John 14:15-19

For Reading and Meditation:     2 Corinthians 13:1-14

That great Christian, Francis Schaeffer, said that he would have remained an agnostic if it weren't for the doctrine of the Trinity. It was this, he claimed, that gave him the answer - the only answer - to the theme of unity and diversity. The question I have been asked most often about the Trinity is this: Why...

BELIEVERS when in darkness, often fear that Jesus has forsaken them; this is natural; but it is unscriptural; for He has said, "I will never leave thee, I will never forsake thee." His offices require His presence with us, His love secures His presence to us. He will not leave us orphans. We are absolutely dependent upon Him; our comfort is His gift, and the countenance of comfort depends on His presence and grace. He is the great source of comfort to His people; His presence and His...

Here is the Christian's grand RULE of action, the commandments of his dear Saviour. Jesus commands us because He loves us; because He desires our present welfare; because He will prove the sincerity of our profession; and because He approves of the obedience of faith.

He commands us to imitate Himself; He is our great pattern and example; and we should endeavour to imitate Him in His Spirit, and design, and actions. He commands us to believe Him, profess Him, obey Him, and continue in...

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." John 14:18

He left us, and yet we are not left orphans. He is our comfort, and He is gone; but we are not comfortless. Our comfort is that He will come to us, and this is consolation enough to sustain us through His prolonged absence. Jesus is already on His way: He says, "I come quickly": He rides posthaste toward us. He says, "I will come": and none can prevent His coming,...

"Because I live, ye shall live also." John 14:19

Jesus has made the life of believers in Him as certain as His own. As sure as the Head lives the members live also. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then are we dead in our sins; but since He has risen, all believers are risen in Him. His death has put away our transgressions and loosed the bonds which held us under the death sentence. His resurrection proves our...

Great Father revealed himself to believers of old before the coming of his Son, and was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the God Almighty. Then Jesus came, and the ever-blessed Son in his own proper person, was the delight of his people's eyes. At the time of the Redeemer's ascension, the Holy Spirit became the head of the present dispensation, and his power was gloriously manifested in and after Pentecost. He remains at this hour the present Immanuel-God with us, dwelling in and with...

Commandments? In the New Testament? Whenever people hear the word commandments, they immediately think legalism. But the two words are not synonymous. No one spoke more of commandments than the Lord Jesus, yet no one was less legalistic than He.

What is legalism? Though the word itself is not found in the New Testament, it describes man's ceaseless effort to earn or deserve God's favor. Basically it signifies the attempt to gain justification or sanctification by lawkeeping. That is...

More literally, I will not leave you orphans - bereaved of all that you hold most dear, most necessary - helpless in the presence of many foes - friendless in the presence of many trials - skilless in the presence of an immense task. The parents are the complement of the little child. It operates through their wisdom and power and resources, to keep its place in the world, and act its part. The Christian without Christ, if such a thing can be conceived, is the most deplorably helpless being...

John 14:15-27

Everything in Christian life is love. "The fruit of the Spirit is love." There are other things that are mentioned as fruit - but love is named first, and all the others are only parts or qualities of love. The one white ray of light is resolved into the seven colors of the rainbow. Just so does love, the white ray that shines from the face of God, separate itself into all the heavenly graces. "The fruit of the Spirit is...