Fruitful Living
What does it mean that God is good?
5 examples in everyday life
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! – Psalm 34:8,NKJV
INTRODUCTION
We often hear the phrase, “God is good.” It is used in songs, sermons, and is sometimes used as a response when both good and bad things happen in our lives, for example: a person who avoids tragedy due to car trouble or a delayed flight. Other examples are good things that happen to people, like circumstances aligning perfectly for them to buy a house or replace their old car when previously things looked very bleak. In all these things, we often say, “God is good.”
Still, what does this mean? According to Merriam Webster, (dictionary) the definition of “God” is “the being in perfect power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe,” however; isn’t He more than this? God is good in so many ways–the way He provides for us, guides us, and watches over us–but it goes even deeper than that. God’s goodness is who He is, and we are created in His image, so, therefore, we share His goodness.
God’s goodness shows up in our lives every single day. Although we often think of His goodness when something big happens, His goodness abounds
all the time–in every hour, minute, and second of the day, in the smallest of things around us. Here are five examples of His goodness in our everyday lives.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good-” Luke 18:19
- Waking Us Up
Every day that God wakes us up is an example of His goodness. This means we are still working towards the purpose and gifts He has given us. It shows us that He isn’t finished with us yet and that we still have a mission to fulfill. We shall not grumble and complain about getting out of bed and going to work. We should be happy that we are still breathing and living for Him. Many are worse off than us who need to see our light shining in the world every day.
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” – Psalm 143:8
- Pouring His Favour on Us
On the days when we are surrounded by the smallest and most significant of blessings, we know that God is pouring His favour on us. This can be anything from your coworker bringing you your favourite coffee to your boss calling you in their office to discuss a raise or promotion. We need to pay attention
to all the little things in our day, both big and small, that are a blessing to us. A lot of times, it’s the little things that mean so much.
“God has now revealed to us His mysterious will regarding Christ-which is to fulfill His own good plan-” Ephesians 1:9
3. Protecting Us
We have all heard about the woman who had car trouble and missed being in a massive pile-up on the interstate. We have heard about the disease/cancer detection that almost did not happen due to a practically-missed appointment. These are the significant ways He protects us, but He works in the smaller things too: for example, the gossip that is going around that never reaches your ears or the coworker that is trying to sabotage you but your boss, instead, sees the honest and hard work that you do. These are all ways He protects us on a daily basis.
4. Speaking To Us through Prayer
Prayer is our most powerful connection to God. It is how we express our thanks and gratitude, make our petitions known, and intercede for others. Sometimes we get an answer of “yes,” sometimes, “no” and sometimes, “wait.” Sometimes, He gives us specific instructions and, sometimes, He is silent. Other times, He speaks to us and provides us with an answer in the most surprising of ways. No matter what, He always answers, and we need to look for those answers every day. In issues big and small, He will often nudge our hearts and draw our attention in the right direction.
5. Guiding Us
We make a thousand little decisions a day, everything from deciding whether we will do our job well or whether or not to take on a client. Sometimes, we have to determine whether an opportunity is right for us and if we should follow a particular path. In these moments, God is guiding us. We need to stop, take a breath and pay attention. How do we feel in our hearts? How do we feel in our gut? We need to be still and listen to that small voice we know so well. Listen to Him whispering to our hearts about what choices are right for us. Pay attention to the signs He sends us. This is His way of guiding us and nudging us to our best selves, so that we may live in the gifts we have been given and the purpose He has for us.
Are you concerned that you will get too busy and miss the signs of God’s goodness in your life?
Let’s pray.
Dear Lord,
We thank You for allowing us to wake up every morning. Please help us to slow down in the midst of our busy lives. Allow us to see Your goodness in every day, no matter how big or small. Help us to acknowledge Your blessings immediately when they are poured out upon us. Thank You for Your protection and guidance. Help us to listen carefully and discern Your voice whispering to our hearts in answer to our prayers. Rejoice in our happiness when You say yes, help us see the reasons You say, “no,” and give us the patience and wisdom we need for when You say, “wait.”
Help us to walk in alignment to Your goodness and shine it into the world for all who need it. Allow us to see the abundance of Your goodness in our lives, and others lives every day. In Jesus name we pray with thanksgiving. Amen.
STAY BLESSED!!
For further inquires please contact us on Tel Nos. 0268130615 or 0243588467
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightgh.org.
By Dr Joyce Aryee
Fruitful Living
Protecting the Muslim home in the modern age: Communication, addiction, temptation, marital fidelity
All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and place our trust in Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the Consequences of our deeds.
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, his family, his Companions and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment?
As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.
It is a great privilege to bring you this important topic for discussion.
Our subject today is:
“Protecting the Muslim Home in the Modern Age: Communication, Addiction, Temptation and Marital Fidelity.”
This is not simply a lecture about marriage.
It is a conversation about human beings, emotions, faith, choices, technology, temptation, responsibility and the future of our families.
And because I speak both as an Imam and as a certified counsellor, I want us to approach today’s discussion from two complementary perspectives:
The perspective of revelation and the perspective of human behaviour.
Islam gives us guidance about what is right and wrong.
Counselling helps us understand why people sometimes struggle to do what is right, how unhealthy patterns develop, and how people can be helped to change.
We therefore need both.
The foundation: what is marriage in Islam?
Before we discuss marital problems, we must first understand what marriage is supposed to accomplish.
Allah says:
“And among His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may
find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Surely in this are signs
for people who reflect.” (Qur’an 30:21)
Notice three extraordinary words:
1. SAKĪNAH – Tranquillity.
2. MAWADDAH – Affection and loving attachment.
3. RAḤMAH – Mercy, compassion and tenderness.
A successful marriage therefore should provide: Peace + Love + Mercy. (Quran 30:21)
Marriage is not merely: “I found someone attractive.”
Marriage is not: “I want someone to cook for me.”
Marriage is not: “I need somebody to have children with.”
Marriage is not simply: “I don’t want to be lonely.”
Marriage is an amanah — a trust from Allah.
Your spouse is an amanah.
Your children are an amanah.
Your sexuality is an amanah.
Your wealth is an amanah.
Your words are an amanah.
Your private conversations are an amanah.
And your marriage will ultimately be part of what you are accountable for before Allah.
There is a well-known Ḥadīth of Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh, in which the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) addressed the Muslims during the Farewell Pilgrimage and spoke about the rights and responsibilities concerning women.
The author is the Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governor Expert
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like the branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. – John 15:1-8
Introduction
There are certain sins that Christians are always good at pointing out – usually in others. But there are a few that we tend to ignore, and these same few are the ones we also tend to commit more often ourselves.
1. Selfishness/self-righteousness
How often did Jesus call out the Pharisees in the New Testament? All. The. Time. And it was always for self-righteousness or selfishness. If you have to compliment yourself on something good you’ve done, then you aren’t doing it right. So many of us like to display our faithful acts so that others will know what good Christians we are. Christ doesn’t care what everyone else thinks of your generosity. He cares about your heart and your motivation. If you need other people to know about the good things you do, feel, or think in order to feel validated, then you need to re-evaluate. – Matthew 6:1-4
2. Patriotism
For the record, I do NOT think patriotism in and of itself is a sin. I put this here because all too often we put faith and Christian values in the same box as political party and patriotism. The bible is clear about the fact that Jesus’ name will be declared to ALL nations and peoples of the world. We shout, “‘Ghana!” and talk about how much better we are than everyone else, but that’s not biblical. We project Christianity on to the Ghanaian flag and assume that God is Ghanaian, but that’s not how it works. Celebrate Ghanaian values and understand how blessed you are to live here, but remember that at the end of the day you are a citizen of heaven, and heaven will be full of people from all over the world. – Revelation 7:9 – 10
3. Fear/worry
Jesus is very clear about worrying. He flat out tells us not to worry. Faith requires trust. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. . .” God is love. He loved us enough to send his son to die to atone for our sins. His love is perfect; therefore, we should have nothing to fear. I know fear is inevitable sometimes. It is a major struggle for me. We are not perfect, but fear and worry are not part of the equation with Christ. These attitudes that imply a lack of faith. All we can do is remember that God is sovereign and always in control – Matthew 6: 25 -34
4. Pride
We talk about pride all the time in church. We consistently discuss how detrimental and dangerous it is, but it seems like we don’t recognise what pride actually is. We don’t realise that every time we refuse someone forgiveness we are acting in pride. Every time you argue with a friend, family member, or spouse and insist that you will not be the one to apologize first then you act out of pride. Remember the grace that Christ extends to you and try to extend that same grace and forgiveness to others. – Philippians 2:1-5
5. Gluttony/coveting
This sin is closely related to pride. We bury ourselves in debt in order to make sure we have the best and newest things. The disciples often lived off of the generosity of others and Jesus was a poor carpenter. I’m not saying that wealth is inherently bad. It’s not. If you can afford that Mercedes, by all means, buy it. But if you can’t; if you are spending hundreds of dollars each month paying off debt, then you could be committing a modern form of gluttony. You need to look inside yourself and search your heart. If your nice things were taken away, would you still be satisfied and able to find joy in Christ? Why are you really in debt? Who are you trying to impress, God or men? – 1 Timothy 6:6 – 8 7 17 – 19
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
