Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The blessing of God upon
a man is not seen in the profusion of outward joys he might experience
any more than his blessing is withheld from those who appear
in great straits and in abundance of trouble. Men often assume
that they can influence the blessings of God upon themselves by their
own actions. In this understanding, they go
about to establish their own righteousness and thereby disregard
and disrespect the righteousness of Christ as the sole grounds
upon which any of the sons of God enjoy the blessings of God.
Job confessed that he had no dependence upon anything which
is of or in man, or that can be experienced in this state
of mortality and corruption that men are in by nature. And though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I
see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold,
and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. This is
that same confession which Paul made, saying, Yea, doubtless,
and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith. that I may know
him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might
attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Job, like Jacob
before him, understood the vanity of this world, the shortness
of life, and the certainty of death. Man that is born of a
woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like
a flower, and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow, and
continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes
upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who
can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one. Seeing his
days are determined, the number of his months are with thee.
Thou hast appointed his bounds, that he cannot pass. Yet far
from this being an empty complaint or an attempt to accuse God of
unrighteousness, He has moved to praise Him who does all things
according to the good pleasure of His will. He expresses His
hope and glories in the Redeemer's cancellation of His sin. If a
man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed
time will I wait till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I
will answer thee. Thou wilt have a desire to the
work of thine hands. For now thou numberest my steps.
Dost thou not watch over my sin? My transgression is sealed up
in a bag, and thou sowest up mine iniquity. Thus he and all
the saints take delight not in the trials of this life, but
recognize the hand of God in these trials, and rejoice in
the tender mercies and watch-care of the shepherd of their souls.
Is this not the exact testimony of the psalmist as he recounts
the loving kindness of the Lord at all times towards those whom
he loves? Paul reminds us of this very
fact in Romans 8.28, and we know that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. The Lord will command his loving
kindness in the daytime. Thus he blesses the saints openly,
though not as the natural man might count blessings. He gives
his children meat to eat, which the world knows not of, even
as he gave carnal blessings to Israel, as typical of that which
he has laid up for his bride. The Lord shall command the blessing
upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest
thine hand to, and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee. The psalmist is reminded of his
continued kindness even when the darkness of life overwhelms
him, and he finds himself in a dry and thirsty land where
no water is, saying, in the night his song shall be with me. Though
the children of God find themselves cast down and their soul disquieted
within them, yet they are visited by him in these night seasons
in the time which he has appointed. for I shall yet praise Him for
the help of His countenance. He is their consolation in darkness. Even our prayer is that which
is commanded by God. Quite often men think that they
will gain comfort by praying, yet the truth is that prayer
is the gift of God bestowed upon His children and is itself the
blessing. But when you pray, use not vain
repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall
be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto
them, for your father knoweth what things ye have need of before
ye ask him. Oh, how sweet are the times of
refreshing sent from the Lord to that soul bowed down in the
night which surrounds them in this land of sin and sorrow.
He is acquainted with our grief. Do you rejoice in the blessing
of God? For a free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts,
send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.