God Is Good

God IS Good

Introduction: Matthew Henry said “As He is good to all, so he does good – He is good to all his creatures, from the highest angel to the meanest worm, to all but devils and damned sinners, that have shut themselves out from his goodness. All his creatures receive the fruit of his merciful care and bounty.” Steven Cole said “There is no such thing as luck or pure chance. If we have a bad day. It is because the LORD ordained it for our benefit.”

Jehovah Jireh means The LORD who provides. And that is just one of many ways that God is good. I have many stories for you this morning and I hope they don't wear you out by them, but they are just a tip of the ice berg to demonstrate God's goodness. It was no accident that I talked with an old friend by way of email that I haven't seen or talked with in years.

He shared with me that when his mom and dad were ministers in their first church they were making like 30 dollars a week. They were low on food and didn't know how they were going to feed the family. So they went to the kitchen table and prayed for help. (God answers the prayers of married couples) They went about their morning, and Zelma said to Charles “Charles you know what I would like to have?” “what?” he said. She said “Some green onions” Almost on cue, there was a knock at the door. A delivery boy from the local grocery store bought a bunch of groceries. Charles said “there must be some mistake, you went to the wrong house.” He said “nope, this is the right house and the groceries have already been paid for.” He told them the man's name who paid for them. And he was a sinful man no doubt, but his wife attended their church faithfully, and God put it on his heart to buy groceries for them, so he did. And at the bottom of the grocery sack, guess what they found..... green onions! God is good!

The same friend had a praying grandmother, we would call a prayer warrior. He called her “Grandma Prewitt”. And ol' grandma Prewitt needed to sew up grandpa's pants so he could go to work, but she didn't have was a sewing needle. Something so small, but even small things are hard to get when you are very poor. She did what she always did, when something is needed. She got on her knees and prayed. She received a strange answer, to get a potato from the garden. She did, and sure enough there was a sewing needle inside the potato. Before you scoff. If you say you believe Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.” then you will remember in Matthew 17:27 when Jesus told Peter to cast out his net and take the first fish and open its mouth and he would find a coin and he obeyed and he found a coin, just as Jesus said he would. If he would provide a coin why wouldn't he provide a needle? God IS good!

Scripture: “The LORD is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.” -Psalm 145:9

Transition: I want to share with you how God is good in his divine protection, divine providence, and through divine participation.

God is good in his divine protection

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father, And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” -Matthew 10:29-31

A sparrow is worth less than a penny, and yet there is not one piece of corn on the ground that God didn't place there for them to eat. In Leviticus 14 we read how two sparrows were used to cleanse a leper. One was killed and the other was let go. It seems like random chance which one died, but God decided and determined which, from the very beginning. Even the smallest things never escape his attention. The point is, if God feeds the sparrows, He won't starve his saints. If he watches over and cares for the smallest creatures, why would he not watch over and care for you who are made in his image?

It's amazing how God protects those who believe in him.

Ill. During the French and Indian war, a young Colonel Washington reassured his mother, before he left for war, “The God [Jesus Christ] to whom you commended me madam, when I set out upon a more perilous errand, defended me from harm, and I trust He will do so now. Do you not?”