveness manifest."

If the above maxims are true, then this opens the crucial question of how to read Scripture.  Many future Reflections will discuss this at great length, but a summary of spiritual reading dynamics is below:

"Scriptures are inspired BY God."

"Christians are also inspired BY God."

"As Christians, we are living EPISTLES of Christ written by the Spirit of God."

"We are able ministers of the New Covenant NOT of the letter but of the Spirit."

"Inspired Scripture can only be understood by an 'inspired' reader."

"Reading Scripture only 'by the letter,' literally in other words, kills." 
"Reading Scripture only 'by the Spirit,' spiritually in other words, brings LIFE!"

"Reading Scriptures by the Spirit is allowing our indwelling Christ to explain them."

"Scripture is divinely inspired truth sometimes 'husked' by partial human                        perception."

"The human husk sometimes distorts the character of God."

"Rightly dividing the Word removes human husks from around the spiritual meat."

"This 'husking' results in 'fulfilling' all Scripture with God's goodness."

"Jesus 'husked' Old Testament Scripture all throughout the Sermon on the Mount."

"Martin Luther said that, 'the Bible cannot be mastered by study or talent.'"

"True Scripture reading for Luther was, 'relying solely on the influx of the Spirit.'"
"Church Fathers Augustine, Origen, Ambrose, Jerome all read Bible non-literally."

"John Wesley, C.S. Lewis, John Calvin, Billy Graham all reject strict literal reading."

"We must allow God's character to interpret Scripture rather than vice-versa."

"Scriptures are the launching pad into God's truth, not the landing pad."

"The purest form of Scripture is Jesus as the Logos, 'the expressed essence' of              God."

"Written Scripture's truest purpose is to point us to interact with the living Jesus."

As these Reflections continue, come back and review this page from time to time.  Use these great truths to water your minds and hearts with the lush life of God. He loves us so.  Amen!