50 Days of Wisdom

The biblical view is that when Adam and Eve sinned, everything was cursed by God and subjected to slavery and corruption. Therefore, all of creation, all believers, and the Holy Spirit are groaning because it has been subjected to futility by God. Look, we understand the groaning of creation in its imperfection because we're part of creation, and we are living imperfections. We know what it is to groan. We groan in ourselves, lamenting our cursed situation. But what are we groaning for? What are we waiting for? Well, it says in verse 23, "Our adoption as sons." You say, "Wait a minute, we were already adopted. You told us that in verses 14 to 16 of Romans chapter 8, that we have been adopted." Yes, we have been adopted, but we don't have our inheritance yet. True? And what is our inheritance connected to? End of verse 23, the redemption of what? Our body. We've already been adopted formally into the family of God. We are the children of God. We have the Holy Spirit leading us now—verse 14. We have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of adoption, in us by which we cry, "Abba, Father." We sense that intimacy with God. The Spirit is testifying with our spirit—verse 16—that we're the children of God. So we have been adopted, but we have not received our inheritance. Do you remember 1 Peter 1:3-4? We have an inheritance that fades not away, reserved in heaven for us, not yet received—not received until the glorious freedom of the children of God. So we groan. We groan for the day when this mortal shall put on immortality, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, when death shall be swallowed up with life, right? That's First Corinthians 15. We groan for that experience. We want to be clothed with our heavenly body, like unto Jesus' glorious body (Philippians, chapter 3). Paul even calls these vile bodies, our flesh, our fallenness, our humanness, and our sin. We can't wait. We are thankful for grace, but we so long to go from grace to glory. Are we going to make it? Yes, we are, because according to verse 23, we already have the first fruits of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the first fruits. He is the first installment of our inheritance. "First fruits" refers to the little bit of the crop that the farmer pulled while the rest was still reaching its full bloom. He would pull in the first, and he would know what the future crop would be like by the first that came. Well, the Holy Spirit is the first fruits of the full crop that God has prepared for His people. He is the installment, the down payment, the engagement ring, the seal, and the pledge; all that language is found in Paul's writings. And He is the Spirit of promise. Now and in the future. That's the hope of the redeemed. Colossians 1:27 says, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." So we then groan until that is fulfilled. And the older you get, the more you groan. You groan more because you can do less and because you have more to groan about. Not only personally in your own body, but things are going on around you that make you groan. However, we all live in hope, and that hope burns brighter as we grow older and experience more of living in a corrupt and fallen world. Listen, salvation includes faith, which looks back to the finished work of Christ, but it also includes hope, which looks forward to the unfinished work of Christ. It's a faith walk, and it's a hope walk as well. And that means that all of creation will continue to groan until the children of God are brought to glory. Repent and believe! GTY.org (90-424) – Hope That Transcends the Groaning

Today's Wisdom

Day: 1048

October 3, 2026

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Grace and peace,

My name is Mark Paul from Wauchula, Florida, and like the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:14, "I know that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent." Consequently, my goal is to leave a legacy that will continue to advance the kingdom of God long after I have departed. In other words, bear fruit for eternity. And by simply reading and sharing my free eBooks, you too become contributors to the advancement of His kingdom. Thank you for partaking in this endeavor, and I look forward to greeting you on heaven's shore.

The Truth in Love,

Mark Paul - Servant of God

Now grant, O Lord, that when the souls who read these books cast their eyes upon these lines, their minds may be illuminated and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and be converted so that You may heal them. Amen!