In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of the hope of the gospel and the imminent return of Jesus. He warns about the danger of being complacent and satisfied with just "holding our own" in our faith. The preacher highlights the groaning of creation and the need for believers to groan and long for the completion of our salvation. The sermon encourages believers to love the appearing of Jesus and to have a deep desire for His presence in our lives.

The Bible says we're saved by hope. This is not the finished product. Thank God it isn't the finished product. Paul says, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But thank God we're saved by hope. We're saved for a purpose. Those of you who listened to Lowell Thomas tonight heard the story of the British stew. They're all in the stew over there. But anyway, if they liked stew, and some woman was cooking stew, and everybody got sick because she put a lot of onions in it or thought it was a lot of onions, it wasn't. They were daffodil bulbs. Now, I see those daffodil bulbs were, they looked like onions, but they were not supposed to be onions. They were not supposed to be used for onions. You may look like a child of the world, but you're not supposed to be. They're not of the world, Jesus says. They're not of the world. That's got to be real to me. I'm not of this world. Praise God. I'm not gonna be made into onion pie. I'm not of this world. We're saved by hope. Praise God and Jesus Christ is our hope. And I'm so thankful for the fact that since Jesus came into my heart, he has been working mightily within me. Glory to God. You know, this is the most interesting life. Walking with him, you get someplace, even on this earth. Praise God, you can compare the roadmap and find out where you're at. And you've got to make sure that you're getting someplace. I like the fellow that two Irishmen were on the road and they were asking, stopping a farmer and asking, how far is it to Dublin? He said, oh, about half hour. So they walked half hour and they didn't see Dublin yet. And they asked another farmer, how far is it to Dublin? Why is it about half hour? They kept walking and they kept asking about half a dozen times. And every time they got the same answer, about half hour. Well, one said, well, we're at least holding our own. And that's the way lots of Christians are. They're satisfied to hold their own. But you know, the Bible says we should not be moved away from the hope of the gospel. There's something to do about it. Romans 8, we're saved by hope. Thank God. All of creation is prevailing, waiting for that completion of our salvation. We ought to be interested in it too. If all creation is groaning, groaning, the creation is in captivity, in slavery, because our salvation is not yet complete. We ought to be interested in it too. And the Bible tells us how. We ought to groan. That's interesting. Are you groaning? I never knew what that was, to groan in the Holy Ghost, until the Holy Ghost came and he began to groan within me. We groan, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, in this we groan. In this body we groan. We don't really belong here. This is only a temporary affair that God's given us while we're on this earth. We live in this body of our humiliation, but thank God, don't spend too much time and too much interest over this body. All right, to go to a beauty parlor, if you have the money, and you have to, if you need it so badly, go ahead. But there's something else that needs more attention. Groaning, in this body we groan, earnestly desiring to be closed upon with our house from heaven. Oh, that's the thing we're interested in. When we started building our church in Kirkheim, it went on so slowly, I said to Walter, what's the matter, what's the matter with these workmen? Well, he says, we asked them and they promised and they promised and they don't come around. Says they promised to fix the plumbing six months ago. They promised to do it six months ago and they haven't done it yet. Something wrong there. Listen, the Lord keeps his promises. Thank God he works in you. He works in you. He works your salvation in you. God's faithful, he's taken you up. He's begun a good work in you. He saved you for the self-same thing. He baptized us with the Holy Ghost because God has undertaken. What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Ghost? Why, it means that God himself steps out of heaven and makes my body his habitation, his very temple, that he might work in my body this great salvation. Hallelujah. And that's why the Holy Ghost within me groans. That's what prayer in the Holy Ghost means and what it affects. And when Jesus Christ comes, there will come the answer to all the groaning of all the people of God since the beginning of the world. Since Abel brought unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, he was looking forward to this great salvation. So was Abraham when he laid Isaac upon the altar and was willing to sacrifice him. The Bible says he knew that God would raise him from the dead because he saw the promises of Pharaoh and he was persuaded of them and he confessed that he was a stranger and pilgrim upon this earth and because he was praying like that and willing to be a living sacrifice, God swore by himself that he would bring to pass this great salvation not only for Abraham but for all the nations of the world. That's what God's working on. And when you and I get that sight that we're saved by hope, that we're living with a purpose, we're saved to serve the living and the true God. Hallelujah. We're soldiers. We're fighting in the ranks of a great king to destroy the kingdom of the devil and to destroy the beast and the false prophet and lock them in the pit. Beloved, you'll pray differently. You'll live differently. You'll live like Abraham, not for this time. Praise God. And you won't complain because you're having a hard time and because in the world you shall have tribulation. Jesus had tribulation. Read Pilgrim's Progress and see what he has to say about Vanity Fair and about that wicked judge and that jury and how all the saints were put to it and all the saints were in tribulation and all the saints had to fight. Every one of them. There was Daniel cast into the lion's den. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. And there was Isaiah who was sawn asunder. The Bible says by faith they subdued kingdoms. They wrought righteousness. They stopped the mouths of lions. They quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword. Out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead race to life again and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. They died in faith not having received the promises God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect. All mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord and my heart's on fire. It's burning within me and the Spirit of God groans within me. I live but for one thing. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The Holy Ghost alone can make us like that and oh how interesting life will become. How very vital prayer meetings become. My prayer life, my prayer life is his life. It's the Holy Ghost groaning within me. That's the prayers of the saints. It's God Almighty within you groaning and crying to God in heaven. What fellowship, what union, what communion, what identification with the great high priest. Beloved, we're not supposed to be made into onion soup but we're to be like him. Excuse the expression but God is the God of hope. Fill you with all peace and joy in believing that you might have hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Oh this hope that is seen is not hope. Something's coming that we have not yet seen and it's going to be tremendously wonderful out of this world. The glory that shall be revealed in us beloved is out of this world, is unspeakable, is wonderful. Oh beloved, what are we doing about it? Are we laying down our armor and fighting in the ranks of the enemy? Are we allowing the devil to fool us or are we honestly, honestly fighting in the ranks of the king of glory who has come to fight the battles of the Lord? No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier. He's chosen you and me to be a soldier but listen, we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and power. That's where our defeat comes in. We're not armed. We don't care. We don't pay attention to Jesus Christ else we would be very careful to put on that whole armor of God that we may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand but you know that's what God's doing in our meetings. He's done it for me. He's doing it for me every day. I marvel again these few days that we have spent here in the presence of the Lord. What changes God has wrought in my own soul. These things are not revealed to flesh and blood but the father reveals them unto babes and his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself mighty. You know why? Because he that hath wrought us for the self same thing. God, what did you save me for? Why did you bring me into this assembly and into Pentecost for? What was it? Just that I might escape hell? Oh no. No, my Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for a much greater purpose than that. He wants you to be his very own possession. A member of his body. A king that's going to reign with him in his throne forever and ever and when Jesus comes to meeting by the sword of the spirit, he takes up the fight against our enemies. He fights over you. He's purchased me for his own possession and oh beloved, it means a great deal to me whether I'm overcome or whether I'm an overcomer. What will it mean? He that overcometh shall inherit all things. All things. Oh, that's the call. I'm saved by hope. Thank God. Here I'm in the fight. But when the warfare is over, thank God, I shall have a crown of life which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give unto those that love his appearing. Oh, that's it. But how much does it mean to God whether I'm an overcomer or not? That's the thing I ought to consider. It doesn't matter so much whether I wear a crown, but does he wear the crown? That's the whole fight, beloved. When we talk about divine healing or salvation or any blessing associated with our earthly lives, the question is whether Jesus Christ shall reign or whether the devil shall continue holding sway. And how often the devil says, they let me in. They're not wise. Loose tongues. God, I'm a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips and mine eyes have seen the king. Woe is me. I am undone. And what does God say? Thine iniquity is purged and thy sin is cleansed. Now go to this people and say unto them, your eyes are closed, your ears are dull of hearing. Oh, beloved, we're saved by hope. We ought to be interested in our hope. Do you know that? We ought to know what it is. We ought to see what we are saved for, what God has wrought us for, what the purpose is of the Holy Ghost coming into my life, possessing me, filling me, thrilling me. What is the purpose of it? Not just to give me a good feeling. No, but for the self-same purpose that this body might be clothed upon with immortality. Glory to God. Peter talks about it. He says the salvation, which is ready to be revealed. It's ready. Jesus purchased it, ready to be revealed, but here the saints of God are slow. And he says, don't think that the Lord is slack, but it's because he's not willing that any should perish. Maybe you and I are slack. If we were a little bit more on our toes and a little swifter in following the Lord, what victories would be ours? And you know, every victory you gain is a victory for the kingdom of God and is a victory for Jesus Christ. That's what's the matter. And every defeat I suffer is not only my defeat, but it's the defeat for the king. It becomes tremendously interesting, doesn't it? Tremendously. Beloved, that's what the Bible has given to us for. And if we become students of the Bible, we'll be surprised at the wealth of divine wisdom that God put in there. He says in the new Testament is revealed a mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations and now is made manifest unto his saints. What is that mystery? Why is the discovery of the fountain of youth? Have you found it? That's exactly what it is. He filleth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles. What is he talking about? Why the resurrection from the dead, the life of Jesus Christ fully received, not only in my soul, but in my very body. Oh, this mystery has been revealed. It's Christ in you. You don't have to go to the drug store to get aspirin tablets and vitamins. You've got them in your heart. Jesus is there. The spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells within you. Oh, why don't I open this treasury of God? Why don't I get the keys somehow? And wherein lies that key? It's in the understanding of this mystery. He says the truth if you be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which is preached unto you as it is in all the world and it bringeth forth fruit in you since the day you heard it and knew the grace of God in truth. That's necessary. I must first of all hear it with an ear that's opened by the Holy Ghost. It must become personal to me. It's the personal call of God who formerly speak in times passed on to the fathers by the prophets, but have in these last days spoken unto us by his son. And what does he say by his son? He says we're for holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling today. If you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. We are made partakers of Christ. My God, can you tell these things to anybody? Nobody's interested. That's what was the matter with Israel. The word was not received. It wasn't mixed with faith. And why did God send Isaiah among them? To tell them that they're lost. Tell them that he hardened their hearts. He says you go and preach to them until the cities are wasted, without inhabitants, until all the cities are burned up. Why did you send Isaiah? Listen, he sent him for you and for me. These prophets knew that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now recorded unto you or reported unto you by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven through those who preach the gospel. Oh God, does anybody listen to you? Anybody interested in this wonderful marriage supper of the lamb which is already spread? All things are now ready. The Holy Spirit has got to give us an eye to see and an ear to hear. The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you might know what is the hope of his calling. Beloved, it'll cure you. It'll cure you of all the love of the world. It'll cure you of the love of your own life also. Oh how we need waiting upon the Lord. That art is lost in many circles. Let's not lose it. Waiting upon the Lord will give God Almighty a chance to stoop to you and to whisper into your ear these mysteries of the kingdom of heaven which no man knows, saving he that receiveth it. Oh God, that you might know the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe. God wants you and me to come under that power, that authority of the son of God. Behold, I make all things new and you know it's about time for that seventh trumpet to sound. Did you hear the first and second and third and fourth or were you asleep? Pretty soon there will be a terrific blast and the mystery of God will be finished. And I'm afraid the foolish virgins will then go and run for oil and knock at the door, find the door shut. Oh God, where are we going to be in that day? Is there a groaning in my soul? Have I been saved by hope? Is that hope alive? I shall be like him, thank God. The hope of this world is an entirely different thing, isn't it? It fools people, but oh, this hope ought to make us tremendously happy. Oh, how happy we ought to be. How exuberantly joyful. Jesus is coming. That's our hope. Jesus is my hope. Glory to God. Let the world have its blink. Let people do as they please. But you know, to them that love his appearing, oh, how much depends on my loving his appearing. A bride certainly loves the appearing of the bridegroom and of the coming of the day, the day of days. Here comes the bride, but what should my heart do unto all them also that love his appearing? Because our testimony of that day was believed among you. Glory to God. All of the New Testament testifies concerning this grand truth that we're saved by hope and our hope is Jesus. And what do you expect to do when he comes? Where do you expect to be? What do you think will happen to you when Jesus comes? Well, let me ask you, what happens to you now when he reveals his presence, when you come to be alone with God? What happens? The Bible says we ourselves groan within ourselves. Oh, there's not enough of that groaning in the Holy Ghost. Real prayer that's gripped your soul. Prayer that makes a dent in the clouds above you and the hole and, and goes right through to the very heart of the Father. Prayer that binds things and loses things. Oh God help us. God grant that we may seek thy face like never before. One thing is sure, positively sure, that God wants every one of us to be filled with the Holy Ghost.