18/7/26 the fruit of goodness

• Satan wants us to believe that we’re fine just as we are
• A good tree can’t bear bad fruits nor a bad, good. Matthew 7:16-18
• The evidence of good fruit is transformation in a person’s character
• Bad tree- self centred life, good tree- selfless life
• Goodness is not something we can achieve or manufacture through external efforts, it takes God’s power, cz in us dwells no good thing- Roman’s 3:12 -none does good, no, not one.
• Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit, it’s not achieved by working harder, it’s His work in us when we abide in Him, just as a healthy tree produces good fruit, so is a life rooted in Christ
• Even our very best efforts apart from Him fall far too short- filthy rags Isaiah 64:6

“But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

• we can’t do anything, the only thing we do is respond to His calling, abide in Him.
• Exodus 33:19 God said He will cause His goodness to pass before him -and described His character
• Goodness in us, is the character of God in us, none is good but God.
  
  
• when we reflect on His goodness we’re compelled to respond with gratitude
• What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits for us? For all His goodness- love in action
• His goodness is unchanging and eternal, regardless of our circumstances.
• For His name’s sake, He will do this work in us- through Him we will bear good fruit, we will bear goodness
• Goodness:Agghosume:uprightness of heart- commitment to doing what is right for the benefit of others regardless of recognition or reward Matthew 6:1-3 don’t sound a trumpet - for their praise be my reward
• Once we love God, our love to others will naturally follow.
  
• He did good, He showed us the way in which to walk in -“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭
• Goodness requires a constant connection with God- John 15:5- this connection daily surrender, prayer, time with Him, submitting to His leading then were transformed into the same image, and by living this way we reveal to the world we are his disciples- let your light shine (by good works) and man seeing, will glorify God.