The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 14:16-19,
"I [Jesus] will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live."
As Jesus prepared his disciples for his coming death, he encouraged them by talking about our eternal abode in heaven, verses 1-14 of this chapter, and about the Holy Spirit that was to come to the believers and to dwell among and within them, verses 16-19.
In John 7:37-38 Jesus told the crowd at the temple in Jerusalem during the Festival of Tabernacles, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." In the following verse John explains, "By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."
Now, however, in John 14 Jesus told his followers that he would send the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within believers. This was accomplished on the following Pentecost after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension to heaven. In Acts 2:1-4 we read, "When the day of Pentecost came, they [the followers of Jesus] were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
We today continue to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 we read, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
"I [Jesus] will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live."
As Jesus prepared his disciples for his coming death, he encouraged them by talking about our eternal abode in heaven, verses 1-14 of this chapter, and about the Holy Spirit that was to come to the believers and to dwell among and within them, verses 16-19.
In John 7:37-38 Jesus told the crowd at the temple in Jerusalem during the Festival of Tabernacles, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." In the following verse John explains, "By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."
Now, however, in John 14 Jesus told his followers that he would send the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within believers. This was accomplished on the following Pentecost after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension to heaven. In Acts 2:1-4 we read, "When the day of Pentecost came, they [the followers of Jesus] were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
We today continue to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit when we embrace Jesus Christ in faith. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 we read, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
How amazing is that?!! This has to be cause for a great joy within us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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