Where Does My Help Come From? (Psalm 121:1-8) Today I'd like to share God's grace under the title of "Where Does My Help Come From?" When facing difficulties, we usually ask for help. If those problems are within our resolve, we don't need to ask for help. However, we must seek help for some overwhelming problems which are beyond human ability to solve. We try to reach out to anyone who can help us and sometimes we receive help from them. However, there are times when we face daunting problems or extreme hardships which are beyond human ability. Therefore, our ultimate help comes only from God. It is only with the help of God that human beings can succeed and others can help them, too. Even if we face any unsurmountable difficulties, God's help will lead us to victory because only his help is absolute. In order to receive his help, we must confess it with our mouth, "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."(Ps. 121:2) 1. Only God can solve all of humanity’s problems Then we can boldly move forward with faith because we are sure of our God who works behind us. It is only God who can solve all of humanity’s problems. Psalm 121:1-2 says, "I lift up my eyes to the mountains?where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Why can the Lord be my help? It is because he is the creator. To create is to make a void of nothing to exist. It does not mix up something that already exists. The Creator makes into being things that were not. Isaiah 45:18 says, "--he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited?he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other." This almighty God helps us so that we can ask for his help. The Bible says, "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”(Ps. 127:1) Therefore, unless God governs and preserves all things in the world, we cannot survive. Those who live without God often boast, but even a little worm cannot be sustained without God's providence. Nehemiah 9:6 says, "You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you." Since God of the universe has sustained everything, you have been preserved well. If God had not preserved you from your head to the bottom of your feet, you would not have survived until now. Psalm 146:10 says, "The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations." God will reign and govern forever. Only God can work supernatural miracles. Not only did God create the heaven and the earth, and governed and preserved them, but he is also performing wonderful miracles among us when we need it the most. When the Israelites came out of Egypt after 430 years of slavery, the Red Sea blocked their journey. Moses prayed to God and God divided it. Parting the Han River may be an unbelievable miracle, but God divided the Red Sea which is much wider than it; it became a historic event. In addition, as they crossed the Red Sea and arrived at Marah only to find its bitter water, God instructed them to throw a piece of wood into it, this made it fit to drink. Furthermore, all our bitter water such as grudges, hatred, worries, uneasiness, anxiety, irritation, and despair will be sweetened if the cross of Jesus is thrown into it. God is a God of miracles. In the Bible, the number of the Israelites was about three million. Try and calculate how much food they would have needed assuming that they had eaten three meals a day? Nevertheless, Manna poured down from heaven like rain. It seemed like a fiction but was a definite reality and the Israelites ate manna forty years in the desert. God has the power to feed and clothe each of you every day. When they were thirsty, he made water come out of the rock. He covered them from the heat of daylight by a pillar of cloud and kept them warm by a pillar of fire at nighttime. Psalm 40:5 says, "Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare." God works too numerous miracles to count. Then why can't we experience those miracles now? Some people ask me this question. It is because people don't expect a miracle from God nowadays! People ask me frequently. "Why are so many European churches dying?" Korean churches are thriving. Then what happened to those churches in Europe? They do not believe in the God who is alive and still works for his people. Their God is no different from our God in Korea. They only acknowledge the God who once worked two thousand years ago and confine the work of the Holy Spirit only to the era of Apostles. They insist that God is dormant from his work and miracles. That's why no miracles appear among them now. Even though God is alive and exists among them, without their faith nothing happens. However, if you believe that God can work miracles even now, it will happen accordingly. Since we believe in the work of the Holy Spirit, he performs miracles in our meetings. Unfortunately, it is very hard to find the work of the Holy Spirit in other countries because they refuse to believe in him. God's miracles will not manifest just once or twice, but God works in our daily lives to give us his miracles. Whenever we think about the ministry of Jesus, we cannot imagine it without miracles. When the wine was gone at the wedding ceremony at Cana, there was no time to buy or prepare it. It was so urgent! There were many guests and there was no more wine! Then Jesus' mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Jesus told them to fill six jars with water to the brim and then to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. When they obeyed him, it turned into wine! What does the Bible say? "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."(Heb. 13:8) "--whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."(Jn. 14:12) Wow! How dare I do something like that? We should believe the Lord's word. "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."(Mt. 18:20) The Lord is here with us. Please repeat after me, "Lord, how are you? Thank you very much. I worship you." Why? It is because he is here with us. Now Jesus is still declaring to the poor the good news of freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind. He is still setting the oppressed free, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. We must believe in a realistic actuality not an imaginary reality. We do not believe in a religion or philosophy nor do we perform rituals. We come forward to believe in Jesus who gives us life. When we meet him, all our problems are going to be solved. Acts 2:22 says, "Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know." God witnessed that Jesus is his only begotten Son through mighty powers and wonders and signs. 2. God wants to help us This God wants to help us. Not that we want his help, but that God is willing to help us. Psalm 121:3-8 says, "He will not let your foot slip?he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you?the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm?he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Even if you don't ask for his help, God volunteers to do it. We should say, "I believe it and rely on it." If you disbelieve it, God will not do anything for you. Your unbelief prevents him from helping you. 1 John 4:9-10 says, "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." The proof of God's love is that he sent his one and only Son as a sacrifice on behalf of us. Not that we love God, but that he loves us first. If we love God, our love can be changeable. Nevertheless, God first loves us when we are not even interested in him and do not love him at all. He awakens us and makes our soul born again to be his children. He still loves you without ceasing. His love toward you cannot be described with human expression. How great his love is when he gave up his one and only Son to be crucified on the cross! Jesus also shows us his wonderful love by sacrificing his life as a sacrifice for us. Thus the Lord has compassion on us and forgives our sins and bestows his love to us. Psalm 103:8-14 says, "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Jesus said, "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?"(Mt. 7:9-10) If you had ever given your son a stone when he asked for bread, raise your hand. Do you really want to give your child a wiggling snake instead of a fish saying, "Eat it right now"? The Lord continued, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"(Mt. 7:11) He lamented, "Why do you doubt me? Why can't you believe in me?" You should believe that God is a good God. How thankful we are as we receive forgiveness for our sins, meaning and value from our empty and meaningless life, and eternal life beyond death by the redemption of Jesus on the cross! Hebrews 2:17-18 says, "--he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." The Lord also experienced the same trials when he lived on the earth as we do so that he fully recognizes our circumstances and conditions and wants to give us good things. Let's read Hebrews 13:5-6 together with loud voice, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Aha! What can we say more about this? "Lord, do you love me? Will you desert me?" "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." What kind of answer should we seek more than this? Please say, "Lord, thank you! I believe in you," and plunge into the bosom of the Lord. 3. In order to receive God’s help We always think first about the must list to receive help from the Lord. Today let's consider a few things before we receive his help. First of all, unbelievers should accept Jesus as their savior. If not, even the Lord cannot help you because there is quite a difference between children of God and those of the devil. Psalm 91:14 says, "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." The Lord promises that he will protect those who love him and acknowledge his name. Unbelievers are indifferent to Jesus. They don't know his name. Thus he cannot rescue or protect them. However, if they accept Jesus as their savior and love him and acknowledge his name, he will deliver and heal them. 1 John 4:14-15 says, "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God." This is not difficult. Are we saved by keeping the law? No way. Since we are already saved, we try to keep the law. Anyone who believes in Jesus and confess it with his/her mouth is saved and a child of God. God lives in him/her and he/she in God. When you are asked, "Who is Jesus?" you should answer, "The Lord is Christ and the Son of the living God." Now that you are saved and you believe in Jesus and confess it with your mouth, there cannot be any other condition than this. After you believe in Jesus, the Ten Commandments will guide you into receiving God's grace more abundantly and staying in his bosom and blessings. When the light of Christ shines on you, all the dirty things of your life will be exposed. All the sins such as neglecting God, worshipping idols, misusing God's name, despising the Sabbath, disrespecting parents, committing murder and adultery, stealing, falsely witnessing against one's neighbor, and greed. When the force of darkness begins to recede as the bright light of Jesus penetrates into our lives, we can clearly discern these sins so that we can repent of our sins. Therefore, as soon as we believe in Jesus, he enters into our life to make us repent. As we live with Jesus every day, we repent in our daily lives. As we cleanse our house not just once, but repeatedly every day, and wash our face every day, our spiritual dirtiness should be removed daily by the name of Jesus to accompany the Lord. Psalm 32:5 says, "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD." And you forgave the guilt of my sin." God is waiting to forgive us. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." The Lord comes not to judge you but to forgive you your sins. Unbelievers will receive a merciless judgment after death. In order to receive the Lord's help, you must stick to him with faith to the end. You should not give up after a little while. God can answer you as soon as you believe it, but sometimes he makes you to wait for a long time. Thus once you accept the things that are not as if they were in your heart, just keep looking at it and endure to the finish. Some prayers are answered immediately, but others take quite a while to be answered; God determines the timing, not you. Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." If you commit everything to the Lord, he will sustain you forever. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." If you cast your burdens on him, he will take good care of them. "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”(Mt. 28:20) He is the God who cares for you to the very end of the age. So do not doubt his goodness but wholly trust in him to the end. Let's read Psalm 91:15-16 together, "He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." This Word of God is a God-given paint brush to you. With this brush of promise draw a picture in your heart. Draw a God who stays with me through trials. Draw a God who delivers me and honors me. Draw a God who satisfies me with long life. All the promises of God are like a box of crayons all with various colors. Children paint with red, yellow, and other colors on their drawing paper. Your hearts are like drawing papers and God's promises are the crayons. With these crayons you can draw a picture through prayer. If you draw a picture with prayer and keep it with faith, it will come true. Why don't you try this? It is true. I have never talked nonsense without experience. I have one thing that far exceeds even youth now. What is that? Even though I don't have any academic backgrounds as they have, I have had countless stories called experience. I can speak to you with conviction because I have been there myself. As I pass through various experiences it makes sense. Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Please do not misunderstand God as an inaccessible God. If you meet him in your heart and look up to him through prayer, he will work for you. Then the most needed thing for us is to give thanks for his grace. As the Bible says, "Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation."(Ps. 50:23) Most people tend to forget his grace and complain too much without giving thanks to him. Even after they pray, they grumble if God's answer is delayed. When the Israelites passed through the desert after they came out of Egypt, they always complained and murmured whenever they faced difficulties in spite of so many miracles of God. That is typical of human natures. Nonetheless, there is one good way for us to give thanks to God without grumbling at hardships. It is singing hymns. There is no negative word in hymns. "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."(Rm. 10:10) We should confess with our mouth. People usually don't speak but there is one way to confess. If you sing hymns, you can confess! Therefore those churches that praise God so much through hymns are full of the Holy Spirit. Those christians who tend to sing hymns all the time can live a victorious life because they confess their faith with their mouth. Our speaking is very important. If you just keep the Word of God in your heart without confessing it, it will stay there. However, God begins to work for you as soon as you speak it with your mouth. Your confession will move the Holy Spirit to hover over you. I want you to confess all the time. When you live with Jesus as your savior and draw near to Father God, God will surely bless you. God is a good God so that his presence will bring forth good things to you. During six days he created the heavens and the earth and said that it was good over and over again. God saw that everything he created was very good. As God has done good things as a good God, something good is surely going to happen to you through his presence beside you. Something wonderful happens to you and to your home and to your life. The most helpful for us is to believe in Jesus and to serve God. In this way we should give thanks to God and give glory to him through singing hymns all the time. In times of peace, we do not realize, but only during the heavy storms of life, this realization comes to us as indescribable blessings how blessed we are to have a God whom we can count on, a God who bears all of our burdens for us. In peaceful times, we don't care about God because his help is not badly needed. In extreme sufferings, as people desert us and there is no place for us to turn to, only then can we feel God's presence as most precious and fortunate and indescribable blessings. Psalm 91:1-7 says, "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you." As we dream, believe, and confess God's presence with our mouth, God will work for us. Our God is so faithful and sincere that he cannot lie. So we must realize how delightful his presence is in our hearts and that it is the only way to bring peace of mind. As God never forsakes us, he will be our ever present, almighty supporter. When you have an influential supporter in the world, how reliable you are! Your parents or teachers or relatives or schoolmates can be your support. However, sometimes they are willing to help you, but their help is to no avail. Only God's support will give you mighty grace beyond human description.