Jesus is with you
Apr 15, 2020 13:50:49 GMT -6
Post by Gene Whitehurst on Apr 15, 2020 13:50:49 GMT -6
Sometimes I wish that I was living in Jesus’ time. I would love for my feet to be on the deck of that boat when He stopped the raging waves and violent wind. I would love to have watched Lazarus come out of that tomb. I wish that I could have stood beside the disciples as they passed out a small lunch and fed 5000 people. I would love to see that basket go down a row of hungry people and watch when it returns from the next row – with probably more food in it than when it started! What a joy it would be to walk up to Him and hear His voice, to see His face, to see the pierced hands and side. Wow, what would it have been like to see Him going up into the clouds on His day of ascension? But for now…
He is gone. He did not suddenly disappear. He deliberately and slowly ascended up into heaven with everyone watching. No need to wonder where He is. He left us to sit next to the Father. Surely, we wish that He is in the very room where we are. But no.
Good News! While He was here, He said that He would send another – Another just like Him. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever…” (John 14:16) This Greek word for ‘another’ in this verse means ‘another just like me.’ Jesus is teaching that the Holy Spirit is exactly the same essence as He is. So for all practical and living purposes, the Holy Spirit in me is as much a reality as Jesus being with His disciples. The Amplified Bible states this verse: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever…” What is this ‘Helper?’ This word includes comforter, advocate, lawyer, intercessor, counselor, and much more. It has the meaning of ‘one who comes along side.’ The Holy Spirit of God comes along your side – and He is always there!
When Jesus came in Bethlehem, He came in a truly human body. In doing this, He limited Himself to be at one place at a time on earth. But now, the Holy Spirit is with me personally and all the time. We have a much better situation than the disciples had. I am in the company of the Divine constantly! He is within every believer. (Rom 8:9, 11) Truly, a great mystery. And it is true and wonderful. So think about it. You have full and immediate access to the ‘Another.’ He is right there with you.
Read Mark 4:35-41 – the storm story. And as you read that story, imagine your feet on the deck of that boat. You are standing there somewhat terrified and have taken a rope and tied yourself to one of the side railings to keep from washing overboard. You are cold and drenched from the splashing waves and wind. You get little comfort from the other disciples as they are panicking as well. This is a hard trial! One of the disciples goes and gets Jesus, who is asleep. Jesus stills the storm. Jesus challenges them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” As you stand there, you see real people – just like you. You wonder if anyone had enough faith to be at peace during this fierce storm.
And as you stand there on the deck of the boat (in your current storm), the Holy Spirit (Another - exactly like Jesus) is speaking to you. You are convicted about your lack of faith in your storm. You are convicted about being afraid and worried. You are in a hard trial! You wonder how you will get through. But the Spirit of God keeps on speaking – quietly - just to you. He tells you that there was not a second that those disciples were on that boat that He was not thinking about them and He was executing a plan to save them. And whatever your storm, He is not absent. He is not taking a break or on vacation. He is never too busy to be there for you! He is there. There is not one second of time that He has had His attention diverted from you and your dilemma. He knew what He was going to do when the disciples were in that storm. He knows exactly what He is going to do in your trial. God cannot lie. He cannot and will not fail you. Faith enters when you sense hopelessness and yet you do not draw back in despair. Faith enters when you bring your mind into accord with the truth of the promises of God. Be confident that just as He was with the disciples on the boat, He is right there with you in your trial. He is there.
He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb 13:5b)
The Amplified Bible expresses it this way, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”
He is gone. He did not suddenly disappear. He deliberately and slowly ascended up into heaven with everyone watching. No need to wonder where He is. He left us to sit next to the Father. Surely, we wish that He is in the very room where we are. But no.
Good News! While He was here, He said that He would send another – Another just like Him. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever…” (John 14:16) This Greek word for ‘another’ in this verse means ‘another just like me.’ Jesus is teaching that the Holy Spirit is exactly the same essence as He is. So for all practical and living purposes, the Holy Spirit in me is as much a reality as Jesus being with His disciples. The Amplified Bible states this verse: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever…” What is this ‘Helper?’ This word includes comforter, advocate, lawyer, intercessor, counselor, and much more. It has the meaning of ‘one who comes along side.’ The Holy Spirit of God comes along your side – and He is always there!
When Jesus came in Bethlehem, He came in a truly human body. In doing this, He limited Himself to be at one place at a time on earth. But now, the Holy Spirit is with me personally and all the time. We have a much better situation than the disciples had. I am in the company of the Divine constantly! He is within every believer. (Rom 8:9, 11) Truly, a great mystery. And it is true and wonderful. So think about it. You have full and immediate access to the ‘Another.’ He is right there with you.
Read Mark 4:35-41 – the storm story. And as you read that story, imagine your feet on the deck of that boat. You are standing there somewhat terrified and have taken a rope and tied yourself to one of the side railings to keep from washing overboard. You are cold and drenched from the splashing waves and wind. You get little comfort from the other disciples as they are panicking as well. This is a hard trial! One of the disciples goes and gets Jesus, who is asleep. Jesus stills the storm. Jesus challenges them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” As you stand there, you see real people – just like you. You wonder if anyone had enough faith to be at peace during this fierce storm.
And as you stand there on the deck of the boat (in your current storm), the Holy Spirit (Another - exactly like Jesus) is speaking to you. You are convicted about your lack of faith in your storm. You are convicted about being afraid and worried. You are in a hard trial! You wonder how you will get through. But the Spirit of God keeps on speaking – quietly - just to you. He tells you that there was not a second that those disciples were on that boat that He was not thinking about them and He was executing a plan to save them. And whatever your storm, He is not absent. He is not taking a break or on vacation. He is never too busy to be there for you! He is there. There is not one second of time that He has had His attention diverted from you and your dilemma. He knew what He was going to do when the disciples were in that storm. He knows exactly what He is going to do in your trial. God cannot lie. He cannot and will not fail you. Faith enters when you sense hopelessness and yet you do not draw back in despair. Faith enters when you bring your mind into accord with the truth of the promises of God. Be confident that just as He was with the disciples on the boat, He is right there with you in your trial. He is there.
He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb 13:5b)
The Amplified Bible expresses it this way, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”