Our God is a giver of all good things and there is no more encouraging Scripture than the one that says God withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly.  Of course, walking uprightly and living righteously have to do with our living according to God’s eternal laws and principles.  He who lives righteously is righteous, even as He is righteous (1 John 3:7).  Who is able to know God and have His love perfected in them?

“Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He that saith, I know Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keeps His word, in him truly is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.”  (1 John 2:3-5)

We want to love the things that God loves, and hate the things that God hates.  The law of God reveals the mind of God to us.  King David wrote, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.”  Brethren, do we deeply love the law of God with all our heart?  We should.  God speaks to us through His word, the Bible.  Do we trust in these words of God?  Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament (1 Corinthians 10:4) and He gave mankind His law.

Brethren, do we know and understand that God is good – and He is the only one who is totally good?  There is none good but one, and that is, God (Mark 10:18).  But when it comes to men, there is none that does good, no, not one (Romans 3:12).

“The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.  O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in thee.”  (Psalm 84:11-12)

Brethren, the question for us becomes: Do I trust in God – or do I trust in myself?  The carnal mind is submissive to no one – it trusts only in itself to be the last word.  Conversion brings a transition wherein the changed man, led by the Spirit of God, relies on God in every way, rather than himself.

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works also in you that believe.”  (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

We have rapidly come to the place where very, very few men trust in God.  The Israelite nations, America, and unfortunately, many within the Church of God do not trust or have faith in God’s lead over our lives.  In God’s word – the Bible – God gave us His judgment on matters of faith and morals, and yet we find even among those who count themselves as leaders of God’s people, a growing tendency to try to be more merciful and more understanding and more compassionate than God is.

It is a dangerous trend in the Church because the word of God is being seriously eroded.  One thing that the Church of God should never do is to try to make the word of God more palatable, or more acceptable to the world by watering it down.  We do not apologize for the Holy Days, tithing, or keeping the Sabbath holy.

God calls those that He knows will be able to qualify to be in His family.  There is no necessity to appeal to the world’s churches by pretending that we are like they are.  The brethren should not be instructed to remain silent on God’s doctrine when a stranger comes in their midst.  Only someone who does not fully trust in God would ask his congregation to do such a foolish thing.  God does not “con” someone into coming to His way of life.  It is only by full repentance and the Faith of Jesus Christ that we respond to God’s calling.

Putting up giant public billboards on the highway of “welcome” to any and all comers is deceptive.  God’s calling is not an “open house” to everyone at this time.  If we are unwilling to let our light shine because we are ashamed of the words of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – we are in serious trouble.

A lady in God’s Church told me that their congregation was instructed not to say anything that might be considered as “offensive” when outsiders came to services on an open door day.  There was even talk by some brethren of reciprocation – by perhaps attending their Sunday worship services to show our “good faith.”  Jesus has already announced His judgment on those who are embarrassed to support the entire word of God.

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”  (Mark 8:38)

Where are the true leaders who are able and willing to teach all our brethren to be teachers?  Paul said:

“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”  (Hebrews 5:12)

Brethren, here is the question we need to ask ourselves.  Do I really love and desire God’s law more than anything else?  Is there anything that would make me compromise God’s law?  And when we are speaking of God’s law – we are speaking of every word of truth in the Bible.  The entire Bible clearly indicates to those who are being led by God’s Holy Spirit – what the will of God is.

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Sermon:

"God Withholds No Good Thing"