April 24 Daily Devotional

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.."
     "John 14:26

Devotional

(to be continued)

This promised Gift comes in Christ's name and at His request. Our blessed Redeemer, though ascended to heaven in His human nature, is not indifferent to the interests of His people, "seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us." There is no grace or mercy bestowed upon us that is not the result of Christ's agency for us in the court of heaven. He prevails with the Father for us. Because He perfectly carries on His work in the invisible Heavens there is procured for us the righteousness wrought by His suffering and obedience.

As High Priest he forgets no one of His chosen, but looks down with an individual regard on each of His people, with a wise and merciful reference to every particular case of want or affliction.

"Though now ascended up on high,
   He bends on earth a brother's eye;
Partaker of the human name,
   He knows the frailty of our frame."

Does it not cheer the saint to know that the Lord Jesus Christ makes him the subject of His particular prayers? And is it some small gift the heavenly Intercessor craves for us? What more could He desire us to have than the Holy Ghost? It is this gift for which He prays. Is there aught beside that we need when there is bestowed upon us the Comforter? He who has this gift has all.

This is high and wonderful revelation indeed. Men of the world listen and take to themselves these marvelous benefits. In these days there is much claim to the possession of the Holy Spirit. There is hardly a promise of God's word that unholy hands will not lay hold upon.

To any who lightly claim the Holy Spirit be it known that He is sent only in consideration of Christ's vicarious work. There would have been no sending of the Holy Ghost but for the atoning death of the Son of God. The gift of the Comforter is a purchased gift. It is only ours because of the application to us of Christ's saving work. The blood that was shed on the cross must be applied to the heart first. Of a surety the communication of the Holy Spirit is hut a carrying forward in heaven of the work which Christ began on earth. It is the same Christ who died to bear our just wrath and curse, and no other, who now works by the Spirit in the hearts of His people.

As a teacher and guide the Holy Spirit is to supply the place of Christ. What the Lord Jesus once did with His own lips He now accomplishes by the Paraclete. But what does the adorable Spirit now teach us? He teaches what Christ taught. He takes of the things of Christ, and shows them unto us,

The truth is fully revealed in the Word, and what is beyond or beside the Word the Holy Spirit will not teach us. Yet the Word is not enough to our natural and darkened understanding. Only as the Holy Spirit takes, shows, and impresses it upon our minds and hearts is the truth efficacious to our comfort and blessing.

How poor we arc without the Comforter. But His coming makes "our dull minds with rapture glow," and our "human hearts with love o'er-flow."