Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves?

Well, thank you, gentlemen. Happy Sabbath to all of you once again. Today on this Sabbath day, I would like to talk about a common modern proverb that is not in the Scriptures. Some say this proverb goes all the way back to Aesop's fables, which were written about 600 B.C., 600 years before the birth of Christ. That's pretty old. More recently, it's been attributed to Benjamin Franklin. By the way, you may or may not know some of you old timers from the Worldwide Church of God days that the Plain Truth was the first printed pamphlet that Benjamin Franklin ever published.

That's where the name, the Plain Truth magazine, had come from. This particular modern proverb was printed in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1733. The pollster George Barna asked Christian respondents if the Bible teaches this proverb across a series of polls over numerous years. Here's what he found. 53% of Americans agree strongly with this proverb. 22% agree somewhat. That's about 75% are in favor of it. 7% disagree somewhat. 14% disagree strongly. And 5% stated they don't know. That's always the safe choice to make. A poll in the late 1990s showed the majority, 81%, believe the concept is taught in the Bible.

And despite not appearing in the Bible, the phrase topped a poll of the most widely known Bible verses. That's scary. It shows the rate of Bible illiteracy in our world today. 5% of American teenagers said they believed that it was the central message of the Bible. Wow. What is this proverb?

The proverb is, God helps those who help themselves. It's not a biblical concept. The fact that the majority of Americans believe something this may shock you, but the fact that the majority of Americans believe something doesn't make it true. Just look at our elections the last 248 years and you will see that quite clearly. Does God really help those who help themselves? Some people say absolutely no. Some theologians say, oh, that's terrible. That's a terrible proverb. Why it denies God's grace. God helps those only who go to him and are totally helpless and do nothing but rely on God's intervention and favor and grace in their lives.

And they will say, no, God does not help those who help themselves. Well, first, let me allow me, please allow me, to define what I'm discussing today. I want to give a definition. This proverb does not say, nor does it imply, that God helps those who do it all themselves. That's not what it is saying. It does not say or imply that a person trusts in their own abilities or doesn't go to God about it in prayer. It simply states that God gives aid to those who do what they're capable themselves of doing to solve an issue or a problem.

Let's go to our first scripture for today, Proverbs chapter 28 and verse 26. Proverbs chapter 28 and 26. It says, he who trusts in his own heart is a fool. Wow, that's pretty clear. We don't need to discuss that too. We don't need to do deeply, do we? In other words, if we try to do everything ourselves, if we try to do something ourselves, I got this.

You know, I don't need, it's like the old saying, you know, God is my co-pilot. Well, I'm telling you, if God is your co-pilot, you need to change seats. People say, I got this. And they don't need God. They don't talk to God about it. They don't ask for God's help. They don't seek his guidance or direction. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered. So this proverb is a strong warning against trying to do everything on our own. Trying to do anything alone is a recipe for failure.

And I think we know that is God's people. We need our Father's guidance, his direction, his prayerful communication in everything that we do. Now, I personally think, and I hope to prove to you through the word of God, that this phrase walking wisely means seeking God's guidance and doing what we can.

After all, it says, whoever walks wisely, walking is something you're doing. And wisdom is the marriage between trusting God, relying on God, going to God, and then doing what we can about that particular issue or situation. So with this definition clear, does God help those who help themselves? Well, let's see what the Scriptures say. Let's begin in Genesis 14 and verse 17. We're going to take a look at a few Old Testament examples. I could fill this sermon and a few more with just Old Testament examples, but for the sake of time and to provide more balance and inclusion of the New Testament, we're just going to take a look at a few here.

Genesis 14 and verse 17, you may recall the background. Abraham's nephew Lot had separated from his uncle Abe and had settled near Sodom, where he was kidnapped along with his family and all of his possessions when there was a war between one group of kings against another group of kings and he was in the losing side, captured, kidnapped, all of his possessions taken. Let's see what happens here. It says, and this is after the situation was resolved. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Sheva, that is the king's valley, after his return from the defeat of Kater Leomer, that who he was the king of Elam, one of the losing kings, and the kings who were with him.

Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, symbols of the Passover itself, later on in the new covenant. This Melchizedek, king of Salem, had no mother, had no father, was the being who later on would be born on earth and would become known as Jesus Christ himself. This is a divine person, this Melchizedek, king of Jerusalem. He brought out bread and wine, and he was the priest of the God Most High.

Jesus Christ is our great high priest and intercessor today. Verse 19, and he blessed him and said, blessed be Abram, the God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be the Most High God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand, and he gave him a tithe of all. So Abraham is certainly very grateful to God for hearing his prayers and blessing him with lots freedom and lots restoration and all the possessions coming back.

We know that Abraham went to God about this, but I want to ask this question. Is there something else that Abraham could also do himself? Let's go back just a few verses to verse 10.

Now, when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his 318 trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night. This was a strategy and night attack, dividing his group, his men into three different battle formations. And he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods as well as the women and the people. Now, this is a different time and place in history. I don't endorse or recommend what Abraham did to take care of this problem in the 21st century. We have legal systems. We have police. We live in a different world. So don't think that I'm promoting vigilantism or anything of that nature.

What I am saying is the point is that God helped Abraham to victory, who gathered his trained servants to forcefully take Lot and his family back. Abraham did more than rely on prayer alone. On the day of Pentecost, I spoke about ancient Israel on the edge of the Red Sea. And of course, that video is available if you didn't have a chance to catch it. So I'm not going to turn to Exodus 14.13. I'll read it for the sake of time.

But you may remember one of the key scriptures in that sermon, Exodus 14.13. And Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians, whom you see today, you shall see no more forever. And the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. And the Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry to me? Now, cry is an impassioned prayer.

Why are you crying out to me? Why are you pleading with me? Why are all of you begging with me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. So why does God tell Israel to go forward? After all, they're praying about it. They're crying out to him in prayer. Wasn't that enough? Can't God just pick them up and take them across the Red Sea by himself?

Well, that's possible because with God, all things are possible. But you know what? God's not going to do that. Why? Because there's something they can do themselves to help in this situation. They can put one foot in front of the other and walk across yourself. Why? Because God helps those who help themselves. The fact that they did something beyond prayer did not diminish God's intervention. His role as the great creator and sustainer and a loving God. He blocked the advancing Egyptians with a pillar of fire because of the angel of the Lord. God held back the seed waters, held it back as a wall on their left and on their right.

I learned that from the Ten Commandments movie. God expected his people then, and he expects his people now to take initiative when you can. I could give a series of sermons again from the Old Testament on examples just like this. You may recall Judges 7 and 20, where Gideon took a mere 300 men against an army that was much larger than his.

He told them it is signal to blow on trumpets and break pitchers. Make it sound like there's a lot of commotion, like there's a lot more of us than 300. He told them to blow on their trumpets and break the pitchers when he gave a command. They held torches in their left hands and trumpets in their right hands for blowing. And they cried, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. God didn't instruct Gideon to do this. He didn't tell Gideon to do this. Gideon did it on his own.

And this caused panic in the Midianite camp. It resulted in a mass slaughter. They were terrified. They thought a huge army of much larger than 300 people were about ready to attack them. And they were destroyed. So could God have caused thunder and lightning to destroy the Midianites? Sure. Would God, as all things is possible. Could he have caused a fast-acting virus to go rampant throughout the Midianite camp? Sure he could.

But it wasn't going to. Why? Because there was something the Israelites were capable of doing themselves along with faith and along with prayer. Proverbs chapter 21 and verse 31, it says, and there's no need to turn there. I will just read it for the sake of time. It says, the horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord. I'm sure that's up probably on the screen here. I want you to notice that God gives deliverance. God rightly gets the praise. God is the one who intervenes. But I also want you to notice that we do our part. The horse is prepared for the battle. Yes, God intervenes, but we also do our part along with prayer and faith. We do what we are capable of doing. Now let's go to the New Testament. Jesus gave a number of interesting parables, and many of them have a theme of individuals doing what they can while having faith that God will help them at the same time. Let's see one example here, the parable of the unjust judge, one that we're probably familiar with. Luke chapter 18 and verse 1.

The parable of the unjust judge. Luke 18.1. Then he spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Be consistent. Be committed. Go to your father in prayer. Verse 2 saying, there wasn't a certain city of judge who did not fear God nor regard man.

That sounds like our federal judiciary, but that's another sermon for another time. A certain judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city, and she came to him saying, get justice for me from my adversary. Judge, I'm being wronged, and I want you to rule in my favor.

It says he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, because she keeps coming back. She keeps making the same request all over again. Frankly, she is a pest, but she's persistent.

And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, though I do not fear God nor regard man, because this widow troubles me, because she's a pest and she's not going to go away, I will avenge her. I'll rule in her favor. Less by her continual coming she weary. She wears me down, wears me out. In this parable, the woman continually comes before the cynical judge.

In time she wears him down, and he rules in her favor. The powerless widow did the only thing she was capable of doing. Over and over again, she pleaded her cause to the indifferent, uncaring judge, and in time he gave in to her. What's the message behind this? She did what she was capable of doing. Now, because she was a widow, about the only thing she could do was pray and go before the judge, and ask the judge over and over and over again for help. What she did, what she was capable of doing. Of course, this parable is a metaphor for a spiritual lesson. That is to keep praying for something important to you, and don't ever give up if it's truly important to you. If an unjust judge can be worn down by constant pleas, just think how much more quickly a loving father will hear our prayers and respond speedily to our request and to our needs.

Now, sometimes you cannot do anything to help yourself. Sometimes, aside from prayer, there may be absolutely nothing you can do, and that may be due to poor health. Maybe you're just so sick, there's you don't have the energy or the strength or the vitality to do virtually anything. Maybe you're just under difficult circumstances where there's literally zero options for you to do except talk to God about it.

Then what? Well, God helps those who are utterly helpless. That's also a biblical principle. Isaiah chapter 25 and verse 3. If you'll turn there with me, Isaiah 25 verse 3. God helps those who help themselves. And if all that we can do is pray about the situation, if we have no other options, and if praying about the situation is all that we can do, God honors that. He loves that. He respects that. He responds to that. Isaiah 25 verse 3. Therefore, the strong people that is the elites, the people who were crushing Israelite society, who were punished, the strong people will glorify you. The city of terrible nations who once were mighty and powerful will fear you. For you have been a strength to the poor. That's exactly what God is. A strength to the needy in his distress. A refuge from the storm. A shade from the heat toward the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against a wall. In other words, cruel people will attack suddenly like a sudden storm. But when they do, God gives strength to the poor, to the needy in distress, and God is our refuge.

When we're dealing with an issue or problem, the first thing we need to do is get down in prayer, talk to God about it, and ask ourselves after prayer, what is it that I can do on my part? What is it that I'm capable of doing about this problem, this issue, this challenge going on in my life? Sometimes, again, due to health or difficult life circumstances or zero options, there's nothing that we can do except prayer. And again, in these situations, this is sufficient, and God will certainly respond. God often helps those who cannot help themselves, and that is what grace is all about. Yet the scriptures also show us that if there is something that we can do personally, we should do everything we physically can do. Why? Because if there is something that we can do, God helps those who help themselves.

Mark chapter 7 and verse 24. Mark chapter 7 and verse 24. Jesus goes to a predominantly Gentile area to preach. It says, from there he arose and he went to the region of Tyre and Sidon, again, which is a Gentile area, and he entered a house and he wanted no one to know it, but he could not be here. He just wanted a little time to be alone. Like the scriptures say, after John the Baptist was beheaded, he went out into the wilderness just to be alone for a while. He was human like you and I are. Sometimes he just needed some alone time and some space, but that never worked for him because word soon got around that the Christ was there. Verse 25. For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spear heard about him, and she came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she kept asking him to cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus said to her, quote, Let the children be filled first, speaking of the children of Israel, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to little dogs. Now, no matter how you try to soften that, that's not what you would call a warm and fuzzy comment when you are being likened to a little dog.

What Jesus is saying, in essence, is my first priority. My ministry is centered around serving the descendants of Israel. Let's continue. Verse 28. She answered and said him, Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs. That was a positive comment.

She passed the test. Her attitude was right. Jesus was impressed with what she says.

And he said to her, for this saying, Go your way, the demon is gone out of your daughter. And when she'd come to her house, she found a demon gone out and her daughter lying on the bed. What is this woman doing? She is personally doing everything she can to get her daughter healed from an evil spirit. She doesn't simply leave it to prayer. I don't even know how well she knew the God of Israel being a Gentile. But she knows that she can do more than that. She can die. She decided she wasn't just going to send a messenger with a request. She didn't give up when she was first told, No, thank you. She didn't expect others to do what she could do herself.

She put one foot in front of the other, sought out the Christ, and patiently reasoned with him.

And her prayer was heard because of her effort. God helped her, who was willing to help herself and come to God and make the request and not take no for an answer. Mark, Matthew 8 and verse 5.

It says, Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion, a Roman officer, came to him, pleading with him, saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented. And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man under authority. Jesus was under authority to the Father. He could relate to this. Having soldiers under me, and I say to this one, Go, when he goes, and I say to another, Come, and he comes, and to my servant, Do this, and he does that. When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those who followed assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel. All the Jewish scribes and rabbis wanted to do was argue with Jesus all the time. Look for loopholes, rather than just have a simple faith. What is this centurion doing? He is personally doing everything he can to get his servant physically healed. Again, I don't even know if he understands the God of Israel, or praying to the God of Israel, but he knows he can do more than that. He didn't send a messenger with the request. He didn't expect others to do what he could do himself. At great risk to his reputation, you can imagine the things that would have been said if he would have agreed that Jesus would go back to this army encampment and heal his servant. The other Roman officers, oh, look at that! He's following this Jewish rabbi. Our centurion, our leader, is becoming a Jew.

It's rather than praying to Roman gods, he's going to this Jewish rabbi for guidance and healing and prayer. That's great risk he's taking to even show up here and have this conversation with Jesus Christ. He had risked to his reputation, but you know what he did? He put one foot in front of the other, he sought out the Christ, and he pleaded for his servant to be healed, and his pleading was heard because of his effort. And Jesus said in verse 13, he said to the centurion, go your way, and as you have believed, so let it be done for you. And his servant was healed that same hour.

God helped his centurion because he demonstrated his faith by what he did. In my life, I found many religious people who practice one of two different extremes. One is to pray about a difficult situation and then do nothing themselves, even though they're fully capable of doing something about the situation. Sometimes they expect other people to do everything for them, and they're fully capable of doing it themselves. Some examples that I've seen are health situations.

I've known people that have very serious health situations, and what do they do about it? They do absolutely nothing. They're getting sick, they feel sick for months, they could go to a doctor, and hey, it's your life. You can choose to go to a doctor or not go to a doctor. You're a free moral, or in some of our cases, free immoral agent. We can choose to go to a doctor, not go to a doctor, pray about it, not pray about it, have faith or not have faith. But doesn't it make sense that if you only want to pray about it, that you at least get a diagnosis so you know exactly what to pray about? But I've known people who just absolutely refuse to do that, who refuse to make changes in their lives. I knew a situation of someone who had lung cancer and continued smoking, went to chemotherapy, God was merciful, complete remission.

To the day they died, no changes. Just continuing to do the same things and not doing what they are capable of doing about a disease. I've known people with serious personal problems. They needed marital counseling, professional marital counseling. I've known people who need professional therapy because they are messed up. Would they do it? No. Too proud, too arrogant, too much of the know-it-all to get the help that they need.

And general life challenges. I remember a gentleman years ago, I was asked by a pastor to help someone who was unemployed. So I sat down with him. Well, jot down on a piece of paper a few of the jobs you've had and I will create a resume for you that'll knock their socks off. That you can go in and job interviews and you can really impress them. Next week, he didn't bring it. Two weeks later, he didn't bring it. A month later, he hadn't brought it. Why? Because he thought that just praying about it, you see, he didn't believe in God. He believed in a genie who was going to wave his magic wand. And hello? Well, yes, the presidency of the United States is available soon.

Well, I qualify. Well, thank you very much. Oh, and have a good day. That's how he thought he was going to get a job. And if you're unemployed and you need work, if you're looking for work, God bless you. Certainly pray about it. Then get off of your knees and do what you are capable of doing. And that means sending out resumes. That means making phone calls. That means networking with people. It means doing everything that's possible. Because if you're unemployed, your full-time job is to find a job. That's what the Bible is teaching us here, brethren, and that is so very important. Now, the other extreme that I've seen—that was the first extreme—the other extreme I've seen is to totally, totally leave God out of the picture and to try to do it themselves. They don't pray about it. They don't talk to anyone in the church about it. They don't network with anyone. Don't talk to anyone. Don't get any counseling. They're going to do it themselves. I did it my way. And we read earlier in Proverbs chapter 28 and verse 26, if we think that way, we are a fool. Some people depend on their own self-reliance, and self-reliance is not a Christian principle. Colossians chapter 3 and verse 23, take a look at something Paul says here.

And whatever you do, do it hardly as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. So Paul's telling this congregation that whatever they do in life, do two things. One, do it with enthusiasm. It's the Greek word sukei, and it means out of the soul. It means passionately, with vibrance.

Do it with great enthusiasm and joy and vibrancy, whatever it is you do in life. And number two, do it in concert with God's will. You do it as to the Lord. This is yet another example of God doing his part and our opportunity to do our part to live a fulfilling life. In 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 23, again I won't turn there, but Paul had learned somewhere along the line that Timothy has stomach disorder. And let me tell you that much of the water in the Roman Empire at that time was fested. There are no antibiotics. People don't understand germs and bacteria. And in the same river they're drinking from, someone's going poo 30 feet down the river bank. And it was very easy to get sick. And obviously, Timothy has a bad stomach problem, could be a bacteria or a virus. And what does Paul tell him to do? He tells him to drink a little wine. Don't drink water alone, but drink a little wine for your stomach's sake. What's Paul doing by example? He's saying, Timothy, certainly pray about this and I'll be praying about it, but do what you can do. Do what you're capable of doing. And that was drinking a little wine and assuming the alcohol content would neutralize the bacteria that's in this poor guy's stomach and causing these issues that he has. You know, Paul was very fortunate in Colossians chapter 4 and verse 14. He refers to his traveling companion, Luke, as a beloved physician.

I don't have that luxury. I have to actually go to a doctor and sit in a waiting room and go through and ask, can I see your insurance card? It's the same insurance card the last 800 times you asked for it. Could I scan your card? Okay, that's enough. That's out of my system. I feel much better now.

But Paul was fortunate enough to have a physician that he could talk to when he had a problem.

There was someone he could talk to to get advice and do what he could do. James chapter 2 and verse 14, slightly different concept, but what I want to point out here is there's more to faith, is what James is going to point out, than just praying about something. James is basically going to say the whole theme of this sermon today. If there's something you can do along with prayer, get off your knees and do it. Stop making excuses. Stop treating God like he's a genie.

You watched too many Disney movies as a child.

And do what you can do about the situation. James chapter 2 and verse 14, what does it profit my brother and if someone says he has faith but does not have work, if he doesn't do anything about it, can faith save him if a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food? And one of you says to him, I'll pray about it. Depart in peace. Be warmed and filled.

I hope you're feeling better soon. What does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, if there isn't something you're doing that you're capable of doing, it is dead.

Verse 18, but someone will say you have faith and I have works. James says show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works. In other words, to paraphrase it, I will show you my faith by prayer and doing what I am capable of doing. That's what James' response would be in a modern phraseology. Verse 19, you believe there is one God, that's really great. And you tell me that you have faith because you believe there's a God. Even the demons know there's a God. So what he's saying is big deal. Even the demons believe and they tremble about that.

So there's more to it than just belief, approximation about how much we know God or love God or pray about something. Verse 20, but do you want to know, oh foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac on the altar?

Do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect? Our prayers about a difficult situation are working together with us doing everything we can possibly do about that situation. And together, our prayers and God helping those who help themselves gives us the answers to some of the most difficult problems that we face in life.

Verse 23, and the scripture was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works and again he's going back to the fact that Abraham did everything to follow through what God told him to do. Abraham didn't expect God to take Isaac to the site he was to be sacrificed. He didn't expect God to gather the wood. He didn't expect God to lay him on top of the wood. He didn't expect God to do all these things. Abraham had to put one foot in front of the other and do his part.

Are we doing that, brethren? Or have we been stuckered by the Disney world that God is some kind of genie, some kind of vending machine, and all we need to do is pray about something and pull the handle and the good thing comes out without doing anything that we're capable of doing.

You see then, this is verse 24, that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. So James teaches that genuine faith is more than uttering words or a proclamation. Real faith is also taking initiative. This is true in our own lives and in our opportunity to help other people. Along with prayer and our good wishes and encouraging words, along with that is the supreme importance of doing what we can that shows we have a living faith doing our part. Final scripture, Mark 2 and verse 3. Mark 2 and verse 3.

This is an example of others doing what they can to help us.

This is a good example of those who demonstrated their faith and their desire for answered prayer by actually doing something about a difficult situation. Mark chapter 2 and verse 3. Then they came to him, speaking to Jesus, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. A man is totally paralyzed. And when they could not come near him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. And so when they had broken through, they let him down on the bed on which the paralytic was lying. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven you. I want you to notice the man himself is helpless. And God helps those who are helpless.

He's a paralytic. There's nothing more that he can do except pray about his situation.

God respects that. As I stated earlier, God helps those who cannot help themselves. And that's what grace is all about. But I want you to notice it's different for his friends. They are capable of doing something because they couldn't get near Jesus and get his attention. They did nothing less than carry his bed up on a roof. That had to be a challenge. Without him falling out of the bed, I mean, I mean, I could do that, but the person fall out of the bed. Then they had to go and make a hole in the roof. And then with some kind of rope or something, while Jesus is probably talking, this bed comes out of the ceiling. Here's this man laying on this bed. They made a hole in the roof and dropped down the man on his bed in front of Jesus before the crowd. His friends did more than just pray about it. They did more than just think happy thoughts about it. They were capable of doing something themselves. And that's exactly what they did. Their example is a good lesson for us today.

So does God help those who help themselves? For those who have a relationship with God and go to Him as their Father, God gives aid to those who do what they are capable of doing. On the other hand, God helps those who cannot help themselves because He has great mercy and compassion and is their defender. Brethren, we all need our Father's guidance and direction and prayerful communication in everything that we do. So with this definition clear that we've discussed today, let's do what we are capable of doing when we face a problem or an issue. Or when someone we know where love is facing a problem or an issue, let's do what we're capable of doing along with prayer, which is good and wonderful because the truth is that God does help those who help themselves.

Have a wonderful Sabbath day.