Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Christ is the Word of God,
and the Bible is the written declaration of Him. All that
is in its pages serves to magnify His person and work in the behalf
of that elect bride, for which He has expressed His unswerving
love and devotion. To miss that understanding is
to be left without the key to all of the mysteries hidden within
its pages, regardless of what else one may declare these scriptures
to teach. John said it best when he wrote, that which was from
the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with
our eyes, which we have looked upon, our hands have handled,
of the word of life. For the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that
eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested
unto us. that which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with
us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with
his Son, Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto
you, that your joy may be full. From the dawn of creation until
the last trump, there is to be but one name exalted, both in
the shadows and types of the Old Testament, and now in the
full revelation of Jesus Christ as the fullness of the Godhead
bodily. All that is written in the pages of the Bible is written
unto the end that he might be lifted up and magnified as the
blessed and only potentate, the ancient of days, the everlasting
father, the beginning and the end. In the ages to come, he
will be the subject and the object of all praise, and his redemptive
work will be remembered forever by every living creature which
shall exist in his presence. So as we read the Psalms, we
are reminded that they are written primarily to testify of Him and
to cause God's people to see His example as a perfect man
who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet took upon
himself the likeness of sinful flesh and dwelt among men as
a man full of grace and truth. He learned obedience by the things
which he suffered, and was acquainted with the weakness of sinful flesh,
though having no sin of his own, and is able to succor him that
is tempted, having been tried in all points, like as we are.
The only goodness which can be found in the sons of men is that
which is imputed to them by the righteousness of Christ. All
else about them is tainted with the corruption that is in them
by nature. The psalmist testifies that a good man's steps are ordered
by the Lord. We are sure that every step which
the Lord Jesus Christ took was according to the eternal purpose
of a sovereign God. This is true as surely as it
is true that the steps of the wicked were ordered according
to the same purpose, and accomplished the exact result for which they
were ordained, as Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. Ye men
of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you, by miracles and wonders and signs, was God
did by him in the midst of you. As ye yourselves also know, him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken him by wicked hands, have crucified, and slain,
whom God hath raised up, having loose the pains of death, because
it was not possible that he should be holden of it. So when the
psalmist speaks of his steps being ordered by the Lord, he
is not merely speaking about the fact that God is predestined
all things to occur, even though that is completely true. Rather,
he is testifying to the glory that surrounds him who came to
fulfill the purpose for which he came into the world. This
is that which was told to Joseph, Thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. The psalmist
says he delighteth in his way. We can look at that in two ways.
He is that one in whom the Lord delighted as he declared at his
baptism and upon the Mount of Transfiguration. This is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased. But we can also consider it in
light of the fact that he whose steps he ordered, that is Christ,
has taken delight in that which he was sent to do. Looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Then
said I, Lo, I come, and the volume of the book it is written of
me. I delight to do thy will. Then we read, the wicked watcheth
the righteous and seeketh to slay him. Is this not descriptive
of the life of Christ, as his enemies plotted his demise? How
glorious it is to contemplate the steps of this good man, as
he fulfilled the Father's purpose in obtaining eternal redemption
for those who have been the objects of his love from the beginning.
Well did he say, for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own
will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's
will which has sent me. that of all which he hath given
me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the
last day. Is Christ your Savior? For a
free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net