#6 STUDY OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: GOOD-GOODNESS
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
TEXT:
Gen.2:9 But of the tree of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in
the day that thou shalt eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
HEBREWS 12:14 FOLLOWING PEACE WITH ALL MEN, AND HOLINESS,WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD ---
Matthew 12: 34 --- for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasures brings forth evil things.
36. For I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,they will give account ...
WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
We have broken the nine into three groups.
1. Inward: love, joy, peace
2. Outward: longsuffering-patience,
gentleness-kindness, goodness.
3. Godward: faith-faithfulness, meekness,
temperance-self control.
Today’s study of goodness IS OUR 6TH STUDY, THE LAST IN THE OUTWARD GROUP. With the Godward group, three more to follow.
-- good words? --good actions? --good attitudes?
--good in patience? --good character?
Good works! It is a needed fruit of living Christ
like.
Practical Goodness is applying God’s principles
and kindness in our daily relationship to our
enemies as well as friends.
From the very beginning of human existence, the choice of GOOD and BAD have been set before our hearts.
Gen. But of the tree of good and evil, thou shalt
not eat of it; for in the day that thou shalt
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Adam and Eve had a choice. We have choices, GOOD
is not automatic, man has to set his mind and
heart after the Word of God, to DO the Will of God.
Eve made a choice to side step what was GOOD. The
testing process before us this day is will we
decide GOOD or bad?
We even laugh and call some B.A. --- BAD ATTITUDES.
GOOD AND BAD START IN THE MIND, it starts as a
thought, then the thought establishes a pattern of
thinking, we a habit is reinforced until
a dominion or stronghold has rooted and grounded
it’s way into our heart, the BATTLE IS BETWEEN
GOOD AND BAD.
WE SEE THE CHOICE OF GOOD VERSES EVIL BECOME A SAD TRAIL THAT REINFORCES AND STRENGTHENS ITSELF UNTIL ONLY GOD CAN TURN THE LIFE AROUND.
The trail starts as ANGER
and this leads to CONTROL based on --
performance and a spirit of perfectionism, --
and when this PERFECTION is not reached --
this leads to a spirit of PAIN... and
disappointments; ---
and this leads to BITTERNESS ---
and this leads to REJECTION ---
and this leads to ALIENATION AND DIVISION ---
and this leads to HATRED, HOLY HATRED? ---
and this leads to REBELLION ---
and this leads to A SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE ---
I don’t need you! I don’t need this family!
I don’t need the church!
PLEASE CONSIDER THIS TRAIL AND HOW IT LEADS AWAY FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN AND HOW IT LEADS AWAY FROM GOD AND GOODNESS!
WHAT IS GOODNESS? Can you define goodness?
--of a favorable tendency --upright in character
-- fit --free from injury -- sound
-- can be relied on -- profitable
--honorable -- deserving respect -- virtuous
--right Morally pure --loyal -- beneficial
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF GOOD --- THE GOOD SAMARITAN!
Is our goal to be pleasing to God first, to be
good to others second,
and keep our hearts and motives pure?
HEBREWS 12:14 FOLLOWING PEACE WITH ALL MEN, AND
HOLINESS,WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD ---
Goodness CAN NOT BE SEPARATED FROM HOLINESS...
holiness of life will always expresses itself in
always of doing what
is in the best interest of others.
Moral Goodness is not optional, to keep the
Commandments and God’s Word must be a high
priority. We must conform to all God’s laws and
principles.
COURAGE IS NICE, BUT WE NEED GOOD COURAGE.
Josh 1:19 Be strong and of good courage; be not
afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord is with
you wherever you go.
Hitler had men full of courage.
Beer and drugs can give some young people courage
to stand in front of a train or perform sexual
favors, but this is not GOOD COURAGE!
The tongue has a lot to do with goodness.
The MOUTH SPEAKS FROM THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART!
A bad man will have a bad tongue, a good man will exercise a GOOD TONGUE!
Psa. 34:8 Taste of the Lord and see that He is good.
Our mouths must hunger for the goodness of God.
Matthew 12: 34 --- for out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh.
35. A good man out of the good treasure of the
heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out
of the evil treasures brings forth evil
things.
36. For I say unto you, That every idle word that
men shall speak, they will give account ...
You will not know goodness with a fowl mouth and
dirty jokes.
You will hurt the heart of God.
James 3:11 Does a foundation send forth at the
same place sweet water and bitter?
TO KNOW GOD’S GOODNESS --- YOU MUST CONTROL THE TONGUE AND MOUTH.
Proverbs 34:13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy
lips from speaking guile.
14. Depart from evil, and DO GOOD; seek peace and
pursue it.
YOU NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE HOUSE OF GOD TO STAY SUBMITTED TO GOODNESS...
Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
WHEN GOOD MEN DIE, THEIR GOODNESS DOES NOT PERISH.
GOODNESS IS A CHOICE AND A RESULTS OF ONE’S OWN
MERITS.
The Fruit of GOODNESS will bear seeds that reproduce goodness, and a good habit reinforced grows to bear more fruit.
As we are studying the FRUIT of the Spirit - we hear much focus on the gifts of the Spirit, but the fruit must reign the spirit-person.
We must grow to be Christ-like character, and allow the Holy Spirit to produce in us as God wills. As we grow and abide in Christ we develop and maintain a close personal relationship with Him.
May God’s fruit grow and reproduce in our daily walk and talk!
Kindness and goodness are married to each other,
and to separate them is very hard.
There are many sinners that seem to be kind,
gentle, gracious, good and generous for many
reasons; but there are no humans who are
good by nature. To be good is a Spiritual FRUIT!
WE MUST NOT LET GOODNESS CAUSE US TO LOOK DOWN ON OTHERS THAT MAY DIFFER FROM US. WE ARE NO BETTER, WE AT BEST ARE SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE.
Mt. 19:16 One came and said to Jesus, Good master,
what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life?
17 So He said to him, Why do you call Me good?
No one is good but One, that is, God.
But if you want to enter into life, keep the
commandments.
It is easy to think of self as good and thus but
down others that move under a different flag?
We have the ability to overestimate our strengths
and underestimated others heart. There are no big
I’s and little you’s in this work, we are yielded
vessels at best.
Only GOD is good, all good things come from the
Father. GOD is
perfect, pure, lovingly, holy, righteous and just.
GOD knows the motive as well as the deed.
Many work for applause, recognition, rewards,
benefits, trophies.
God knows and moves in what is accomplished for the
best, for the whole.
GOD is the source of all goodness
There is BIG a difference between BEING good and DOING good:
BEING GOOD comes as part of the fruit of God’s
Spirit.
As God gives us the new life, the process begins,
this is a life long process. We just don’t wake up
one morning good.
We grow toward the light. God plants within us when
we are born again into His family,
others water, God gives the increase, so doing good
is the spiritual out working, growth of that inward
change of heart.
Many try goodness from the outside,
it is must effective from the inside out!
IF THE WELL HAS DIRTY WATER, PAINTING THE PUMP WILL NOT HELP!
Mt. 7:17 "Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but an evil tree brings forth evil fruit."
Once we have come to know Christ, that The word of
God will do the work of God, moral goodness is
maintained by daily Bible study and the continual
meditation and application of God’s holy Word to
our daily walk and talk.
GOD’S GOODNESS REACHES BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED!
For the Romans, you had to carry what they asked
one mile.
Jesus said so what, that is what the law requires,
go two and go beyond what is expected, the second
mile will testify of GOODNESS.
Romans 12:20 Therefore if your enemy is hungry,
feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; or
in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his
head.
Romans 12: 21 Be not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
THE BIBLE IS GOOD, KNOW IT AND LIVE IT!
The Bible is daily bread, not Birthday cake.
2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable or doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.
Romans 2:4 Or despises thou the riches of His
goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not
knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance?
Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and
severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but
toward thee, goodness, if thou continue
in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut
off.
2 Thess. 1:11 Therefore we also pray always for you
that our God would count you worthy of this
calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure
of His goodness and the work of faith with power.
Rom. 15:14 Now I myself am confident concerning
you, my brethren, that you also are full of
goodness, filled with all knowledge,
able also to admonish one another.
Today’s study of goodness is our 6th study on the fruit of the spirit,.
THE LAST IN THE OUTWARD GROUP. With the Godward group to follow,
three more to follow.
May we focus on what is Good and develop it!
-- good words? --good actions? --good attitudes?
--good in patience? --good character?
Teach me O, God!
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
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