In The Word
Read: John 14:15-24
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
The Holy Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you arein Me, and I in you. 21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. 24 The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
In today’s reading, we are introduced to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells the disciples that after He leaves, there will come another called the Comforter. There is a very important part of this statement that we seem to omit. That statement is found in verse 15 where Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” We have the tendency to focus on the benefits and not the discretion given to obtain them. Jesus sent the Comforter for those who love Him, and that love is expressed in the our willingness to keep His commandments.
None of us have a desire to be abandoned or left alone, but we never have to be, because Jesus promised to give us the Holy Spirit. However, He doesn’t simply want to give us the benefit of the Holy Spirit; He also wants to be in a relationship with us. Jesus said that you, His follower, will demonstrate your love by obeying Him. Love is more than lovely words uttered from the mouth of men; it is commitment and conduct. In a relationship with Christ, His love towards us is proved by the laying down of His life. Our responsibility is to express our love for Him. That expression is not by demonstrating the gifts He has given, but in our willingness to obey His Word. So, challenge yourself to not only profess your love with audible words, but demonstrate it by putting it on display through obeying the Word of God.