I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Romans chapter
8. Romans chapter 8. This blessed
chapter is a chapter of divine promises. to God's people. Promises that we need to hear. Promises that are sure. Promises from him who has everlastingly
loved his people and has given unto them his word. You know,
used to be when somebody said, I give you my word. You know,
you could pretty well bank on that. Entitled as promises to die with. Brother David just read out of
James chapter 4 concerning this life. This life is a vapor. It's just fading quickly. Everybody knows that knows the
Lord this truth. Hold your place in Romans 8.
Just turn over the page to Romans 9, 27. This is something every
believer knows. Romans 9, 27, 28. Isaiah also crieth concerning
Israel, though the number of the children of Israel be as
the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. For he will finish
the work, cut it short in righteousness, because a short work will the
Lord make upon the earth. Almighty God has a people. Now all of the people that he's
everlastingly loved have been born in trespasses and sins. And they come to a realization
by the grace of God, they're enlightened to know something
about themselves. And that's the grace of God,
that God would cause a man or a woman to come to an understanding,
come to a realization that we're frail creatures of the dust.
And we need the assurance of God's love. I need and you that
know him need right now. I need for God to assure me of
something. I need God Almighty to assure
me that I'm his and he's mine. I need that now. Now you think about believer.
What if you had not that assurance? Now, before the Lord called you
out of darkness, you didn't care. You didn't care. But right now,
what if I thought I don't have him? Oh, the helplessness. We can behold in ourselves why
he would leave us to ourselves. I can behold that. Paul the apostle
said, oh, wretched man that I am. But as the eyes of our understanding
are opened to see something of His justice and judgment, I need
for the Lord to assure me. I need God's promise. I need
God's word. I need for that word that He's
promised will never return unto Him void. I need for that word
that will Accomplish that for which it was sent. I need that.
Hold your place there in Romans. Turn back to Isaiah chapter one. I'm sorry, Isaiah six, verse
one. Isaiah. Isaiah six one. Isaiah was a prophet. And the scripture says in Isaiah
6, 1, I'm going to read verses 1 to 7. In the year that King
Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and
lifted up, and his train filled the temple. I read that again
today. I know that this was a vision
that Isaiah was made to see. But I think what a joy, what
a thought that the Lord would allow any of us to behold by
faith with eyes, new eyes, eyes made to see something, the Lord
on His throne. See, this world's religion don't
seek Their God, their little G-God. He's not on a throne. They're on the throne. But Isaiah
saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. His train
filled the temple, and above it stood the seraphims. Each
one had six wings. With twain, he covered his face. With twain, he covered his feet.
With twain, he did fly. And one cried unto another and
said, holy, holy, holy. is the Lord Jehovah, Holy Father,
Holy Son, Holy Spirit. The whole earth is full of His
glory, and the post of the door moved at the voice of Him that
cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Now when Isaiah,
in this vision, saw the Lord on His throne, then he said,
Woe is me, For I am undone, I'm cut off, because I'm a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips, for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then look at this mercy. Then
flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his
hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth,
and said, Lo, this has touched thy lips, and thine iniquity
is taken away, and thy sin purged. Now, Isaiah saw something of
God's glory. He saw the Lord on his throne,
and it slew him. It was me. I'm a man of unclean
lips. And God sent one of the seraphims. And this seraphim, it said, had
a live coal from off the altar. So here's something to do with
the sacrifice. There was an altar. And that
coal was alive. It was glowing. It was the word of the grace
of God. in the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Our God is a consuming fire. He's alive. This was alive coal. This wasn't
dead coal. This wasn't black coal stuff.
This was alive. And the knowledge of the glory
of God and his sacrifice in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The mercy of God, the redemption of God, the justification through
his blood, all of that symbolized in that live cult. I was thinking
when I was reading it again, my mind was just thinking on
these beautiful truths. I'm thinking of the necessity.
Whenever Isaiah was gonna speak It had to be something fresh
off the altar. Nothing stale. This came off
the altar right now. It was alive now. This is what God's people need
to hear. I need to hear a message of God today. I need to hear
God's message. I told you about Brother Henry
said, God's people don't want to hear a message. It's just
a message. Told you I can come up with a
spiritually sound message. I want to know what God has to
say today, right now. He said he took that live coal
and he touched his lips. And this is what he told him,
this is the message that you're gonna, this is the message that
you're gonna go. Your sin's purged. God's shown you mercy. Isaiah
saw himself as woe is me. I'm a man of unclean lips. God
said, I'm going to give you a message for those lips. I'm going to
give you the message and I'm going to give you the ability
to preach it. Almighty God is the God on the
throne. And Almighty God is going to
do what He will. Without controversy, the God
of all creation is going to show mercy and compassion like He
did to Isaiah. He said to Moses in Exodus 33,
19, I will be gracious to whom I'll be gracious. I'll show mercy
on whom I show mercy. The greatest exhibition of God's
love toward his people found in the crucifixion of his son.
God so loved the world. He loved the order of man. He
loved mankind and he was not going to let the order of man
perish on this earth, off this earth. He gave his only begotten
son. My prayer tonight is, Lord, would
you touch my lips that you've given me? Would you touch my
heart? And would you touch the lips and the heart and the hearing
and the eyes of the people that we might see? Apply that live
coal of God's redeeming love in the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Here's the Lord. He's gonna send a prophet. That's
what Isaiah said. He said that in the next verse.
I didn't read that next verse, but here's what he said. God
put that live coal on his lips. Isaiah was moved to say this.
Verse eight, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall
I send? And who will go for us? Then said I, here I am, send
me. Setting forth, obviously, number
one, the Lord Jesus Christ. the willing servant of Jehovah. So Almighty God is going to show
mercy to a people. And here's what God said, according
to the scriptures, concerning the Lord Jesus Christ,
putting away the guilt of his people, Romans 4, 28, who was
delivered for our offenses, was raised again for our justification.
Here's how Isaiah was moved to say it in Isaiah 53.6. The Lord
had laid on him the iniquity of us all. But as Isaiah and every preacher
sent of God is sent with that message concerning the redemptive
glory. When I read a verse of scripture
like that, Isaiah 53.6, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity
of us all. There's so much distortion. that's
being preached in this world today, I think that it's wise
to set forth some scriptural clarification. God has made some
promises to his people. And I want to hear, I need to
hear something of the promises of Almighty God. We need God's
word of promise. Now, with all that said, Now
I want you to turn to Romans chapter eight, and I want us
to look at this, this eighth, just a portion of this eighth
chapter. Here's some promises that we can die with. Here's
some promises that we can leave this world. We can go to sleep
at night and rest asking the Lord, Lord, give me some hope. Give me some assurance. that you've shown mercy to me.
Romans chapter 8, I want you to look at this promise. 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. Now here's a promise a promise
of assurance. We know, and you've heard me
say so many times, that all things, whatever has just transpired,
whatever has happened, no matter how traumatic it seems to us,
all things, if it falls under the category of All things work
together for good to who? To the whole world? No. To them that love God. To them
that love the God of this Bible. To them who love the sovereign
God that does as He will in the army of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the earth. All things. Good can come from
tragedy that we behold. I told you last week, brethren,
don't be wiser than the Revelation Scripture. God Almighty says
that we know that all things work together for good. For good. When tragedy strikes,
I'll tell you what it does for me. It makes me realize the certainty
of God's Word. All things give thanks. All things give thanks. This
is the will of God and Christ Jesus concerning you. We know
that all things work together for good to them that love God.
So I can tell you this, when Isaiah says, the Lord had laid
on Him the iniquity of us all, Who are the us all? Well, they're
the ones that love God. The ones who are, verse 28, the
called according to his purpose. Clarify, set forth the truth
to the ones that God has promised truth. The scripture sets forth Those
that are called according to his purpose. God's got a purpose.
He's got a will. His will, his counsel is going
to stand. This life is fleeting, but there's
an appointed time for everything. And at that appointed time, it's
going to happen. And in that day that it happens,
Lord, teach me your promises. Let me rest. Teach me to know
that all things have a divine purpose, and that
purpose is good. It's good. It's good. It works
together. It's in harmony. beautiful tapestry. It works together for good to
somebody, those that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. For whom, verse 29, he did foreknow. Those, actually, it means approved,
it means to know beforehand, but those elected to salvation. those He did foreknow. He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. Now
you think of this promise. Almighty God said those that
He foreknew in electing grace, He determined the destination, their destination to be conformed
to the image of His Son. He's going to create in righteousness,
in true holiness, a new man. And that's a promise. That's
a promise. This blessed promise that God's
going to perform, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Listen to this promise, verse
30. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them also He called. God's gonna
call them. He's named them, they're my sons,
and he's gonna call them. Moreover, whom he did predestinate
them, he also called whom he called, he also justified. And whom he justified them, he
also glorified. These who have been decreed from
eternity, the predestinated ones, that would be conformed to the
image of his son. You might say, well, explain
the fullness of that. I can't. But I know that when we see him,
now here's a promise. We're going to be like him. We're
going to see him as he is and be like him. You know, that's
a blessed promise that you can die with. How do you know that you have
a part in that? I believe God. I believe Him.
What Scripture says about Abraham, Abraham believed God. You think,
you truly believe that before the foundation of the world that
God chose you in Christ, predestinated you to be made like unto His
Son. You believe that? That's the
only hope I got. That's all I got. Lord, touch
my lips with that live call. Lord, teach me, give me eyes
to see, give me ears to hear. Look at verse 31. What shall
we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? If God is for us, Turn over to 2 Thessalonians. We read this so often. I love
this passage of Scripture. 2 Thessalonians 2.13. Now here's a promise. Now this is
a promise. But we are bound to give thanks
all the way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth. That's a promise. God chose his
people to salvation through being set
apart by God's spirit and giving them a faith to believe, giving
them faith to believe. And here's how he called them.
He called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Those chosen, that's those that
Isaiah spoke of, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all. Again, not everybody with that distinction. God laid on
the Lord Jesus Christ people that he's given a promise to,
those he foreknew, Those he predestinated, those he called, those he justified,
glorified. Who are they? John 17.2 tells
us who they are. This is a promise. John 17.2. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him. That's a promise God's given
his Son to people. What a calling. Who are you? I'm one of God's. I'm one of
God's elect. I'm one of God's chosen. I'm
one of God's servants. Look at who he prays for. John 17, I pray for them. I pray
not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for
they are thine. Now this is a promise of God. God has promised, I'm
praying for you. Peter, Satan has desired to have
you, and he might sift you as wheat. You think of the omniscience
of God, that he knew that, he knew that. Satan has desired
to have you. And I'm gonna give you a promise,
Peter, I've prayed for you. I've prayed for you. I was talking to a dear sister
today. She's gone through a very traumatic event. I called her up and I said, we
love you and we're praying for you. A minute, a minute. But
for the Lord to say, I've prayed for you. I've prayed for you.
Now that's a promise that I can die with. Lord, pray for me. Here's a promise. Holds you place
in Romans. Just turn back to John 10. Promises
that we can die with. John chapter 10, verse 27. My sheep hear my voice. and I know them and they follow
me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. Almighty God has given a promise
to a people of his love and affection In Acts chapter 2 verse 47, I'll
tell you who they are. Here's the ones that he's given
a promise. Acts chapter 2 verse 41 to 47
is what I'm gonna read. Then they that gladly received
his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto
them about 3,000 souls. They continued steadfastly in the
apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers
and fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were
done by the apostle and all that believed were together. They
had all things common and sold their possessions and goods and
part of them to all men as every man had need. And they continuing
daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from
house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness
of heart, praising God and have favor with all the people And
the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved. He laid down his life for us
all. Who? Those that should be saved. They're
his, he's gonna save them. Goes in him. Paul wrote a letter
to Timothy, 1 Timothy chapter two, 1 Timothy two. 10. What he said, 1 Timothy 2.10.
I said first, I meant second, I'm
sorry. 2 Timothy 2.10. Let's read 9 and 10. Wherefore I suffer trouble as
an evildoer, even under bonds, but the word of God is not bound.
Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake. that they
may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with
eternal glory. Paul said, I'm doing what I'm
doing. By God's calling, and I'm doing it for the elect's
sake, those that God has everlastingly loved. Back in Romans 8, again,
what shall we say to these things if God be for us who can be against
us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up, Here we go, for us all. I know what the world's gonna
say. You see, there he meant he died for everybody. No, I'm
proving a point by scripture after scripture after scripture.
Who did he die for? Who did he lay down his life?
He spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all.
How shall he not with him also freely give us all things. How shall he not, now listen,
catch these next two words, with him also freely give us all things. Somebody says, well, what are
all the things that he's gonna give us? The all things is Christ. Christ
is the all things. Knowing he is the all things,
look at it again. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? What else are you gonna have?
What else do you need if you have him? You have all things. Wisdom, righteousness, Redemption,
sanctification. He is our all and in all. All in all. Look at 1 Corinthians
1.30. 1 Corinthians 1.30. That's why I just quoted. But of him, but of him are ye
in Christ Jesus who of God. is made unto us. He is our wisdom. He's our righteousness. He's
our sanctification, our holiness, and our redemption. That according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Romans 8.33, who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who can bring any charge against
the elect of God? Who can bring any charge against,
you know, I know that born in Adam, I know that they're born
dead in trespasses and sins and being born in Adam, chargeable.
But Christ who has borne their debt and paid that debt before
the law of God, put it away as far as the east is from the west.
Who can lay any charge? Satan can accuse them, but it
ain't gonna stick. Our conscience can condemn us,
God greater than our conscience. Charges against myself, I can
tell you this, I can charge myself all day long. But those charges
washed in his blood freed me. Verse 34, Romans 8, who is he
that condemneth? It's Christ that died, yea rather
that's risen again. Who is even at the right hand
of God who also maketh intercession for us? And listen to that promise.
Grasp hold of that. Who can condemn the elect of
God? Here's the foundation of their eternal security Christ
died for. What it says, who is he that
condemneth? It's Christ that died. If he's
borne all of my guilt, and he has, and he's answered to the
law's demand for justice, if he's answered, who can condemn
me? Christ died, Christ put it away.
Christ died, yea rather is risen again. Now here's something I
want to make real clear when it comes to the resurrection. Christ came out of the grave
because that which he did, God approved. And he died, he truly
died. The wages of sin is death. God would not suffer him to see
corruption. He came out of that grave in
three days. He came out. Accepted. He was raised for or
because of our justification. God had justified us freely by
His grace. God saw the Lamb slain from before
the foundation of the world. He saw Him bearing the guilt.
He trusted Him. And he went to the cross. God
had seen that eternally. He bore our guilt. And he died. And he was buried. And God accepted
it. So whenever we talk about the
resurrection, I'm telling you, this is our hope in Christ Jesus. He came out of the tomb. God
accepted, God raised him. I love that scripture that says,
the Lord said, I have power to lay down my life. I got power
to take it again. That's power, that's power. Look at verse 35, who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? For tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Who can separate us? Who can
separate us from God Almighty? Trials, afflictions, burdens,
distresses of the soul, persecution from the world, hatred of false
religion, famine, nakedness, peril. Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? As it is written, verse 36, for
thy sake we're killed all the day long. We're accounted as
sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we're
more than conquerors. through him that loved us, more
than conquerors. That's an amazing proof. Only as we are beheld in the
emptiness of ourself, all of its various forms of our
emptiness, and filled with the fullness of him that filleth
all in all, do we understand that we're more than conquerors?
We're more than conquerors. We must be overcome by him to behold that we have overcome
through him. To gain victory, we must know
of our weakness. Paul said, when I'm weak, that's
when I'm strong, when I know I don't have any strength. We don't learn this from others. I'm telling you, God has to teach
us. We're not more than conquerors through our strength, but through
him that loved us. Verse 38 and 39, Paul said, listen
to this promise, where I'm persuaded that neither death nor life nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord." What a promise. I'm persuaded. If death, if I can't be separated
from Him by death or life, or any of these other things, present
things, things to come, height, depth, any other creature. If
I can't be separated by anything that's been named right there,
I can't be separated. I cannot be. This is a promise. And I'm gonna have to close with
this one last promise. Verse one of Romans eight. Right now, if God Almighty calls
me home tonight, by the grace of God, casting all of my hope
on Him, I tell you, I cannot tell you how many times that
I have asked. You know, He said you have not
because you ask not. How many times have I asked that prayer
of that thief on the cross? Lord, would you remember me when
you enter into your kingdom Would you remember me? Somebody said,
well, hadn't you asked that before? I sure have. And by the grace
of God, I'll ask him again. Lord, remember me. I pray that in that day, when
my time is over, when my race has been run, when I breathe
my last breath, at this passage of scripture,
is made real to me afresh. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, trusting
the flesh, looking to the flesh, crying out to their will, their
works, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
For the law of the spirit of life in Christ. Truth, the doctrine,
the law, the gospel, law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has made me free from the law of sin and death for what the
law could not do in that it was weak through my flesh. God sending his own son in the
likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemn sin of the flesh,
that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Brethren, I need, and you that know Him,
you do too, you need the promise of God. You need the promises
of God that's not gonna fail, to die with. One of these days
we're gonna die, might be today. Lord, teach us afresh your glory
and our good.