Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The strength and triumph
of the sons of God is found in Christ. The expectation of acceptance
before the throne of God is found there as well. Who makes us to
differ from another, and what do we have that we have not received?
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed
to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God. For I say through the grace given
unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly,
according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Some will surely say that we are saying there is nothing for
the sons of God to do. That is quite perceptive if one
means that there is no fleshly effort involved in walking according
to the will of God. Yet there is indeed much that
is done in the sons of God by him who dwells in them, making
them new creatures in Christ. Whereas there was once a reliance
upon the flesh, now there is a fear of such. Whereas once
there was a satisfaction in having performed various good deeds
and supposed obedience, now there is an awareness of the weakness
of such attempts and a desire to flee from such and be found
in Christ. But what things were gained to
me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I
count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but done, that I may win Christ,
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith. that I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death. When a newborn babe is
brought into the world, he has no thought to anything but seeking
that which will satisfy his own desires. If he is uncomfortable,
he will fret and cry until someone comforts him. He has no idea
who it is who seeks to meet his needs, nor, might I add, does
he really care, because his own desire is utmost in his mind.
If he's hungry, he does not make a request to be fed, but rather
he demands it. He finds fulfillment in suckling
at his mother's breast, but he could find equal satisfaction
in the breast of another or even a bottle of warm formula. As
time goes on, he develops a bond of affection with his mother,
who nurtures and cares for him, but still he is primarily concerned
in having his own needs met and has no perception of finding
fulfillment otherwise. His mother is most important
to his survival, but he has no understanding of that fact, only
that he gets what he seeks after. But the day comes, as he matures
and is weaned from his mother's breast, that his contentment
is found in the tender care of his mother, more so than in the
immediate need of being fed from her breast. Christ speaks of
being quieted as one who is weaned of his mother. Though he were
a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.
The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters,
and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face
from shame and spitting, for the Lord God will help me. Therefore
I shall not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face
like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. And being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. As a weaned child,
he delighted to do his father's will rather than his own. His
joy was found in performing that which he was sent to do, looking
unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Left
to ourselves, we are all as the unweaned child who seeks his
own comfort and rests in having his own desires met. We would
soon complain about the difficulties and trials of life, yet we are
exhorted to consider him as he is our comforter. For consider
him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest
ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted
unto blood striving against sin. Christ alone is our hope, our
help, and our performer. And the very God of peace sanctify
you wholly, and I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body,
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Is Christ
the sum of your righteousness? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.