Moses asked God if he could see His glory, and God said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you.” Read Exodus 33:17-23. God is good and He does good. Ps. 119:68. In Psalm 34:8 we read, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” We are His children, and we are to manifest His nature. A true Christian does that. Socrates used the word “good-beautiful” when he described such a person. We are only beautiful to the extent that we radiate goodness. All external beauty and adornment will pass away, but goodness is eternal. Jesus said to the Father, “You are My Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” Ps. 16:2. Thus the fullness of God’s goodness dwelt in Him. In this fullness of goodness He was the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. He lived a life of complete sacrifice, and God’s goodness could be tasted and seen in everything He did and said. People strive in so many ways for earthly glory and gain. However, Paul could finish his life’s course by saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.” 2 Tim. 4:7-8. Paul had a living faith that it was possible to be good without exception during the course of his life in the battle between good and evil. We must believe with all our heart that the good will overcome all the evil. If we are not full of goodness, we cannot exhort one another either. Rom. 15:14. All exhortation is to be done with the mind of Christ and in the Spirit of Christ. Otherwise it will only result in upbraiding and “picking on” each other. Barnabas was known as the “Son of Encouragement.” Acts 4:36. In Acts 11:24 we read that Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith! As a result a great number believed and turned to the Lord. The doors of their hearts were opened to him because of his goodness. This was also the case with Paul when he visited Thessalonica. “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.” 1 Thess. 2:7-8. In the warmth of this goodness and in this sincere love he was able to work on their salvation and draw them to Christ where they also received the comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, compassion, and mercy. Phil. 2:1-2. “A gentle tongue breaks a bone.” Prov. 25:15. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ‘who will render to each one according to his deeds.’” Rom. 2:4-6. One treasures up wrath for the day of judgment through hardness and an impenitent heart, but one treasures up glory, honor, and peace through goodness. Vs. 7-10. “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God . . . .” Rom. 11:22. Paul always prayed for the Thessalonians that God would count them worthy of His calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power in them. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ can be glorified through the fullness of this goodness. 2 Thess. 1:11-12. Therefore, if we are to partake of the fullness of this goodness, we need to receive a great desire to be filled with it. There is a spirit in being good; everyone, at any time, ought to be able to taste and know that this goodness comes from a pure and sincere heart. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” Rom. 12:9-10. “Kindly affectionate” or “tenderhearted” are extremely rare words, but they can do miracles by melting everything that is hard in the brotherhood. “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men . . . .” “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Vs. 17, 21. There is nothing good in our flesh, but we can overcome all kinds of wickedness through that fullness of goodness that has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. In these days wickedness rules in the world as never before. A large number of children were asked what they feared most, and an overwhelming majority replied that they feared 1) an atomic war; 2) that their parents would get divorced. Because of the parents’ egotism children have to suffer as never before. Parents can let their children sit alone at home in the evening and watch the most horrible scenes on television and video. More and more children are becoming nervous wrecks because of everything they see and hear. There is not much goodness, love, and care behind all this misery. Not a few of those who sit in prison today and suffer have committed the same murders and acts of violence they witnessed at home in their parents’ living room. People want to have Christ—who represents all goodness, truth, righteousness, and mercy—out of schools and kindergartens. In our days thousands are incarcerated in dark prisons and concentration camps around the world because of their faith in Christ and everything that is good. When it was a question of letting either the murderer Barabbas or Jesus go free, the people called out as one: “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”! Today Barabbas, the opposite of Christ, is free as never before. We are entering the times when men’s hearts will fail them for fear of all the evil that will come over the earth. All those who work for a cause that goes against Christ and the saints have already lost the battle. “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Rev. 17:14. They will see to it that all that is good will fill the earth with its glory for a thousand years, and then for all eternity. May a good spirit rule in heart, home, and in the church. Then we will hear the greatest and most glorious words we can possibly hear at the end of our life: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matt. 25:21.Aksel J. Smith

By Elias Aslaksen Everyone should be aware of their responsibility for making the conferences and meetings as perfect as possible. There are many servants of the Lord present at our conferences who have much of value on their hearts, and it is important that the very best can be heard. No one should get up simply because he wants to say something; one must get up in the power of the Spirit and briefly bring the most important parts of what God has put on one’s heart. We should also remember this at our general meetings, so that all human talk is banished. Then, what is served will usually be brief and from the heart.