Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. This society in which we
dwell is so materialistic that it is wholly given over to the
pursuit of unrighteous mammon. Parents even push their children
into all sorts of sports and entertainment venues, hoping
that they can hit it big. I enjoyed athletics and sports
of many types growing up and still do, but something is wrong
with the picture when even many who claim to be the followers
of Christ think nothing of abandoning the gathering of the church to
pursue sports and entertainment in the name of family values
or preparing them for their future occupation. Youngsters are put
in front of cameras and dressed provocatively in order to win
so-called beauty contests, which are really ego contests for their
parents. Young girls and boys are taught
to prostitute their bodies for the cameras in the hopes of landing
a modeling career or becoming stars. All of this has become
acceptable because those who pursue such things to that extent
have placed their hopes upon them and testify by their actions
that they disregard the claims of Christ. He said, if you love
me, keep my commandments. He said, you cannot serve God
and mammon. Those who have been given a hope
in Jesus Christ have one overriding pursuit, one goal, and one desire. Paul described it thus. 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 done, 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. Religion allows
a man to be satisfied with fulfilling a few duties, making some sacrifices,
and learning a few doctrines. But that man who is awakened
and given a living hope in Christ is consumed with the pursuit
of Him who is worthy of all praise. This hope is, first of all, a
lively or living hope. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy,
has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead. Most of the time when our hope
is mentioned in the scripture, a reference is being made to
the expectation of the resurrection. This is a very present help in
time of trouble. That faith which we have been
given is not imaginary, but alive. This is not a faith that is the
result of something we claim, but it is the evidence that he
has claimed us as his own. It is a saving hope, for we are
saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope, for what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? It is this very expectation
by which we are saved in this world from the despair that would
otherwise grip us, had we not been made aware of our sin and
had no cure. It is a patient hope, but if
we hope for that which we see not, then we do with patience,
wait for it. That man who is given a hope in Christ has no
other options. The one who has called him enables
him to endure to the end. His strength is magnified in
our weakness, and his provision for us is made obvious, for he
has bound us unto himself with cords that cannot be broken.
It is a purifying hope, and every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself, even as he is pure. This living hope in
the minds of God's people is that which he stirs up, giving
them a desire after holiness in their inward parts. The religion
of the flesh is pleased with some outward display, but that
hidden man of the heart cannot be deceived by such, and will
settle for nothing less than the operation of the Holy Ghost,
who causes spiritual fruit to be born unto the glory of God.
It is an abounding hope. Now the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope, through
the power of the Holy Ghost. The natural man keeps looking
within himself to find some hope, but the man who is taught of
Christ is given great hope as he learns that all of his hope
is in Christ and not in his ability to believe or remain steadfast
in that belief. It is a blessed hope. Looking
for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. The religious man may sing, wait
a little longer, please Jesus, but that man in whom the Lord
has placed this blessed hope says, Even so come, Lord Jesus. It is a steadfast hope that by
two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope that is set before us, which hope we have
as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which
entereth into that within the veil. Our hope is sure and steadfast
because it is built entirely on the word and work of the Lord
Jesus Christ and not dependent on us in any wise. Finally, it
is an eternal hope in hope of eternal life which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world began. He created the world
with this promise in mind, and not one jot nor tittle can pass
away until all be fulfilled. Glory to His name. For a free
CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to
forthepoor at windstream.net.