The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth

Jesus said,

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth."

What anyone who preaches God's word needs more than anything is truth, revealed and assured. How can I trust that I'm not making big mistakes when I preach the Word, or interpreting wrongly, or contradicting something I said in another message? A young brother once questioned me closely this way, and the only assurance we have is that the Holy Spirit is the one who guides us into all truth.

This doesn't mean I can write carelessly and say whatever comes into my head. I must study diligently to show myself approved. With the Spirit's help, I can do so, even if I have only a very limited time in which to prepare. As we learn in Cub Scouts, "Do your best". It will never be perfect, it may not ever be "good enough". But if I depend on my preparation or skill, I cannot but exalt myself.

If I depend on the Spirit, I will lift up Jesus and HE will draw all men to himself. And this is preciesely the work of the Holy Spirit, to

"convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father where you can see me no longer; in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

It's a mistake to think that I can convict people. Jesus promised the Spirit would do the convicting. OC says in today's devotion [from Devotions for a Deeper Life, not My Utmost]: "God does not always convict people when I think they ought to be convicted."

Often, though convicted, people resist and go away stone-faced, often for many years! Neither my preaching nor my prayer can make another person yield to God. Even God does not make people yield. Yet, I must trust that if I preach His truth, as the Spirit leads, they will be convicted---they will at least feel a pang of conscience that tells them "You know you are guilty," or at the least, "You know this is true."

But how can I---as a preacher---trust that I am following the Spirit's guidance? How, if I still sin, shall I trust that God is speaking through me? Maybe I should preface everything I say with disclaimers and apologies. I really can't stand to hear such things myself, and I find no example of preaching like this in scripture or history.

I know because His Spirit still convicts me. So I am still being used by His Spirit. Does His truth pierce me and bring me to grieve for my own guilt and unbelief? Surely. Then I am still in His sights and in His hands.

Therefore, I must not waver in preaching and serving God's word to this generation. The Spirit will empower me, whenever I speak His word, not because I am righteous, not because I am able, not because I am well-dressed, but because "He is faithful" and will fulfill his promise to convict men through the Spirit.

Praise Jesus who did not leave us as orphans, but is evermore "God With Us", empowering us. Lord, only grant that I may follow your guidance today.

"Will you really lay down your life for me?"

Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! [John 13:37-38]

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. [John 15:13]

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. [1John 3:16]

Life is the most precious thing we have. It is also the most fragile. As we get older, we start realizing this as our strength and health start to depart. Not to be morbid or anything, but I truly wonder if I'll make it to 50. I'm not worried if I don't. I'd like to do great things in my life. But I will die happy if I can lay down my life for the Lord and for my friends.

While I am not depending on it, what if I DO live to old age? Then I will have to do something harder still: SPEND my life for the Lord and His friends, as well as my health, freedom, even my family. How precious these are too.

Yet I know it is within me, as in Simon Peter, to deny my Lord repeatedly and run away at the slightest persecution. So I am not over-confident. I know I might also deny him. How thankful I am to have Him. What else is there but belonging to Jesus my Lord? But gushy emotional love is nothing compared to the love of committment, that is, keeping the covenant.

Having a family is a wonderful thing. Lay it down, if need be, for Him. Having a ministry on the campus is a wonderful thing. Let it be for Him alone. Good health is important. But that too I must be willing to lay down for the Lord. I may not be able to cling to my health much longer. But the meantime, that is what I must lay down for Him, and give my all to the work He has called me to.

Father, forgive my over-concern for the flesh. Help me to lay it down, time, health, strength, freedom and pleasures, all for Jesus.

All for Jesus! all for Jesus!
All my being's ransomed pow'rs:
All my tho'ts and words and doings,
All my days and all my hours.

Confidence

Hebrews 10 is a discussion of Jesus' high priestly offering of his own blood. Since

it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins

[3] the old sacrificial system leaves us feeling guilty. This applies to things we did as children to earn forgiveness, and all religious ceremonies or sacraments. Performing them may be our duty, they may be a Good Thing, they may be inescapable. But they "can never take away sins." [11] But through the body and blood of Jesus, "we have been made holy once for all". [10]

What does this mean to me? It means nothing unless I believe. If I believe, it means I have a high priest who is interceding for me in heaven before the Father, to forgive my sins and rid me of them, to cleanse me. Paul goes on in vv.19-25

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

What this means is: I have every reason to be confident, not waffle and worry and retreat. I have spent long enough looking at myself, thinking I have nothing to offer God, since apart from Him I can surely do nothing. But I am not "apart from him", I am "in Him". I am his child. I am the one whose blood has cleansed. And whatever my weakness, his strength is sufficient, his sacrifice is completed. By this, as Mary said, God "scatters those who are proud in their inmost thoughts", typically by raising up the weak and useless people to do God's work, passing over said proud (and usually more able) people.

So I must hold unswervingly to the hope I profess. This is not what I have been doing heretofore. I have been engaged in goal down-sizing for the last 46 years, it seems. Lately I seem to just want to do very little at all in the way of glorifying God and saving souls. Watching The Guardian last night helped a little, to have a desire to save souls. I must be like a guardian at UVa, watching for those who are drowning and lending them my hand, and not letting go.

And I must not give up meeting together. Often meetings seem to be a burden. But they are important for others, and for me, for mutual encouragement. No matter how independent I may be, it is not glorifying to God for me to ignore my brothers and sisters in Christ. I AM their keeper, and so must be watching out for them, praying for them, writing them and meeting them.

With THIS confidence, I must also draw near to God, in full assurance of faith. It is not usual for me to be confident. I often defer to others' judgment or decision. But in coming to God, in prayer, at least before Him, I can come without fear, making my petitions known and casting my cares on Him. Confidence is truly needed in the life-saving business, as was nicely portrayed by Kevin Costner in The Guardian. But in saving souls, it is a confidence of a different nature. I must know that what I am teaching them is true, and believe it applies equally to them as to all, and at the same time, though I don't know these people very well, I must give them God's word and help very personally. I know I lack such confidence in my flesh.

Lord, thank you for the blood of Jesus. Encourage me, Lord, in his blood, to watch over and serve your people today with confidence, looking for them and saving them. Help me to hold unswervingly to your promises and faith. IJNA