Gospels

You may be experiencing a difficult time; a time of pain and grief. This same promise Jesus gave to His disciples He repeats to you. Hang on! Don’t give up! Trust Him! Cling to Him! Jesus replaces anguish with great joy! 

It is the Spirit who directs us when we are confronted with these types of decisions. He is our Counselor who opens our eyes to see the right path to take. It is His ministry to lead us into all truth. David said, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7). Even when we close our eyes in rest, the Spirit speaks to our hearts.

The Holy Spirit should not be misunderstood. He is God, our Advocate who is with us and in us. He comes to prove the world wrong about man’s sinful nature, what it means to be right in God’s eyes, and the judgment that will come. He convicts our hearts, brings believers to God, and keeps us on track with the Father. He should not be misrepresented or forgotten.

The world around us seems to be more and more opposed to Christianity. Believers are seen as narrow-minded and out of touch, and the media finds many professing Christians who fit that stereotype. We will be treated as Jesus was treated. The question is: Will we respond the way Jesus responded?

What an amazing truth! This is the foundation of our identity!  I am a friend of the Creator! The eternal, omnipotent, all-powerful, omniscient, all-loving God chooses to call me His friend! He chose me! He communicates with me! Let’s never get over that astounding truth!

Love doesn’t stop with this supreme act of Jesus. Those He died for are to love each other as He has loved us. We are to lay down our lives for another person if need be. Jesus’ great sacrifice calls for us to demonstrate great love. Love is costly. Long before a sacrificial death, love must be shown with a sacrificial life.

Jesus is the believer’s source of life. Say His name. Sing His praise. Tell Him how much you love Him. Tell Him how thankful you are for His work on the cross. Tell Him your struggles and ask for His strength. Tell Him your fears and ask for His peace. You are connected to the Source. Live each day in His eternal power.

Chaos reigns in the world, but not with Jesus. In the midst of the madness, Jesus delivers peace. He is with us. He calms our shaken hearts. He looks us right in the eyes and says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

When believers read Scripture today it is the same Holy Spirit who teaches us. He takes the written word and helps us understand it and apply it to our lives. Have you experienced a passage that you’ve read countless times but it jumps from the page on a particular day? That’s the work of the Spirit driving a needed truth home.