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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family.

A Romans in chapter 8 regards to how much we want to do right. We in this life will never be be all that we could have been for the Lord. There are three things found in the book of Romans chapter 8. You find a word mentioned three times and the word is groaning, the groaning, groaning and travailing. And yet it’s talking to us about having victory. It seemed like a paradox, a contradiction. Now once you look there in verse 19 of Romans chapter 8.

For the earnest expectation of the creature waited for the manifestation of the sons of God. Now there’s two things here. The one the word creature is referring to the creation of the world itself. This world is waiting for something. You see in the very beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, there was nothing wrong with the environment. There was nothing wrong with the earth. There was nothing wrong with the trees and the grass and the birds and the flowers and the animals and all that.

Everything was right. There was nothing wrong with any of the creation of God. There would have been no death. We wouldn’t have had to worry about that. But because man had sinned, well then because we sinned and God had put us in charge of the earth to have dominion over it, well because of the sin of man, the fall of man, God cursed the earth. So the earth has been cursed. Now in the book of 2 Corinthians in chapter 5, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 says, therefore, if any man be in Christ, He is a new creature, a new creation.

Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. Should there be a change in a Christian’s life? I believe that there is a change automatic, but it’s not revealed until the man yields to the Lord. In other words, every person who trusts Christ as Savior, something has happened to him. He has been given a new birth. He is born again and he does have the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is a difference. That is a change, but it’s not a visible change until the man is able by this new birth to control the old one.

And if he doesn’t control the old birth, then you will not see a change in a person’s life. But should a Christian have a change in his life? Well yes, that’s what this whole thing is about. Change, something happening. And there’s many people who trust Christ as Savior and there’s never visibly a change in their life that shows you that their new birth is alive and well. We know the old nature is alive and well. But I go back to Romans in chapter 8.

And it says in verse 24, the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who had subjected the same in hope. In other words, because we were subjected to bondage in this world and the slavery of the old sinful nature and the lust of the flesh and the eyes and so forth. God also subjected the environment. So it also is waiting and hoping. See it also has, as the Bible says, it’s almost like the world has a mind and the world can think and the world can reason.

The world wants something better. Well, the Lord says the creation of the world is waiting for something to happen. And then you’ll notice it makes a statement there in verse 21, because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God, for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. So we know that the creation of the world groans. And then it makes the statement about in verse 23 that we, the sons of God, also grown.

And it says in verse 22, for we know it’s going to be verse 23. And not only they, but our sales also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, waiting. So the world groans and waits. You and I grown and wait. And then it says there in chapter eight of the book of Romans in verse 26, talking about the Holy Spirit like wise, likewise, like the creation of the world and like the sons of God, those who trusted Christ as Savior.

And verse 26, likewise the Spirit also held with our infirmity for we know that what we should pray, not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makeeth the intercession for us with what? Grownings, which cannot be uttered. So here we have the creation groans. You and I, the sons of God, groan, and the Holy Spirit groans. What is interesting about the Holy Spirit groaning? I can understand you and I groaning. If you look there in verse 18, where it says, and I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, but that time isn’t yet.

But there is a time of suffering. We are groaning. Now one day of this world is going to be delivered and it uses the word groan and travail. Groaning has the idea of looking backwards. Travelle has the idea of looking forward. We groan because of what has taken place. You’ve gone through something, some heartache, some loss. And you’ve grown because of the suffering that you’re now going through. Okay? But travail talks about and shall travail with pain is a reference to a woman having a child and a woman having a child, she has a time that she goes through of a lot of sufferings and the hurt and the pain and as time goes on those pains increase and And she is laboring and in travail and in pain until the child is delivered What I’m One looks back and one looks forward Well when it cucks about the creation grown it and

travails and it says that So the world itself is groaning because of the curse that was put upon it But that’s not the way God intended. You see, God created a good world. There was no sin. There was no problems. And everything was fruitful. And it would have been so nice, so wonderful. But there is coming a time where we’re going to have that changed. It’s not going to be like that forever. You see, it was good and became bad.

It’s not going to stay like this. God says that the creation is in travail like waiting to be delivered like a new birth, a new creation Something new is going to take place now. We could have had everything if on the earth take place the Lord to come back Take us to be with him and then you start the new heavens and the new earth But it would not have solved the problem what happened to this earth that God made and and bringing forth this righteousness upon the earth and everything being wonderful without that thousand years that God’s going to have.

The thousand years is like a must because it’s part of the overall plan. Don’t want to leave that out. Wouldn’t you like to have lived in the Garden of Eden? You will because the whole earth is going to be like the Garden of Eden for a thousand years. We will be here. But the earth is waiting to be delivered into something wonderful, but it has to wait. It’s waiting for the sons of God to get things right. So that’s why he makes the statement here in verse 19, for the earnest expectation, the joyful anticipation of the creation waited for the manifestation of the sons of God.

So it’s waiting on us. So we get to go first. See, the earth was right and man messed it up. So man has to get right before the creation of the world can be made right again. See, God is so organized. He’s so disciplined. And he has everything in order. Everything has to be right. And when you study the Bible, it just blows your mind when you start seeing some of these things. But notice what he says. He says they’re in verse 20.

For the creation was made subject to vanity. In the book of Ecclesiastes, it talks about you and I, and that everything is vanity and vexation of spirit. And we’re like, if there was no God, what’s the purpose of life? Without God, what’s the purpose of the world? What’s the purpose of anything? Even the earth would have no purpose. The trees, there’s really no purpose. Because it would be all just an accident without God. There’s no purpose for animals. They just happen to exist and maybe we came from some one cell to Meebah.

Maybe some common ancestor, you know, like a monkey. Well, I don’t believe I came from a nape. I don’t believe you did either. I said before my ancestors may have hung by the neck, but they didn’t hang by the tails. The world is going to be changed, but it’s waiting on something. It’s waiting upon the sons of God to be changed. Now get what he says here in verse 21, because the creation itself also shall be delivered. And the reason we shall be delivered and the creation will be is because look there in verse 24 of chapter 7.

When he looked at himself, saw803ocrinally, with his old sinful nature, old wretched man that I am, not that I’m going to be, this is the way I am. Who shall what? Those two words deliver me. Who’s going to deliver me from this, going forth from this? So the way I am is not the way it Shinzo is goingAdds=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Canaveral.Weak It’s not the way that I want it. And is it possible in this life I could be totally the way that I should be?

I accomplish really what all I want to accomplish the way God knows because of that sinful nature that you and I have. We will battle it all the days of our lives. Now notice what he says here in verse 21, because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. So we’re talking about being delivered from something, the bondage of corruption that’s in this world. One day it will not be corrupted anymore. Now And you know that if this is what it is concerning creation of the world, it might also mean the same thing when it talks about you and not being delivered.

Being delivered from this wretched body that we live in. And being delivered from this world. And as you look upon the world scene and you notice what’s happening over there in the Middle East, it looks like the world is sitting on a powder cake. Do you realize how easy it could be for the battle of Armageddon to take place? And where’s it supposed to take place in the plains of Jezreel right there in Armageddon? Right where they are in the north part of Israel.

That’s where I’ve been several times, five times I’ve been there. And I’m talking about in this great big old plains and we sit there one day up on Mount Magiddo and we looked out there and the guy told me, he said, now watch right down there because he saw some and the thing opened up right out of the ground. And on that 16, Pune took off from under that thing, under the ground. They got them all over there. not going to have peace in the Middle East without the Prince of Peace and he ain’t come yet Jerusalem put to be the city of peace and this is going to be a city of pieces because remember in the future yet Jerusalem will fall and the Jews they’re going to try to annihilate them and it says one third will be killed one third will be taken into captivity and one third a remnant will be left in

the land and Jesus will come back so the whole creation is waiting until that time Now look there in verse 22, but we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Then he says, and not only they, but ourselves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit. Now the first fruits of the Spirit means that when you trusted Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit is the seal that you’re in Christ. The Holy Spirit is the down payment.

He’s the earnest payment that you’re going to get the rest of it later. So you have the Holy Spirit living within you. That’s your security. That is your guarantee. You’re a child of God that can never be changed. In this light you and I will never have all that we’re supposed to have or be all that we’re supposed to be because we’re limited and we have a sinful nature. We won’t always do and obey and yield like we’re supposed to 100%.

He makes a statement here in verse 23, and not only the name, but we’re waiting for some. Even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption that we’re waiting for something. We’re waiting to be delivered from this body to another body. And if you and I see when God saved you, he washed your soul wide as snow, but he never touched your body. You still have your sinful nature is in the body. That’s why Christ came into the world.

Oh, he was perfect But he had a human body, but he had to have a body where no man physical man Had anything to put into the body though the wall and good because the sinful nature is not passed on by the woman But by the man and so by not having a man seed he did not have a sinful nature in his body Therefore he didn’t have to worry about that you and I do so the day will come will be delivered from the Curse of this body and we’re waiting to be delivered from that but until then We got to suffer and we groan and the longer we’ll stay in this body the more groaning We’re going to do anybody been groaning lately anybody have any aches and pains lately Well, just hang in there you will guaranteed but like the world is waiting and

And you and I that live in this body were totally anticipating this moment. It may be by rapture My choice or it may be by death, but remember this he says they’re in the book of Philippians in chapter one. I Have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far what? better So the best in this world is not as good as what we’re gonna have that is far better When he makes the statement in the book of 1 Peter in chapter 1 and verse 4, and when he says we have an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, that fate if not away reserved in heaven for us, but thing is, we’re not there yet, knowing that I have an inheritance.

It’s undefiled because everything down here is, and it’s incorruptible, and it’s not here is. And faith, if not away, while everything down here does still doesn’t tell me what it is. I still have within me a little desire. Well, what is my inheritance? The Bible tells us even in the book of Revelation, that there’ll be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more tears, but it doesn’t tell me what I’m going to get. He says, I have not seen ear, have not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the thing which God has prepared for them that He hasn’t told us that.

He just says, what’s not going to be there? But he never, well, what’s going to be there? And you know what I got in mind? I want to know what is. He doesn’t say everything. He just tells us enough to dangle us along. And he says, wait, hope. It’ll be worth it. And so faith is believing that what God said is true. And that nothing in this world can be compared to it. You know, heaven must be something. It’s another world.

When you notice there in verse 18 when he says, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed enough but it doesn’t say what glory will be revealed, does it? It just says what you’re going to have when you get to heaven. There’s nothing in this world that you can compare it to You can say it was going to be like this. No, it’s not There isn’t anything The mind of man will not be able to comprehend this new world What heaven is really like?

So we’re waiting until then but God says serve me now Believe in all of this one day you’ll be there and I’m going to reward you with things that you would never dream that would make everything you went through down here, it’ll all be worth it. And so we’re waiting for this moment. We’ve grown in this body. Waiting as a woman is going to have a child and to be a new life. Remember the Bible tells us this in the book of Romans in chapter 6, that when Christ was buried, you were buried.

And as He came backprofile the dead, even we also should walk in newness of light. We’re live is all I’ve already got the new life. I just haven’t seen my inheritance yet. I don’t know what it all is. I haven’t got a good clue. I just know that it’s going to be worth it. And you and I are supposed to live our lives believing that and to serve the Lord now with all we have. And if you really believe what God says, then you’ll patiently wait for it.

See the last part of verse 25? You’ll patiently wait for this moment. Now look there in verse 26. What do you think it means when he’s talking here about the Holy Spirit groaning? Well, if the Holy Spirit is groaning, he’s not groaning for himself, but God Bible does tell us that the Holy Spirit grieves. You can grieve God. You can grieve the Holy Spirit. And it makes a statement in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 13, grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you’re sealed until the day of redemption.

So you and I are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. You see, the Holy Spirit of God that lives within us is not able to totally possess all of us. Now he possesses you, but he don’t have all of you. See, you have all of the Holy Spirit. When you trust the Lord, you’ve got all of Him you’ll ever get. But he don’t have all of you that he could get. Because you see, him using us effectively in this life is you and I yield in our lives to him.

But nobody does it perfectly. We already have restraints, we got problems, we have drawbacks, we have fear. We don’t totally do what God says to do. There is a groaning in Him because you and I have not yet came forth, produced the way we should. He says that in the Philippians in chapter one and verse six, it makes the statement that He that hath begun a good work in you will perform unto the day of Christ. So He is within us for the purpose of performing.

That means if he is performing a work in us, there is a change taking place in us. If you have no changes in your life, it’s because the Holy Spirit doesn’t have the freedom to work in your life. That grieves God. Because you and I are not totally limited now to our physical body and our old sinful nature, we have the power of God Himself living within us. And when he makes the statement there in verse 26, in the middle part of the verse is for the Spirit himself, make it the intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered to be conformed to the image of Christ.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit within you and within me is to conform us to the image of Christ. And that’s why he says in 2 Corinthians in chapter 3, it makes a statement about the where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, or where the spirit is the Lord of your life, then you’ll have liberty from glory to glory, from the glory of the law to the glory of the spirit. And the purpose of the Holy Spirit in our life is to change us.

Have you ever met people who have trusted Christ as Savior, and you see no change in their life? Now that doesn’t mean you should doubt their salvation, but you’ll doubt their love for the Lord. you’ll doubt a chain taking place in the Lord. You’ll doubt maturity in their life because of the way they live. See, the Holy Spirit is in me to deliver me from the power of the sinful nature so that I can produce something in my life, but it’s not over yet.

There’s so much more, look in verse 28. How many people have said, this is my favorite verse in the Bible? And I doubt if they really understand what the verse means. And they just probably stand back and just try to separate the good things and the bad things, good things and the bad things, the good things and the things they like and the bad things and the things they don’t like. That isn’t the Bible. He says, for we know that all things work together for good.

This is why the Holy Spirit groans. You see, the Holy Spirit is to take all the things that happens in our life and make them work together to conform you and me to His image because that’s what His job is. And whenever we don’t yield and And we fight against the things that happens in our life and we get bad attitudes and we get ugly toward God. It’s because the Holy Spirit doesn’t have the freedom to work in our lives.

He’s not conforming us and that’s his job. That’s what he wants. He wants to bring us forth from the way we are in our immaturity as a child of God into an adult, a mature man or a mature woman of God. Every woman in here. Would you consider yourself a gracious, godly Christian woman? Would every man consider yourself to be a Christian gentleman, a god-fearing man? Because every one of us should be allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to change us.

Because God doesn’t want you to stay the way He wants to bring you for to deliver you from the power of sin and the life, from the old sinful nature, from the things of the world, from the power of the devil and make you a strong Christian and he’s greed when you don’t yield. Now. You’ll notice when he makes a statement here in verse 28, for we know that all things work together for good to them, that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose, and what is his purpose after we trust the Christ’s Savior.

He says in verse 29, for whom he did for know, he also did predestinate to be, and you ought to underline these words, conform to the image of his son. Conform is change Anyway, you cut it when he says in Romans in chapter 12 be not conformed to this world It means don’t let the world make you like the world But when he says be Transformed by the renewing of your mind. It means let the word of God change you into something else Yes or no, yes, that’s what the book says So should there be changes in a Christian’s life?

Yes, there should be changes in a Christian’s life That is the only evidence that you can have that the Holy Spirit is working in your life that you are growing in the Lord and that you have revealed something in your life that maybe it wasn’t there before. You are conforming to the image of Christ. In other words, you become more and more like the Lord. And yet in this life, you and I will never totally conform to the image of Christ.

not until the day that we leave this body will be changed in a moment with that word changed in a moment the twinkling of an eye and cut up to meet the Lord. That’s when our total change will take place. And then you’ll have and be all that God wants you to be. You see, you don’t change your life to be saved because that would be works for salvation. You don’t change your life. You don’t promise God you’re going to change.

You don’t have to stop anything. anything all you do is as simply as you best you can. I’m a sinner and I believe Christ died, paid for my sin. I’ll trust him as my Savior. And once you do that, then you are God’s child. You have eternal life. You’re going to heaven whenever you die. And that’s good news. Born into his family. But the work’s not over. The Lord is just beginning a good work. Now, what he says here.

In verse 20, I’m whom he did for. No, that’s the foreknowledge of God. That’s an attribute. He also did predestinate. That’s an act of God. That’s what he does. And so he says that these things that come into our lives in this life and all these sufferings that we go through are the very tools that the Holy Spirit uses to conform you. Now what is the attitude that that you have toward the things that goes against your grain. How do you handle it?

How you doing? Remember, it’s a battle right up here in the mine. This is where you either win or lose. If you understand this, you’ll know that God is behind this and God can use this to make me a better, stronger person than I watched before. Have you heard about Bibleline Institute, the online Bible College of Bibleline Ministries? There are 11 different Bible college courses to choose from, and for this month we’d like to give you a free enrollment to the class personal evangelism taught by Dr.

Arnold. For your gift to Bibleline ministries in any amount, you’ll have full use of the 10-hour course which you can access whenever you like as often as you’d like it’s online. The classes include video instruction, lecture notes, quizzes, and if you’d like to send a quiz, you can submit it. Again, it’s all online. When you send in your gift, please include your email address and we’ll enroll you in the class personal evangelism. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

Again, don’t forget to include your email address or contact information. God bless you and thank you again for supporting Bible Eye. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.