Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Apart from the Lord's determination
to show mercy, we would all justly perish in our sins, and none
could bring any accusation against Him, nor even question His doing,
should we all be destroyed. It is with this in mind that
we rejoice as we read of the faithfulness of the Lord to deliver
and preserve that unworthy rabble of those whom He chose in Christ
from before the foundation of the world. We marvel as we read
that this remnant was as worthy of that destruction as those
He has ordained unto this very end. And you, Hathy Quicken,
who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye
walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience, among whom also we had our conversation
in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children
of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace
are ye saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus. The psalmist describes the faithfulness
of the Lord to those whom he calls his children by using the
illustration of the mountains which surround the city of Jerusalem.
This Jerusalem of which he speaks in his illustration is that which
is located in the Mideast. Yet that Jerusalem which is surrounded
by the mountains of his mercy cannot be found on any map drawn
by men. Rather it is that holy city which
is one and the same with that which John saw coming down out
of heaven. As the mountains which can be seen by the eyes of men,
these mountains cannot be moved, and stand as a testimony of enduring
strength and power, of the one who neither slumbers nor sleeps,
but ever watches over that city in which he delights. Behold,
he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. This
is his vineyard of red wine, which he will keep. I, the Lord,
do keep it. I will water it every moment,
lest any hurt it. I will keep it night and day.
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling and to
present you faultless before the presence of His glory with
exceeding joy. To the only wise God, our Savior,
be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. The prophet Isaiah declared,
and it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations
shall flow unto it. Those last days have now come,
as John testified, it is the last time. God, who at sundry
times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his
Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds. This is the day of salvation.
We wait for no other, for he who was prophesied from the beginning
is now come to redeem his bride, and is presently calling her
out of every tribe and tongue upon the earth. Surely all nations
shall flow unto it. This house which the Lord built,
and not man, is fitted exactly for those whom he would save.
There is a high mountain surrounding Jerusalem, where the Lord took
Peter, James, and John, and was transfigured, that is, transformed
with the shining light surrounding him, before their face. The Lord
spoke to them, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased. Hear ye him. The glory of the
law, that is Moses, and the prophets, that is Elijah, faded in the
presence of Him who is all in all. Another mountain which surrounds
Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives. It was here that the Lord Jesus
poured out His soul unto death, as He sweat great drops of blood
because of the anguish which overwhelmed Him, as He became
a sin offering for His people. It was here that he was betrayed
by Judas. It was here that he demonstrated
his mastery over those who came to arrest him. As he identified
himself, saying, I am, and they fell backward as dogs cower before
their master. It was here that he submitted
himself into the custody of those who were ordained by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God to crucify him. Yet there
is another mountain which ever stands as a silent testimony
to the wickedness of men and the justice of a holy God. We
speak of Mount Calvary, which is where our Lord was crucified.
No mercy was found there that day, as the spotless Lamb of
God was put to death for sin. The just died for the unjust.
O glorious mountain of the Lord's house, do you run to it? For
a free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.