September 23, 2020: SOAP #3947:  Daniel 11-12; Luke 6

Scripture:  Luke (NIV) 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Observation:  God is who He is because of who He is!   He is not who He is in response to man.  He always remains true to who He is.  He is gracious and benevolent.  Yet He is completely holy.  He does not stop being holy to be “kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” 

Nature is full of expressions of God’s love and goodness.  Yet His kindness is most clearly seen in the cross of Jesus. 

God’s standard is perfection.  He maintains perfection because He is holy.  He imparts holiness to us as we acknowledge that it was our sins for which Christ died on the cross. 

Application:  Every day of creation, God pronounced it “good!”  When Adam and Eve sinned, God removed them from the garden, but not from creation.  Though sinners, they were allowed to live among the many expressions of God’s goodness.  Our sinful ways have brought turmoil to things in nature, but God still lives here with us.  He is still “kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”      

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, the many expressions of your kindness amaze me.  I see your kindness in creation, in your intervention in my life, in your working in my circumstances—just everywhere.  Your goodness gives me much for which to be grateful!  Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!