Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. We can be sure that all
things occur in the earth directly according to the will of Him
who says that He alone is 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. Is it not
then quite clear that He calls His own sheep by name, and they
hear His voice and follow Him? How then did they become His
sheep apart from His divine appointment? If God be for us, who can be
against us? Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Thus we know that He
will differentiate between those to whom the kingdom is given
and those to whom it is not. In order to illustrate this truth
to those generations to come, the Lord chose the nation of
Israel and the earth to demonstrate His everlasting love to that
remnant which He has made His own from every kindred, tribe,
and tongue. This truth was hidden in a mystery which was not revealed
until the Lord Jesus came into the world and was manifested
as the Redeemer of the true house of Israel. Now to him that is
of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching
of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery
which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made
manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets according to
the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations
for the obedience of faith. To God only wise be glory through
Jesus Christ forever. The Lord gave the Jews many laws
which were specifically for them and which to the carnal mind
seemed quite arbitrary in many cases. Yet the reason for these
laws and restrictions was to demonstrate that he had set them
apart from the rest of the world. For thou art an holy people unto
the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar
people unto himself above all the nations that are upon the
earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. Thus he gave
them many dietary laws which they were commanded to follow.
They did not become holy by adhering to these laws, but rather were
to adhere to these laws because the Lord had made them a holy
people, or a people who were set apart. The Lord calls His
sheep from the world because they are His sheep, and He has
sanctified them, making them holy in His sight. This is that
holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Peter speaks
of it when he says, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth
the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are
now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now
have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you
as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust, which war
against the soul, having your conversation honest among the
Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they
may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God
in the day of visitation. The Lord gave Peter a vision
wherein he saw a sheep come down from heaven with all manner of
abominable, as the Jews would consider, animals in it, and
was commanded to eat them. Peter, being a good Jew, recalled
the idea and expressed his disdain for that which he considered
unclean. The Lord told him that whatever he makes clean is clean
and should not be called unfit. Of course, the Lord was not instructing
Peter about what foods to eat, but rather the fact that those
whom the Lord makes holy are completely holy. Thus his objections
to declaring the gospel to the Gentiles was overcome, since
the Lord has a people from every kindred and tribe whom he has
made holy in Christ. Those who believe do not become
holy by their act of believing, nor by any pursuit of obedience
nor abstinence of any substance or activity on their part. Rather,
they are called and given faith to believe because they are made
holy in Christ and completely accepted in the courts of heaven
by the blood and righteousness of him. That which God hath cleansed
should not be called common, that is, unholy or unclean, for
it is he who sets his people apart. Nevertheless, the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them
that are his, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity. The man who walks in holiness
is he who is given a desire to be found in the obedience of
him who has called him out of darkness and into the light.
He will hear the exhortations of the scriptures and seek to
be found walking in a fashion which brings no reproach upon
the name of Christ. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. Are you set apart in Christ by
his spirit? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.