Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The nation of Israel is
used in the scriptures as a type and foreshadow of the true people
of God that have belonged to the Lord from the beginning.
Chapter 33 of Deuteronomy chronicles the meanderings of the Israelites
on their journey from the captivity in Egypt to their freedom in
the promised land of Canaan. By my count, they pinched their
tents 41 different times in 41 different places as they moved
about once a year. That was hardly the way to put
down roots, but it was not God's intention that they should put
down roots, for he had prepared for them a land flowing with
milk and honey, and the land of their sojourn was not their
home. He did not intend that they should have there a permanent
dwelling. Their passage through the wilderness was for the purpose
of teaching them many lessons and to prepare them for entrance
into that promised land. As the elect and predestinated
sons of God, we too are strangers in the land in which we now dwell.
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. The true sons of God have always
testified that they are not satisfied with such things as this world
has to offer, but are looking for a place of uninterrupted
fellowship with their Father. These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar off,
and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they
that say such things declare plainly that they seek the country.
Abraham looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder
and maker is God. The allure of this world, which
once gripped the sons of God in a trance-like hold, becomes
tarnished in their eyes when they are born again. Though their
flesh cries out from time to time for the leeks and onions
of Egypt, yet in their heart and soul they cry out for the
living God. For our conversation is in heaven,
from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The way of the flesh, which once
was their chief desire, can no longer satisfy them. When a man,
by the grace of God, has tasted that living water, then he can
never more be satisfied to drink from the wells which quench the
thirst of the natural men of this world. The true sons of
God are strangers in the earth because they have been given
the gift of faith. For which cause we faint not, but though
our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by
day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Why,
we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal,
but the things which are not seen are eternal. Their confidence
and hope is not in those things which can be seen and felt in
the flesh, but their hope is in the eternal Christ. The true
sons of God are strangers in the earth, because they have
been transformed by the Spirit. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. The work of God is to fit his
children for glory. The beginning of that work is
the new birth. Those who were strangers to God now have the
spirit of a son crying, Abba, Father. The culmination of that
work is the resurrection of their bodies to an immortal state.
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. But thanks
be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ. The true sons of God are strangers
in the earth because they have passed from death unto life.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin
therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it
in the lust thereof. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein? For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. They have the expectation of
everlasting life in the future because they have been given
eternal life in the present. Not simply in the promise, but
in the actual fact. And finally, the true sons of
God are strangers in the earth because they have been indwelt
by the Holy Ghost. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit
of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall
not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he
speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me,
for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All
things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore said I, that
he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. The world has
hated the Father, and he has given to his children the keys
of the kingdom. Marvel not, my brethren, if the
world hate you. Not only do they confess that
this world is not their home, but this world confesses that
they are not their brethren. Do you love this world, or do
you seek a better country? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.