phies, earthquakes, and sufferings increase rather than decrease. Con stellations collide and explode. No wonder Andrew Bonar wrote, “Come and make all things new; build up this ruined earth; restore our faded Paradise; creation’s second birth!” The believer longs for a change of scenery. The world is run by mad men and devils. Injustices abound. Truth is trampled. Christ is de famed. Christians are ridiculed. The cause of righteousness is espoused by only a few. No wonder we “groan” looking for that new day, “wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Verse 23 also implies that the Holy Spirit joins us in this “travail.” He desires to settle in clean habitations! He is a friend of the Bridegroom, longing to introduce as many as pos sible to the Saviour. But when the “body of Christ” is completed, He will wing His way heavenward! Salvation comes in stages. As yet it isn’t a finished product. We are, of course, saved by grace through faith. Nevertheless, the last and final act of that redemption is the con summation of all things in Jesus Christ and His Coming. I t’s natural to chafe under bond age. Yet, if we “in patience will pos sess our souls,” we shall come into the inheritance with certainty. The same word is used in James 5:11, where it’s translated “patience.” Ac tually, it means “steadfastness.” If your body is wracked with pain, if you have lost precious loved ones, if you have to subsist on life’s mea ger bounties, or if life has become a veritable avalanche of sorrow, your day is coming! It may be here soon. “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase, So bravely run the race, ’til we see Christ.”
THE PRAYER OF THE SPIRIT A study of Romans 8:26-27 by A rv id Carlson T hese closing verses of Romans 8 reflect the trend and thought of the entire book. Salvation is now complete. Our final redemption is ac complished by the sovereign power and grace of God. The Apostle Paul sets down four guarantees of glory. The first of these shows us that prayer is a basic ministry of the Holy Spirit. “Like wise, also, the Spirit helpeth our in firmities.” There are some 20 refer ences to the Holy Spirit in the pre ceding verses. No single chapter in the New Testament contains such copious teaching on the Holy Spirit. It is difficult to imagine that the Holy Spirit does anything more im portant than this in relation to the believer. This is His basic ministry. Note how that this ministry is specifically directed to our weakness es. The word “helpeth” is used in only one other place in the New Tes tament, Luke 10:40. It means “an assistance against all opposition.” The Holy Spirit abides in our hearts for the purpose of making common cause with us against all opposition —both external and internal. The Christian enjoys a sustaining power, of which the world is entirely ignorant. The presence and prayers of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer are proof positive that God is deeply interested in the af fairs of His children. God's love and
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