Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

I AM Pt.4

Let's turn over to Psalm 34 and we'll finish up tonight on the goodness of God. That's a joke! Finish up on the goodness of God?? There is no end to the goodness of God, amen? We'll finish up on our little look at the goodness of God. Just enjoying the time that we're having in fellowshipping with the attributes of God, coming to understand our Father better and all that He is, all that He intends for us. That has to do with His blessings to us, His blessings through us, and just being able to better know the eternal purposes of God. We were talking this morning about the goodness of God. The psalmist, of course, in Psalm 34:8 says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." We were talking this morning about trusting in the goodness of God and how that's what the walk of faith is all about. Faith is trust. That's all faith is, trust or reliance in God's integrity. There is no faith without trust in the goodness of God, as we saw this morning. We're talking about getting that stirred up in our hearts as we finish this course, as we go into these days that are going to be some trying times on the earth. We've experienced a few little trials here in the nation recently with the 9/11 terrorist attack. People are still fearful. The Fourth of July is coming. Wouldn't that be a good day for some radical Muslim to jump up and blow something up? Might be, but why live in fear? Why live in the terror that so many people do when you're able to trust in the goodness of the Lord. Amen?

We've had a few little glitches in the economy like Enron and, now, WorldCom. Aren't you glad those are the only two companies that have done that? Where's your trust? The domino effect as they start uncovering all of the covetousness and the lusts and the depravity of man. I tell you, this nation is a deck of cards just stacked up on a diving board waiting for the slightest tremor to bring it all down and, with it, the world. And guess who's in charge of the diving board! We rest in the goodness of God and the eternal sovereignty of God, and until that time, we're just resting and waiting to enjoy the visitation of the Lord. God is good!

We talked about His personal goodness this morning and how everything that we have we've received of the Lord is based upon His goodness or His mercy. Everything that's good in our lives has come from God because He is "...the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning." "Every good gift and every perfect gift [the Scripture says] is from above and cometh down from [Him]" (James 1:17). "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow [us] all the days of [our lives] and [we shall] dwell in the house of the Lord forever [praise God]." We just rejoice in the goodness of God. Everything we have is a gift from Him, an expression of Who He is. And we saw that God's goodness was infinite; there is no end to the goodness of God. It's eternal. It always has been. It always will be. God is immutable. He doesn't change. We saw this morning that God is never indifferent toward us, that His goodness is always with the same intensity based upon whether you've been bad or good. We try to get Santa Claus involved in it somehow. God's watching everything that we do. He knows every thought and intention of our heart. And sometimes it's wicked, desperately evil, because of the sin that's in our members. Oh, we may not act out upon it, but our attitudes, our thoughts, and yet God is never indifferent in His goodness toward us. He doesn't respond to us based upon what we deserve, but Who He is, a merciful, loving, kind, benevolent, heavenly Father.

Then, just as we were ending up this morning, we saw, however, that the goodness of God, though it's infinite in goodness, is not all there is to God. Because God is not only good, God is just. We were studying in Romans, as we left off this morning, and we saw that we can't reject or deny the goodness of God, because when we do, we're going to experience the severity of God or the judgment of God. We realize, then, that though God is infinitely good, and God is eternally good, it's the expression of His nature and His intent for us, but what we believe, and how we respond to that goodness, is going to be what affects the actual working in our lives of the justice of God being married to the goodness of God. We want to talk about that. Stop and think. Where would you be today if you hadn't encountered the goodness of the Lord? Where would you be today if you hadn't been born again? Do you ever think about that? It's not something that we dwell upon, but do you ever think about it?

I experienced kind of an interesting thing here just last week as the phone rang and I picked the phone up. I hear this voice on the other end. He says, "Is this Bob?" I said, "Yes." The voice said, "This is Troy Hawkins." Well, the last time I talked to him was 1964. I greeted him and he said, "You know, we've been trying to find you for years and just couldn't locate you. I just got through talking to your cousin, Mike, and we were able to get this number. How have you been?" I said, "I'm blessed, man!" He said, "Well, I heard a rumor twenty years ago that you were in the clergy. I didn't believe it, but Mike told me yesterday that that's the truth, man! And I still don't believe it." I said, "Well let me tell you what happened. Let me tell you a little bit about the goodness of God." I was able to share a little bit of the testimony about how the Lord reached down and touched our hearts February 5, 1967, 9:30 p.m. I can take you to the very spot where I first bowed my knee and knew the reality of the goodness of God when eternal life was infused into us as we accepted the free and unspeakable gift of the mercies of God. Of course, speaking to someone that you hadn't spoken to for all those years and someone that was an acquaintance, a friend, before regeneration, stirs a lot of other things up in your mind and we were talking about different things and different people that we knew, and how some things are the same. He was talking along and said, "I have my own firm here. I'm an architect in Florida." And different things, he married his high school sweetheart. A girl that I knew very well, a friend. This guy was actually obsessed with her. They would probably arrest him today with the laws they have. They just moved out, as his parents were military. They lived there in Fort Ord and he was gone. I didn't hear from him again. His sister was my first "true love." You know, the one that you spend more than five bucks on at Christmas. Well, back then in 1963, that twenty-dollar ring I bought was a lot of money for a working stiff. His sister was my first true love and then gone out of my life all of these years and you think, "What journey might you have been on? What is it that you might be doing today, this very day, if Jesus hadn't arrested you?"

As I shared in my testimony, a lot of my good friends ended up dead or in jail. I was an interesting character. I was very diversified in my interests. He was telling me, "Yeah, I have a '53 Chevy pick-up with a Corvette engine in it." I said, "Oh, that sounds cool, man." He said, "You still into cars?" I said, "Yeah, a little bit." He said, "I remember your family. You guys were always racing and had cars. All you guys had the "baddest" cars and everything." I said, "Yeah, we still have some cars. The Lord's enabled us to share the gospel with them some." It would take him back again. He'd forgotten I was a preacher. Forgot I was a Christian. He was out there somewhere back in 1964 and it didn't take him long to find out he was talking to a new creation, interested more in eternal things. So it's a blessing to be able to have sent them all of the books that we've written and some of the tracts and different things. What a privilege after all of these years, whatever it is, 38 years, to be able to now sow seed into a life, amen? Just another opportunity. He said, "I'm talking to you and I still don't believe it!" I said, "It's real, man."

Aren't you glad the old man's dead, old things have passed away, and all things have become new? Where would you be today? I don't know. Good chance I could be dead or in prison. God's so good to us! As we rest in that and realize that wherever we are today, wherever we find ourselves, it's the goodness and the mercy of God that's brought us here. "He is able to keep that which [you've] committed unto Him against that day [amen?] (1 Timothy 1:12). He's never going to leave us nor forsake us. He's there for us in His infinite goodness. He is never indifferent. He is always there to extend His loving kindness toward us.

If you study the goodness of God, one thing that you have to do, of course, is go over to Luke 15. Let's turn over there and take a look. We know what the story is in Luke 15 and as we talk about the prodigal son, it gives us the great understanding of the goodness of God and how He responds to us, how His arms are always extended, how His eyes are always scanning the horizon. We may not be in the same condition that the prodigal son was, but have you been absent in your worship--your true worship--a little bit lately? How's your prayer life? Is it rote? Is it something that you do out of obligation or is that first-love fervency burning in your hearts when you approach the throne of God. When you come into His presence and the blood of Jesus, you enter the holiest of all to access the greatest privilege we have, the presence of God, and we are able to come and worship Him and to enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise. It's His goodness that has Him there waiting for your entrance and for your return. Even if you've grown a little bit cold, it's not held against you, because God's goodness is never indifferent. It's always perfect. His love for you is always perfect.

Our perception of love is perverted because most of us don't believe that we're loved unless we're being loved the way we selfishly want it. Should I say that again? Do you understand that? Most of us, much of our conflict--whether it's with God or other people--is the fact that we selfishly set up the provision of how you will respond to me. If you don't respond to me in the way I'm demanding, then you don't love me. Do you know that we relate to Father that way sometimes in our carnality? Yet it never puts Him off. Why? Because He is love and that love of God expresses itself to us sometimes in chastening. He's also not taken aback; He's not indifferent about your crying. It doesn't move Him. He'll just whip the tar out of you because it's what you need. It's His goodness toward you. He doesn't spare for our crying. The Lord chastens those that He loves.

We've had some in the fellowship that were just loved a little bit here last week. One of the deacons was telling me how difficult it was to sit down with an individual and just share with them the condition that they're in, and who they really are. How they're seen by others, not by themselves. It was a very candid encounter, but it was the pure love of God. Do you understand God's goodness to you to put somebody in your life that will tell you the truth? This is something that we need to rejoice in, praise God. The chastening is grievous for the moment but it works, the Scripture says, the peaceable fruit of righteousness in us. It's for our good. God chastens those that He loves. That's His goodness to you and me.

Of course, humanism totally denies that expression of love. There was a report just out on corporal punishment. It says that corporal punishment does have an immediate effect. It will bring people under control. But it has long-term psychological effects. Well, they ought to be thankful they lived long-term because under the statutes of God there was the death penalty for much of what's acceptable behavior today, the hatred of parents. Today's news, the big celebration, a worldwide celebration today of "alternative" lifestyle. Did you all know they were having a worldwide celebration of "alternative" lifestyles? We talked about the supernatural elevation of this homosexual lifestyle, and how in Europe right now, you can get six months in jail for any derogatory remark about queers. How such a small minority can wield such power is seen in chapters 1 and 2, where we left off this morning, of Romans, talking about the goodness and the severity of God. How, because men do not want to retain God in their conscience, God has given them over to reprobate minds. We can see that the judgment upon the world has already taken place. The consequences of the judgment haven't manifested. The fullness of the winepress of the wrath of God hasn't been experienced, but God has turned this world over already. These people not only do these things, but take pleasure in those that do them. They're inventors of evil, Romans tells us. This is the environment that we're living in and this is why we want to study the attributes of God, and understand what it's going to take in each one of us to oppose this kind of a spirit in the world.

So we begin to examine our hearts and find out whether we really know who God is and whether He's working His goodness in us, because the fact of the matter is, it's not enough to know who God is. What does the Scripture say? We studied holiness, so the Scripture says, "Be ye [what?]...." (Holy.) When we understand what holiness is, then we have to understand the declaration and the mandate that we're to be holy as God is holy. When we understand what goodness is, the goodness of God, then what we've freely received, we ought to freely give. The fruit of the Spirit is goodness. Can I ask you a question? Is goodness working in your life? It's not enough to know God is good. The fact is, God is to be working His goodness in you. How do you respond to people? Can I ask you something? Is your goodness indifferent periodically? Then maybe we need to work on it a little bit.

Now, there's no way that our goodness can be infinite. There's no way that our goodness can be eternal. There's no way that our goodness can be perfect, but Galatians makes it very clear that the fruit of the Spirit is goodness. When we understand what God is in perfection and in perpetuity, then we have to also understand that that's what He is working in our lives. So for you and me, then, the question is not, is it perfect, but is it on the increase? God said that once fruit is in our lives, He purges us that we might bring forth, what? (More fruit.) Okay. So we're either getting more of the expression of the goodness of God or we're getting less and that tells us whether we're walking in the Spirit or not. You're either growing or you're dying, so when we know the goodness of God, we understand how He responds to us. When we understand it's an unconditional love and an unconditional goodness, it frees us to love unconditionally. It's a liberating thing to know the love of God and the goodness of God and that it's not based upon merit! It's not based upon our worth.

This kid here in Luke 15 is worthless. What a reproach! What a nasty, ugly person this is! There's nothing more devastating to a parent than to have a child like this, or a spouse like this, or in Father's position, a church like this. We read about this story of the prodigal and we're very familiar with it, but let's look at some of the specifics for just a moment. Then we're going to look at the goodness of God and understand how we can embrace it, and as we shared this morning, realize and understand that it's the goodness of God that causes prayer to be answered in our life. We would think its faith, but it's not faith. Faith is the byproduct of the goodness of God, or the grace of God, the mercy of God. All of those things are involved in what we're talking about here in the goodness of God. Mercy is an expression of God's goodness. Grace, lovingkindness, His tenderness, all that has to do with God's good toward us, understanding our worthlessness. We deserve nothing but a devil's hell and everything we have is the gift of God's goodness. It begins to put things into perspective and it's a humbling thing. Isn't it a humbling thing to be unconditionally loved? Even those of us that in our natural relationships--and we know that it can't be infinite; we know that it can't be perfect--but for those of us who have truly been loved in our lives, it's a very humbling thing for someone to love you. When he's moving in pride and selfishness, natural man thinks he merits that. He deserves it. What's wrong? Everybody should respond to me this way. I mean, after all, I am God's gift to the world. (Yeah, the god of this world's gift.) But what a humbling thing.

This young man finally came to that revelation when he came to the end of himself. You'll notice that when this prodigal returned, he made no demands. He understood the goodness of his father, and as he came back having been broken, having realized his worth, having realized the squandering of all of the goodness and the mercy and the love of God, having justified himself, having blasphemed his father, he still knew the character of his dad and that he could come home. But he didn't come home conditionally. When we deal with individuals, whether it's with children or even some of the adults here in the fellowship, and there has to be discipline, one of the first things we look for is whether somebody's been broken or not. "A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalms 51:17). As you study that Scripture, you'll find that this is dealing also with an understanding of the goodness of God, and how we're able to come and receive the forgiveness of God. When you hear a response like this, "Yeah, I was wrong. I really was. But, you know, you...." Is that a broken and contrite heart? No. They haven't realized how nasty they are. They want again to set up the parameters of how to be loved. They want to be the final arbitrator of what is truly just as it pertains to their life. And you'll find out that those of us who are going to feast and taste the goodness of God are those who are going to come with a broken and contrite heart, who are going to come with a humility like the prodigal son did, who are going to come and realize that what they really deserve is hell. And I'm coming in here as a slave with no rights deserving the destruction that Mephibosheth did, and yet was shown the mercy of the king and able to sit and eat at the king's table when he deserved destruction.

It's a way to examine our own hearts and how we respond to the love and the goodness of God. It's a humbling thing. When people respond to you in goodness and in kindness, are you humbled by it? Is it something that you realize? "I don't deserve this. Why would this be directed my way?" If you don't respond that way, then you think there's some merit in you. True humility says--and you are truly humbled by it--but there's also a time of rejoicing and praise and you say, "Yeah, they must have got a glimpse of God in me. There must have been an outflowing of the presence of God. The glory of God in these earthen vessels. Somehow they got a peek and they just want to thank God for his goodness." This is their response. They can't do anything else but just say, "Thank you," or "Here, I want to be a blessing," or whatever it is. And it's all the goodness of God. It's a humbling thing for us to realize that it's God in us and that we are unprofitable servants.

But in the parable, it's not so, because the father here represents our heavenly Father and he's worthy of all praise. He is to be honored. This is a father who, in the natural, is portraying, typifying, the Fatherhood of God toward us. And so the young man comes to him and he makes this comment, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me." Give me what's mine. Give me what I deserve. Now there's a response here that's not necessarily a natural response, and, yet, there was the binding here of a paternal love. There was also the law that was set in order for the covenant children which dictated, in certain circumstances, just like it was between Jacob and Esau, as Isaac was meeting forth the blessings. Many times, those of us that would respond in the natural will say, "I'm not giving you the blessings of God to squander!" And, as an expression of love and justice, that can be the right thing to do. Our offspring have no spiritual rights to anything. We are not bound as parents to certain covenant obligations. "Give me what I have coming." And you say, "Okay." (Sound effect of kicking them out.) And they're out the door! Be warmed and filled.

There are times when that is the love of God, as we see the severity of God. In this particular instance, when we see what it typifies, it typifies our heavenly Father, and us squandering our lives and all that God has blessed us with. The knowledge of Him, the eternal redemption through His blood, all of these different things that are so freely bestowed upon us and God allows us, in His sovereignty, to walk despising Him, exalting ourselves, squandering the inheritance of His presence and His gift. The young man takes that that's his and heads out. The dividing, however, took place between the two sons. The older got his portion also. We find that there's a breach in the relationship there. Not from the father's perspective. It's always perfect. But here is a young man who thought he deserved everything and there was no obligation to sow in righteousness or to provide recompense. A taker, prideful, selfish, carnal, and he goes his way. The older son, however, we find had another problem, as the story goes on. He's there and he's got the Martha spirit. He's working around the place and keeping the law to the letter. He has a legalistic relationship with his father instead of a loving relationship. He really didn't know the goodness of his dad. And it sure wasn't working in him because he didn't respond to his brother in a spirit of goodness, did he? What's in your heart? How do you respond when people that squander their lives want to return back to the goodness of God? How is it when you're working so hard, you're the good kid, and you don't see all that's being done by the Spirit of God in the life of this other one? You want to know why it seems like they get the fatted calf killed on their behalf? I'm here. I'm having to do all this work, and I'm the good guy. I never cause any trouble. The question was asked of the older son, "Hasn't it always been yours? Why didn't you partake of it?" "Well, I didn't think I'd earned it. I didn't think you'd give it to me. I didn't think you loved me as much as him."

Smothers Brothers, right? "Mom always liked you best." Do you remember that one? I like that one. "No, she didn't." "Yes, she did." "Well you had a puppy dog." "You had a pet." "A chicken. You ever try petting a chicken, take it for a walk? Well, you had a bicycle." "You had a wagon." "Didn't have any wheels." Do you ever feel that way in the household of God? That your wagon doesn't have any wheels? Do you ever approach God with the attitude of the older son, and you just really haven't yet been able to embrace the goodness of your Father and His love for you? "I don't deserve it. I haven't earned it. God doesn't want me to have it anyway."

I like Kimberly's response when she was a teenager growing up. Some of her acquaintances at that time had said to her at that point, "You know the problem. You're spoiled." She said, "I know, but I'm not rotten." There's nothing wrong with being spoiled as long as you're not rotten. Spoiled, meaning that she was just treated so well and so kind, and she was, praise God. And everything that her dad could lavish upon her, he would--still. Some of you were even wondering, we were over there, and she gets to come home from Greece with a fur coat. (We worked a good deal on that one, praise God.) What a blessing to be able to do that for your children and they not expect it, and it not destroy them, with hearts of thanksgiving. Do you remember I told you her response when I just bought her that brand new car that she's still driving? It stuck, man. I told those kids, whatever you do; do not get rid of these cars. No matter what happens, then you'll always have transportation. They both got married. Both of their spouses wanted them to get rid of their cars. No, we aren't getting rid of our cars. We might get rid of you, but we're not getting rid of our cars. She'd just had that brand new car and things got real tough here in the ministry. I mean, things were tough and I was cutting my salary back. We were in a place of having to decide.... I told you about the meeting we had with the Pastors, and they all agreed to take cuts in their salaries rather than to loose any one person and all of these different things. And at this juncture, here comes this 17 year old--or she probably just turned 18 at the time--and she says to me, (It's a brand new car, just months old.) She says, "Dad, just sell this. I don't need this. This isn't anything that I have to have. It's for the ministry." Do you have trouble showing goodness to some spirit like that?

You see, that's how Father responds. He wants to bless us. He has the cattle on a thousand hills, praise God, and however He chooses, then, in His sovereignty to extend His goodness to us, we rejoice in that. He doesn't respond to us all equally; He responds to us all infinitely wise, loving, and just. Why do some have more than others? I don't know. Those of us that have been blessed with good looks, why we have that, I don't know! You just rejoice in it. The gifts that you might have, the material things that God may cause to come your way, whatever it is, some of it's supernatural, the sovereignty of God. For some of us, it's just the fact that the gifts were used and they multiplied according to the laws that God's established in society. Nevertheless, the question we're dealing with is, do you judge God, and judge Him somehow not fair, and somehow a respecter of persons? Or do you judge Him as a God who's good and does right. "The Judge of all the earth [does] right." Praise God.

We have these two boys and that's basically what's going on. Our kids respond to us that way every day. It's always a judging. They're sizing up how we're performing today. How parents are doing; they keep score. "Well, my parents were good today. I got everything I wanted. Got a couple of gifts. Got out of doing some work around the house. Parents are good. Their goodness filled the whole yard." And we see that adolescent, childish response to goodness instead of an understanding that goodness is the character of the individual that chooses to do what's best to the object of their love, not just what that individual may be demanding. We've got the two kids. Two different problems. We usually give most of the flack to the youngest one. But really, when you stop and analyze the story, the younger one had a better glimpse and understanding of the goodness of God than the older one, the one that wasn't in trouble. He was spiritually in trouble, but just not naturally in trouble. Who do you identify with tonight? Which one of these kids? In your flesh, you're in one of these two camps. Now, it may not express itself now because you're walking in the Spirit and you're not fulfilling the lust of the flesh, and things are going well in your life spiritually, right now. You're in pursuit and panting after the Lord, as the hart does the brook. Your first love is burning in your heart, and all that's good. But what about those other times? We all experience it. Which one of these kids are you? Well, regardless of which one you are, the good news is this. They both have the same father, amen? Got some good news for you. You're not adopted, in the sense of natural adoption. You're spiritually, supernaturally infused with the divine nature, Peter tells us.

And so the boy goes out and, of course, we know the story. He spends all that he had, verse 14, "[and] ...there arose a mighty famine on that land." It's amazing how we're motivated by need, isn't it? So he does whatever a prideful individual does. "There's famine on the land, and I'm sure not going back to dad. I'm just going to suck it up. I can fend for myself." And so he does and "...joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his field to feed swine. [Then verse 16 says,] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: [because there wasn't anybody there to give] unto him." Nobody cared. This guy didn't have any problems getting friends when he was squandering his father's money--you know, when he was the kid with the car. He was the one paying for the dinner. He was the guy always buying the pizza. Stop and learn from this. Even in our adult lives, even as people that seem to be spiritually mature, your friends are the ones that stick with you in the hard times, when it's all gone. When your ability to contribute to them no longer exists and they are still there to lift your hands up.

There wasn't anybody there, after the party ended, to assist him. And he's getting ready to eat the pig slop. "And no man gave unto him," verse 16 says. When there was nobody else, no other hope, he came to himself, verse 17, and remembered his father's house. Some of you raising your kids may have some bumpy roads. Some of your kids, should the Lord tarry, may not stay on this straight and narrow highway of holiness. Let them see the goodness of God in you now, and they'll always know they can come home, praise God. The one thing--as we dealt with some other situations here, of disciplines that had to take place in this last week--the one thing that is so obvious here in our fellowship is the mercy of God, the longsuffering, how patient we are with folks. Don't mistake--and those of you know--we don't mistake "tolerance" as being lovingkindness and mercy and patience. The longsuffering of the righteousness of God is never anything but kindness, but there is no compromise. Weep with those that weep, broken, and what we believe, representative of the Father's heart. Here is how my house is conducted. If you're going to squander your life on all that the world offers, it's not in this house. You're going to have to go out there to do it. But you can always come back to Father's house. The rules won't change. You will. Not an inferior relationship, but sandals, a robe, a ring and the fatted calf. Aren't you glad that every time you repent, every time you come to God with a broken and contrite heart, that's how He responds to you? There is no re-proving of ourselves in relationship. Maybe a re-proving in responsibility, maybe a functional, seasonal, bearing of fruit, but it's never relational. The love is there. You pick up where it left off and that that was lacking, that caused the breech, is what you have to deal with. You don't neglect that and say, "Okay, well you've come back and you're broken. Now let's just pretend that all of that that messed you up didn't happen and you can just pick up and go on from here." No, we still have to deal with this. But the love is eternal. The love is infinite.

We see, as the story goes on, what a beautiful coming to himself, verse 18. "I will arise and go to my father, [and we'll just pretend like nothing happened] and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son." Beloved, we can boldly stand and say, "I am a son of God, an heir and joint heir with Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God in Christ, blessed with all spiritual blessings," and we can and should boldly stand and make that declaration. It is true. It is legally true. It is literally true. But in the midst of making those declarations, do you understand that you're not worthy. Oh, we're not talking about the way people mock and say, "Oh, I'm just a worm." I'm not talking about a "worm" mentality. I'm talking about sonship. I'm talking about the fact that you know who you are in Christ Jesus and that we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us, but always with that spirit of humility. We're not worthy. We're blessed with the goodness of God. It doesn't minimize what we can do and what's done for us. But we're not worthy. Our worthiness, our worth comes only as we're perceived through the blood of Jesus Christ. And the Scripture calls Him, "Worthy is the Lamb." We always turn it to the glory of God and we always celebrate His mercy and His goodness and His love. We always recognize the sin in our members and our worthlessness without His presence, but His abiding in us makes us accepted in the beloved.

He comes to himself and returns to the father's house. He made the declaration of sin, acknowledged his worth, and said, "Let me be just a hired servant." Father does not have hired servants that are sons. We're servants for free. We're love slaves. We don't get paid. We're there from privilege. The moment the hireling attitude comes in, you can be bought off for a higher price. The moment the hireling attitude reigns, you've moved into the realm of the older son and you despise the goodness of God. "I've worked for what I got and these people just had it handed to them." What do you have that hasn't been given to you?

Father, we thank You for your goodness tonight and the mercies of God. And as we rest in Your Word and the revelation of Yourself, Father, we ask that we would never have the attitude of the older son and despise the goodness and the mercy of God. That one who fails to realize that the very strength he had to labor there in the household was a gift of God. The gifts that he had were the gift of God. Being born into the house was a gift of God, and as unprofitable servants, should we be able to walk in a way that we never squander a thing that God has blessed us with, we are still unprofitable servants. And when the brother who has squandered and lived contrary to all discipline, returns home, help us to join the party. Because we have so freely received, we must freely give. Until we do, we've not known the goodness of God. Make it real, Father, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's stand before the Lord tonight. Aren't you thankful for His goodness to you tonight? How He's expressed Himself infinitely and is there constantly for the broken and contrite heart. His response to the older son was, "Son, get free from that self-righteousness and pride and just go eat a steak. It's all yours. Your wagon has wheels. It was just down at the shop getting new tires. I want to bless you going in and coming out. My intentions are always good toward you." "Father, I've served you." And He says, "That's good, but I want you to love me. I want you to understand my heart. I want you to know there's no merit system here. You can't be good enough for me to love you. It has nothing to do with your worth. It has to do with my character. I love you with a never ending love." For that we say, thank You, Father, in Jesus' name. Hallelujah! Just worship Him. Just take a moment and worship Him tonight and thank Him for His love to you and His goodness, the mercies of the Lord that endure forever. Hallelujah! We do delight in You, Lord, and we thank You. You know the inner recesses of our hearts. You know us better than we know ourselves and You love us. Most of us don't love ourselves, but You love us.

Most people don't love themselves. I'm not talking about prideful lust and selfishness. That's not love. That's just selfishness. Most of us don't love ourselves because we know, we understand, how ugly we are. Father knows you and He loves you. We forget that He knows every thought, every intention. If He was not omniscient and omnipresent, knew everything and was always present with you to see. If He wasn't present to behold, He still knows. He's omniscient. If He wasn't all that, the devil will tell on you. He loves you and He wants to be good toward you and give you the grace necessary to live victoriously for His glory. Do you want it for His glory? Do you just want to know Him for Who He is, not for what you get out of it? Just to know Him for Who He is, the one that infinitely loves us. The one that died for us. The one that's bought us with His own blood. He'll give you the grace to come to that revelation. I want to know You more, Lord, but I need grace. I need the mercy of God. Just cry out to Him and tell Him where you are and He'll give you what you need, praise God. Let Him know that you're acknowledging it, that you're aware of it. You've come to yourself. "Lord, I've come to myself. I've seen myself and I want to come home. No guarantees that I won't go squander it again, but I'm asking You, Lord, to help me not to blow it. Help me to love You as You deserve to be loved. I can't do it without Your grace and without Your mercy." And He'll do exceeding abundant, praise God. He'll embrace you. The greatest offences we've made toward Him, He doesn't, in His goodness, remember any of it. He's cast it into the sea of His forgetfulness. God is good, hallelujah! God is good and His mercies endure forever.

Let's sing this together and just rejoice in the goodness of your Father tonight. Hallelujah! Oh, we do delight in You, Lord. "Holy Lord, Most Holy Lord." We delight in You, Lord. You're so good, Father. Hallelujah, hallelujah! Just worship Him. Just take a moment and rejoice in His goodness to you tonight. You are good, Lord! Hallelujah! Your blessings to us are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Lord, as the fruit of goodness works in us by Your Holy Spirit, let it bring glory to You, that as we have so freely received, we might freely give. In Jesus' name we ask it, amen.

Before you go, turn to somebody next to you and say, "God is good!" Hallelujah! Amen. Go in peace, God's love go with you.

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