Topic: The Real Definition of God 2 [Church of God Mission International] Above Only Daily Devotional 18 May 2021
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Tuesday May 18
The Real Definition of God 2
Deuteronomy 6:18 (AMPC), Matthew 17:5 (GNB), Acts 10:38
And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers. *While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased — listen to him!” *How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
We saw in our study yesterday that a thing is only good because God declares it so and because it is right in the sight of God. The only way we can really know and do what is right is fi we are willing to please God and not ourselves.
Now, the second text above reveals to us that what pleases God the most is Jesus Christ. This is why God wants us to listen to and put all our focus on Jesus. We are pleasing to God because we are in Christ. As our lives conform to the life of Christ, we please God more and more. Right after the Bible assures us that all things work out together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose, the Bible adds that God’s desire is for our lives to conform to Christ (Rom.8:28-29). This is God’s definition of good and this is God’s highest purpose for our lives. This needs to be our greatest desire too. Things do not just work together for our good when we experience some material or other kind of blessing. Things work out together for our good when, in the process, we become more like Christ.
In Luke 11:13, Jesus compares and describes the Holy Spirit as a good gift. By the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Jesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. Manifesting the wisdom, life, love and power of Christ to save and bless lives is good in the sight of God. In Luke 10:21, Jesus noted that the act of God revealing His truth to His disciples was good in God’s sight. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 shows us that offering supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks for all men and for those in authority is good in God’s sight because God wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you that because I am in Christ, I am good and pleasing to you. As i focus on Christ, help me to be more like Christ.
Bible in One Year Reading Plan
1 Samuel 22:1-23:29, John 10:1-21, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 15:18-19
