Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. It should come as no surprise
that the Lord has ordained that those who are his children shall
both hear his word, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me, and walk in it according to his purpose.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Great folly is set forth by those who suppose that such things
are left to chance, or that it is possible that those who are
the call according to his purpose should ultimately despise or
disregard the truth and precepts which he has given them. To believe
that the promises of God are conditioned upon the activity
of men is to propose that men can overturn the purpose of him
whose hand cannot be stayed, nor any of his actions ever even
brought into question. We read in the book of the Revelation
of Jesus Christ that the saints keep the commandments and the
faith of Jesus. John speaks of having seen 144,000
saints on Mount Sinai with the Lord Jesus. Upon their foreheads
was written the Father's name. They are representative of that
church of Christ which He has purchased with His own blood,
out of every kindred, tribe, and tongue. As such, they are
the beginnings of that multitude which no man can number. All
of these saints are the recipients of the same grace that made them
heirs of the redemptive work which Christ performed for them.
the fruit of this redemptive work which he bought with his
own blood. But unto every one of us is given grace according
to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, when
he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts
unto men. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. and they that are Christ have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Paul speaks
of this work when he said, for I through the law am dead to
the law that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I
do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come
by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. The 144,000 are described
as those who were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits
unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found
no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
What a glorious place to which the sons of God are brought by
that which Christ has done for them. He has sent his messengers
into the earth to declare the good news to sinners. And I saw
another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud
voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment
is come. And worship him that made heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. We see two
other messengers whose message is not received well, for they
tell of the fall of Babylon, which we believe to denote the
futility and barrenness of man's free will religion. The third
messenger speaks to deaf ears of the destruction of those who
will not worship Christ. All of this is the same message,
but it will not be heard by those ordained unto destruction, who
receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. Now
thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ,
and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every
place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that
are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savour
of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto
life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not
as many which corrupt the word of God. But as of sincerity,
but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. Here
is the patience of the saints. They are described as those who
delight themselves in two things. One, keeping the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus. These two are inseparably linked.
For where you find those who rejoice in the faith of Jesus,
you will also find those who delight in the teachings of Christ.
The yoke of Christ is easy, and His burden is light, for He is
the bearer of the load. What He requires, He does also
provide the power to perform. He works in His people both to
will and to do of His good pleasure. His commandments, therefore,
are not grievous. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. Do you have His Spirit? For a
free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.