Address

1 Corinthians 2:9
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Address—C. Kohler
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The return the First Corinthians.
And the night of work.
But as it is written.
I have not seen, nor hear heard. He would have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them as loving, but God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.
Positive. Expect us all things, Yeah, the deep things of God.
As we read these words.
A reminder that God, who is infinite, sees things.
And plan things and bring to fruition his plans even though we cannot see how.
Or understand just why.
But God has his own reasons.
And his own way of bringing his thoughts to pass.
Could we have thought when reading of Adam and Eve in the garden, fresh from the hand of God? Lovely creatures, both of them.
Yes, as lovely as it could be.
I'm innocent, pure.
Could we think that?
A little thing, a little matter of just a few.
Letters which spell such a difference.
As we find today.
Everywhere today we find corruption.
And violence.
And their people, and turning after the follies of this life here below, and counting the world as of greatest importance. The future means nothing to them. Could we think that such ruin would have been brought into a scene like this?
Or could we have thought or that when this ruin came in, God had?
Fully set aside his way and his thoughts and his purpose. Under he met every condition which existed.
Could we think of such a thing?
We saw the whole race brought down into ruin. Show Adamson.
Under we might have said, well, the whole thing spoilers no good.
Not so with God. It gave God an opportunity to step in and show.
How, in spite of the ruins, how he could continue this purpose and develop something so far more lovely than we had any idea?
We plant a seed or a bulb, but it doesn't look to be much.
But eventually I always see it come up above the ground.
We see it form itself into.
Perhaps a boy and very shortly little buds, and the next thing we know it's beautifully covered with flowers.
Always. If we had not seen this phenomena before, it would be amazing to us.
But we've become accustomed to it because we see it every year.
But could we think that God, instead of being frustrated in his purpose to bring about a scene with her?
With people that he was going to take the light in.
On fine Satan come in and ruin the whole thing, could we think that God would be able to undo the work of the devil?
And without his purpose, with that purpose would be far grander than we had any idea on.
Yet, such as the case, we have gone.
Who has his own purpose, and nothing can possibly hinder his accomplishing his will.
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Under as far as man is concerned, with his fortunate mind, he doesn't grasp.
Are these things even when he's told he can't visualize them?
Until we have this word, I have not seen.
Your heart.
Neither have it entered in the heart of them.
The things which God has prepared.
For them that love him, some of the things around the borders that we see.
Are exceedingly lovely.
And the Lord Jesus took note of these things too. Do you remember how in the 12Th chapter of Luke he says consider?
The lilies, how they grow.
They trial not.
They spill not.
Are they lovely? Are they pure? Are they present? Yes. So much so, he says. Yet, Solomon.
And all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wonderful.
Solomon represents the very heights of.
Magnificent that a man may rise to.
The wisest man of this day. The wealthiest man when the Queen of Sheba came.
To hear his wisdom and the sea, this man of whom she heard.
Like you had to say.
The half has not been told me.
I thought the soul.
Brought to us and still in the presence of such magnificence. And yet, here's a Lily.
In the field, a creature of a day.
I'll shine everything.
That Solomon ever displayed.
Considerable knowledge how they grow.
The trial. Now there's the Lord if Solomon and all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
I like to think of the Blessed Lord when He was here, surrounding himself with what kind of people?
See that 8th chapter of Luke.
And what we find.
These 12, most of them were fishermen.
And there were certain women.
And we found one of them out of school with cash. Seven devils.
It says of what kind of a?
Our company is this How could the Lord?
Have surrounded himself with that kind of people, but that's his way, that's what he does.
In the words of Hannah's prayer, he lifts the poor arm of the death and the better of the Dome. He'll just set them among Princess. This is God's nobility.
Could we say that God was going to take up?
There were some creatures down here.
And hit them for that coming glory that he was going to happen in his house up there.
Yet that's God's way.
The very ruin that was brought into this world gives God the opportunity to show how much greater and grander His thoughts are on His power too, and the loveliness of His grace and goodness.
Until we get to know God.
Could we think that in order to bring about a remedy like this and a blessing that God?
Would step down from his throne.
And take upon him human form. And here he lay.
In this Manger, in the inn, or outside of the inn, there was no room for them in the inn, but in what sometimes is stable, could we think that the Lord of glory lay there in that little?
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Danger.
Could we say that in him, in this babe, were the issues of life and death?
We're told that he opposed sustains, that all things subsist together by him. Could we think it's possible?
This little babe.
In a Manger.
With a mighty God, come down.
Shall we, shall we find that he was a mighty God come down to this place, a wonderful love of God? Could we think that God was going to love such a miserable life like ourselves?
And yet God commends his love towards him, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, not when we were noble and wise and intelligent, and.
Good. No, there were no such people. And if there were such people.
Or their friend, they would show these centers, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Could we think that the blessed Lord that came down here in order that he might have such great cause to himself going to the cross to die, that poor rebel sellers might be friends with their guilt and made ****?
To be with himself in Yonder glory. Could we think that God would take a poor, guilty, wretched preacher such as you, such as me, and make us fit for his home up there?
Equal with the Angel? No, Far beyond the angels. Angels Can't Sing the song that Christian can sing. They can't say he died for me.
Angels.
Perhaps never saw their Maker until they saw him lying in that Manger, the little babe. What wonder an angel's desire to look into these things.
Could we think?
All that, all this was connected with the coming of the blessed Lord into this world.
Yet such is the fact when he came.
Heaven acclaimed him.
Angel hosts came to those shepherds on the hill in Luke 2.
And declared that it was glory to God in the fire.
And yet, when they found this babe, they found him in the lowest place.
Can we read it in or that he made himself of no reputation?
I just quote the elbow felt Bible. In that case he made himself to nothing.
So next.
And so here was the mighty God come down, and made himself nothing at all, in order that he might be able to.
Save our souls and make us fit for those heavenly cross above.
How foolish are those who sing I want to be an Angel.
I don't want to be an Angel.
No, indeed.
They haven't enjoyed the place, but they are servants and God isn't making servants.
Could we think that instead of taking poor man and bringing him into judgment because of his guilt, that it was God?
Purpose chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we shall be holy.
And without blame before him and love God's children.
Holy and without blame before him in love.
Oh, I think God's ways are surpassing knowledge.
You can't understand a God who acts as He does. As a matter of fact, he tells us in the 64th chapter of Isaiah in connection with his very scripture. For this is a quotation comment.
He says I have not seen your ear, head of a God beside thee, who acts for him, who waits for him. I think that's lovely if the soul is brought to a point where it doesn't know what to do and it comes before God.
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Uncast itself upon him. God asked for him. God asked for those that wait.
For him, we couldn't understand that kind of thing. We'd say, well, we don't deserve it, of course we don't.
We'll never be able to say that we deserve any of God's mercies.
But we'll always marvel at the riches of his grace.
To think that God then would step out of all.
Of all reasoning completely.
I would open up the way wide for us to enter into.
His rich blessing.
And we were just speaking about this little company in the east of Luke that surrounded him.
Under there a modern little company, if we may put it that way.
And what does he surround himself with now?
People just like that.
With no more to commend themselves than they had.
And were often times down here.
Just weak little accompanies.
And we sent you a few. Yes, we are a few.
And we feel our feebleness.
Our dependence upon him.
And yet I've often thought of it by this.
In the third chapter, Malachi.
When all Israel had gone astray.
And when?
Even the priests of the Lord would need a terrific purging in the very first few verses of that third chapter. And we come down to the 16th chapter verse of that chapter and we find there's several few, just a little handful. David feared the Lord.
And that's not his name. Thought upon these things, they came together.
Little companies.
Weakness, but God writing a book about them, I think that's wonderful.
God wrote a book, He heartened. He heard what they were saying, and he saw what they were doing.
And he sat down and he wrote a book.
And then adds to it, and they shall be mined, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my treasure.
Or my jewels.
Treasure, I understand, is the right word there.
So when God makes up his traitor that which he can't work something, it takes these fuel that come together.
In days of detention.
On that piece of fun these things and think upon his name.
Bonnie says they shall be mine in their day when I make up my pleasure. You think that the Lord does not feel the same way when just a little company here and a little company there, and some other little company have turned their backs upon everything that boasts of men?
Just to be with himself.
Just to have himself before us, just to go on.
In grateful remembrance of His love and of His kindness. Don't you think that the blessed Lord rejoices to see this? Oh, I'm sure he does.
And then there's a scripture in the second chapter of Hebrews. We needn't turn into it. We know the words. Most of us here do very well.
But then he says.
Behold, I and the children God had given me.
Now I apprehend that what is meant there is this.
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She wouldn't have come and taken his own up to meet him on the cloud.
They won't be just a little handful here and a little handful over there. No, there will be a tremendous host.
Such as the little realize.
For all the redeemed are going to be in that company.
A tremendous company.
And when the blessed Lord looks at these, what does he find? Evidence of? Weakness.
Evidences of sorrow, Discouragement. No. No.
Because when the Lord comes, there's going to be a remarkable changes take place.
A wonderful change.
And.
John tells us in his epistle question the third chapter. Beloved now, are we the children of God?
It turns not yet until what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.
For we shall see him as he is.
Like him? Yes, like him.
Upon all the glory rest now from his conference the glory of God shines forth.
Who is crowned with many crowns?
Object that is adored all the heavenly hopes.
And he's going to see everyone of God's children like himself.
What a wonderful change that's going to be.
When we are changed into His likeness.
Under we need not wonder at it, because he exercises the power by which he's able to do all things unto himself.
That in the third chapter 13 and we shall be changed, this body of humiliation.
Give slides to a body of glory.
And so the blessed Lord, when He looks upon all His redeemed ones, a glorious company, every heart manifest in the outstanding of His continent, all rejoicing.
With the Lord.
And filled with his beauty.
You do a wonderful scene.
There will be a million of those of us around the blessed Lord.
And that prove to the whole universe, especially the Angel host, the triumph of God's grace.
And His goodness and the blessed result of the finished work of Christ.
So, and Isaiah 53 will read, he shall see the travel of the soul, of the fruit of the travel of his soul, and shall be satisfied when he looks upon that company up there, redeemed and in his own blessed likeness.
No wonder he's happy. No wonder he's satisfied.
This he has accomplished through the work of the Cross.
Could we think, as we look at that cross, with its shame and its indignity, with its sorrow and anguish, with the darkness there, would we think it was going to end up in the glory like this?
Yet that's God's purpose.
The worth of Satan has been undone.
His power has been broken.
All we have been redeemed are some of our company. As we look at that cross with its shame and its indignity, with its sorrow and anguish, with the darkness there, what we think it was going to end up in the glory like this.
Yet that's God's purpose.
The worth of Satan has been undone. His power has been broken.
All these have been redeemed out from our company.
Of those who were lost in darkness, and God has been manifested to them. There they are with the very nature of God. There they are in the very glory of Christ, like himself. And he can say, I behold I and the children.
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God has given me, and then he's going to bring them into the Father's house. This radiant company, a glorious company. You realize you and I are going to be part of that company.
You realize that we are going to be by Himself, brought into the Father's house and presented there.
Waiting in his own glory.
While his communist put up on us.
All he is shared with us.
Except, of course, is deity. I don't mean that I'm buying now to him as a man.
And could we think that this is the destiny that God has purposed predestined?
In eternity to be conformed to the image of his Son.
It's not just that we've been predestined.
But we've been predestined for a purpose.
It's not just simply that we've been chosen, but we've been chosen for a purpose.
And the purpose must be born in mind, and in every case we find that Christ is to have the honored place and be surrounded with a company that's just as glorious and just as wonderful in their appearance as their Lord.
And so that is what Christians are looking forward to.
Not just simply the forgiveness of our sins. Those sins have been forgiven and forgotten.
But here is something that will never be forgotten.
Here is something that will be realigned to enjoyed through our endless phase.
Oh, I think God's ways are just wonderful.
When we think again of another thing.
And that is God, blessed Lord, has given us assurances, not simply that we're going to be with Himself.
I like himself, wonderful as as this is, but also that for faithfulness in our service down here in our walking ways, it's going to be reward, he's going to be able to say.
What is the fruit of His grace? No doubt well done, good and faithful servant.
As a thou is the joy of thy Lord. What a wonderful thing that will be.
Are you and I seeking our utmost?
To Seoul meet with his approval now that in that coming day he will show that approval.
In his loving.
Breaking to each one of us saying well done.
Good and faithful servant, you and I will look at our pathways and we say, well, I made a miserable batch of it.
I would that I could have made a better job under WE.
Deprecate.
Poor efforts down here.
But it's wonderful to him that we're making any effort at all.
There are those around us everywhere who have no interest in the things of Christ.
And if there's any evidence otherwise, it's fruit of the grace of our God that works in us. So if in anything, you and I are well pleasing to him here, it's the result of his own grace, of his own operation in our soul. Could we have realized all that?
When?
When sin abounded, wasted much more abound. But not only that, but that God was going to give to us his Holy Spirit, in order that we might do those things which are pleasing to Him, and then reward us as if we wrap them up, and purpose them of our own accord.
God ways us simply wonderful.
Under this though understanding the goodness and grace of the God Death, who is called as to His eternal glory, He is the God of all grace and his callers, whose eternal glory by Christ Jesus.
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And though we may pass on through the sin, and we may have trials and difficulties.
Yet after that we have suffered a while. He strengthens.
Establishes us. It's in order that we might learn his ways and walk in his path and endure for his sake. And then there's the crown. Don't let us forget there's been a crown. Where there's a faithful service will be the crown. And he bids us.
To hold things fast that no man take off crowns. What are we going to have crowns? Yes, there will be crowns given. Some say, oh, I'm not interested in crowns. Well, I am. I'm very much interested in it. Not that I have something that I can boast about, but just think of the love of the blessed Lord when he gives the crown.
And.
Faced his approval. We've pleased him. We've done what he has desired of us.
And having served him and served him, as he says, well, in spite of all our stumblings, won't it be worth something to you, something to me, to have him pass his commendation on us or to mean a great deal to me?
As to the crowns, I'd like to have as much as I can to lay at his feet.
That He is so worthy, and it is such a joy just as attributing him all the grace, and all the goodness, and all the love. Yes, under lay at his feet every crown of that he might give.
Oh, I think these things are worthwhile and we must not just pass them by as though they meant nothing to us. They mean a great deal. They will in that coming day if we're well pleasing to him of the hazardous approval.
We'll remember that all through eternity. There'll be lots of things that we'll forget.
And he'll want us to forget the things connected with his Earth life. But there will be some things that we'll never forget.
And one of those will be when our blessed Lord greets us and approves our pathway here. Though we felt we stumbled and failed in so many ways yet to have His approval. I think that would be well worth having.
All we need to just encourage ourselves a little bit down here with the thought of coming.
Glory, less occupation with our difficulties, less occupation with people round about us. So we're to be concerned for them to to love them.
Yet on the other hand, more occupied with what is well pleasing to the Lord.
Well, these are some of the things that come before one in connection with this verse I have not seen.
Your ear heard neither of entered into the heart of land of things which God has prepared for them that love him.
And now that we might know them, God has revealed these things to us by His Spirit. Why would God reveal these things to us if He didn't want us to know them?
Why would he make us to know these things if they were unimportant?
They are not all important, they are very important.
And so we find it here, that God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things a the deep things of God.
Well, what does that mean? Does that mean that the Spirit of God doesn't know the mind of God and that he has to search this book? Why the Spirit of God wrote this book?
He knows every word in it. If he searches this book, why does he? I'll tell you, he wants you to know. He wants me to know what this book says. And he uses your eyes and my eyes to search the book.
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And that's very important.
That's a little lesson that I learned a good many years ago when I went out to help somebody who's preaching the gospel on the street, I suppose.
Understood wise and I took a handful of tracks down with me.
To give out and so to help this little work for the man seen to be open for the true to my dismay.
He spoke about closing the saloon on the corner.
And they closed up three other salons before it.
And here is a small company standing around listening. But they knew all about the evils of drink. They knew all about the evils of the saloon.
They knew all about this kind of thing.
Under they didn't show much interest, they just stood there.
And I thought so grieved over it, that though I had never spoken in public, I turned to John Three and I read the 1St 20 verses.
And as I was reading, that thought about doubled. They knew all about the salons. They knew all about the evil. They won't know what was in the book. And people do want to know what was in what is in the book. And we want to know it too. We want to be occupied with what God is written. He opens our eyes.
To read these things and understand them, that's what the Spirit of God searches. He uses your eyes and mine. I'll take again another thing.
When the Lord was here, how many errands of mercy we find him on?
How many gracious things for the poor and the needy he hasn't stopped?
He often uses your feet to carry you to a place where.
You can also help some poor troubled soul.
He may use your hands to minister to someones need.
He does these things.
And he uses his people, they are his instruments down here now to promote his interests.
And when we are within staff in the glory.
And he acknowledges what has been done for him.
Well, it will be just wonderful.
I think that this is one of the things that we've given very little thought to. We ought to give a good deal more thought to. In what way can we bring glory to this blessed man who did so much for us?
And if our hearts desire to do this, and we wait upon Him apart, He will use us. And when He uses us?
He will also reward us for it.
I think that's lovely. I think we should be concerned about these things.
And perhaps we are, to some extent, but we probably need to be every once in a while reminded.
Of what it means to him.
And then when we come to the last chapter, that is the 19th chapter of Revelation, I shouldn't have said in 19 in the last chapter, but the 19th chapter we find.
God, blessed Lord, fixes again as the Lamb.
In Revelation, he pictured that way. He's the Lamb. In the first chapter, he's the Lamb as it had been slain. That comes in and takes the book. It's a book of judgment. But now in the 19th chapters, the Lamb that has a marriage.
And it tells us his wife has made herself ready and not a her was granted.
That she should be arrayed in fine linen, pure and white.
For the fine linen is the righteousness of the Saints, that is, all the things which his people have done down here, in which they have served him, and which he can own and confess before a holy angels.
So I'm going to be displayed.
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In this glorious moment when the Lamb wife who has made herself ready, is there with the Lord.
The companion then for Jesus, from him, for him, made glory of God, grace forever.
There in US displays.
It'll be a wonderful day when we are with our blessed Lord and when all the things that have been written are fully realized.
And accomplished.
Well, that's what we have before us, unless what the Lord would remind us of to encourage our hearts to go on with Himself.
It says, I have not seen, fear hath not heard, neither has it entered in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them and loving.
But God has given us a foretaste. Now He revealed these things to us by His Spirit. If now we see us through a glass darkly, then we shall see face to face. We'll realize fully what it all means.
And we shall know.
As also we are known precious promises the word of God gives us.
To show us.
Other gain that faces stored. We've just taken him at his word and we've just put ourselves at his feet like Mary of old.
And our hearts have been filled as housewives, and again and again, as Mary came to his blessed feet in the day when Elizabeth was dead, and then afterward.
With a Alabaster box appointment.
This is a figure for us too. We're to bring our Alabama the boxes appointment that to his feet.
And he alone deserves.
The blessedness and the fragrance of all these things which he's accomplished through his own death and by his blessed Holy Spirit.
And as we've often thought of Merry appreciate Blank his feet with her hair.
Carrying away more fragments than she ever had in her life before.
Just because She had poured it all out upon Him, did so with us. Could we understand that when we worship and praise Him, it beautifies our whole nature, our whole way down here? Wonderful are all His ways of grace.
All His ways of loveliness, you and I will walk in His fear. We serve Him and we become like Him. We gaze up in the glory and we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And as we're occupied with Him, we become more like Him.
We see Jesus, they tell us in Hebrews. God tells us in Hebrews. We see Jesus.
Yes, we do see him.
Our hearts are lifted up. We see no man anymore.
Save Jesus only.
What an encouragement to us. Well, very shortly we're going to see him face to face.
Very shortly we're going to know what it is to be passed to his own bosom.
And receive that blessed One.
Thank Him with all our heart of His goodness to us. May we thank Him with our walk in our ways down here.
May we thank him with our loving service.
To him who loved us and served us so wonderfully.
Even with his.
Dreadful.
Sad and death from the cross.