For The Lord Is Good | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

have your Bibles and would stand with me at this time and by your attention to a most familiar passage of Scripture a most familiar passage of Scripture it's found in the Book of Psalms chapter 100 as a matter of fact we're going to read the entire chapter 100 and it just simply has five verses it has five verses you've heard it you've been in church if you've been in church any amount of time you've heard this make a joyful noise unto the Lord all you lands serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves we are his people and the Sheep of his pasture enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful unto Him and bless his name for the Lord is good would you say that with me say it loud enough that you can hear yourself say it for vote Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations for a few moments today I'm gonna leave you with this thought for the Lord is good for the Lord is good father I thank you today for your word which brings us inspiration there's nothing else on this earth that can change us comfort us keep us like your word your word O God is the lamp and the light your word God will do for us today what no other thing on earth can do God anoint your servant today that I could preach the word anoint our ears that we could hear the word our minds that we can retain the word Jesus name I pray and everybody said amen amen you may be seated for the Lord is good would you say that one more time with me for I may have you saying it several times before the days over for the Lord is good you know it is my opinion that a good message is not one that will move you and cause you to be awed while it's being preached but a good message a good message is one that you remember days later you remember it days later you remember what the minister spoke you remember what the word said and if I can do anything to you this morning is not to make your jaw drop with an awesome thought but if I can do anything this morning by the help of God would be to cause you on Tuesday morning to reflect back on Sunday morning and say the Lord is good the Lord is good 19:06 Alexander Graham Bell Dale Carnegie several other very renowned wealthy men along with a man by the name of the Langley along with government bonded funding money was no issue these group of men had bought into the idea that they could invent discover an airplane that man could take flight there could be something built that would cause men to be able to fly like a bird at the same time now the brightest of minds the brightest of minds money was no issue and they're working on building an airplane at the same time in Dayton Ohio two bicycle shop workers famously known as the Wright brothers were working on the same thing with the exception of a few handicaps though the Wright brothers were intelligent to say the least but they did not have government bunt a bonded money and they did not have a team of the brightest minds the nation would know but the Wright brothers go down in history as the first ones to take flight history has studied the difference between Langley Bell Carnegie u.s. bonded money and two bicycle shop workers and the only thing history can say the reason the Wright brothers did it first is because Langley was working on what to build an airplane while the two Wright brothers were working on why to be old and that was to make life better for man they already saw that if man could take flight it would put him in places with least amount of time they already knew why they were doing what they were doing Wow Carnegie and Langley and all the government bonded money we're working on the what the Wright brothers were working on the why the why you see as we enter into Psalms 103 for four verses God talks through the summit's of what we're to do make a joyful noise unto the Lord that's verse one make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands that's what serve the Lord with gladness what come before his presence with singing that's what we do know ye that the Lord is God it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves we are his people enter into his gates that's what we do likened to our church attendance enter into his gates with Thanksgiving that's what we do and into his courts with praise that's what we do but then in verse number five God brings it all to a screeching halt when he simply begins to tell us why we do what we do because it we ever lose the why of what we do then we will lose automatically sister carpenter the wonder of what we do if we ever lose our why we lose the wonder of it we lose our all struck wonder of coming into the house of God and things begin to become mechanical institutional things begin to become just something that we do well that's just simply what we do but I've come to tell you today for a few moments that we can take it home with us why we do what we do is because the Lord is good the Lord is good you ask me any question about what we do and I'm going to give you a resounding reply I do what I do because the Lord is good I believe today that I have stumbled upon a prescription that can help you and I to live for God in these less than favorable times that we have I believe that I can help us today to live for God when the going seems to be uphill I believe that I have stumbled upon a prescription that can help us walk in the dark valleys when we feel like turning around and leaning on the arm of flesh I believe that we can meet any giant called Goliath I believe we can meet any giant called disaster I believe we can meet any giant called disappointment and I believe we can look him smack in the face and say the Lord he is good the Lord he is good we must understand today that when the verse of scripture in verse 5 says the Lord he is good what does that mean what does that mean when that says the Lord he is good it simply describes his personality we serve a very generous God the God that we embrace the God that we served well the God whose name is Jesus that we have raised as an anthem in this house today the god that we embrace I want you to know something about the God that you embrace because the enemy would have you to believe that he is a God that is aloof to you the enemy would have you believe today that he is a God but he doesn't know very much about you he's not very much concerned with you but I believe today through the scripture that I can convince us that the Lord he is good he is a generous God he is a generous God he is known for his giving he is known for his giving my Psalms chapter 31 verse 19 I wanted to read a few verses Psalms chapter 31 and verse number 19 oh how great is thy goodness which thou has laid up for them that fear thee which thou has wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men doubt shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues he simply tells us that when man comes to destroy you and the strife of tongues and there's not a person in this building that has to have a few stripes of someone's toned laid upon them can I get a witness amen can I get a witness there's no one here today that doesn't know the stinging strike of someone's unfavorable tongue upon you and it has been tongues I'm going to tell you something it is men tongues listen there's a lot of things drugs we'll see what will be the demise of a lot alcohol will be the demise of a lot pornography the demise of a lot but I'm telling you they'll all three pale in comparison of how the tongue has discouraged more people and costs more people to turn around but I've got good news about the tongue if we can always remember when the scourge of the sting of Gaza is cutting our backs if we can somehow raise a hand and simply say for the Lord is good I know what they're saying about me but I also know how good the Lord is he's going to give me a secret place to hide it's an interesting book the book of Nahum Nahum is an interesting book to read the reason that Nahum is an interesting book to read is because Nahum is a book written to the people of Nineveh that had an opportunity to repent as a matter of fact God's it we know Nineveh today because God did not want to destroy Nineveh although they were not Jewish they were not of the covenant people God would send Nineveh a prophet because God did not want Miniver to be destroyed that's how good God is God is not only good to his people but God is good to those who are not his people and so God sent nineveh jonah and Nineveh repented but the book of Nahum has written some years later because those same people that repented under the preaching of Jonah those same people that repented under the preaching of Jonah have now once again Beck's once again backslidden if I could use the term they have backslidden and they're on the scope for God's judgment but as Nathan is prophesying doom floods and fire as nay home is filled with the fiery judgment of God God interrupts himself for a moment and says in Neyland chapter 1 verse number 7 the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble he knoweth them that trust in him so God said I'm going to destroy Nineveh I'm going to bring floods and fire and utter destruction but in the midst of destroy Nineveh God said if there's someone that'll put their trust in me he said if you will put your trust in me I am a good god the Lord is good Psalms 119 verse 68 thou art good and do us good teach me thy statues Psalms 34 and verse number 8 this is an interesting one this is an interesting one some 60 excuse me somes 34 verse number 8 how many of you have heard this verse read it with me if you have old taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him isn't it amazing how that he gives you a taste test he's like those it sounds God is like those at Sam's hotel or at Costco standing at the end of the aisle handing out samples oh don't you love that aisle don't you love that aisle when you get some free food walk by and get some samples there do you know that Costco or Sam's came up with that for long ago in the Bible God said I'm going to serve up just a little smudge a little smidge of my goodness and all you have to do he didn't say you had to eat a whole meal he didn't say that you had to have a four-course meal of me he said all I've got to do is just let you get a little taste of me for he said o taste and see that the Lord is not good can I get a witness in this house today Oh chase and that the Lord is good do you know how powerful just the taste of him is just you know you know just how powerful just a taste they tell me now I've never experienced it but they tell me that there are certain drugs that you don't have to take them two times five times or twelve times to be addicted they tell me there are certain drugs that if you ever take it just once you are automatically addicted to it can I tell you that I believe tasting the Lord just once forever changes your life sure just with you a little personal story for just a moment when the Lord was dealing with me when the Lord had me under conviction conviction that period of time that God arrests you that period of time then I was arrested by God I hadn't made up my mind to serve Him I had not made up my mind to serve I was still gripping the backs of the feud I still had the knots in my stomach and the clump in my throat every time I went to church I still had that feeling because I was under what was called conviction God had convicted me of my sins and I remember a minister saying to me knowing that I was in the valley of decision the minister said to me if you decide not to serve the Lord it would have been better for you to have never felt the touch of God because you will never be able to fully enjoy sin now that you've had one taste of God and I found it to be true I tried to run with those that I had run with before only to find myself thinking thoughts just like when they got out in the car that night my buddies that I ran with got out in the car that night and they the the the the the car the goal that night was to cause the car to go over a hundred miles an hour and they had just opened up a new section of 640 and we got out there on that section of 640 and he stumped the accelerator to the floor and I was in the backseat I could hear him in the front as the car hit 80 and 90 and the car began to vibrate and I can remember thinking if this car flips over and I die I'll go to hell if I die I'll go to hell can I tell you tasting of God if you're here today and you've not made your mind up to serve the Lord I want you to know that you will never be able to fully enjoy what temporary pleasures sin brings you because you've had one touch of the taste of the Lord how is that possible for the Lord is good for the Lord is good I'll show you how I'm going to show you how powerful it is and Hebrews chapter six verse number four listen to this for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have what's the word tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the of the Holy Ghost verse five and have what now and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame for the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh off upon it and bring it forth herbs and bring it forth herbs and meat for them by him it is dressed receiveth the blessing of God would you listen to something as I weave through this verse tasting the Word of God tasting the Holy Ghost tasting the powers of the world to come I can relate to that kitchen because that's what happens when you and I get together in one mind and one Accord and we begin to worship God and something takes over in this room you know what that is don't you that's the world to come that's just a little bit that's just a taste at the end of the counter of what one day we're going to bath eternally in but the writer said it's impossible if you've ever tasted this gift if you've ever now know what I want you to watch this because he's going to the far right in the far left he said it's impossible if you've ever tasted Thetis of the Holy Ghost and the good world to come if somewhere in the middle if you would fall away now please understand something backsliding and falling away are not the same thing there are people that backslide that still believe Jesus died rose again and it's coming again there are those that are backslidden that are backslidden this morning and homes all over the world that still believe that what they walked away from was right the enemies just blunt and deceived them to give an excuse of something that happened to them in the church but if you ask them do they believe in God they would say yes if you asked them to I believe in one God they would say yes if you asked him about tongues they would say yes baptism they would say yes holiness they would say yes so they have not fallen away they're simply backslidden but falling away is to go so far from the taste to go so far from the experience that look at this now verse 6 if they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they have crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh why didn't they crucify Jesus because they did not know who he was why did they him on across they didn't realize he was the Lord from heaven for the Bible itself even says it had they known this they would not have crucified the Lord from glory to fall away is to go so far until you are not looking at Jesus as the one the Messiah the one the only way to be saved that's the power of just one touch one touch puts you in a place one plus a place one touch from God puts you in a place that's so powerful that it would take you falling away it would take you maybe I'm talking to a prodigal this morning it would take you falling away it would take you saying Jesus Christ is not God he would take you saying there is nothing to Jesus Christ aren't you glad whatever your spiritual condition is this morning that thanks be to God you're not in that condition thanks be to God said preacher I'm here and I'm not serving God but I want you to know I still believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to heaven that's the power of just one touch God is good god is good just a touch just a taste just a taste everybody say just to test just a taste just a taste hem he's tasted Hemis tasty praise God I'm not saying you're where you need to be with God this morning but how many is tasted how many knows what it tastes like I mean knows what it what it what what it what it tastes like you see these people that know the taste of good wine and once again like the drugs I've never tried this okay alright but you'll take that they take the good wine they'll put it in their mouth they don't just they just don't don't go up it look like you do a diet drink they'll put it in their mouth and you'll see those connoisseurs of wino I'll tell you something funny about wine and since we're on the subject my wife and I I got away this past week we wanted to go somewhere where it was we wanted to slow our pace down and put our feet up and just enjoy because we come through a busy dedication so we decided to go to New York City while we were there in New York City and we did enjoy it that is our fav one of our favorite places to go while we were there some things in our room were not as it should be and it just was not clean it was it was not it was not it was not up to the standard that it should be and so my wife simply made us stop by the desk and said hey there's a hole in the kitchen floor and there was a lot of things it was a light bulb just hanging is there several things I and so that night when we got back to the room we found that they had come and cleaned our room immaculately and not only that there was a beautiful box of assorted nuts and crackers and cheese beautiful I don't know what it costs a beautiful box there with a note that simply said simply said mr. mrs. carpenter we're so sorry for your inconvenience please accept this is our gift to you and while I was indulging in the crackers and the cheese my wife said oh no I said oh no what said they've left a bottle of wine for us how could we pour it down the sink we could she said oh no the major liable to come in here brother farc said the maids will come in here they may know who we are she said they'll come in here and think we're drinking wine I said what we're gonna do she said I'm taking it down to the front desk so as she headed down to the front desk I got my phone out trying to take a picture of her I don't know if I'd have had more fun of having a blackmail picture of her with a bottle of wine in a New York hotel then to her standing in that Lobby trying to tell that man we don't drink wine it was fun good taste of it get the taste of it taste and see now I've never been a wine color I've never I wouldn't know I wouldn't know well I well let me clear up myself now don't I'm I know it's a communion all right that's the only time I know what I want to be I say that for our letter writers all right for it for communion all right but the more Merlot corn will you're powerful man of God out in Kansas he tells a story that happened him young in his in his evangelistic days he his wife were traveling and evangelizing and he said the place that where he went was a very small church and unable to put them in a motel and even the church didn't have an adequate evangelist quarters he said somebody in the church had a dilapidated old camper trailer out in the middle of nowhere without air-conditioning all it gave them were the bare necessities he said one day while out there see it was out in the middle of nowhere so you walk out the front door and see from miles around he said while he was out there preaching him and his wife said they got to feel a little sorry for themselves and I think either hear his wife I need to go back listen to the story again either here he or his wife made a statement about wanting a steak to eat the church people were doing good but it was mainly vegetables they were bringing and after a few weeks of just vegetables one of them said they wish they'd had a state few hours later there was a knock on that little camper door and he opened the door and there stood a man he thought it was somebody from the church he said I've come to bring you some steaks and he thought well maybe somebody might have hurt us maybe you know I don't know he said I don't know he said far as you can see it around here as far as you can see around here I don't know you know who this man is maybe he's from the church so he took the steaks on the inside and of course his wife would say well you need to find out who it is so he stepped back out the trailer door and again you can see as far as the eye could see and he couldn't find anybody he didn't hear a car pulled up didn't hear a car pull away he got the church that night and began to inquire the pastor and tell and pastor says I'm sorry brother corn well there's nobody here that fits that description so brother corn well if you believe this if you believe this I certainly believe this I I do believe there is a God that has an innumerable number of angels that could manifest themselves and he can manifest himself as a bondsman and go down and get the Apostle Peter out of prison can manifest himself as the son of God be the fourth one in the fiery furnace and brother Cornwell says those were the best-tasting steaks did it ever get ever has ever eaten in all his life he said the best-tasting steak he said but through the years as he has faced dilemmas in his ministry times when it looked like things were falling apart at the seams and he may begin to doubt God he said and he and he told us when he preached this he said you can laugh at me you want to he said but there have been several occasions where I'll get the taste of that steak back in my mouth and he said when I get the taste of that steak back in my mouth he said I begin to know that God is honest God is gonna work for us honey don't you fret don't you doubt God is gonna work for us God is going to be here now I'm telling you I do believe in such as I have just told you but I may not have a steak taste in my mouth today but I do have the taste of the presence of the Lord and if I can just keep his sweet taste in my mouth and the way that I can keep it in my mouth is to have a Psalms 105 always on my lips for the Lord he is good not felt the touch of God in a while for the Lord he is good things turned upside down in your family for the Lord he is good been praying a prayer praying a prayer praying a prayer praying a prayer and not got your answer I wish somebody would shout it with me today for the Lord he is good would you give the Lord some praise right now just a taste hallelujah just a taste just a taste of salvation just a taste of those steaks just a taste just a taste just a taste do you know what would cause a prodigal who had spent his money getting drunk a man that had once attended houses of worship a man that was brought up to serve and honor God and honor his parents a man that requested his inheritance early listen to me now he requested his inheritance early so that he could live the life that he wanted to live how did he live it he bought prostitutes to come to his room oh yes he took his daddy's hard-earned money and went down to a town and would pay Harless to come stay the night with him he not only did that he would buy bottles of wine and be drunken but when his money ran out no money to bring the harlot to my room no money to buy any more wine I'm down here in a pig pen breaking husks I did a little research on husk it was a small vegetable that only pigs and poor people would eat it was a small vegetable that only pigs and poor people if you were a pig that's what you got was a husk if you were poor that's all you could afford was on us he's down there in the Pigpen breaking husk when Luther 15 verse 16 says and he would have feigned he would gladly have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto Him and when he came to himself he said how many of my how many hired servants of my father's house have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger do you know what turn this backslider around just one memory of that bread from the father's house just the memory when he would have gladly eat some husk just the memory of the hot bread the smell the aroma the touch the bread that he had caused him to come to his senses when he said I will have mal arise and go to my father and I will say father I'm seeing though what I've come to try to preach them to hey it's just one symbol full of a taste that the Lord he is good if you don't remember anything I say today I know I've not had a thought that has dropped your jaw I know that I'm not gave a thought that is called somebody to in awe of what a deep revelation that you've got but if I can just get you to remember on Tuesday morning that the Lord he is God he's a generous God he's a loving God if somehow there's a prodigal under the sound of my voice you've wondered from God today but you're beginning to remember back when you used to sing in the choir when you used to teach Sunday School when you used to come up around the altar if I can just just a little taste say it with me the Lord is good say it with me please the Lord is good do you know the goodness of God today the goodness of God today in Romans chapter 2 and verse number 4 simply says this or despise us now the Reach's do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance do you want leads us to turn the goodness of God do you know why judgment doesn't fall on us see see don't be don't be don't be deceived some sin and then they wonder nothing wrong happen to me I didn't get struck by lightning matter of fact I made for many last week and I made the week before when I was doing right can I tell you something ma'am can I tell you something sir you know why you didn't get struck by lightning do you know why things may still be going good in your life because the goodness of God is leading you to repentance because when you believe there is a God and you believe you're not walking the way that you ought to walk but you believe God is still there blessing you that's that's backing up this message by God saying see there I'm good when you're trying and I'm good when you're not trying I'm there with you when you've not been with me and I'm there with you when you are with me because praise be to God the goodness of God leads us to cannot the goodness of God be sent be sent be seen excuse me cannot the goodness of God be seen in the first three verses in the Bible chapter 1 verse 3 of Genesis God said that there be light and there was light and God saw the light that it was somebody say it please that it was God saw the light that it was good God divided the light from the darkness chapter 1 describes all creation when all creation comes together we have verse number 31 of chapter 1 and God saw everything that he had made and behold it was very good get your telescope out get your science book out look at all the planets you want to look at but wall is not getting in any and going to live on any other planet other than this one because he doesn't say Mars is good as far as I can study and see I wouldn't want to live on the moon I wouldn't want to live on the moon wouldn't want to live on any other planet you know the planet I want to live on this them right here you know why this planet is a testimony of what God is like because if God is good then everything God makes with his word is good you know why the light was good because God made it with his word good everything God makes is good that's why if you can get you a Bible and go buy that Bible everything that comes out of this Bible is good everything that's created as a matter of fact John 1:1 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of man verse 14 and the Word was made flesh dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth do you know this earth is good and do you know that the man Christ Jesus was good because the man Christ Jesus is the product of the Word of God the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 1 verse number 1 God who at sundry times that means different times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the father's by the prophets now speaking half in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the world who being the brightness of his glory and the Express image of his person upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins and set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels at as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name today can I tell you the man Christ Jesus was good because he was the product of the Word of God Bible says that God had highly exalted that man and anointed him in acts 10:38 who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed again again today I was purposed I was totally aware but led by God's Spirit to simply leave you with this simple thought this Sunday morning the Lord is good as a matter of fact last Sunday morning I preached on a place called heaven how many remember that how about last Sunday night I please pre-show a place called hell I hope that a week from now that you can come up to me and say and the Sunday after that you preached on the Lord is good because I wonder as a musicians come and I read my last few verses if me of us don't fall in to this category found in mark chapter 10 verse number 17 simply says and when Jesus was gone forth into the way there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him to follow along please closely good master good master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life jesus said unto him why call us thou me good there is none good but one that is God now notice the commandments do not commit adultery do not kill do not steal do not bear false witness defraud not honour thy father and mother and he answered and said unto Him master all these have I observed from my youth then Jesus beholding him loved him said unto him one thing thou lackest go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me and he was sad at that same and went away grieved before he had great possessions now look at this with me he comes to Jesus and he says good master good master what must I do to be saved and the Lord stops him and says I want to know why do you call me good there's none good but God what he was doing there he was not denying being God he was letting the young man know you're calling you just think I'm a master you just think I'm another teacher you just think I'm another one the word master a matter of fact if even you even do a study on master in reference to the Lord master was used just a few times was used just a few times used once by Judas it was used by the disciples but that wasn't the common greeting master this young man saw Jesus as more than just a teacher he just saw him as a teacher that's all he saw him and he said hey good master and the Lord is trying to work his women you're calling the wrong thing good you're calling the wrong thing good oh god help us today first apostolic god help us to know what to call good the Lord is good the Lord is good he said took him through the moral code don't commit adultery don't lie don't steal took him through the moral code of which the young man said back to him all these things have I done all these things have I done observed is it possible today that recognizing that God is good it's not in a moral code of our behavior could it be possible today that we can have the right moral code but yet on part of our hearts not be fully sold out to God because he lacked one thing the spirit of sacrifice we've ever lived in the day where the church has got to be preached to don't grow comfortable it's today could it be today that you and I follow the right moral codes we can say just like he did I don't do this and I don't do that and I don't do this but yet we have to walk away when he calls for full surrender because we call the wrong thing good just stand with me this morning Oh God every head is bowed every eyes closed all over this building help me pray today I spent a few moments at the beginning of this lesson to the prodigal that may be here today father in the name of Jesus Lord you're here today God to take away our sins God that dreaded disease Lord that ever so eats away at our relationship Lord God you're here today to take away our sins Lord oh god there's no other name under heaven God given today that can take away our sins Oh father I open this altar up today o saints of God prodigal that may be here I'm opening this altar up this morning if you would want to come and fall on your knees and begin to talk to a good God today begin to talk to a good guy today one that loves you prodigal ma'am he loves you today regardless of how far you've you you've scraped from him God loves you today God loves you may have God loves you sir why don't you slip out of that Pew right now I'll make yourself a place in this all to find yourself a place in this altar why don't you listen to the goodness of God as its played your heartstrings today why don't you obey the Lord today why don't you come right now hallelujah help me pray Church help me pray people are coming today people are being touched today in the name of Jesus right now in the name of Jesus right now come on us pray us pray in the name of Jesus God come on man come on sir come on young person in the name of Jesus is the name of Jesus this morning I'm only like the church in the altar today you may not be a prodigal but are you willing and you may have a good moral code down but are you willing to walk down to the altar today just begin to give God a sacrifice of praise are you willing to walk that you may not be a prodigal but are you willing to walk there around the front today yes give God a sacrifice of praise for the Lord is good for the Lord is good