Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Some would tell us that
all of the blessings which they receive in this life come to
them based on their relative obedience to his commands. They
feel that the only way God's people can receive his blessings
from day to day is by and according to their own merit. Such a message
appeals to the natural religious bent of mankind. It only seems
fair and right that every man should receive blessings based
on his or her being deserving of them. Those who are, in this
view, not obedient receive less blessings than those who, by
dedication and faithfulness, essentially earn God's favor
and cause His smile to be upon them. Some espouse this blessing
to be forthcoming based on financial faithfulness. They press men
to tithe and present a picture of great financial returns to
those who will fork over certain percentages of their money to
what they call the Lord's work. Some say that men are blessed
if they will get busy and produce the fruit of the spirit, or go
out and win souls so that the blood of sinners will not be
on their hands. There is no end to the different levels and extents
of duty which these workmongers press upon men as being the key
to spiritual vitality and ultimate timely blessings. They believe
that coercing men and women to abide by certain standards of
conduct will ensure their blessing as a result of their faithfulness.
Though such a doctrine is very appealing and sensible to man's
religious mind, the truth is that such a mindset is contrary
to the truth. God is determined to bless His
children on the basis of His promise and the redemptive work
of Christ rather than their relative merit. It is impossible for men
to merit any blessing from the Lord based on any good work which
they may perform. The Lord said, When ye shall
have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are
unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our
duty to do. A man cannot be rewarded for doing what he is expected
to do. Rather than obedience being the cause of blessings,
being given an obedient spirit and a love for the things of
God is the result of his spiritual blessing and is a benefit which
is given to the sons of God alone. The Lord made this promise through
the prophet. For this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord. I will
put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts, and
I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins
and their iniquities will I remember no more. God is determined in
His purpose and according to His promise to bless His children
by turning their hearts toward Him. And because ye are sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit of the Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father. The sons of God do not need the
lash of the law laid upon them to coerce them to follow Him.
He said, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow
Me. The Lord has decreed His purpose to bless His children
and has sent His Son to purchase their redemption in time and
eternity. For ye are bought with a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which
are God's. Some of those benefits which the sons of God are daily
loaded with include chastening his sons. For whom the Lord loveth,
he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Those
who are without chastisement have no reason to believe that
they are the sons of God, regardless of what works they may perform.
God does not give his sons over to a reprobate mind, but tenderizes
them through exercising them to discern good and evil. The
sons of God are daily loaded with this benefit, teaching by
his Spirit. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit
of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall
not speak of himself, and whatsoever he shall hear, that he shall
speak. And he will show you things to come. And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free. Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto
the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should
have known my Father also. And from henceforth ye know him,
and have seen him. The sons of God are given a living
hope. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again
to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
All of the born-again sons of God testify with Peter, Lord,
to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. It is this present hope that compels the sons of God
to cleave to him and follow him. And every man that hath this
hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure, knowing that
any expectation of blessing we have is in him. to whom God would
make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is indeed a very present help
in time of trouble. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.