What Is Good

Ladies Bible Study by Mrs. Rick Jackson

As I was praying about what direction to go for our lessons this year, the Lord really spoke to me in one of Pastor’s messages at the end of the year in December.  I don’t know if you recall it, but it was the one entitled, What Does the Lord Require of Us, and he used the scripture Micah 6:8. Now, I have not been able to get away from that verse. Let’s look at it together – Micah 6:8. Can you read it with me?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk 
humbly with thy God?


He Hath Showed Thee, O Man, What Is Good

I have not been able to stop thinking on these words! Psalm 119:15 says, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.” It’s a good thing when God’s Word gets ahold of us! So I thought this year we would do the same together and meditate on these words.  We’re going to take Micah 6:8 apart, memorize it in pieces, let it grab our hearts and, prayerfully, allow God to speak to us through His words!
Tonight, let’s look at the beginning of the verse, [say it with me] “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good.” Can you, off the top of your head, and as you do your Bible reading, see and know what God has showed you that is GOOD?? 


And God saw that it was Good
  
I want you to think back to your reading in the book of Genesis.  What stands out when you read the story of Creation?
Genesis 1:4 – And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:10 – And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:12 – And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:18 – And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:21 – And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:25 – And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:31 – And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Surely we could sum these verses up by saying that the world that God created for our existence is GOOD! But a kind of good that is greater than the word as we understand it, right? What does our verse say, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good.”
God meant it unto Good

When we came to the end of our reading in the book of Genesis we were on the story of Joseph.  As we all know, it seems that for Joseph, there was nothing but heartache and trouble.  Even his own family was against him.  In our lives sometimes things go astray and we feel alone and destitute and it becomes easy to think that God has forgotten all about us.  That is why it is so important to stay in His Word.  Read the Bible.  It is full of encouragement.  There are so many who have gone before us and paved the way – others who have experienced heartaches and trouble.  We can get so caught up in our own lives and think no one has it as bad as us……read about Joseph and think again!! And when Joseph’s brothers think that now that their father has died and Joseph may take revenge for their part in the hardship that Joseph endured, we have Joseph’s answer to his brothers in Genesis 50:20 – “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”  We are reminded by Joseph that it is God who is our caretaker.  God wanted Joseph in the right place at the right time because there was a bigger picture and more people to look after.  What does our verse say? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good!
God gives Good gifts

I was so excited when Brother Chris Miller was here.  It was like the Lord was speaking directly to me again.  He was pointing out once more in a message of Brother Chris's [say it with me], He hath showed thee, O man, what is good!
Remember what Brother Chris was showing us in Luke 11 about prayer?  He was talking about perseverance.  Being faithful in prayer, not just asking once, but going to God again and again, claiming God’s promises and waiting on Him to answer our prayers.  Then in Luke 11:13 we read, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”  Wow! That just jumped out at me that Sunday! We know how to give good gifts, don’t we?  God in Heaven WANTS to give us good, too! What does Micah 6:8 say? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good! What can be better than the Holy Spirit empowering us in our daily lives? 
This has given me food for thought and prayer. I am more conscious that I need to be more prayerful about asking God to empower me with His Holy Spirit as I go about my daily life.  I need that prayerful perseverance because it will please God to give me a GOOD gift!

God is Good 

Now, I cannot leave without stopping in the Book of Psalms.  You know it’s my favorite place of reading and where I turn to worship the Lord in my times of distress and joy.  And what does Micah 6:8 say?  He hath showed thee, O man, what is good! These verses are so uplifting and contain such wonderful promises!
Psalm 25:8 – Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
Psalm 34:8 – O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Psalm 69:16 – Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Psalm 84:11 – For 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. Psalm 103:5 – Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 
Psalm 107:1 – O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psalm 109:21 – But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
Psalm 118:1 – O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever.
Psalm 136:1 – O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Now, those last few verses remind me of what we just read a few days ago in Ephesians 2. Turn with me there, won’t you, and let’s read together, beginning at verse 1:
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Aren’t you glad God is good and that He loves us?? I challenge you in the next few months as you continue reading through the Bible to find what Scripture says about what Micah 6:8 tells us, [say it with me], “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good!”
PRAYER

So this month let’s memorize at least the beginning of our verse----
Micah 6:8 – He hath showed thee, O man, what is good;
and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?