A Plan For You

Transcript

Alright thank you very much and hello again my dear radio friend. How in the world are you? That little greeting establishes the fact that this in indeed your good friend, Bob Cook, and you and I are back together again around the Word of God. There’s a special something about this broadcast that brings us together in heart and in mind and in appreciation of the things of the Lord, isn’t there?

Well there’s thousands of you whom I don’t know and I shall never meet I’m sure until we get to glory. But every time I approach these microphones I have that profound sense of belonging to so many people with open hearts for the Word of God, it’s a precious fellowship I’m so grateful for it. Thank you for being there and thanks to the many stations that carry us so that we can share from the Word of God. It’s great isn’t it?

We’re looking at Romans 8 as a contrast to 2 Peter 2. 2 Peter the second chapter is full of indictments of human nature and its old sinful state. In Romans 8 is full of contrasting statements of what the Holy Spirit does for you as He indwells the believer of the Lord Jesus Christ. I spent all of yesterday in sort of reviewing the first part of Romans 8, we got down to Verse 15 as I recall in that review.

And now we come to Verse 16– a new kind of assurance. Instead of wondering where you stand with God he said the Spirit also witnesses — bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, sons that is, of God. And if children then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so we then suffer with Him that we may be also glorified together. Why, He said the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that should be revealed in us.

The earnest expectation of the creature that’s us, waited for the manifestation of the sons of God. The creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of Him who subjected the same in hope. The creation — all of the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. It goes on to talk about the whole creation and what’s going to happen when the resurrection comes and so on.

Well now, back to Verse 16 — not only do we have all these things, a new commitment, a new law of life, a new focus and a set of priorities, new dynamic and a new leadership and a new heart cry not of fear but of family, Abba Father.
Now, new assurance, the Spirit himself bares witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if children heirs joint heirs with Christ, the assurance is based upon the Holy Spirit and He bases His work upon the Word of God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Gilbert Howe was a friend of mine years ago, he used to have a little tabernacle located just across the road from Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania and he would hold services there night after night for the GI’s who might come in from the camp. This was during World War II days an embarkation point. The GI’s would be sent to this place from which they would take off from various parts of the world. And so it was that he held services there and oftentimes he would go into the camp by the permission of the authorities and visit in the barracks. He told me that on one occasion he came upon a young man sitting dejectedly upon his cot and he approached him and he said, “Hello buddy, how are things?” Well he says, “Oh, you can’t help me”. And so he sat down beside him and said, “Well maybe you might tell me about whatever it is”, he said I go overseas tomorrow and I’m scared. I’m scared to live and scared to die he said and he just doesn’t know what to do about it. Well then Gilbert said he spoke to him in general terms about trusting God, trusting the Savior and that God would take care of him. And the boy turned to him rather angrily and he said, “I’ve heard all that stuff” he said, “Look up there on the wall” and there on the wall was a crucifix. He said, “Look at it carefully” and Gilbert said he looked at it and found that it was worn. The finish was worn off of that sacred object and the boy said, “I’ve handled that crucifix, I’ve touched it, I’ve prayed over it and I’ve kissed it. I’ve done everything I can and I’m still afraid.”

He said, “Feel my knees” the boy said and Gilbert touched his hand on the boy’s knee and he felt a hard calloused skin there underneath the cloth of his trouser leg. He said I have knelt and prayed until I got calluses on my knees. He said I’m still scared nothing helps. Well Gilbert Howe told me he said, I opened the Word of God and I explained the gospel to him some of which he had already heard and understood, some of which he didn’t. And finally he said he came to John 1 Verse 12: but as many as received him, to them gave thee power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on His name. Now he said, let me show you what this verse says, what is it that you are supposed to do? You’re supposed to receive a person the Lord Jesus, and you’re supposed to believe on His name, His name is Jesus. Do you know what His name means? No, the boy didn’t know and so Gilbert explained from Matthew 1:21 — “Thou shalt call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sins.” Jesus means savior and so if you believe on His name you’ll trust Him to save you from your sins.

Now what are you supposed to do, you’re suppose to receive Him and trust Him to do what His name means– to save you. What will he do; to them gave you power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on His name. You’re sure that God will keep His promise if you do what He said you should do; and finally the truth came across to the young man and they knelt together there by the cot in the barracks, that Indiantown Gap.

And the young man talked aloud now to the savior and he prayed about things before but now he’s committing himself to the Lord Jesus and he said, “Lord I do receive you as my Lord and savior. And I do trust you now to save me from my sins, amen.” They got up and sat down again together and Gilbert turned the Bible around so that the type was facing the young man and he said, “Now read John 1:12 out loud would you buddy?” And the young man read, “But as many has received Him, to them gave ye power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on His name.” And Gilbert looked at him and he said, “What does that say to you?” The boy was sort of blank, he didn’t respond. So Gilbert said, “Read it again out loud will you?” The boy read it again out loud, “But as many has received Him, to them gave ye power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on His name.” The boy looked up at him with a smile and he said, “Hey mister I’m in there, I’m in there!” And then he said something remarkable. He said, “I’m not scared anymore, I’m in there.” Hallelujah.

You know the Holy Spirit of God among all the other wonderful things He does; Jesus said when He’s come He’ll convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, He’ll guide you into all truth, He’s the comforter. He’ll speak of me and He’ll speak through you and He’ll guide you in all that. But one of the wonderful things that He does is that He reassures you that you’re really as the boy said, are in there — you belong. He witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Oh today rejoice in the fact that you belong to the Lord Jesus that’s if you really do. If you’ve never settled the matter right now before you’re one hour older, find a place where you can bow and say, “Lord Jesus come into my heart, forgive my sins and save me from them and make me a child of God today I ask.” And as you pray in Jesus name, God will keep His promise because the Bible says, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.

New assurance, new resources if children then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Paul tells the people over in Corinth that everything that belongs to God is ours, have you seen that passage? Ye are Christ’s said he, and Christ is God’s. Huh? Let me read it for you, “Therefore said he…” — I’m reading from 1 Corinthians 3:21, “Therefore let no man glory in men…” — he’d been talking about the divisiveness of people following one person and another — I’m of Paul’s, I’m of Apolllos, Cephas– following people. He said let no man glory in men for all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, that’s all the leadership or the world, or life or death or things present or things to come — all are yours and ye are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.

“We’re stewards of the mysteries of God,” he said. All things are yours. We’re joint heirs with Christ — what kind of an heir is a joint heir? Well if you and I were joint heirs to two dollars, would you own the two dollars? Yes you would. But would I also? Yes I also would own the two dollars. Could you spend the two dollars? Yes you could but not without me. Could I spend the two dollars? Yes I could but not without you — everything you have belongs to me and everything I have in that inheritance belongs to you, we’re joint heirs with Christ, all that He is.

See, that’s why we read in Peter, “His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness and that in these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. All things that pertain to life and godliness. God is able to make all grace abound towards you that you always will have all sufficiency and all things may abound to every good work.” The all inclusiveness of the blessing of God includes everything that the Lord Jesus is given to you.

Take that in today would you friend? Somebody saying well Brother Cook that’s great but I’m broke. Well that’s part of the all things, part of the all things that God is trusting you with. He never said that we wouldn’t have trials, he never said there wouldn’t be pain or tears or sorrows. Jesus said in the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world and the outcome is God is doing what He’s doing through you, through what’s happening right now even though I don’t like it, He is working. It is God which works within you both the will and to do of his good pleasure all things are yours including the gravely part that you don’t like. Why? Because God is working out his good pleasure and when you see the other side of your life, when you see God’s record of it, you’re going to rejoice and you’ll say as it says in the song, Jesus doeth all things well. Now we go on with this the next time we get together.

Dear Father we love Thee, we worship Thee, and we thank Thee for the all things that is part of Thy divine plan. Thank you Lord, Amen.

Till I meet you once again by way of radio, walk with the King today and be a blessing!