The Good Series: All Good ( Part 2 )
[ Preached by Pastor Kenneth Chin at Acts Church Malaysia on 13 January 2019 ]
Read | Exodus 33: 18 – 23
Verse 18 – 20 \\ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
God’s goodness is His Glory.
When God’s glory comes, all you can feel is His goodness. When His presence is there, you would not sense evil and you would not be afraid because in His presence, there is the fullness of joy and there is freedom.
Read | Exodus 33: 7- 10
The Tent of Meeting \\ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.
When the pillar of cloud would come down on the entrance of the tent where God met Moses, the people stood still.
There is a beautiful burden when the glory of God comes down.
His goodness envelopes people who knew no good, people who sinned would say, “I don’t deserve this”.
God will cause all of His goodness to pass you. When He marches past you, be still and know that He is good and His goodness knows no bounds.
Only when we find true good, can we find true rest.
Read | Genesis 1: 31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Genesis’ first chapter is filled with the wonders of creation.
When God spoke light into creation, He saw that it was good. When God separated dry grounds and waters, He saw that it was good. When the land produces plants, He saw that it was good.
Every time God creates, He saw that it was good. On the sixth day, God saw all that He had made and declared, “It was VERY good”! We usually say ‘very good’ when there is more than one good.
Rest comes after knowing that everything is good.
Satisfied, the Creator blessed the seventh day and rested to enjoy the fruits of His toil. Think about it – we can only be truly satisfied with something once we think we have put in our best efforts.
Have we not experience rest because we haven’t experienced good?
In life, when things are good, we can sleep better – when it is the other way round, you stay awake at night. Our hearts are tuned to seek the good in things, but if you are searching for good in this fallen world, you are going to be disappointed.
It took six whole days for God to paint picture-perfect creation, but it was subsequently marred by sin. By Genesis 6, evil filled the earth.
Read | Genesis 6: 1 – 8
Verse 5 \\ The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
When you find God, you find good.
We know God is good, but do we KNOW God is good? No matter what is happening in your life, there is God’s goodness.
True good can only be found in God – in His Word, within the halls of faith, and between Creator and creation. And He wants us to pursue His goodness and rest in the grace that only He can provide.
Read | Matthew 19:16 – 21
Verse 20 \\ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
The rich young ruler is rich, young and a leader, but he asked, “What do I still lack?”
He who does everything seemingly good knows that he is lacking. Jesus responded if you want to be ‘perfect’, then follow Him. The word ‘perfect’ means to finish and to complete to the end. God is a perfectionist, He is a finisher. God is working Himself in us and He will fill the good in us.
Read | Romans 12:2
Verse 2 \\ Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
God is waiting for us to turn from the world and to enter a relationship filled with goodness, to enter a fruitful rest with Him. Until our final days arrive, will He find Himself in us? He wants to say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Written By: Hailey Chung
