Following the heavy topic of spiritual warfare from the morning service, Pastor Arville Duncan transitioned in the Sunday evening service to a message of hope and gratitude based on Psalm 33:5: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”
1. Goodness in the Everyday
Pastor Duncan reminds us that God’s goodness isn’t hidden; it’s right in front of our eyes if we choose to look.
- Creation: From the blue sky to the green grass, the world testifies to God’s benevolence.
- Family and Children: The presence of children and grandchildren in a church is a specific sign of God’s favor. They represent hope for the future and the continuation of a godly lifestyle.
- Daily Provisions: We often forget to thank God for the food on our plates or the safety we experience on dangerous highways. Pastor Duncan credits “stationed angels” for protecting us in moments we don’t even realize are life-threatening.
2. Goodness That Leads to Change
In Romans 2:4, we are told that the “goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” * Repentance as a “Turn”: While we must repent to be saved, Pastor Duncan emphasizes that repentance is a lifelong process for the Christian—turning away from laziness, worldliness, or “do-nothingness” in the house of God.
- Answered Prayer: The Pastor shared a moving testimony regarding his son, Dana, and great-grandson, August. After a desperate “prayer chain” involving 50 people, both were moved out of intensive care. God’s goodness was seen in the literal healing of his family.
3. The Supernatural Design of Marriage and Birth
Pastor Duncan highlights two profound miracles that display God’s goodness:
- The Union of Two: Marriage is described as a supernatural act where God joins a man and woman to become “one flesh.” He shared his own story of marrying his wife, Geneva, after knowing her for only two weeks—a marriage that has lasted nearly 59 years.
- The Miracle of Birth: The biological process of a baby surviving in the womb and being delivered is nothing short of God’s enablement.
4. The Goodness of the Word
Finally, the message touches on the supernatural nature of the Bible.
- A Living Manual: Without the Bible, we would have no direction on how to eat, sleep, or raise children.
- A Transformed Life: Pastor Duncan shared how he grew up without Christian parents, but after his father was saved at age 51, the “bottle” was gone and his life was completely changed. This transformation sparked a hunger in the Pastor to study the Bible “everywhere,” even during breaks at the Ford Motor Company.
Everything about God is supernatural. It’s not natural… You have a supernatural God living in you.