Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. There's not a man on earth who
has not been taught of God the very basic truth of right and
wrong. He has given men a conscience that bears witness to them of
right and wrong. The power of sin is not to make men ignorant
of that which the Lord has plainly revealed, but to make them despise
the truth and have no desire after it. This is exactly what
the Lord told the Pharisees. Search the scriptures, for in
them you think you have eternal life, but they are they which
testify of me. And you will not come to me that
you might have life. Into the hands of the Jews, especially,
were committed the oracles of God. But they despised the truth,
and crucified the Son of God. Often we hear men try to make
the argument that since some may not have heard the gospel
preached, that it would be unfair for them to be condemned. But
this is an argument without foundation, since the Scripture says, Have
they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the
earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say,
Did not Israel know? Man's problem is not in what
he has not heard, but that he has no desire after those things
which he has been taught, since the doctrine of God has dropped
as the rain and speaks forth condemnation to all who have
despised it. He also said, My speech shall
distill as the dew, as a small rain upon the tender herb, and
as the showers upon the grass. While the rain can easily be
seen as it falls, no one has seen the dew fall, because it
is a more subtle work, and is even as the Lord described the
wind to Nicodemus. The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born
of the Spirit. The doctrine of God has been
shed forth abroad so that no one can deny any knowledge of
it. But the speech of God can only be heard by those whose
ears which he has prepared. As the prophet Elijah discovered,
the power of God is not in the fire, the wind, or the earthquake,
but rather in a still, small voice. The Lord is pleased to
speak in the ears of His people, the very words of life, and it
is His speech alone that can raise the dead and cause the
lame to walk. His speech is that which, first of all, distills
as the dew. Dew is a condensation of water vapor that only occurs
at certain times. No one can be certain how heavy
the dew may be, or even if there is going to be any dew at all.
It provides no sustenance to any but those who are prepared
to receive it. The large animals cannot slake their thirst by
it. But to those insignificant insects that crawl through the
blades of grass, it seems as a flood. For you see your calling,
brethren, how that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble are called. But God hath chosen foolish things
of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
And base things of the world and things which are despised
hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught
things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom
and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. His
speech is that which is as the small rain on the tender herb.
There is something very refreshing in a light morning shower that
is missed in the deluge which occurs at midday. While the deluge
cannot be mistaken, the tender herbs and emerging plants are
better served by a small rain. The Lord is gracious in his dealings
with that heart he has made tender by the plowing of the law's convictions.
He speaks softly and peacefully to that man who has been made
to tremble before him by the operation of the Spirit, to him
whose hope is almost extinguished, who is made to cry out as the
publican, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. He is pleased to
whisper words of peace and comfort. Behold my servant, whom I have
chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will
put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his
voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break,
and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment
unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles
trust. His speech is that which is as
the showers upon the grass. God is pleased to cause the lame
to walk. If the son therefore shall make
you free, you shall be free indeed. Paul said, when I was a child,
I spake as a child. I understood as a child. I thought
as a child. But when I became a man, I put
away childish things. The Lord has come to water that
grass that he has planted. And as it grows by the rain that
he sends, it needs to be mowed from time to time, which he does
with death's skill, but he does it to make the grass more healthy.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.