Nov 1, 2020
Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT (Part 2)
Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT
 
9 Principles to Help Us Know, Understand, and Love the God of the OT
 
4. These two truths make God Just in all He does in the Old Testament (and beyond).
  A. God is far more holy, righteous, and pure than we can ever really grasp.
  B. Man is far more sinful, unrighteous and evil, than we can ever really grasp.
 
God is righteous, and requires perfect righteousness.
Man is unrighteous, not meeting God’s requirement.
Therefore, all men deserve God’s wrath.
Therefore, no one can ever receive injustice.
In the end, most will receive God’s justice,
Some will receive God’s mercy,
And these will also receive God’s grace.
 
Therefore…
God’s attitude toward man in the OT is
1000x more merciful than it is wrathful.
 
When we think of men as victims, we necessarily are saying God is unjust.
- Job 40:8 Would you really annul My justice?
- Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
Mercy that is deserved, is not mercy.
Grace that can be demanded, is not grace.
 
Some might ask…
Why focus so much on the contrast of the holiness of God and the evil of man?
Isn’t that too negative?
 
25 Reasons Why We Need This Worldview
- This is God’s view.
- The Biblical worldview is a big God and small man. We can’t interpret scripture without it.
- This is the beginning of wisdom (salvation). “Blessed are the poor in spirit”
- We experience true joy and blessing, paradoxically through a God-centered worldview rather than a man-centered worldview.
- God’s mercy in salvation is much more precious to us when we know what we have been saved from.
- God’s mercy in salvation is much more precious to us when we know what we have been saved to.
- It causes us to love Him and worship Him in truth. It causes us to be eternally grateful for His mercy.
- It makes Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross the centerpiece of all creation.
- It humbles us and removes all boasting from us. It raises my daily dependence on Him.
- The Christian faith is not about good “self-esteem”, But it is about “Christ esteem”.
- Living as though my ‘old self’ is dead and my ‘new self’ is “in Christ”, is now a blessing, not a curse.
- It causes me to think of pleasing God before I think of pleasing myself, or others.
- It eliminates complaining and murmuring. Everything in our lives is better than what we deserve.
- It causes me to want others to share this worldview.
- When God is big and I am small… Then others become just the right size.
- It makes Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for me an example of my sacrifice for others.
- It makes me want to trust Him with the rest of my life.
- It places Him above all other things in my life.
- It brings God glory.
- When I see my nothingness and His everythingness, It makes me want Him to receive glory, not me.
- It makes Him worth dying for.
WatchNotesDownloadDateTitle
  • Nov 1, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT (Part 2)
    Nov 1, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT (Part 2)
    Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT
     
    9 Principles to Help Us Know, Understand, and Love the God of the OT
     
    4. These two truths make God Just in all He does in the Old Testament (and beyond).
      A. God is far more holy, righteous, and pure than we can ever really grasp.
      B. Man is far more sinful, unrighteous and evil, than we can ever really grasp.
     
    God is righteous, and requires perfect righteousness.
    Man is unrighteous, not meeting God’s requirement.
    Therefore, all men deserve God’s wrath.
    Therefore, no one can ever receive injustice.
    In the end, most will receive God’s justice,
    Some will receive God’s mercy,
    And these will also receive God’s grace.
     
    Therefore…
    God’s attitude toward man in the OT is
    1000x more merciful than it is wrathful.
     
    When we think of men as victims, we necessarily are saying God is unjust.
    - Job 40:8 Would you really annul My justice?
    - Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?
    Mercy that is deserved, is not mercy.
    Grace that can be demanded, is not grace.
     
    Some might ask…
    Why focus so much on the contrast of the holiness of God and the evil of man?
    Isn’t that too negative?
     
    25 Reasons Why We Need This Worldview
    - This is God’s view.
    - The Biblical worldview is a big God and small man. We can’t interpret scripture without it.
    - This is the beginning of wisdom (salvation). “Blessed are the poor in spirit”
    - We experience true joy and blessing, paradoxically through a God-centered worldview rather than a man-centered worldview.
    - God’s mercy in salvation is much more precious to us when we know what we have been saved from.
    - God’s mercy in salvation is much more precious to us when we know what we have been saved to.
    - It causes us to love Him and worship Him in truth. It causes us to be eternally grateful for His mercy.
    - It makes Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross the centerpiece of all creation.
    - It humbles us and removes all boasting from us. It raises my daily dependence on Him.
    - The Christian faith is not about good “self-esteem”, But it is about “Christ esteem”.
    - Living as though my ‘old self’ is dead and my ‘new self’ is “in Christ”, is now a blessing, not a curse.
    - It causes me to think of pleasing God before I think of pleasing myself, or others.
    - It eliminates complaining and murmuring. Everything in our lives is better than what we deserve.
    - It causes me to want others to share this worldview.
    - When God is big and I am small… Then others become just the right size.
    - It makes Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for me an example of my sacrifice for others.
    - It makes me want to trust Him with the rest of my life.
    - It places Him above all other things in my life.
    - It brings God glory.
    - When I see my nothingness and His everythingness, It makes me want Him to receive glory, not me.
    - It makes Him worth dying for.
  • Oct 25, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT (Part 1)
    Oct 25, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT (Part 1)
    Exodus 4 Understanding The God Of The OT
     
    Exodus 4:18-31
    "I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go"
    "I told you to let My son go"
    "since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!"
     
    First, there are several clear scriptural truths that can help us to better understand the God of the OT.
     
    Second, when we really understand Him, we will love Him more than ever, and want to serve Him more than ever.
     
    1. There is a chasm between God’s wisdom and our wisdom, that is bridged only by scripture.
    - Which means, there is a chasm between our judgement and God’s judgement.
    - We cannot “judge” God from “our side of the chasm”.
    - Scripture must interpret scripture.
     
    2. There is a chasm between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom, that cannot be bridged by an unbeliever.
    - As believers, we cannot expect unbelievers to understand God and His ways.
    - As believers, we should present the gospel and pray for an unbeliever. This is the bridge.
    - As believers, we must not let our confidence in God and His word be shaken by what unbelievers think or say about Him.
    - As believers, we are incredibly blessed!!
    - The Lord has chosen to grant us eyes to see and ears to hear!
     
    3. A true believer has been given a faith that knows that GOD IS JUST.
    - This is part of the “faith package”.
    - Faith is the entrusting of ourselves into the hands of a just judge.
    - Faith places the creature in complete submission to the will of the Creator.
  • Oct 18, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Moses Goes To Egypt
    Oct 18, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Moses Goes To Egypt
    Exodus 4 Moses Goes To Egypt
     
    Exodus 4:18-31
    "I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go"
    "I told you to let My son go"
    "since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!"
     
    First, there are several clear scriptural truths that can help us to better understand the God of the OT.
     
    Second, when we really understand Him, we will love Him more than ever, and want to serve Him more than ever.
  • Oct 11, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 God Sends Moses
    Oct 11, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 God Sends Moses
    Exodus 4 God Sends Moses
     
    Moses’ 5 Objections
    1. Know yourself - You are nothing; He is everything
    - practice dying to yourself daily
     
    2. Know God - The bigger your God is,
    - the bigger your faith is
     
    3. The end result belongs to God
    - He uses your loaves and fishes to feed many
     
    4. God caused you to be weak
    - so that you won’t rely on yourself
     
    5. God is gracious even in His anger
    - His(story) will whitewash even our disobedience
  • Oct 4, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses (Part 4)
    Oct 4, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses (Part 4)
    Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses
     
    6 Reasons We Should Not Obsess Over Miracles, Signs & Wonders Today
     
    5. We have something better.
     
    Today, God uses something much more powerful than miracles, signs and wonders, to produce saving faith in His people.
    Today, He uses... WORDS
     
    - Words that come from God.
    - Words that can open spiritual eyes so that we can see...the mysteries and the wonders of His glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
    - God’s words, unlike signs and wonders, have the power to create the miracle of a true faith.
     
    6. It takes our joy and focus away from the miracle that we should obsess over...
     
    The miracle that God would die for His creation.
    The miracle that, because of that, we can...
    ...be reconciled to God.
    ...be regenerated by the Spirit.
    ...participate in the divine nature.
    ...live eternally.
    ...live eternally with God and be His people.
  • Sep 27, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses (Part 3)
    Sep 27, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses (Part 3)
    Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses
     
    6 Reasons We Should Not Obsess Over Miracles, Signs & Wonders Today
     
    3. M,S&W have been and will be used to deceive many.
     
    God’s people are not the only ones who can work miracles, signs and wonders...God Himself allows (causes) the powers of darkness to work signs and wonders in “His name”, in order to purify His Church byexposing the false believers.
     
    4. M,S&W do not produce saving faith.
     
    5. We have something better.
  • Sep 20, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses (Part 2)
    Sep 20, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses (Part 2)
    Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses
     
    6 Reasons We Should Not Obsess Over Miracles, Signs & Wonders Today
     
    2. The primary purpose for most M,S&W has already been accomplished.
     
    A primary reason God used ‘signs’ and wonders…
    is to set apart a certain man as His representative,
    in order to speak to the world THROUGH that representative.
     
    God certified messengers for the purpose of revealing His message on earth
     
    Four reasons I believe miracles, signs & wonders are rare today
     
    1. The main purpose for them is completed.
    - The revelation that they bore witness to is complete and so they are not necessary.
    2. They were virtually all performed by apostles, and we have no apostles today.
    3. There is no one who has “perfect” theology like the apostles, that God could certify today.
    4. A miracle today would be done by God, not as a “sign”, but for some other reason only He knows.
  • Sep 13, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses
    Sep 13, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses
    Exodus 4 Signs and Wonders Affirm Moses
     
    6 Reasons We Should Not Obsess Over Miracles, Signs & Wonders Today
    1. To obsess over M,S&W, diminishes the constant, providential supervision of God over all things.
    - God is at work ALL THE TIME!!!
     
    Miracle - God working outside of His creation laws.
    Providence - God working through His creation laws.
     
     
    Miracle
    - Confusing of languages
    - Parting of the Red Sea
    - Water from the Rock
     
    Providence
    - Daniel and the lions
    - Jonah and the fish
    - David & Goliath
    - Defeat of the Amalekites
    - Fish with coin in mouth
    - Amazing catch of fish
     
    Miracle
    While we are waiting and praying for a miracle from God…
     
    Providence
    May we not miss the daily…
    …minute by minute…
    …(super)natural working of God.
  • Sep 6, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 3 The Burning Bush (Part 2)
    Sep 6, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 3 The Burning Bush (Part 2)
    Exodus 3 The Burning Bush
     
    “I AM”
    - Eternality of God
    - Immutability of God
    - Aseity of God
     
    Eternality - The God who exists
    He is from everlasting to everlasting.
    He has no beginning or no end.
    His nature and attributes are eternal.
    His purposes are eternal.
    His kingdom and reign will never end.
    Life and death are in His control.
     
    All sin is cosmic treason against an infinite being.
    Death must submit to the eternal “I AM”.
    Christ intercedes for His people eternally.
    We can trust Him for the future because He is there.
    Being conformed to His image means eternal life.
    Our lives now can have an eternal purpose.
    The eternal nature of God is what makes our present suffering worthwhile.
     
    Immutability - The God who never changes
    Thomas Watson
    “In God there is nothing which can change, for better or worse.
    He cannot change for the better—because then he would not now be perfect.
    He cannot change for the worse—for then he would cease to be perfect.
    He is immutably holy, immutably good; there is no shadow of change in him”
     
    Augustine
    “Whatsoever is changed from the better for the worse, and from the worse for the better, is not God, because perfect virtue can neither change for the better, nor true eternity for the worse”God cannot change His word, therefore it is always fresh and trustworthy.
     
    God cannot add to His knowledge, therefore He is perfectly all-knowing.
    God cannot react to circumstances or change His plans, therefore His purposes stands forever.
    God’s character or nature can never change, therefore His _______ will remain forever.
    He is forever the unchanging and unshakeable TRUTH, therefore His promises can never fail.
     
    Aseity – The Self-existing God
    He alone is dependent on nothing or no one.
    He is self-sufficient and self-sustaining
    His existence is not derived from or contingent on another thing or being.
    Within Himself, He is perfectly whole, complete, satisfied and without any need of any kind.
     
    He is self-divine. - His deity is derived from no other power.
    He is self-wise. - There is none who could ever instruct Him.
    He is self-virtuous. - He received His goodness from no one.
    He is self-attesting. - He alone is the source of truth.
    He is self-justifying. - He is perfectly just within Himself.
    He is self-empowering. - He derives power from no source.
    He is self-excellent. - If any being were more excellent, that being would be God.
     
    Not only is He independent and self-sufficient, but all else is dependent on Him.
    From Him, through Him, and to Him are all things.
    Nothing exists that He did not create and everything is sustained by Him.
  • Aug 30, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 3 The Burning Bush
    Aug 30, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 3 The Burning Bush
    Exodus 3 The Burning Bush
     
    YHWH
    - tetragrammaton (four letters)
    - Yahweh
     
    The primary reason God rescues men from the kingdom of darkness and brings them into the kingdom of His beloved Son, is so they are free to WORSHIP Him.
  • Aug 23, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 2 Out of Egypt
    Aug 23, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 2 Out of Egypt
    Exodus 2 - Out of Egypt
     
    Slavery – Slavery to sin
    Serving a Cruel Master – Captives of Satan
    Under Judgement – God is a just God
    The Passover – Escape through judgement
    The Crossing – Escape from enemy of death
    Mount Sinai – The giving of the Spirit/word
    Wilderness – Perfecting God’s people
    Promised Land – Saved to eternal life
  • Aug 16, 2020Daniel Raber – The Call of Holiness
    Aug 16, 2020
    Daniel Raber – The Call of Holiness
    Series: (All)
    The Call of Holiness
    1 Peter 1: 13-16
     
    Prepare your minds for Action
    Stop Sinning
    Be Holy
    Serve the Lord
  • Aug 16, 2020Kevin Distelhorst – What do you think about?
    Aug 16, 2020
    Kevin Distelhorst – What do you think about?
    Series: (All)
    What do you think about?
     
    Where do your thoughts come from?
    Are you responsible for what you think about?
    Can you control/change what you think about?
    Does it matter what you think about?
    Does it matter (all of the time) what you think about?
     
    Philippians 4:8
    Greek: Logizomai
     
    Think - King James, NIV
    Dwell NASB , Holman (literally – Ponder these Things)
    Meditate – New King James
     
    Whatever is:
    True
    Honorable
    Right
    Pure
    Lovely
    of Good Repute
    Any Excellence
    Anything Worthy of Praise
     
    Examining your Thinking
    Ask, "Specifically what am I thinking?"
    Compare those thoughts to the criteria of Phil. 4:8
    Confess thoughts that violate Phil. 4:8
    Ask, "What should I be thinking?"
    Ask, "What should I be doing?"
    Ask, "What are my responsibilities today?"
  • Aug 9, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 2 God Sends a Deliverer
    Aug 9, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 2 God Sends a Deliverer
    The Whole Counsel of God – God Sends a Deliverer
    Exodus 2:11-22
     
    God Prepares His People For Service
    God’s School of Discipleship
     
    1. God prepares by providence
    - people, places, personality, abilities, situation
    2. God prepares by teaching
    - we are to learn to know Him through His word
    3. God prepares by subtraction
    - He removes the world and kills off our ‘self’
    4. God prepares by regeneration
    - The Spirit changes our hearts
  • Aug 2, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 2 God Sends a Deliverer
    Aug 2, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 2 God Sends a Deliverer
    The Whole Counsel of God – God Sends a Deliverer
    Exodus 2:1-10
     
    To Strengthen the Faith of God’s People
    1. Our faith and love for Jesus Christ
    - Moses is a type of Christ
    2. God has a plan and moves all the pieces on the earth to accomplish that plan
    3. God WILL save His people
    - He sends a savior at just the right time
    4. God’s main purpose is His own glory
  • Jul 26, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 1 The Enemy Strikes
    Jul 26, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 1 The Enemy Strikes
    The Whole Counsel of God – Exodus 1 The Enemy Strikes
     
    Exodus 1:1-22
     
    The Church Militant
    The Church Triumphant
     
    - The more God’s people are oppressed, the more that oppression strengthens them, and also works against their oppressors
    - This is true for the Church and individuals
    - Just as gold is purified by fire, so are we purified by trials
    - All things do work for OUR GOOD and HIS GLORY
    - For this reason we are to endure patiently
     
     
    Satan’s two tactics:
    - Overtly oppose God’s people
    - Covertly deceive God’s people
    - When Israel is overtly opposed by the enemy, they triumph and are blessed
    - When Israel is covertly deceived by the enemy, they are judged harshly by God
     
     
    We believe the Bible teaches us to submit to human governments...
    ...Until obeying them would mean disobeying God
    However...We should be wise (shrewd) as serpents and innocent as doves.
     
    1. Know your tendencies and lean against them.
    2. Know to which way you want to err and lean that way.
    3. Don’t expect anyone else to lead you.
    4. Don’t assume man’s motives and the devil’s motives are the same.
    5. Trust God’s word, not your feelings.
  • Jul 19, 2020Carl Helmuth – Gird Up Your Minds
    Jul 19, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – Gird Up Your Minds
    Series: (All)
    Carl Helmuth – Gird Up Your Minds
     
    1 Peter 1
     
    Five God-given Thought Paradigms
     
    1. Gospel foundational thinking
    2. Biblically disciplined thinking
    3. Apocalyptic, hope-filled thinking
    4. Not old, but new creation thinking
    5. ‘Imitating Father’ thinking
  • Jul 12, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Ordinary Church – Prayer
    Jul 12, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Ordinary Church – Prayer
    The Ordinary Church – Prayer
     
    Acts 2:36-47
     
    1. Why do we not pray?
    2. Why pray?
    3. How should we pray?
     
    Why pray?
    1. Prayer glorifies God as God
    - Prayer sets God apart from His creation
     
    2. Prayer orders all things into their proper place
    - Prayer humbles us and submits us to His will
    - Prayer aligns us with Him and His purpose
    - Prayer quiets the soul in peace and rest
     
    3. Because God is sovereign and can change things...
    ...According to His purpose and promises
    - His Kingdom
    - One another’s needs
    - Our own needs
    - Wisdom and understanding
    - Perseverance in trials
    - Peace, boldness and courage
    How do we know what God’s will is?
     
    4. Because we love the One who saved us
    - Adoration
    - Praise
    - Thanksgiving
    - Repentance
    - Celebrating our adoption as His children
     
    5. Because we love others
    - Praying for the needs of others
    - Praying for God’s will for others
    - Praying for others causes us to love them
    - Praying unifies the church
     
    6. Because prayer changes us
    - Prayer aligns our will with God’s will
    - Praying is a way of “watching” for temptation
    - Praying is the practice of learning to trust God
    - Praying to become like Christ
    - Prayer changes our heart’s desires
  • Jul 5, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Ordinary Church – Prayer
    Jul 5, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Ordinary Church – Prayer
    The Ordinary Church – Prayer
     
    Acts 2:36-47
     
    1. Why do we not pray?
    2. Why pray?
    3. How should we pray?
     
    Why pray? 1. Prayer glorifies God as God - Prayer sets God apart from His creation 2. Prayer orders all things into their proper place - Prayer humbles us and submits us to His will - Prayer aligns us with Him and His purpose - Prayer quiets the soul in peace and rest 3. Because God is sovereign and can change things
  • Jun 28, 2020Carl Helmuth – The Ordinary Church – Prayer
    Jun 28, 2020
    Carl Helmuth – The Ordinary Church – Prayer
    The Ordinary Church – Prayer   Acts 2:36-47
     
    Prayer
     
    1. Why do we not pray?
    2. Why pray?
    3. How should we pray?
     
    Why do we not pray?1. We are not dependent on God
    - Dependent people pray
    - We are unaware of our intense, daily need for God to work on our behalf
    - In our thinking, we must separate our “doing” from our “relying”
     
    2. We don’t really believe it will make a difference
    - "Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done on earth” – Robert Law
    - “Our great hope in prayer, therefore, is not to change what God has planned, but to bring about what God has planned.” - Unknown
    - If our prayers bring about God’s plan, do we believe that God has a plan today?
    - We should assume that God wants to bring about His will through the prayers of His people
     
    3. It is self-denying, flesh-defying hard work
    - Devoted people pray