Lenten Devotion (Morning) for 20 April 2011 Anno Domini

Lenten Devotion (Morning) for 20 April 2011 Anno Domini
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:1-15)

The Lord Jesus Christ, not wanting us to be taken unawares, informs us of the hard persecution that many will suffer for our testimony of Christ. He tells us in advance so that we may be armed for the trials. This is much unlike the false hope offered by those proclaiming that the saints will be “raptured’ out of the world prior to the onset of the tribulation. “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” This has been happening for quite a long time, and its frequency is increasing today: witness the Islamic radicals beheading those of the western world simply because they identify the West as Christian (O Lord, that it truly WAS Christian). They do so in the name of their false god, Allah! “But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.”

“But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?” Amazingly to our ears, none of the disciples bothered to ask where Christ would go when He told them the many times that He must go away! It may be that they had not listened attentively to all of His Words. Or they may have believed that He would die a final death and not rise from the grave until the last trump. But it seems to me that they should have at least inquired further into such a profound mystery. Perhaps we, too, like them, stop short of a fuller inquiry into the mysteries of God contained in Scripture. God wishes to more fully reveal Himself to us if we will only hunger for greater understanding through diligent study.

“But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.” This statement reveals the ignorance of the disciples to the intent and purpose of Christ’s going. They were ‘sorrowful.’ If we truly know that our loved ones who pass from this life are in better estate, why do we profusely mourn and sorrow? But the purpose of Christ in dying for us is far greater. He must purchase our estate with God by redeeming us from sin with His Own Blood!

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” The Holy Spirit is our Comforter, but He also comes to Reprove of sin and to Judge. This word the world, and many in the church, do not wish to hear. There remaineth a judgment. Please do not dismiss this thought! If the prince of this world (Satan) is judged, how much more his followers in the world! The sinful are being judged even as I write this devotion. It is God’s Word that judges, and the Holy Spirit executes judgment according to that Word.

“ I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” This is also true today. Christ has many things to teach us as Christians, but we cannot bear all at one sitting. We grow through daily sanctification and learning.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. Please observe herein that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. The Way has already been established by the Immutable Word of God, but the Holy Spirit will be our guide in revealing the fullness of truth in God’s Word. Here, again, observe that the Holy Spirit will not “speak of Himself.” All of the new so-called revelations of modern religionists who claim the Holy Spirit has revealed a new word apart from that given in Scripture prove themselves to be false prophets. Those claiming to have visited Heaven and returned, or claiming to have been to hell and back (Hell would certainly have kept them), or fixing the hour and day of the return of Christ – all these claims are extra-biblical and, therefore, false. Yes, a spirit has spoken to these wonders of false prophecy, but certainly not the Spirit called Holy! “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” (John 3:13) If you believe God before men, then why be deceived by these ludicrous claims? Do you believe God? Then believe only Him. “…Let God be true, but every man a liar…” (Romans 3:4) Please let us agree, at least, on that point.