Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Many who call themselves
Christians believe that their salvation is the result of their
response to some plan that was laid out for them or some offer
that was placed before them which they could either accept or reject
based on their desire at the time. I've often heard the statement,
God has done all he can do, now the rest is up to you. Such a
message as this might appeal to the man who thinks himself
wise, but a man who has been quickened and humbled in the
dust of repentance, and knowing himself to be ruined and undone,
is convinced that he needs something which he cannot supply. He is
convinced that if the Lord is not pleased to show him mercy,
he shall perish. The scripture plainly says, as
it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There's
none that understandeth. There's none that seeketh after
God. Mercy must be extended to an unworthy sinner in the form
of the calling of God, or he will never even cry out for help.
Those who are found seeking mercy have already been the recipients
of it, though the Lord is sometimes pleased to hide that fact from
them until his own acceptable time. No man can come to me except
the Father which has sent me draw him, and I will raise him
up at the last day. Apart from God, effectually calling
sinners to himself, none would ever come. No man would ever
seek him, regardless of how wise he may fancy himself to be. In
fact, the wiser men are in this world, the less likely it is
that they shall be called. We will look at some of the characteristics
of the calling of God. His call is first of all sovereignly
dispensed. For the promise is unto you and
your children and to all that are far off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call. Let no man boast of his desire
to seek the Lord of mercy and grace. God calls whom he will,
and none of us have anything that we were not given. If we
are seekers of truth, it is because he chose us to be, and not because
we were wise enough, bright enough, or tough enough. His call is
without regard to works or merit, for the children being not yet
born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth. God is no respecter of persons,
and His choice of His elect is not based on anything foreseen
in them. The scripture never says that
his choice is a result of his foreknowledge of their actions,
but rather their action, that is, believing in him, is a result
of his foreknowledge of them, and not his knowledge ahead of
time of what choice they would make. They are the called according
to his purpose. The only choice any man will
ever make on his own is to reject the word of God and to rebel
against his author. His call is absolutely necessary
for men to come. Why do you not understand my
speech, even because you cannot hear my word? If he did not call
some with his effectual call, every last member of the human
race would suffer the same fate of ultimate destruction. In order
for a man to seek the Lord, it is necessary that the Lord should
seek him first. Thanks be unto God that Jesus
Christ came into the world to seek and to save that which was
lost. By and in our natural state, we are unable to grasp spiritual
truth, being dead in trespasses and sins. We were not wounded
in the fall of Adam, but slain. And unless he should awaken us
from the death of nature's night, we would sleep even in the daylight
of truth. He said, I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance. His call is unable to be resisted. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called. And whom He called, them He also
justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. He predestinated some to be conformed
to the image of His Son. We can be certain that He shall
call every one of them with a call that cannot be resisted or ignored. We rejoice in the words of Peter,
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. And
finally, his calling is without any possibility of change. For
the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. The Lord
changes not. Therefore everything which he
has decreed shall come to pass exactly as he determines it to
be. And he will never forsake those whom he has loved with
an everlasting love. These are the same ones upon
which he has demonstrated his love by calling them according
to his eternal purpose. Let not the wise bring forth
their learning. Let not the rich bring forth
their wealth. But let the poor bring forth their yearning, and
the sick their need for health. For Christ receiveth simple men. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.