God's Will is ALWAYS good towards me!

I encourage you to read EVERY word, every definition - it will change your perspective.

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Or literally "good will towards men").

Peace in the Greek is (eirēnē), but remember who the angels were talking to! It was not Greek-speaking shepherds. It was Hebrew-speaking shepherds. So when the angels proclaimed to the shepherds peace – it was the Hebrew word "shalom".

Peace – shalom, shalwom

1.    completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

1.    completeness (in number)

2.    safety, soundness (in body)

3.    welfare, health, prosperity

4.    peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment

5.    peace, friendship

1.    of human relationships

2.    with God especially in covenant relationship

6.    peace (from war)

7.    peace (as adjective)

So the angels were saying there was now Peace on earth (a person).

They were also saying because of this event (God made flesh, what was going to transpire, the good will of God that had just kicked off) there is now peace / shalom on earth because that IS God’s will towards men.

It doesn’t stop there!

What did Jesus do right before his death?  What did He leave to us here on earth?

His peace – His shalom.

John 14:27

“Peace (eirēnē) I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

So what came to earth with Him did not leave earth with Him.

And remember again, Jesus is speaking Hebrew, not Greek to those listening so the word spoken was "shalom". God made a point to let us know that peace/shalom was now bestowed here on earth and Jesus made a point to let us know that peace was staying because He was leaving it with us.

How? Keep reading in John 14 just a few verses down.

John 14:31

“…but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.”

What was that command Jesus is talking about? To carry out God’s will. To carry out God’s good will.  Hold onto your hat…it’s about to take off.

Remember back to Luke 2, peace – shalom was the first part and then is the good will.

Good will in this portion means just what we think:

1.    will, choice

1.    good will, kindly intent, benevolence

2.    delight, pleasure, satisfaction

3.    desire

But remember again – it would have been proclaimed by the angels in Hebrew. We see an almost identical definition for good will in Isaiah 53.

Isa 53:10

"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."

"Pleased"

1.    to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with, be pleased to do, to bend down.

"Bruise"

1.    to crush, be crushed, be contrite, be broken, to allow oneself to be crushed.

"Put him to grief"

1.    to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry

So in putting Luke 2:14, John 14:27 and Isa 53:10 together it looks like this:

It was God’s good will towards men to send His Son to be crushed, contrite, broken. It was God’s good will towards men to cause His Son to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry. Jesus knew He came to carry out God’s good will towards men.

Did you just take that in?

God’s good will towards you was to have His Son trade places with you so that you have completeness, soundness, welfare, peace and Jesus could become weak, sick, diseased, grieved, sorry, broken, crushed and contrite.

Jesus traded places with you! Say it out loud right now, “Jesus traded places with me!”.

Your enemy would have you think otherwise. He would have you believe that God’s will is NOT good towards you. Or believe that His will is good towards you based on your performance. Or believe that His will can change towards you.

Guess what?!? That’s a LIE. Look at the scriptures again. Look at the truth. Let it sink in. Let that new pathway in your brain be formed. 

GOD’S WILL IS ALWAYS GOOD TOWARDS ME.

Post it somewhere, tattoo it somewhere if need be – this is LIFE to you. Don’t allow your enemy to suck it from you. Don’t let him lie you out of it. Don’t let him condemn you out of it. It’s yours for the taking. It’s yours for the believing. It’s yours to hope in. It is literally your life.

Guest blog by Arin Rentz.