Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Most scholars, and scientists
especially, believe strongly in an underlying cause of the
events which occur in the earth. While they would set forth this
truth, they would, with very little exception, deny that the
sovereign God of the universe is the first cause of all events
in the earth, the heavens, and regions known and unknown to
men. By nature, man takes great delight in his supposed mastery
over his own fate and only acknowledges the hand of God in occurrences
for which he has no better explanation. He might refer to God's intervention
from time to time as if all things just go along like a child's
wind-up toy until he intervenes to remedy this or that situation.
This is a very foolish view, since the Lord Himself declares,
I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil.
I, the Lord, do all these things, declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. I have purposed
it. I will also do it. Paul writes
to the Thessalonians about a power or cause over which man has no
control. The word that he uses to describe
this powerful and irresistible force is effectual working. In the original Greek, the word
which is used in the King James Version is energeo, which literally
means active and efficient. It is the root word from which
our English word energy is derived. Paul writes concerning the cause
of his rejoicing, which he says is a result of his observation
of the power of the Word of God, which manifested itself in those
that were given ears to hear. This Word did not simply go in
one ear and out the other, nor did they regard the truth which
Paul was enabled to deliver them as the mere words of men. Rather,
they embraced the truth for what it was, the Word of God. When
the Lord is pleased to open the heart of a man to receive the
truth, he will cleave to it and be as that good ground which
the Lord spoke of in His parable of the sower. But others fell
unto good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold,
some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. The Lord described this effectual
working to Isaiah. For as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give
seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall my word
be that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto
me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I send it. We do not know every
thought or purpose which the Lord shall bring to pass in the
course of demonstrating His saving work in His elect children, but
He is pleased to manifest His work in them by an effectual
working. He does not hope or try to draw His people to Himself.
Rather, He does so by His mighty power. We see this same concept
declared by Peter on the day of Pentecost. For the promise
is unto you and to your children, and to all that are far off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call. The Lord's promise
is not a conditional offer of blessing, which He leaves up
to man to take advantage of. He who makes the promise also
fulfills the promise and those to whom the promise is given.
He does so by an effectual working of His Word, applied through
the power of His Spirit, who awakens those dead in trespasses
and sins, causing them to hear the Word of God. The outcome
of that calling is never in doubt, for it is indeed an effectual
calling. Did he not say, My sheep hear
my voice, and I know them, and they follow me? And I give unto
them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hand. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out. He is both the giver and the
fulfiller of his own promise. Preaching without this power,
effectually working, is no true preaching at all, but is mere
entertainment or a religious exercise which cannot profit
those who sit under it. Men cannot cause this power to
be present, and men cannot prevent it either. Neither can the carnal
abilities of men either enhance it, nor their ignorance diminish
it. The Lord may work in the mighty wind, or he may be pleased
to minister to his elect in a still small voice. Regardless of the
fashion or circumstance in which he is pleased to manifest his
power, he will bring his purpose to pass, and will humble sinners
in the dust, and cause them to praise him. Is my hand shortened
at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver?
Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. The Lord Jesus Christ
is that one who is revealed in the gospel, of which Paul said,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God unto everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek. Has He wrought effectually in
you? Do you receive the Word of God as it is in truth? For
a free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.