Spiritual good is whatever contributes to purify the soul, to raise it towards heaven, and to prepare it for the presence of God. The heathen nations appear for the most part to have regarded their gods as beings subject to like passions, to the same fickleness of mind and purpose with themselves. Evil only too certainly is, but he is sure that it is not from God. (3) These decrees excepted which are prophetic and providential, all other declarations, though they may seem absolute and unchangeable, yet are not so; for God reserves to Himself a power of altering them, or suspending their execution.Application 1. And I think we should do well to approach this problem from its brighter rather than from its darker side. (1)Commensurate with the character and resources of the Giver. or have you even debauched it until its former Divine repugnance to such service is lost, and it delights itself in wickedness? THE GOOD WHICH WE RECEIVE FROM GOD MAY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO SORTS, NATURAL GOOD AND SPIRITUAL GOOD.1. THERE is sufficient evidence that the three little vessels which on the 13th of May, 1607, were moored to the trees on the bank of the James River brought to the soil of America the germ of a Christian church. THE DIVINE GOODNESS IN HUMAN HISTORY COMES IN SEPARATE GIFTS AND DIFFERS IN DEGREE. I It comes in separate gifts as man's demands arise (1 Kings 13:10). No listening is healthy which is not mentally referred to obedience. Again, the lovingkindness of God is unchanging. They are all "from above," from the same:Father; but from the want of "the light" which should reign in that "gift," the gift is valueless. A turning, change, mutation. The day hasteth on, yea, is even nigh unto us, when we must own all these children of the mind, be they white or black; when they will swarm about us, and say to Him who shall then be sitting in judgment, "This is our father and our mother!" WE have briefly reviewed the history of two magnificent schemes of secular and spiritual empire, which, conceived in the minds of great statesmen and churchmen, sustained by the resources of the mightiest kingdoms of that age, inaugurated by soldiers of admirable prowess, explorers of unsurpassed boldness and persistence, and missionaries whose heroic faith has canonized them in the veneration of Christendom, have nevertheless come to naught. Haydn himself was there, but so old and feeble that he had to be wheeled into the theatre in a chair. When we hear the word, but do not do it, there has been a defect in our hearing. And so nothing but good comes from Him no evil whatever. NIV The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. James 1:16-18 ESV / 4 helpful votes Not Helpful Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. [2172] For thus she will not think that little hath been forgiven her, so as for her to love little, and, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish her own, not to be made subject to the righteousness St. As one says, "God is always in the meridian."(C. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." An encouragement to prayer.4. It is the Spirit who is the efficient agent in working this change. (2) This should be a powerful argument to urge sinners to repentance.2. Nay, more, it is an unfulfilled possibility; it is the handle of temptation; it turns to self, to pride, to sin. It is God who gives it, and He gives it lovingly of His own free will, and He gaves it to make whoever receives it happier and better. From the dictates of natural reason; which tells us that nothing argues greater weakness and imperfection than inconstancy and change. The sun gives light, and only light. So His strength, and therefore He is called "The Rock of Ages" (Isaiah 26:4). A. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. Therefore by His prophet Malachi He crieth, "I am the Lord, I change not; and you sons of Jacob are not consumed."3. But whatever inconstancy there may be in them, there is none in Him who made them. But be of good cheer," dec.4. May we always remember that everything we have comes from you! We neglect to pray in the prescribed way. 1. Every blessing, great and small, whether for the body or the soul, is of His bestowal. 1. (2) It shows the reason why wicked men hate God (John 3:19-21). If we turn to the sanguine, we shall perceive that this has, no less, its own proper work for God. Tillotson. We seldom enter the closet and shut the door for a season of prayer. The gift of faith in believing, the gift of hope, and of life eternal these things change not; the gifts of the world, the greatness of the world, pass away, God and His gifts alone remain unchanging.1. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. THE SPECIAL ILLUSTRATION OF DIVINE GOODNESS. We pass in it from the carnal to the spiritual, from the earthly to the heavenly. What grace, what beauty, what sensitiveness, and subtlety of feeling, has been given to the body! But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. The essence of God (1 John 1:5). If, indeed, you will not make the effort, you must be as you are; if you will, you may be made free. Oh, for more light from the great Father of lights!(C. How fickle, how moody, how unstable! 2. What makes a flower so beautiful? From the base of didomi; a giving; by implication, a gift. But for good that floweth clearly from the upper spring, there are indeed some pipes and conveyances, as the Word, and prayer, and the seals; and for ordinary blessings, your industry and care. 1 Proverbs 16:32 "Better to be patient than a warrior, and better to have self-control than to capture a city." The Good News: This verse is kind of a turtle and the hare sort of story. That is "a gift." Half of heaven will consist of remembrance: the endless song will derive half its pathos and power from retrospection. Plummer, D. D.)God unchangeableThere are many Christians, like young sailors, who think the shore and the whole land do move, when the ship and they themselves are moved; just so, not a few imagine that God moveth, and faileth, and changeth places, because their souls are subject to alteration; but the foundation of the Lord abideth sure.PeopleJamesPlacesDispersionTopicsTRUE, Cast, Change, Due, Endowment, Gift, Giving, Heaven, Heavenly, Lights, Perfect, Shade, Shadow, Shadows, Shifting, Slightest, Source, Suggestion, Turning, Variableness, VariationOutline1. Then, clearly, if we would act in accordance with the nature and design of our new birth, if we would show ourselves the children of this Father of lights, we must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, we must ever sock to be sanctified wholly in heart and life, in soul and body. If two men are at the wheel with opposing notions of direction and destiny, how will it fare with the boat? Well, then (1) The more mutable you are, the less you are like God. His friends thought he was taking notes of his opponent's speech, but when they got hold of his paper, they found nothing but these words, "More light, Lord! They ascribe it to a Divine origin. We have nothing to boast of, no worth, no merit, for our righteousness is no better than filthy rags, and our proper place is the dust of self-abasement. And all this is perverse and delusive. If we turn to the sanguine, we shall perceive that this has, no less, its own proper work for God. We have seen how the Brethren rose to prosperity and power. The will of man must have this solemn alternative before it good or evil if it is ever to become a good will. "Count it all joy" (James i. We learn from the Scriptures that God gave the Jews ritual laws, which in themselves and of their own nature were not good, and which He afterwards repealed by His Son. Linsenmann, /Michael Baius/, 1863. E. HuttonHistory of the Moravian ChurchKnox and the Book of DisciplineThis Book of Discipline, containing the model of the Kirk, had been seen by Randolph in August 1560, and he observed that its framers would not come into ecclesiastical conformity with England. WE have briefly reviewed the history of two magnificent schemes of secular and spiritual empire, which, conceived in the minds of great statesmen and churchmen, sustained by the resources of the mightiest kingdoms of that age, inaugurated by soldiers of admirable prowess, explorers of unsurpassed boldness and persistence, and missionaries whose heroic faith has canonized them in the veneration of Christendom, have nevertheless come to naught. You might enumerate every act of the Father, from the creation of man to the gift of the Holy Ghost, and all the operations of His mercy since, and group them all together; you may call the roll of all His deeds of love to man, and all His gracious acts to us individually: and above them all, or upon the face of each separately, one might, with the accuracy of entire truthfulness, write "Gift." A gift which has in it perfect adaptation and eternity. Mere evil is not from above: "the same fountain doth not yield sweet and bitter waters." Jortin, D. D.)The unchangeableness of GodAbp. Kingdom interests are pressing on us thick and fast and we must pray. THERE is sufficient evidence that the three little vessels which on the 13th of May, 1607, were moored to the trees on the bank of the James River brought to the soil of America the germ of a Christian church. Linsenmann, /Michael Baius/, 1863. Kingdom interests are pressing on us thick and fast and we must pray. He has done so that by that Spirit we might be born anew. We neglect to pray in the prescribed way. The Father of the lights must be more perfect than the lights He has called into being. (3) And, finally, we may learn a lesson of holiness. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is neither variableness, nor shadow of turning. God God alone is the Author of good the help that is done on earth, He doeth it all Himself: every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from Him. Oh, for more light from the great Father of lights!(C. And a man whose mind is like that of two men flirting with contrary ideals at the same time will live a life "all sixes and sevens," and nothing will move to purposeful John Henry JowettMy Daily Meditation for the Circling YearMay the Fifth Healthy Listening"Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only." I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. To resolve and not to perform is a certain mark of imperfection,III. This subject , (1)Sheds new light on the good of human life, and reveals its sacredness. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." Publication date: Jun 28, 2023. The fires that warm us and that are the source of power are from the wood or coal in which the heat of the sun has been stored. Then, clearly, if we would act in accordance with the nature and design of our new birth, if we would show ourselves the children of this Father of lights, we must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, we must ever sock to be sanctified wholly in heart and life, in soul and body. Friendship is a kindred cluster engolbing rich wine. Let but the sinner consider what God is, and the consideration of His unchangeable nature must needs terrify him (Habakkuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4, 5; Exodus 34:7; Psalm 90:11; Psalm 76:7; Revelation 18:8). If we turn to the sanguine, we shall perceive that this has, no less, its own proper work for God. Kingdom interests are pressing on us thick and fast and we must pray. It is called the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of prudence and might. No one is good except God alone. Here, hence St. Peter calleth Him the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10), because all grace and all go, d gifts come only from Him, as from a well-head and fountain. Praise be to God! And as He died for all, so He ever liveth to make intercession for all who come unto Him.3. The ploughman at his daily toil--the workman who plies the shuttle--the merchant in his counting-house--the scholar in his study--the lawyer in the courts of justice--the senator in the hall of legislature--the monarch on his throne--these, as well as the clergymen in the works of the material building which is consecrated to the honour of God--these constitute the Church. Prayerless work will never bring in the kingdom. G. Humphry, B. D.)The changeless FatherC. We do not always feel joyful, but we are to count it all joy. Friendship is a kindred cluster engolbing rich wine. (2) If we pass to the phlegmatic, we shall perceive that this was not lacking in the human constitution or in the earthly life of Christ. WE have briefly reviewed the history of two magnificent schemes of secular and spiritual empire, which, conceived in the minds of great statesmen and churchmen, sustained by the resources of the mightiest kingdoms of that age, inaugurated by soldiers of admirable prowess, explorers of unsurpassed boldness and persistence, and missionaries whose heroic faith has canonized them in the veneration of Christendom, have nevertheless come to naught. First, He is called the Father of Lights, the Fountain and Well-spring, the Author and Cause from whence all good gifts flow and spring unto men.2. He is much more; but He is this as well. Has not He revealed Himself as the God of mercy, full of long-suffering, compassion, and free forgiveness; and must not, then, all love and affection, all compassion and generosity, be His gift? Not only has He kindled the luminaries of space, He is the Lord of all light, both physical, and also intellectual and moral.2. Find answers to your Bible questions with Bible Gateway Plus. So God is the Source of our spiritual life. We never heard of any other doctrine, except in books about the heathen; and there are perhaps not three people Charles KingsleyThe Good News of God, Sermon on a Martyr's DayOf three sorts of spiritual temptation by which holy men are secretly assailed; to wit: spiritual unchastity, covetousness, and pride. )The unchanging GodH. He cannot change for the better, because He hath in Himself all excellences. B. SimpsonDays of Heaven Upon Earth Fourth Sunday after Easter Second Sermon. The angels are "the morning stars," and God is their Father. The description of one of the Divine attributes exhibits the character of God still more clearly and delightfully. If it be a transient good, enjoyed and then gone, so that nothing but the memory of the enjoyment is left, it is the gift of God. The illustration comes to this: "You might as well, and much more reasonably, attribute darkness to the sun as impute evil to God." Why, even in directing Charles Haddon SpurgeonSpurgeon's Sermons Volume 13: 1867All Joy in all TrialsBeginning with this word "brethren," James shows a true brotherly sympathy with believers in their trials, and this is a main part of Christian fellowship. Cox, D. D.)Every good and perfect giftJames Vaughan, M. A.A gift is something that expresses the mind and betokens the love of the giver, and at the same time brings happiness to the receiver. Wherefore let this be the first thought for the putting on of humility, that God's virgin think not that it is of herself that she is such, and not rather that this best "gift cometh down from above from the Father of Lights, with Whom is no change nor shadow of motion." James 1:17 says, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. Duchesne, /Histoire du Baianisme/, 1731. God has need of you and of those gifts which He has bestowed upon you. He cannot change for the worse, because neither can He have a will or a power to hurt Himself, nor can other beings be able to diminish His perfections, since they have no other strength than He gave them, and receive their nature and qualities from Him. The universe may be searched. We neglect to pray in the prescribed way. So it is that all our spiritual light, from whatever sources it seems to come, is really from God. If on the coast of our humanity we, mariners on life's uncertain sea, behold lighthouses so placed along the shore as to enable us to take bearings or shape courses that bring us to our havens of safety, it is God who has erected each such lighthouse and kindled each such pharos.(C. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. Has He not given as a father who as a God should give generously, munificently? Are these good gifts?" Jortin, D. D.I. And, lastly, imagination what have you been doing with that? All Good Things Come from God A song for going up to worship. There is nothing about us to deserve it, to draw down the Divine power and mercy for its accomplishment (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3).2. SHOW THAT THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO GOD.1. 2. BoundsPurpose in PrayerBiographical Preface. Our thoughts are thus led to the supreme blessing of God's covenant of grace. First of all, God's justice is unchanging.2. The unchangeable nature of God suggests very powerful dissuasions from vice. He is not now good, and now turned to the contrary, for He is always light, and with Him is no darkness at all. 13:1-3. Romans 11:36, NLT For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. We are straightforward, simple people, who cannot feel fine fancies; if we can be honest, and industrious, and good-natured, and sober, and strong, and healthy, that is enough for us and all that has nothing to do with religion. Now in that life we behold all the four temperaments of which we have been speaking, and we behold them all perfectly sanctified. You cannot work long for your heavenly Lord without perceiving that you need a greater wisdom than you own. O sinner, think that thou hast also to do with Him, and that this inflexibility is as yet all against thee! Moral goodness implies free choice, and how can there be a free choice of that which is good if there be no possibility of choosing evil rather than good? That which fulfils these two requisitions. 12.--"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. (2) This should be a powerful argument to urge sinners to repentance.2. And all this is perverse and delusive. H. Hitchens, D. D."Iterum, iterum, iterumque" "Again, again, and again." If we are called upon to a ready obedience to God's holy will, there is another attribute of a faithful service which He no less requires and approves, a steady consistency and stability.4. If Bohemia had only been an island, as Shakespeare seems J. Have you ever known what it is to revisit your home after an absence of many years? His gracious purposes towards us do not vary, they are Yea and Amen. His presence roused intense enthusiasm among the audience, which could no longer be suppressed as the chorus and orchestra burst in full power upon the passages, "And there was light." That which entirely fulfils these two ends. But men are not uniform, undeviating in their spirit and actings. What grace, what beauty, what sensitiveness, and subtlety of feeling, has been given to the body! This is irrespective of the delicious fruits which tie has oftentimes showered into your lap between the stated meals. And now he advances another step. Yes, it is so! It is a most significant and expansive term. Now the consecration of the first-fruits of the earth wan a recognition of God's claim to the whole harvest, and pledge that it should be devoted, in various ways, to His service. And is the devil likely to make us honest, or brave, or kindly? 17. Prayerless work will never bring in the kingdom. In this place Almighty God is adorned with three ornaments, wherein His excellent goodness more appeareth.1. He cannot change for the better, because He hath in Himself all excellences. And He is immutable, likewise, in His perfections; hence it is so often said in the Psalms that "His goodness and His mercy endure for ever"; His righteousness is likewise said to "endure for ever" (Psalm 111:3), and to be "like the great mountains" (Psalm 36:6); not only visible and conspicuous, but firm and immovable; and the same, likewise, is said of His truth and faithfulness, "His truth endureth for ever" (Psalm 117:2), and of His power, "In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" (Isaiah 26:4). James MacCaffreyHistory of the Catholic Church, Renaissance to French RevolutionThe Downfall, 1616-1621. (2) If we pass to the phlegmatic, we shall perceive that this was not lacking in the human constitution or in the earthly life of Christ. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." We pass from the kingdom of nature to THE KINGDOM OF GRACE. Literature is a polished staff bearing grapes beyond those of Eshcol. Well, then, if God be the Father of lights (1) It presseth you to apply yourselves to God. 2. James i. Through whatever channel they reach us, in whatever quarter they present themselves to view, they are all from above primarily and properly from above. And, first, it is a duty which we owe to God and ourselves, when He sets such different objects before us, to weigh and examine their different value, and prefer the best. With each new endowment he had the experience of the past to guide him, and had less excuse to furnish for any misuse of his possessions. Can its father and mother makes its character? And by human or moral goodness we mean, not a mechanical and involuntary conformity to law, but a free and willing choice of the righteousness which the law ordains. Light, love, and life all come from the Father of lights.