God Is Only Good

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (II Jn. 1:2). This is quite a statement by the beloved apostle, through inspiration of the holy Ghost. It is quite a statement of God’s invariable goodness toward his people, and really toward all men; as he would “have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4). What this means is that God’s will is for us to be pure in heart, to have our needs met in this life, and to not be sick and afflicted in body. What THAT means is that we can and should believe God for these things if we are doing our best to keep his ways in our life. If we are continually NOT having our needs met, and are always going around downtrodden physically, then one way or the other we are not availing ourselves of God’s will being accomplished in us. If this is the case, it could be that we are NOT keeping his commandments, which the scripture says is our love for God and for one another (I Jn. 5:2,3). If that is the case then we should “repent, and do the first works,” so that we may prosper and be in health as the apostle stated (Rev. 2:5). But sometimes it happens that we are just not believing God’s goodness fully enough, and are not assured in our hearts that he DOES really want us to prosper and be in health. Allow me one short note here to mention that prospering’ does not mean living in luxury and lasciviousness, but rather that we have what we need to live a normal life. When Jesus told us, “Behold the fowls of the air,” he did point out that they have all that they need to live, and that God would do the same for us if we “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Mat. 6:26,33). The apostle Paul said the same to the Philippians: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philip. 4:19).

Peter, in citing Isaiah, clearly said of Jesus; “by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Pet. 2:24). Not only so, but the biblical record we have of Jesus shows that every single soul who came to him, or was brought to him by someone for healing, indeed WAS healed. When those whom Jesus ministered to were hungry, and not in a position to do anything about it themselves; he multiplied what little food that was available in order to feed the multitude (Mat. 14:14-21). These things fully confirm our text scripture, for it is certain that “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). God is just that good my friend, and even better in fact! He is ever ready and ever willing to supply our needs and to heal our infirmities. If we truly love his righteousness, and are doing our very best to walk therein, we have the God-given right to believe him fully to preserve us and restore us in these things. Any feeling, thought, excuse, influence of others, or any other variable that is contrary to these simple truths about God’s vast and glorious goodwill toward us; is absolutely a lie and should be totally shunned in favor of unshakable faith in God’s promises to his children. Remember this very integral element of our faith also: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Cor. 5:7). This is such an important thing to keep in mind because there are always going to be times when circumstances, symptoms, and other things seem to indicate something contrary to God’s promise for our healing and our needs being taken care of. But that is why it is called faith, and faith is our calling. We cannot have faith in the promise of God and have our focus on our undue circumstance at the same time. Keep your eyes on Jesus my friend, and do not accept defeat; “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (II Cor. 1:20). Amen.