There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of
no avail, unless a gracious hand shall apply them to us. We are
thirsty, but too faint to crawl to the water-brook. When a soldier is
wounded in battle it is of little use for him to know that there are
those at the hospital who can bind up his wounds, and medicines there
to ease all the pains which he now suffers: what he needs is to be
carried thither, and to have the remedies applied. It is thus with our
souls, and to meet this need there is one, even the Spirit of truth,
who takes of the things of Jesus, and applies them to us. Think not
that Christ hath placed his joys on heavenly shelves that we may climb
up to them for ourselves, but he draws near, and sheds his peace abroad
in our hearts. O Christian, if thou art tonight labouring under deep
distresses, thy Father does not give thee promises and then leave thee
to draw them up from the Word like buckets from a well, but the
promises he has written in the Word he will write anew on your heart.
He will manifest his love to you, and by his blessed Spirit, dispel
your cares and troubles. Be it known unto thee, O mourner, that it is
God's prerogative to wipe every tear from the eye of his people. The
good Samaritan did not say, "Here is the wine, and here is the oil for
you;" he actually poured in the oil and the wine. So Jesus not only
gives you the sweet wine of the promise, but holds the golden chalice
to your lips, and pours the life-blood into your mouth. The poor, sick,
way-worn pilgrim is not merely strengthened to walk, but he is borne on
eagles' wings. Glorious gospel! which provides everything for the
helpless, which draws nigh to us when we cannot reach after it--brings
us grace before we seek for grace! Here is as much glory in the giving
as in the gift. Happy people who have the Holy Ghost to bring Jesus to
them.
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John 16:
The Work of the Holy Spirit
5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.[c]
Sorrow Will Turn to Joy
16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
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