Dear friends:

This is a word from the Lord: authentic, bona fide, and notarized.

This morning I visited a church where a friend is the pastor.  I was burdened and my spirit was grieving with all the suffering in the world, such as in New Orleans, the Gulf area, and in other parts of the world, and all the sin and corruption -- the very nature of this world in general.

After I got out of my car and was walking toward the church entrance, I prayed and asked the Lord to "give me a word" during the service.

I was late and the sermon was in progress.  As I entered the sanctuary, the very first words I heard were the pastor's words: "Lord, please give us a word.  We need a word."  The relevance of his words to my prayer just moments earlier was stunning and got my immediate attention.

He then proceeded to read from Romans chapter 8, his text.  This was the answer to my prayer about suffering and corruption!  It was the word I sought, straight from the Word, anointed by the Spirit.  See underlined words:

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance" (Romans 8:18-25, NKJV).

I like The Amplified Bible wording of verse 18: "the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!"  The words "about to be revealed" speaks to my spirit about immanency.

Summary of word from the Lord today: The suffering, corruption and futility in this evil world are real, and the creation is groaning with birth pangs, but all that is nothing compared with the glory about to be revealed, that time when our bodies will soon be redeemed.  And "we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

Halleluyah!  We can grieve with the hurting but also be encouraged and shout for the soon-coming glory!

Jim