KNOWING GOD’S WILL

Photo by B Smith from the kithen door

338 - 2 - KNOWING GOD’S WILL

February 6, 1977

Henry F. Kulp

 

Colossians 1: 1 - 8 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Paul first of all greets the church in Colosse, and he gives gratitude for them because this is a unique assembly. Not at all like the church at Corinth. They had three graces, faith, love and hope. 

1/  Verse 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

This verse shows the folly of some in saying that the church started after Acts 28. These folks had their hope before Paul wrote to them. They had heard of this hope in the word of truth of the Gospel.  

2/  What Gospel is he talking about? You say, is there more than one Gospel? Absolutely. Those who fail to see there is more than one Gospel will find that they are in a confused state and are workmen who will be ashamed before God.

3/  First of all, the word, Gospel, comes from the Greek word, U-ON-GEHI-EE-ON. And the word originally meant, a reward given to a person for bringing good news. Later on the idea of reward was dropped out, and the word came to mean good news or good tidings. It is foolish to believe that the Bible only has one item of good news. There are many different gospels or items of good news in the Bible.

4/  The words, good news means nothing by itself. You need something to go along with it. Let me show you another word that is the same way. The word, law, most people when they read the word, law, think of the Mosaic law. And this is a mistake. The word, law, without qualification means nothing. In the book of Romans the word, law, is used in five different ways:  

This is the Mosaic law

Romans 5: 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

The law of indwelling sin

Romans 7: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Law of the renewed mind

Romans 7: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Law of sin and death

Romans 8: 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Law of the spirit of life

Romans 8: 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

5/  It is the same with the word, good news, or Gospel. 

Matthew 4: 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Here we read that Jesus Christ went about all of Galilee teaching in the synagogues and preaching the Gospel or the good news of the kingdom. What Gospel was He preaching? The Gospel of the kingdom. What is this? It is a kingdom that was promised in the Old Testament that was to be set up upon earth.     

6/  Matthew 6: 9, 10 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Here we have Him teaching the disciples about prayer. He told them to pray, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as in Heaven. So we see the Gospel of the kingdom was not on earth when Jesus Christ taught it, and then He taught His own to pray for it, and it is the will of God being done on earth as it is in Heaven. The key word, is the word, earth.

7/  Matthew 10: 5 - 7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Here we have Jesus Christ instructing His Twelve Apostles to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and preach saying the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The word, Heaven, is the Greek word, OO-RAIN-US and it is in the plural, so it should be read Heavens. Of is literally, from. So it is the kingdom from the Heavens, out of the Heavens.

8/  Matthew 5: 5 And here we read, Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Earth is the key—a kingdom on earth. 

9/  Another thing we have to see is that healing goes hand in hand with this Gospel, good news of the kingdom. 

Matthew 8: 14 - 16 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

If you want to understand the Gospel of the kingdom, you must go back to David—to the covenant that God made with David.

10/  Jeremiah 23: 5, 6 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.

The good news here is based on a promise made to King David. Here God says of your seed there is going to be a man sit upon your throne. And he is going to rule over the house of Israel and of the house of Judah. In this kingdom on earth, David is promised a king, a throne and a righteous government. We are not to proclaim, to preach the Gospel—that is not our hope. That is not what Paul is talking about in Galatians 1: 5, 6 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

11/  Matthew 6: 9, 10 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

All over our land this morning we have those who claim to be Christians who will be praying this prayer. 

Verse 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 

This prayer will be prayed during the tribulation as the nation longs for this earthly kingdom on earth, and as they are persecuted by the antiChrist they will pray this prayer. 

Revelations 13: 16 - 18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Here we see the tribulation when the anti-Christ and the false prophet will cause all to receive the mark of the beast either in their right hand or in their forehead, and without this mark they cannot buy or sell. And those of Israel who are true Israel will not receive the mark and will not be able to buy food, so God will provide their daily bread as He did for Israel in the wilderness.

12/  Then we have the Gospel of circumcision. 

Galatians 2: 7 - 9 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

The Gospel of circumcision was committed unto Peter and the rest of the Twelve. What is the Gospel of circumcision? If you want to know about the Gospel of circumcision you must go back to Genesis, you must go back past David to Abraham, to the covenant of circumcision. God made a covenant with Abraham in circumcision.

Genesis 17: 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Circumcision was the token of the covenant. In this covenant Abraham’s seed, called the Circumcision was to be a blessing to all nations. Israel was to have a nation and the land. The Davidic covenant was the king and throne and a government, the Abrahamic covenant was a nation and land. The two are closely related.   

13/  Let us go back to Matthew 1: 1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Here we read the book of generations of Jesus Christ, The son of David and the son of Abraham. He is not the Son of David or the Son of Abraham to us. Jesus Christ is the Son of God to us, the Head of the body.

14/  Galatians 2: 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

The Gospel of uncircumcision. This goes back beyond David, beyond Abraham to Abram. 

Romans 4: 9 - 11  Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Abraham long before he was circumcised was justified by faith in uncircumcision. And he is the father of all who are justified by faith through Jesus Christ.

    

15/  The Gospel of the circumcision was exclusive to Israel only. But the Gospel of uncircumcision is inclusive, it includes everyone.

16/  Acts 20: 24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God.

Here we read the Gospel of the grace of God. What is the Gospel of the grace of God? It goes back beyond David, beyond Abraham, beyond Abram to eternity past. And it incorporates the Gospel of reconciliation and the Gospel of the mystery. It is a combination of three Gospels. The combining of the Gospel of circumcision, reconciliation and the mystery.

17/  Colossians 1: 5, 6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

What Gospel is this? Verse 6 says it is the grace of God in truth. So here is Paul in the Acts period presenting the message that we proclaim today—it is not repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, but that all have access to God the Father in Jesus Christ.

18/  Then we read, As it is in all the world, in all the earth. And  then in verse 23 that was preached to every creature which was under Heaven. So this Gospel in Paul’s day went throughout the world. Let us make another comparison. 

Matthew 24: 13, 14 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Here we see another comparison between the Gospel of the Kingdom and what we preach today. This Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations and then the end shall come. 

If this is the same Gospel that Paul preached then we have a big problem. Why didn’t the end come after Paul taught his message of the grace of God to all the then known world and every creature heard it?

For the simple reason it was a different Gospel from what we are preaching and it is to be preached during the tribulation.

AMEN

Ref: 02/06/1977 / KNOWING HIS WILL / 01/19/2021

A VERY PRESENT HELP

Photo by B Smith from the kitchen window

642 - 2  A VERY PRESENT HELP 

December 15, 1981 

Henry F. Kulp

 

PSALM 46: 1 - 3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Here we have a glorious portion of Scripture—as a matter of fact, as I study the Psalms this is one of my favorite, and I would like to share some thought with you out of it this morning.

1/ There are two methods to approach this Scripture and to teach it. First, there is what we might designate as the exact method—this is the method a scholar uses to determine the exact purpose of the writing and its place in all the structure of the Bible. If we were to use this particular method or approach, we would see that this is a Messianic or Millennial Psalm, the age of which all the prophets had dreamed of down through the centuries. It is the age when the God of Jacob, the Lord of Hosts is seen in the midst of His people on this earth.

2/ The other method of Bible study is to apply the spiritual lessons to present day situations. We are going to look at it in its Millennial setting, then we are going to see how we can apply it to our everyday life. This is the way we must study the book of Psalm.

3/ This was one of Martin Luther’s favorite Psalms. And from this Psalm he wrote the great hymn that I love and I am sure you do. “A Mighty Fortress is our God”. 

4/ Let us get the background of this Scripture. The great majority of commentators agree that the 46^th Psalm was penned by Hezekiah doing the Assyrian siege at Jerusalem. 

We can read of this event in II Kings 18, 19 and Isaiah 36, 37. A good read.

(Location: Upper Mesopotamia, including parts of northern Iraq, northeastern Syria and northwestern Iran.)

5/ Now let us see a little more about the background of Judah. There were many do-gooders who were very much in evidence in that day in Judah. It is a familiar strain we hear from the do-gooders today. They said, in effect, let’s abolish our Calvary. They believed in a disarmament program. Then they went a step beyond this. The Jewish state department not only abolished the military but they also had a foreign aid program. They made certain economic concessions to the Assyrians, and we read about this in II Kings 18: 14 - 16 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house. At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

(The total quantity of gold collected was approximately one ton; of silver, 3-3/4 tons; and of bronze, 2-1/2 tons. He even stripped the gold from the doors and pillars of the temple.) 

For five years before the Assyrians invaded, Hezekiah sent millions of dollars of the tax payers money to them.

6/  Every Jew actually paid two-tenth of his income as a tax. One-tenth for the upkeep of the temple and one-tenth for the priesthood. Then every third year one-tenth went to the poor of the land. Although this today is called tithing, it was actually a system of taxation for the Jews. Offerings were the spiritual giving over and above the tithe.          

7/  But what happened to a large portion of their taxes? Hezekiah took them out of the temple treasury and hustled them over to the Assyrians. A lot of people involved in these programs, then as today, were sincere. We must at least give them that much credit—they think they are doing a good thing, but do-goodism is not the answer.

8/  It is the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign, that Sennacherib, the king of Assyria attacked all the defense cities of Judah and took them, Isaiah 36: 1. That is, all except Jerusalem. Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

9/  Isaiah 36: 2 And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.

Now he sends Renshekah against the holy city with a great army of 185,000 soldiers, and that was an immense army for that day.

10/  Humanly speaking there seemed to be no help or hope for the city of Jerusalem. They had dismissed their military and all they had was a few fortifications left.  

11/  Renshekah, rather than going to Hezekiah, went to the wall, and there in the coarsest of  language threatened the officers and the men on the wall in the Hebrew tongue. He did this to strike fear into their hearts and into the heart of Hezekiah, then he tried to get the men on the wall, the soldiers to distrust Hezekiah.  

12/  II Kings 18: 28 - 31 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

13/  Seeing the seriousness of the situation, Hezekiah took two wise steps showing what a truly great and godly king he was.

     1/ He rent his royal robes and covered himself with sackcloth, and he went into the  house of the Lord. 

Isaiah 37: 1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.

 

     2/ Isaiah 37: 3, 4 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. It may be the Lord thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the Lord thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.

He sent Eliakim and several others to Isaiah, the prophet with the message of the day of trouble and rebuke and blasphemy for the children are come upon us, and there is no strength to bring us forth. We have come to the end of our wits, of our ability, our strength.

14/ ISAIAH’S PROPHECY 

Isaiah 37: 6, 7And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

What a response Hezekiah received from the prophet. It contained much to reassure him and to set his heart at rest. Here is a prophecy concerning Rebshakeh. He did hear a rumor and returned to his own land, but not without sending an insolent message, this time to Hezekiah himself. And he said—let not thy God in whom thou trusteth deceive thee. He said, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands by destroying them utterly. And do you think you are going to be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them? And where are their kings today?

15/ HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER 

Isaiah 37: 14 - 20 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only.

Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messenger and read it and went up to the Lord and spread it before the Lord and he prayed.

16/  In response, God again sent a message to Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah, a message which closed with a great promise. 

Verse 33 - 35 Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

I will defend this city to save for My own sake. For My servant David’s sake.

17/  ISAIAH’S PROPHECY FULFILLED.  

Evidently Sennacherib has come personally to take Rabshakeh’s place and his exploits had been great, but now notice, verse 36, 37. Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

18/  The angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, and Sennacherib alone had been spared to witness the fate of the great army, and then to suffer death at the hands of his own son. 

Verse 38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

19/  These are the circumstances that caused Hezekiah to compose the 46^th Psalm, one of the Psalms which are referred to in Isaiah 38: 20 The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

20/  Let us look at Psalms 46 it is divided into three stanzas, each one ending with the word Selah. The first stanza deals with God as a refuge of His people, the second with the blessing of those less protected, and the third with the glory of God in the outcome. 

21/  Let’s consider these stanzas in order and look at them in the light of the Pauline epistles. 

22/  The Hebrews word, rendered refuge in Psalm 46: 1 means literally a high tower out of reach of all enemies. 

23/  God is our refuge, a high tower, and strength a very present help in trouble. What does this mean? It means that He is there. He is in the Holy City when the Assyrians were about to attack. He was there when they laid siege for a year to the city, and what he means is the city of God is safe because God is in the midst of her. 

We see that in verse 4, 5. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

Notice verse 7, 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

24/  Some men take refuge in position, in wealth, in friendship, and in associations. Some men even take refuge in health, and health cannot buy another day, nor can business when God says, this is your time to depart. Let me stress to you, happy is the man who can say, God is my refuge and my strength. 

25/  This Psalm has an assurance for the present and also for the future. It is written, God is our refuge and strength. At this moment Jesus Christ can be that to every believer, and He is going to be it to you in the future. 

26/  Let me ask you, what is your refuge? Everyone has one. Some, their refuge, their high tower, is an ivory tower. It is a false place to which they flee. It will not stand in a time of trouble.

27/  Psalm 46: 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Notice, Hezekiah says we will not fear. This is followed by a picture of frightful upheavals, landslides, tidal waves, earthquakes. Of course it is symbolic language, and it is what he and Jerusalem had faced during the Assyrian siege. But the main thrust of the first stanza is that the city of God could not be overthrown because God is there. He is in the midst to help her—His Shikinnah glory filling the Holy of Holies in the temple.

28/  But what Hezekiah and the Isrealites had in Jerusalem in Psalm 46 is nothing compared to what we have. 

We today are the temple of God. 

Ephesians 2: 21, 22  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

He says an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are  builded together an habitation of God through the Spirit.

29/  Colossians 1: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

God has no temple, no home on earth today, but His blood-bought church, the individuals who are trusting in Jesus Christ, and if the city could be saved with God dwelling in the city, think how safe we are, and what a refuge we have when God  dwells in us individually. 

30/  Notice the next thing I would like you to see. Where is Christ right now? He is at the right hand of the Father, and we have union with Him. We are as good as in Heaven right now. Therefore how can any thing on earth cause us to fear? What wonderful truths are ours in Paul’s epistles. I would never trade what I have in Jesus Christ and the Pauline epistles with what Hezekiah had, in Psalm 46. 

We may not have the angel of the Lord slay our enemies, but we can know that Christ in us is a much better position with a Heavenly future stretching before us.

31/  Verses 2, 3 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

As we look at them in our lives, the believer does experience trouble, disappointment, and discouragement. He encounters great enemies.  

32/  The children of God in Jerusalem faced a tremendous army and tremendous enemy. They had a year of siege in which their strength and belief in the high tower was to be tested. I am sure some of the Jews there lived rejoicing, trusting what God had promised. I am sure some who were safe even though they didn’t realize it, trembled and wept and were in great distress. I am sure there were Jews living in Jerusalem who did not look upon God as a high tower of refuge. Instead their eyes were constantly upon the enemy, the Assyrians, and they saw what a great and formidable army it was, and they knew they could not fight against it. So they trembled and were in great distress.  

33/ Now look at stanza #2 verse 4 - 7 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Notice the contrast. The raging sea outside of Jerusalem and there was within what Hezekiah called a river, the streams thereof to make glad the city of God. 

34/  Foreseeing such an emergency as the siege of the Assyrians, Hezekiah had wisely provided an abundant supply of water for the city. 

II Kings 20: 20  And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

He made a pool, a conduit and brought water into the city so that however long a siege might continue the city would not be without a plentiful supply of water—what a wonderful thing to have during a time of siege. 

35/  Was this what Hezekiah referred to when he wrote about the river, the streams whereof made glad the city of God? Absolutely not. For he declares that these refreshing streams issue from the Holy place. The dwelling place of the Most High. Notice, God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God shall help her, and that right early.

36/  Verse 7 The stanza closes with the words, the Lord of Hosts is with us, the Lord of Jacob is our refuge—Selah. 

You look back upon the life of Jacob, and you realize one thing that stands out. Jacob wanted God and His blessing, therefore we read in Psalm 146: 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help.

37/ As we apply this to our everyday life, we realize in this gloomy world, this world of sorrow, war, crime, our refreshment is not in circumstances, nor in things, but in God himself, in Christ, in Whom we have been made one.    

38/  Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice.

 

39/  I often marvel at Paul as he was in prison in Rome. 

Read Ephesians 6: 10 - 14 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Paul knew what that meant. He was being severely tested at this point, and having done all to stand therefore.

Ephesians 3: 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

(Editor: And having done all that you can, STAND.)

AMEN

REF: 11/15/1981 / 642-2 A VERY PRESENT HELP / 01/19/2021

WHY FAITH WORKS

Photo by B Smith from the patio

 

630 - 1 WHY FAITH WORKS

September 6, 1981  

Henry F. Kulp

 

Hebrews 11: 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is basic to the Christian life. Without faith, you have absolutely nothing. 

Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. So first of all we ascertain that faith is basic—it is necessary.

1/  This is brought out to us in the first verse. Faith is the title deed to things hoped for. There are many things in life we hope for, but we have no title deed to them—we have no assurance that we will ever realize them. So we need a basis for things hoped for, and faith is that basis. 

2/  A student hopes to get better grades, but before that student will get better grades, they will have to study the subject so that they can get good grades on the test. If the student doesn’t study, all the hoping in the world would be valueless.

3/  A man may sincerely hope for a better job. Maybe at the plant where he works he wants an advancement, but really the only way, he can get that advancement is to study and to apply himself so he will be of value and understand that job. I may want a job as a tool and die maker because I know they make a lot of money, but I could never get the job because I haven’t the least bit of an understanding about what a tool and die maker does. So we must have a basis, and the basis of things hoped for is faith. 

4/  Then he tells us, faith is the evidence, the proof of things not seen. This morning I want you to see three things about faith being evident or proof of things not seen.

    

(1)  There is a God, but He is invisible. Man has always hated the thought that God is invisible. 

Romans 1: 21 - 23 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Back at the tower of Babel, man went into idolatry. He changed God into an image, and man ever since wants to see God. That is why we have all these pictures of Jesus Christ. But we worship an invisible God.

5/  I wonder if you realize how much we believe that we do not see. Take most of the study of atomic science is based on the invisible. Man has what is known as the HEISENBERG UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE. In other words we see objects because light from the source light hits it and bounces back into our eyes. But if light hits something and the cause of the impact makes the object to be knocked out of sight, we can’t see it. And this has been true of some of the atomic science such as electrons, protons, and neutrons. When light strikes the electron that man wants to see, the electron is knocked from its path, and therefore cannot be seen, but yet we see the effect of the electron, and we know that it exists.

6/  We know there is a God, we see the evidence of God all about us. Man has to be a fool to say that God does not exist.

7/  But the biggest reason why I believe there is a God, is because God has revealed Himself in the Bible—A perfect Bible, an infallible Bible. So if I had no other evidence but the Bible, that is enough for me. 

    

(2) So faith is based on an invisible God, and secondly it is based on His Word. 

He has revealed Himself, He has spoken to us. This is why Romans 10: 17 is so  important. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

8/  So the first two points are, God does exist, and he has spoken.

9/  This question is not, do you believe, but whom do you believe? Men tell you much and make many statements and many times we believe them, and our faith is not founded, because man is wrong in many things he states as being fact. So it is whom you believe, and we believe God because He has spoken, He has given us a revelation.

10/  The greatest sin is the failure to believe in God. 

Genesis 2: 15 - 17 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Eve did not believe God, she hoped she would not die when she ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But her hope was vain, her hope was not based upon a foundation, the record that God gave, and she did die, the day she ate of the fruit.  

Many things we hope for are just like the hope of Eve, not based upon fact.

 AMEN

Ref: 09/06/1981 / 630-1 WHY FAITH WORKS / 01/18/2021