Abed_nego2
Servant of the Lord
John 14:16, “He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever”
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Before Jesus left His disciples and returned to heaven, He promised that He would send them a Helper, the Holy Spirit. The word “helper” in the above Scripture means, “one called alongside.” Bible scholar W. E. Vine says that it signifies someone who can be to us what Christ was to His disciples. He stands beside us to help us. That’s why we who are believers in Jesus Christ fight no battles and face no issues alone. The following illustrates this vital point: Jackie Robinson was the very first black to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. While playing one day at his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. As he stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered; the shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to Jackie Robinson, put his arm around him and faced the crowd. Immediately the fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.
If you are a child of God, how many times has our Helper, the Holy Spirit, done just that for us? Maybe we felt alone, discouraged, a failure, ready to quit, but then we sensed His comforting presence. Or perhaps He gave us the support we needed through a Christian Brother or Sister. My brethren, we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is always standing alongside, ready and able to help.
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Closing thoughts:
John 16:13 tells us, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” You see, Jesus promised His disciples that when He left this earth He would send Someone else to be with them. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). Though He’s invisible to our eyes, the Holy Spirit is with us every day, just as Jesus walked with His disciples on earth. He keeps us honest, focused, and encouraged so that we too can glorify Christ. If you’re a child of God, you know the marvelous, yet mysterious experience of having the Holy Spirit as your companion and guide.
Many years ago a friend encouraged me to read the entire Bible through every year and each time the Spirit has shown me new things in familiar passages, which I missed before. It’s exciting to anticipate what we can learn from the Bible each day. As we read each page, the Holy Spirit longs to show us something new to encourage and meet our needs. Have you ever heard the Lord speaking to you lately? God speaks today through His written Word, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to hear His voice (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). My brethren, God is always trying to get through to us! However, the important question to ask, “Are we taking the time to listen?”
__________
God speaks through His Word to those who will listen with their heart.
__________
Before Jesus left His disciples and returned to heaven, He promised that He would send them a Helper, the Holy Spirit. The word “helper” in the above Scripture means, “one called alongside.” Bible scholar W. E. Vine says that it signifies someone who can be to us what Christ was to His disciples. He stands beside us to help us. That’s why we who are believers in Jesus Christ fight no battles and face no issues alone. The following illustrates this vital point: Jackie Robinson was the very first black to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. While playing one day at his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. As he stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered; the shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to Jackie Robinson, put his arm around him and faced the crowd. Immediately the fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.
If you are a child of God, how many times has our Helper, the Holy Spirit, done just that for us? Maybe we felt alone, discouraged, a failure, ready to quit, but then we sensed His comforting presence. Or perhaps He gave us the support we needed through a Christian Brother or Sister. My brethren, we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is always standing alongside, ready and able to help.
__________
Closing thoughts:
John 16:13 tells us, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” You see, Jesus promised His disciples that when He left this earth He would send Someone else to be with them. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). Though He’s invisible to our eyes, the Holy Spirit is with us every day, just as Jesus walked with His disciples on earth. He keeps us honest, focused, and encouraged so that we too can glorify Christ. If you’re a child of God, you know the marvelous, yet mysterious experience of having the Holy Spirit as your companion and guide.
Many years ago a friend encouraged me to read the entire Bible through every year and each time the Spirit has shown me new things in familiar passages, which I missed before. It’s exciting to anticipate what we can learn from the Bible each day. As we read each page, the Holy Spirit longs to show us something new to encourage and meet our needs. Have you ever heard the Lord speaking to you lately? God speaks today through His written Word, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to hear His voice (1 Corinthians 2:9-16). My brethren, God is always trying to get through to us! However, the important question to ask, “Are we taking the time to listen?”
__________
God speaks through His Word to those who will listen with their heart.
