Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Paul said that many have heard
the word but did not believe it. So it is quite true that
the mere exercise of preaching does not have power in and of
itself, regardless of the skill, devotion, and desire of the one
doing the preaching. For unto us was the gospel preached,
as well as unto them. But the word preached did not
profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard
it. Faith is the gift of God, and unless it is granted by the
hand of Him to whom belongeth salvation, then it is impossible
that men should believe. This is that which the Lord Himself
testified of to the Pharisees. Why do you not understand my
speech, even because ye cannot hear my word? The apostle Paul
was likely in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, and perhaps
was even among the multitude who gathered as Peter declared
the word of the Lord. Yet he believed it not. He was
most certainly there when Stephen preached before being stoned.
It is certain that by the time he made ready to go to Damascus
that he was acquainted with the gospel, since he was intent on
destroying those who preached it. Yet upon that Damascus road,
the Lord sent the gospel by his own mouth, and Paul confessed
that he was Lord. He did not then become one of
the sheep of the Lord, of whom the Lord had said, My sheep,
hear my voice. Rather, he was one of the Lord's sheep long
before he heard and believed. But it was not until the Lord
sent his word with power that his eyes were opened, and he
heard and believed as a result of the Lord's power and purpose.
The Jews assumed that they could receive the truth of God whenever
they pleased, like today's freewill preachers. But the word of the
Lord was unto them, precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line, here a little and there a little,
that they might go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and
taken. On the day of Pentecost, the Lord swept many of his sheep
into his kingdom by opening their ears to hear the truth. These
were those times of refreshing sent by the Lord. And it is that
for which the prophet Habakkuk prayed, O Lord, revive thy work
in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years, make
known. In wrath, remember mercy. Revivalism is a concept born
in the mind of men wherein they believe that they have the power
to cause God to pour out His Spirit according to their desires
and level of earnestness in seeking after it. Like all concepts of
conditionalism, it misses the mark and gets the card ahead
of the horse. Yet it is true that the Lord does often work
in the hearts and minds of His people to longingly express their
desire as David did. O God, Thou art my God, early
will I seek Thee, my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for
Thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, to see Thy
power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary. Psalm
74 begins with these words, O God, why hast thou cast us off forever?
Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Remember
thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old, the rod of
thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed, this Mount Zion
wherein thou hast dwelt. It is the desire of the saints
to see him reveal his glory unto them and visit them with his
salvation. Yet that man who has never once
seen the glory of God displayed cannot long to see it displayed
again. So it must be the work of God and the sons of God that
would give them a yearning for His presence. And it is His purpose
in showing them His glory that is revealed in the face of Jesus
Christ that causes them to be dissatisfied with this present
evil world. For what fellowship hath righteousness
with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light
with darkness? And what concord hath Christ
with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth
with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the
living God. As God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk
in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The resting place of the sons
of God is discovered in Psalm 74, as Asaph declares his confidence
in the King. For God is my King of old, working
salvation in the midst of the earth. He nor we expect any deliverance,
nor might I desire any, which is not brought about by Him who
is our Lord and King. He does indeed work salvation
in the earth, as He is pleased to dwell with His people in the
earth. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own.
But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. I have given
them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they
are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray
not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that
thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the
world, even as I am not of the world. Do you confess that you
are a stranger in this present evil world, or do you take delight
in it? For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.