The Goodness of God & What's Next
A recap of this Summer Word Series | God is with us, full of grace and truth and light, and calls us to respond to our faith by evangelizing the truth and loving others fully.
As we dream of Autumn days nearing, school starting, and cooler evenings, this word study series through the book of John comes to an end. I’ll share more about what’s next at the end of this article, but I didn’t want to let this Summer series end without a little recap.
Over the last twelve weeks, we’ve explored different words from the book of John as they pertain to who God is and who we are in light of that truth. As I consider the words that God laid on my heart throughout this summer to share with you, I remember one thing.
God is so so good, and we are loved because of who He is and how He uniquely created us—not by what we do but by who we are, made in the image of God and called to love others the way Jesus did.
Jesus is the Light of the World
Jesus came to expose moral and spiritual truths to all, and through His life, we now know the light offered to us that carries us through the darkness of life and into eternal light with Him.
Because Jesus manifested in our world as the embodied God and revealed truth and knowledge for all, sin and our sinful nature no longer grasp or seize our souls.
Jesus is Full of Grace for All
Grace is the outpouring of our Father’s love that is undeserved because of our state of sin but freely given because of God’s great desire to be united with His children once again in perfect harmony.
We are called to worship God in spirit and truth, and the Spirit of God is full of grace, so we ought to be.
John made a way for Jesus, and Jesus made a way for humanity. In respect, we are called to make a way for others to know God and follow the Way.
We are Called to Keep Jesus’ Commands
Jesus is the Word become flesh; Jesus embodied how we are commanded to live and love God, ourselves, and our neighbors. In a way, Jesus is the “commands” and “word” we are to observe, keep, guard, and obey.
Can Our Doubts & Questions Be Holy?
Jesus stepped into Thomas’s doubt and offered him truth that led Thomas to a richer faith in God.
Jesus Offers Hope in the Abundant Life
The hope of the abundant life allows us to carry on with joy and peace in everything we face here on earth.
Abiding in Christ Is More Than Reading the Bible
What if everything you did was actually a spiritual practice because there's nothing you do where God is not with you and actively a part of what you’re doing?
When you are sad, God is with you.
When you are excited, God is with you.
When you are driving in your car blasting your favorite tunes, God is with you.
When you are putting your baby to sleep for the 3rd time at midnight, God is with you.
We often think of faith and works at odds with each other, like only one of them can truly save us, but maybe that’s where we get it wrong. Faith saves you but works are a result of faith.
Jesus’ embodied life bore witness to the truth of God, and the Spirit lives within our embodied lives so that we can bear witness to the truth of God incarnate and the saving grace of our Savior.
I’ve said a lot in the last 12 weeks, and I think this is the best time to close the chapter on these specific word studies and let God rustle in your heart where needed moving forward. I pray that as you reflect on these words or other aspects of God’s character and truth, you will be reminded of how loved you are and the goodness of God that goes before you into this next season of life.
So… what’s next?
The way I’ve been approaching this form of writing and the type of content I share is very much just “do the next right thing.” By that, I mean that I constantly talk with God about where to go, what to say, and what I can offer my readers right now.
I always hope that the words I bring to this forum might bring a little bit of God’s peace to our hearts and challenge our souls to live out the good news in our bad-news culture.
Everyone in the world, not just Americans, can see the bad news that Americans are facing in this election year. In 2020, I wrote a bold (for me at least) blog post that ruffled some feathers, and I still stand by it today.
I am not an American-loving Christian by nature. I am first and foremost a child of God who happens to take up residence in this country called the United States of America. I am thankful to live here and try to never take my freedom for granted, but if my identity is more about the country I live in than the Lord I serve, my priorities are misaligned.
Too many Christian Americans on both sides of the aisle place too much of their hope in the Capitol instead of in Christ.
I’ve avoided this conversation for the last couple of years because it’s uncomfortable and if I’m honest, I hate paying attention to the media and political news. Over the last 6 months though, I’ve felt God constantly bring it back to mind. This upcoming series will not be about bashing Republicans or Democrats. It will not harass our political candidates or question how someone could vote for either one. It will not consider who or what we should vote for. It will not be a sounding board for my concerns about one campaign or another.
As I pray through what to write and read and how to engage with our world, my prayer is simply “God, allow me to see what you see, feel what you feel, and respond as you would.”
Over the next 10 weeks leading up to the election (starting September), I will share a biblical perspective of our faith and politics. I want to be deeply intentional about wrapping this series up in prayer, so some weeks may be just that—a prayer for us to pray together.
This is all important BECAUSE OF the goodness of God. I don’t see enough of God’s goodness reflected in the actions and words of His people in election seasons like this. While I’ve been challenged through the conversations and content I’m engaging with, I hope to bring some of that to you and pray it would challenge and encourage you, drawing you closer to God in the process.
Excellent recap to your summer series and I can’t wait for the next one!!!!!