John 14:15-17 - “If you love me, obey me; and I will ask the Father and he will give
you another Comforter, and he will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, the
Spirit who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, for it
isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, for he lives with
you now and some day shall be in you.
Jesus knew that in a few hours the final moments
of His life on earth would be hard to watch. He had seen deep into the hearts
of each of His disciples when He washed their feet…and knew that none of them
had a true picture of what was about to happen….even thought he had told them
several times. He told them not to worry…to trust God in this window of time
that would present itself as the end to them.
It is a beautiful chapter…that you really
must take the time to read in its entirety. He tells them He is going to heaven
to get a place ready for them to come too….but it would be a while before it
was ready for them. he tells them that
they will not be left alone…the third member of the trinity would be coming to
comfort and guide them till his return.
The most wonderful words were spoken toward
the end of the chapter….verse27 says… “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of
mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world
gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” What a wonderful promise...a vow to leave us
with internal peace of mind. That promise alone is worth giving your life to
God!
I admit that I am such beginning to
understand and accept this promise from God. Its one thing to know that you have
received the Holy Spirit …one of the gifts He gives you when He saves you. But it is entirely different to let it become
a part of your daily walk and use it to its fullest power. It’s kinda like that Bible I used to leave
laying around on a shelf to get dusty…or sometimes it would take up residence
in the back seat of my car between church meetings. I had a Bible….I looked at
it frequently…I knew it was there…but I rarely opened it and let God speak its
power and wisdom into my heart…so he could help me use that peace he gave me
the save he saved me.
The world fights God’s true concept of
peace. It throws drama and conflict in our faces 24/7 and tries to trick our
heart into thinking that it…not God is in control of our lives. Only a daily
routine of prayer and Bible study ….building a deep relationship with God will
begin to teach you how to use the Spirit to understand and feel the power it
has to give you true peace of mind…no matter what happens. It is the way that Jesus was able to finish the
next hours of pure horror…so that I could have an opportunity to know His power…so
that I could have one of those places in Heaven that he is preparing for those
that believe.
One more thought….the Holy Spirit can not
be used by non believers. They don’t
recognize it. That should prod all of us
that do believe...that have access to it to bust our butts to show its power to
others. I sure am convicted this morning
that I don’t make that fact known to all that I meet on a regular basis. I need
to be listening to the spirit a bit more intently so that It can whisper in my
ear more ways to let others see the great power they can tap into if they
believe in God.
Father…thank you for the reminder that YOU
are in control…not the crazy world around me. Thank you for the comforter….for
allowing the Holy Spirit to come into the world and give us peace of mind and
guidance. Forgive me for the times that
I failed to understand its power and did not try to use it as I should. Help me to use it to its fullest. Help me to
listen to the soft prodding that the Holy Spirit gives me to know what to do …
how to do it….and when to do it. Amen.
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