A whole lotta Good going on!

I gotta do something about this. And I gotta stop being so distracted that I rarely get around to it. I'm talking about something good. Something really good. There I was earlier today, unsuspectingly reading God's book (forgetting that His Word is living and active and changes those who look for God's truth in it), and then I read this familiar verse: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" (Romans 10:15, NASB). Another translation says "glad tidings of good things" (NKJV). And suddenly I felt kind of excited. The wording made me feel like I'd found something that was good-squared – something exceptionally good – something impossible to overstate! And then I thought, Hey, that means I know something good that's meant to make people happy, and I'm not telling anybody! I mean, I haven't for awhile anyway. Why would I not tell people the happy news about the good things God has done?! And why would I not be happier about it myself so that people could tell I knew about something really good that's happened?

That phrase quoted above (from Romans 10:15) is referring to what the earlier part of the same verse calls "the gospel of peace." Peace with God, peace in our hearts, peace for eternity! Is it possible for Christians to be so familiar with this stuff that it doesn't make us glad anymore? "Gospel" means good news, so it'd be accurate to say that those "beautiful feet" of Romans 10:15 are meant to bring a Gospel of Good Things – things like the very same things I listed in a previous blog post that I don't mind listing here as well. Because these truths are exactly what God means by the good things that are meant to make us genuinely happy – so much so that people will want to hear all about it!...

1. God makes us His people and puts His words in our hearts (Jer. 31:33; 1 Pet. 2:9).
2. We are born again, as new creations (John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17).
3. God reveals His mysteries to us, hidden from ages past (Col.1:26).
4. God is for us (Romans 8:31)!
5. God forgives all our sins, and declares us to be holy, blameless and beyond reproach (Eph. 1:7-8; Heb. 9:14-15; Col. 1:22).
6. We can enjoy God's abundant grace (Rom. 5:15, 17, 20-21; Eph. 2:7)
7. God fills us with His love so that we can love others with His love (1 John 4:7-12).
8. God fills us with His joy (John 15:11).
9. God fills us with His peace (John 14:27; Phil. 4:7).
10. God gives us heavenly wisdom (James 1:5; 3:17).
11. We have direct access to God rather than through a mediator (Heb. 4:14-16).
12. God invites us to ask of Him in Jesus' name like never before (John 16:23-24).
13. Nothing can separate us from God (Romans 8:35).
14. Jesus becomes our friend as He becomes our Lord (John 15:15).
15. God's Holy Spirit lives in us to comfort, guide and strengthen us (John 14:26; Acts 1:8; Gal. 5:16, 22-23).
16. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).
17. We are children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:15-17).
18. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
19. We're given everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
20. God sanctifies us by helping us to grow mature (2 Thess. 2:13).
21. God gives each of us spiritual gifts for works of service (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:7).
22. God prepares good works for us to do for Him (Eph. 2:10).
23. We are included on a mission of eternal significance (Matt. 28:18-20; John 20:21; Acts 1:8).
24. We become God's partners in His work (1 Cor. 3:9).
25. We will live with Jesus for eternity (John 14:1-4)!

Good news of good things!


© 2015 by Ken Peters