that the believer has in Christ,
only in Christ. Everything God has for sinners
is in Christ, nowhere else. Not in Crees, not in doctrines,
not in Popes, not in Joseph Smiths, not in preachers, pastors. Everything
he has for a sinner is found in Christ. God has all of His eggs in one
basket, so to speak. that if you find Christ, you've
found it all. Lamentations 3 and one verse,
verse 24, The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will
I hope in Him. The Lord is my portion. That
word in the Hebrew is allotment. And we're going to look at that.
Numbers chapter 18. Turn to Numbers chapter 18. One
verse, verse 20. Numbers 18, verse 20. And the Lord spake unto Aaron,
Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt
thou have any part among them. I am, says God, thy part and
thine inheritance among the children of Israel." I am Aaron the high
priest. Turn to Deuteronomy chapter 10. Deuteronomy chapter 10. You remember when the Israelites
were going to go over into Canaan, that He was divvying all the
lands to the different tribes. But the tribe of Levi, they didn't
get any land. They didn't get any land. Deuteronomy
10 and verse 9, Wherefore Levi, he's of the tribe The Levites,
the high priests, where the priests came from, hath no part nor inheritance
with his brethren. You're not going to get anything.
The Lord is his inheritance according as the Lord thy God promised
him. Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy
18 verses 1 and 2. The priests, the Levites, and
all the tribe of Levi shall have no part nor inheritance with
Israel. They shall eat the offerings
of the Lord made by fire and His inheritance. Therefore shall
they have no inheritance among their brethren. The Lord is their
inheritance as He hath said unto them." Joshua chapter 13. Joshua chapter 13. And verse 14. Joshua 13. Verse 14. Only unto the tribe
of Levi He gave none inheritance. This is Joshua speaking of Moses
and the Lord. The sacrifices of the Lord God
of Israel made by fire are their inheritance as He said unto them.
You don't get any land. You get no possession, no possession. And in verse 33 of the same chapter,
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not an inheritance. The
Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as He said unto
them. Ezekiel 44. Ezekiel 44. And verse 28 of Ezekiel 44, "...and
it shall be unto them for an inheritance. I am their inheritance,
says the Lord, and you shall give them no possession in Israel."
I am their possession. I am their possession. Psalm
16, Psalm 16, verse 5. Psalm 16, verse 5. The Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance, and of my cup thou maintainest my lot. Now this
is David speaking. The Lord is the portion of my
inheritance. God's mind. That's what he's
saying. Thou maintainest. And I was just going to go to
another verse, but I was fascinated by this last phrase. Maintainest. That in the Hebrew means sustains
or to keep fast. The Lord keeps fast. The Lord sustains my lot. That word lot means destiny. Now, destiny. That's a big word. That's everything about you.
That's fate. There's no such thing in the
word as chance. There's no such thing as luck.
That's not language believers use because that's kind of saying
that God's not in control. Everything just kind of happens
to this person. Everything is under God's control.
The universe, it's not according to man's will or wants to. It's
the Lord that has mercy. That's what we mean when we say
sovereign. God is in control of everything. Everything. As a matter of fact,
He says, not a sparrow even falls to the ground without the Father
knowing it. In our life now on earth and
our life in heaven, He sustains. He completely sustains. And then
we won't have to turn there, Genesis 15, God's talking to
Abram at this point, and He says, I am your exceeding great reward. I am your reward. Now, all this,
the gospel, the good news of the grace of God flies in the
face of modern religion, of modern religion, of religion back in
Spurgeon's time, back in John Bunyan's time, religion, you
know, in Christ's time. Who killed Christ? The most religious
folks. So usually when you're going to get opposition to the
gospel of God's grace, it's religious people. Well, I've got a free
will. I can do this. I can choose. Christ says, you
didn't choose Me. I chose you. But they just throw
it right out the window. Paul says, I am what I am by
my will, by my luck, by what I've worked hard. No, I am what
I am by the grace of God. Grace is unmerited, unasked for
favor. It's just basic Bible doctrine. In the book of Acts, it's nothing
new. In the book of Acts, Paul says,
well, I'm going to preach this unknown God. And they said, well,
we're going to hear what this babbler's got to say. Some new doctrine. Sorry, the gospel of the grace
of God is the everlasting gospel. It's nothing new. It's been around
a lot longer than our puny schemes or our puny minds can even comprehend. But he said, After he got done,
it wasn't the slaughter of the kings, but he was defending,
I guess he was getting his brother a lot. But in Abraham, God says,
I'm your reward. He says, fear not, I'm your reward. And this fear, the fear of man
brings a snare. The fear of what's going to happen
with this government. Don't fear. God is our reward through Christ. Because of what Christ has done
on behalf of His people, He's our reward. But we've looked at all these
verses to simply say this. It's got a singular point. God is our portion. If you don't have a house, and
I know this country, If you don't have a house, it doesn't matter.
If you live in an apartment, if you live in a trailer, if
you're renting, we're just passing through anyway. Our problem is we see stuff and
the flesh has got to get it. We've got to put anchors down.
This is not our home. And the more we put our anchors
down, the more the Lord will deal with us as He deals with
children, as we deal with our children, discipline, chastisement. We do it in love. God never punishes
His people because He's punished us in Christ. He's punished our
sins in Christ. And He only did that once. So
I ask you and I ask myself as I was writing this down, will
not our God, the identical God of the one spoken, because He
doesn't change, He's immutable. That's one of His main characteristics. Therefore you sons of Jacob are
not consumed. I do not change. We change. The weather changes. The governments change. Man changes. God does not change. He's always
the same. So if He is our portion, if He
was Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, I don't know if anybody had it
quite as tough as him. David had it tough, but this man was
just constantly badgered and hounded over the truth that he
preached. If this man can say, the Lord is my portion, therefore
I've got hope in Him. That's where we need to place
our hope. Turn the TV off, fold up the newspapers, stay informed
if you want to, but don't let it get under your skin. I constantly
say, we've got to quit looking this way, horizontal, and look
vertical. He is totally in charge. So, will not our God, the identical
God in the passages of the ones I've read, He's full of mercy
and grace, will He not do the same for each one here today,
that calls upon Him, or has called upon Him, or may call upon Him,
if you do not know Him yet, call upon Him in mercy and in truth. Because I say we doubt our Sovereign
Master way too frequently. We do. We doubt Him more than
we should. I'm going to close this book.
I'm just like you. I'm going to go home and probably
start worrying about something. God is on the throne. He's on
the throne. May we, as James said, may we
have patience, have her perfect work, in James chapter 1. May
God give us grace to have patience, have her perfect work. Let us
ask our dear Redeemer for grace in time of need, like it says
in Hebrews, to trust Him always, to walk worthy of our calling
in Christ Jesus. In Revelation chapter 1, we refer
to the Levites. They were the high priest, the
tribe of the priest. Priestly tribe. Are we not in
Revelation kings and priests? Every believer is a king and
a priest unto our God. Not just the men, but women if
you believe Christ. We're all believers. We've all
been given gifts. Are we not all kings and priests
unto our God? Revelations verse 1, 4 through
6, if you want to look at it, it establishes the fact that
we are. He has made us unto our God. He has made us, not we didn't
do it, He has made us unto our God, kings and priests. Now,
there's a few points I have concerning the Lord is our portion. He is
our portion, and believe it or not, we are His portion. Now let me say that again. He
is everything to us. But we, as His children, are
everything to Him. Now, turn with me to Deuteronomy
32, for just one verse, one passage. I don't need more, but I could
go quite a few places. Deuteronomy 32, and look with
me at verse It's the same word, same word, Deuteronomy
32 verse 9, for the Lord's portion, now he's speaking about the Lord's
portion, look at this, is His people. Jacob is the lot of His
inheritance. Do we really have all things
in Christ? Does God govern or is He governed? That's the question. Do we have
something on God or does God totally govern all things? This universe and whatever the
Hubble telescope finds, He controls that too. There's nothing out
of His majesty. The song we sing, majestic sweetness
sits enthroned upon the Saviour's brow. It does. It does. So that's
what I want us, this is the first point. He is our portion and
we are His portion. His pity, His compassion, His
love was so great towards all His elect children that He gave
Himself to the smiters. He opened not His mouth in defense
of Himself and allowed vile men to nail Him to a cross." Yes,
He allowed it. Yes, He said, I have a baptism
to be baptized with. Did it all take Him by surprise
that He came and lived a perfect life for His people? In this
instance, they're called Jacob. They're called Israel. It's the
type or picture of the elect of God throughout all ages. No. No. Did the fall take Him by
surprise? No. No, it didn't. If the fall didn't happen, there
would be no need for redemption. And as Scripture says, we are
of all men most miserable. Why do we even gather together? We gather together because the
Lord is our portion and therefore we hope in Him. And the hope
that's used in the Scriptures is different than the hope that
we use today. It's like, oh, I hope what's-his-name shows
up, and I hope this happens. That's not what the biblical
definition of hope is. The hope in the Bible is confident
expectation. Nothing more could have shown
such supreme love and also thereby satisfied our desires towards
Him than what He did for His people. Than what He did for
His people at Calvary. Let me read you something by
an old writer. Oh, what a portion is God! All that He is and all
that He has is ours. Every attribute of His being
is over us. Every perfection of His nature
encircles us. Every pulse of His heart beats
for us. Every glance of His eyes smiles
upon us. We dwell in God and God dwells
in us. It is not the world which is
our portion, but He who made and upholds and governs the world.
It is not the creature who is our portion, but the Lord of
angels and the Creator of men." See, we need to look bigger.
We need to look bigger. God, Jehovah God, the Great I
Am, Emmanuel is our portion. And we will fuss and fight over
these little toys that we get. I got thinking about that. You
know, somebody steals that, you know, you go up St. Louis, you
go somewhere where, you know, in the city where things aren't
perhaps as nice as they are in the country, somebody steals.
Yes, we get upset, but it's like, why? I'm just borrowing it. It's not really mine. That's
why the old writers used to say, we need to hold things of this
world with a loose hand. Like a loose hand. Their grandbaby visited us this
weekend, and he's getting stronger grip, but he just pulled it from
his hands. That's how we need to hold on
to the things of this world. They're not really ours. And
of course, God is for us in the person of Jesus Christ. What
a blessed portion is our kinsman Redeemer. One writer wrote, a
divine Christ, a redeeming Christ, a full Christ, a sympathizing,
ever-present, ever-precious, ever-loving Christ. Now, I've
got, and I'm just going to read you these, because I've got 30.
Now, if you want the Scriptures, this would be a really good study.
By way of mentioning a few lovelies, as I call them, regarding God
being our portion. Who God is, what He's done for
us, that's for us. That's for the believer. And
only the believer. Unbelievers have no lot, no portion
here. But let me give you 30 characteristics
of our Lord God and Christ. as being our portion. The Lord our Husband, the Lord
our Brother, the Lord our Help, the Lord our Hope, the Lord our
Refiner, the Lord our Healer, Deliverer, Master, Servant, Teacher,
example, burden bearer, shepherd, restore, our light, our keeper,
our caregiver, provider, our rest, our bishop, our leader,
our food, our drink, our savior, peace, joy, song, our creditor,
our expectation, and last but not least, the Lord our all and
in all. Now that last one, our all and
in all, what does that include? Let me put it this way, what
doesn't it include? What doesn't it include? and
I've got Scriptures for every one of them, and like I say,
it would be a really good study to look at every one of these.
Now let me close by saying this, that God is and ever will be
the all-sufficient happiness of His people. And they depend
upon Him to be such, because He's our portion. The Lord is
my portion, saith my soul. When I have lost all I have in
this world, Lost my liberty, my livelihood, and perhaps almost
my life itself, yet I have not, we have not lost our interest
in God. Portions on earth are perishing
things, but God is portioned forever. Lyn and I have talked
about this, and it's happening more frequently, but when the
power goes out, the power goes out, Well, I got a generator.
Okay, that's good. How much gas you got? When that
gas runs out, then the generator stops, and the refrigerator,
and food. Food. We depend on refrigeration. These portions are like the flower
in a field. That's what man is like. He's
here today, gone tomorrow. He perishes. The Lord blows a
hot wind on it, it wilts. cut flowers, they look pretty
for a while, and then they wilt. But God, if God is your portion,
that's forever. While I have an interest in God,
therein I have enough. I have that which is sufficient
to counterbalance all my troubles and make up all my losses. Whatever
we are robbed of, our portion is safe. Remember what Christ
said? Don't fear the people who can
kill your body, because they can't touch your soul. Now turn
with me in closing to Genesis, and I love this passage, Genesis
33. Do you remember the story when Jacob was getting ready
to meet Esau, and he was afraid of him? Because he stole the
birthright. He did what God had ordained,
but he didn't know how it would play out. So he's sending all
these gifts and all these things. He's thinking Esau is still upset
with him. He's not upset with him, but
he thought he was. So he's sending all these gifts
and trying to appease him. And then Esau says in verse 8
of chapter 33, he said, What meanest thou by all this I drove
which I met? And Jacob says, and these are
to find grace in the sight of my Lord. And Esau said, I have
enough, my brother. Keep that thou hast unto thyself. So this is what the unbelieving
Esau says, I have enough. This is the man of the world.
The Lord, he doesn't know the Lord's blessed him in material
things, not in spiritual things. He's not got enough. Now look at what Jacob says in
verse 11. He says, Take I pray thee my
blessing that is brought to thee, because God hath dealt graciously
with me, and because I have enough. Now they use the same two words
in the English, but in the Hebrew they're two vastly different
words. Esau is like, I have enough, I don't need anymore, I'm full.
But this word is a different Hebrew word in the Hebrew. It's not the same word at all.
When Jacob, the believer, says, I have enough, he's saying, I
have all. And we do have all. Why? Because the Lord is the
believer's portion. Now and through all eternity,
Like Jacob of old, we have enough, or as the original states, we
have all things. Why? Because we, by sovereign
free grace, possess Christ. Or I could say, because Christ
possesses us. Amen and Amen. May it sink in.
These things are nice, but we don't need them. What we need
is what Mary, He says, Martha, Mary has chosen, that's the one
thing needful, is Christ. May He honor and bless the reading
and preaching of His Word. Bruce, would you close us?