Our Risen Lord; Our Companion

Chuckle: "Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it!"

Good Quote: "The supreme question is not whether or not God is, but whether or not He is first in our lives." --William Arthur Ward

Jesus said, "No, I will not abandon you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18 NLT). ". . . he (my Spirit) lives with you now and later will be in you" (John 14:17 NLT).

Here, Jesus makes both a prediction and a promise. He promises never to leave us as believers; and he predicts the coming of the Holy Spirit to live in us as our indwelling companion. When Jesus said, "I will come to you," He meant it. Although Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live in each of us as believers, and to have the Holy Spirit is to have Jesus himself because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one triune God.

Our living Lord is our companion for the road of life. What he did for us in the past is remarkable, and amazing; but He is more than an inspirational memory. He gave his disciples many indisputable proofs that He has conquered death. But in Acts 1, He repeatedly encouraged them to wait for a precious gift from the Father, the Holy Spirit, that He had predicted and promised in John 14:17.

The Gospel of John has been called the "Gospel of the Spirit" because of John's message concerning the Holy Spirit. Because of His Holy Spirit, we can experience Jesus' living presence each day of our lives. From John's Gospel, here are several things the Holy Spirit does for us: He lives within us (14:17); He teaches us (14:26); He reminds us of Jesus' words (14:26, 15:26); He convicts us of sin, shows us God's righteousness, and announces God's judgment on evil (16:8); He guides us into truth and gives insight into future events (16:13); He brings glory to Christ (16:14). For those who hear Christ's words and understand the Spirit's power, the Spirit gives them the ability to see life in a whole new way.

The Holy Spirit within us makes it possible for us to hear Jesus say, "Follow Me." With the disciples on the mountaintop, we can hear Jesus giving a divine mandate. He commanded them to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you." Then, the clincher: "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT). This promise rings down through the ages in the ears of believers who give themselves in obedience to His command. He is your companion for life.

Jesus Christ is alive! Hallelujah, He's alive! Yes, Jesus Christ is gloriously alive. He is standing at your heart's door eager to bring God's presence and blessings into your life. If you have never trusted him as Savior, what better time than Easter, 2017, to let him come into your life as Savior -- then become the Lord of your life? And if you already know him as Savior, what better time to make him the Lord of your life and allow him to use you to touch the lives of others?

 

Love, Jerry & Dotse