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The Lord Jesus has been revealing to His disciples some of the most exciting truths. Thrilling aspects of the relationship which He planned for them to have with Him. Including much of the vital and inspiring significance of that amazing relationship.

They were hearing about personal and spiritual potential which was beyond their wildest imaginations. Aspects of the true Christian life which they had the greatest difficulty comprehending.

For example, that as they believed in Him, they would do the very works which they had seen Him doing! They would do even greater works than those they had witnesses in His ministry!

He was revealing the enormous and unmeasured potential of the life which was genuinely one with Him. It becomes dramatically clear that both the life and the potential could not be adequately explained.

Yet, He makes it clear, that life is not to be explained. It is to be lived! "The just shall live by faith"(Hebrews 10: 38) - is the essential principle here.

Lived! How? The first answer which the Lord Jesus had given to that question was: "By prayer!"

By that genuine prayer in which the believer is fully, and personally, identified with the Lord. With His nature. His personality. That is the significance of, "Ask IN MY NAME!" That is be one with Him as He is one with the Father!

Such genuine personal identification releases Him to be all that He seeks to be in His people. To do so in and through the life and service of each believer.

Human nature has been so totally influenced by the attitudes of the world, Therefore it is so quick to play the same games as the world. So adept at introducing pretence with the intention of avoiding reality.

The disciples of Jesus were, and are, so often caught up in this foolish charade. Peter is ever the classic example.

There was the time when: "Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake!" (John 13: 37)

Peter was playing his game of attempting to impress the Lord! To impress the other disciples as well!

The Lord had warned His disciples of things which were about to happen which they could not understand. In particular: "Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now!" (John 13: 36).

As far as Peter was concerned, the words of Jesus raised an unwelcome question about his love for the Lord. Casting doubt on his loyalty! Therefore, he felt that he must immediately speak up to counter the impression which was being created by Jesus.

Peter's words imply, No one has the right to question my love for the Lord Jesus. No one! Not even the Lord Jesus Himself!

His answer was the expression of exaggerated emphasis! "I will lay down my life for Thy sake!" See, that is how much I love You!

"If you love Me!" Think about what you are saying! Evaluate the claims which you are making!

We must take His challenge seriously. The genuineness of all our claims to really love the Lord must be very thoroughly examined. By: each one of us!

Such protests to love Him must be brought under the thorough scrutiny of His Word! Subjected to the searching evaluation of the Holy Spirit. There: tested! Tried! Proved!

Or, are we playing our foolish games? Attempting to impress others by our bold, but empty, claims? All such boasting is so empty and so futile. Rather than being impressive, such claims are hypocritical shams!

How often it is that our strident boasting is nothing more than infantile exhibitionism. Parading our spiritual immaturity.

"If you love me!" Are we really ready to listen to Him? To permit the vital and profound significance of those words to sink in?

Do I really love: HIM? How can the authenticity of such a claim be established? That is, according to His evaluation?

If we are serious about His evaluation of our claim we are left with no choice. He Himself has so distinctly and so definitely established His standard of spiritual appraisal. He has repeatedly accentuated His approach to this question in these chapters of John.

"If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My father's commandments, and abide in His love" (John 15: 10).

There is only one way we can grasp the significance of His words: "If you love Me!" That is to be found as we focus on: HIM!

There is one thing which immediately stands out. At no time could His testimony to love the Father be dismissed as being insincere. Or, hypocritical. Or, mere boasting. Or, superficial. Or, anything else like that. All such suggestions are totally unthinkable.

Remember: Who He is! The reality of His personality! His character! His unimpeachable integrity!

Yet, He is reminding us, if all that is true of Him, should it not also be true of us? That is the clear significance of His: "EVEN AS I!"

If we today sing the old song, "O how I love Jesus!" everything about us should give irrefutable evidence to the complete genuineness of that testimony!

The way in which the Lord expressed those words is very significant. First, He is making a statement of His will and His purpose for His disciples. In that sense, this is a clear and decisive command.

This is a specific and explicit requirement which He expresses in gracious love. Yet, He does require complete compliance. Failure to follow through would be a clear exhibition of the fact that our claim to love Him is nothing but an empty farce.

He did not say this just for the sake of saying it. He said it because He knew how much it needed to be said. Because, then as now, so many of those who claimed to love Him evidenced an attitude to His Word which was not acceptable to Him.

Peter could boast, "I will lay down my life for Thy sake." Yet, in effect, what he was actually saying was, Lord, I have heard what your said, But I believe I know better!

This is the same disciple who dared to publicly correct the Lord Jesus in Matthew 16: 21 - 22. "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee!"

The brazen, impertinent audacity! Lord, I know better than you do! Or, Lord, I love you too much to let what you say happen!

"And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6: 46). You dare to call me, Lord! Yet, so quickly, so easily, you dismiss My Word!

That attitude to the Word of Jesus reveals a stark contradiction which must be unmistakably clear. To dare to dispute His Word while still claiming to love Him reveals an undeniable hypocrisy!

That is the clear statement of fact! - as He sees it! The person who genuinely loves the Lord Jesus receives His Word without any question or dispute. Love will not permit any argument!

His Word is our command! Whenever He speaks His Word to us settles the issue immediately and completely!

Because such genuine love accepts His Word as always being the decisive Word for life, it naturally leads to: "If you love Me, then you will keep my commandments!"

I can count on you. You will always faithfully apply My Word. You will do so as the genuine and vital expression of your love to Me!

His example always sets the standard for our personal application of His Word in our lives. He insists on that as he states: "EVEN AS I!"

"He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father!" (John 14: 9). That assurance includes this fact: "He who has heard Me has heard the Father!"

For the Lord Jesus personally: to love the Father was to live by the Word of the Father in every detail. There was never any deviation from the Word of the Father. Not even in the slightest degree!

"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works" (John 14: 10).

That is the level and standard of application which we must willing choose to apply. He did it. In loving Him we will do so too!

There may be those who want to argue that such is far too high a standard to set. Is that response honest modesty? Or, is it a self-serving excuse?

Either way, it misses the essential point of what the Lord Jesus is saying to us. Such an evasive response is very dangerous.

The Lord Jesus has spoken His Word to us. If we do love Him we know that He has left us with no choice but to follow the direction of His Word.

But - how? How can we follow the direction of His Word? How can we effectively apply His Word in our response to His example?

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever!"

The Lord Jesus loves His people - to the uttermost! In His infinite and eternal love He is totally committed to make fully possible everything that He requires of His people. He knows perfectly all of our weaknesses. Our imperfections. Our ignorance. He knows everything about us far better than we do.

"I will pray the Father!" Think of what he reveals here! I will pick up your great need. Your personal condition. Your serious weakness and your many imperfections.

In intercession I will take all you are, and all you need to the Father's throne in prayer! There, I will plead for you!

"Who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us!" (Romans 8: 34).

He never ever leaves us to struggle through alone. He does not leave us so that we are forced to carry our burdens unaided. He is always there. Always seeking to be personally involved with us. Always praying for us.

He is revealing His total and continuing commitment. That determination to constantly enable us to be able to draw on all of the resources which we could ever need.

The resources of strength. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4: 13).

The resources of knowledge. Wisdom. Guidance. Patience. Protection. Everything. All: in Him.

His love continually inspires our love for Him. Even as His love ceaselessly enables us to faithfully and fully keep His commandments.

"I will pray the Father!" The Lord Jesus Himself gives to us the assurance that the Father always hears His prayer! Always!

"And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always!" (John 11: 41, 42).

Therefore, when He prays He knows the Father hears. He also knows that the Father gives! He assures us that we can confidently count on that fact. "HE SHALL give you!"

"Comforter!" "Paraclete!" "Advocate!" One who comes alongside to provide needed and effective help. One who is there as the personal representative of the Lord Jesus Himself. To make all that the Lord Jesus is: dynamically real to us!

"Another!" One who is exactly like the Lord Jesus Himself. In every respect. Not merely: similar. But genuinely like the Lord Jesus in every particular.

One who has the same love for us. The same commitment to us. The same persevering patience with us. The same glorious plan.

Later the Lord Jesus reminded the disciples, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, It is expedient for you (it is in your very best interests) 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" (John 16: 7).

It is in your very best interests that you have the Comforter to come unto you! I will pray the Father and He will send Him to you. I will send Him to you!

A most vital aspect of this promise becomes even clearer. So that the Comforter may abide with you: forever! He comes - to stay! To become and remain a crucial part of our lives on a continuing basis.

The intention of this promise is so very inspiring. The Comforter will continue to fully share with us in every area of our lives. Which means, most significantly, He will fully share with us in our desire and in our determination to demonstrate our love for the Lord Jesus!

He will be personally involved with us as we seek to express our love for the Lord Jesus by keeping His commandments. Participating with us in this. Encouraging us and enabling us!

"Abide - forever!" This is not to be just an occasional experience. Not some spasmodic participation. Not to give to us an occasional spiritual high- to see us through all those other times when He is not around. No!

This statement of the Lord Jesus is so very practical. It has to do with really making things work effectively for the Christian.

The Comforter has come. He has come to be with us forever. To be a personal and integral part of our lives for ever.

He comes - to us. The Comforter. We know Him better as the Person of the Holy Spirit. He comes to establish and maintain a relationship with us which is a personal relationship.

There were many people who were attracted to the Lord Jesus. At first it was their desire to establish a personal relationship with Him. But, when His teaching demanded - according to their view - too much of them, they broke that relationship. They wanted nothing more to do with Him.

We must learn from that. The personal relationship with the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, is experienced as we permit Him to have His way. As we learn to listen to Him and respond to His leading.

There must be a continuing willingness on our part to be guided by Him. A continuing commitment to respond to His teaching. The deliberate decision to let Him have His way.

Just prior to this moment in this conversation with His disciples, the Lord had said: "I am the Truth!"

When the Lord described The Holy Spirit as "Another Comforter"- He was making a most significant statement. The effect of His Word is, He is Another who is exactly like Me in every respect!

The Lord Jesus went on to explain, "He shall testify of Me!" (John 15: 26). "He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine and shall show it unto you" (John 16: 14). "He will guide you into all Truth!" (16: 13).

The focus of the ministry of The Spirit of Truth is always the Person of the Lord Jesus. He seeks to reveal Him in all His glory to us. He strives to inspire and increase our love for the Lord Jesus. He is committed to enable us in our devoted obedience to the Word of the Lord Jesus.

"Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him!"

The world in its unbelief cannot receive the Spirit of Truth. The constant attitude of the world is one of alienation and antagonism. Therefore the world can neither see nor know the Spirit of Truth.

In contrast: "Ye know Him!" They knew the Lord Jesus. In knowing Him they also knew the Spirit of Truth! They had received the Lord Jesus. Therefore they could also receive the Holy Spirit.

That is the vital key. Even today! Especially: today! Those who do genuinely know the Lord Jesus know the Holy Spirit. They are open to receiving Him as the direct result of their desire to honor the Lord Jesus.

Wherever there is any attitude of antagonism to the Lord Jesus. Or to His Word. That fact guarantees that the people concerned will not be able to receive the Holy Spirit.

Those who respond to the Lord Jesus. Receiving Him! Honoring Him in their desire to live by His Word. They can see, know, and receive the Spirit of Truth!

The Lord Jesus was reminding His disciples: Even now, as you walk with Me, He walks with you! As I am beside you, He is also beside you! Thus He continues to abide with you!

They did not fully grasp the significance of this fact at that time. They were simply thinking about their personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. He was the One who was real to them.

They stumbled over this great truth which He was expressing to Him. They could not "see" the Spirit of Truth in the way that they could see Jesus. Nor "hear" Him with their natural ears. The essential emphasis on faith was still an "unknown" to them.

Yet, their response to the Lord Jesus had in fact opened the door for the Holy Spirit. It is always in that sequence that we will experience these glorious spiritual realities.

If we have the desire to know more of the Holy Spirit. More of His working in our lives and service. Give Him the opportunity He seeks to be involved, by developing a deep and urgent longing to know Jesus. To honor and glorify Him.

"He shall be IN you!" The Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, will continue to live in you! He will do so as the vital and dynamic spiritual expression of all that He is and all that He does!

"Be filled with the Spirit!" (Ephesians 5: 18). That is the explicit will of the Lord for all of His people, everywhere! At all times! In all situations!

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2: 4). "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 4: 31). Even as He seeks to fill His people today.

The person who is "Filled with the Holy Spirit," is, "Strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3: 16).

That Christian is fully equipped and strengthened. Then that person is well able to demonstrate the reality of genuine love for the Lord Jesus. To do so by: Keeping His commandments!

Others may leave. Desert. They did! Many even left Jesus! "From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him" (John 6: 66).

The apostle Paul gives this eloquent testimony. "At my first answer, no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge" (2 Timothy 4: 16).

"All men forsook - deserted - abandoned me!" That was his most poignant personal experience!

Yet he was not complaining. Rather that negative element was only the backdrop for his most positive witness:

"Notwithstanding the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; . . . and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion!" (verse 17).

He said: "NEVER!" Which is exactly what He means! Depend totally on that fact. You will never have any reason to regret such faith in Him!

"Comfortless!" The word which the Lord uses here is "orphanous". It is the greek word from which we derive our english word: orphan!

Never: orphans! Always claimed by Him as His! Always able to depend totally on His presence with us. Always able to count on His unfailing faithfulness!

"I will come to you!" I will always come to you! It does not matter what your situation may be. Nor how desperate the struggle may become. Nor how ferocious the fight.

The Lord so graciously continues to assure us, "I will continually come to you!" He is ever faithful to His Word.

It will not matter how very weak we may feel. How overcome by a deep sense of failure and futility. Nor that we believe that we are completely crushed in defeat.

He will always come. Especially in those times when we face the most adverse circumstances.

We can always count on His promise. His unfailing love inspires our love to reach up and grasp the faithfulness of His love. His: "I will!" - becomes: "We will!"

We will love Him! We will continue to demonstrate the genuineness of our love for Him. We will do so in the way He requires: our obedience to His Word. We will!

"Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also!"

The world in its blind unbelief and insolent rebellion would yet take Him out and crucify Him. Their attitude was: Once He is dead and buried, we will be finished with Him forever!

They did not see Him again. They did not want to see Him again. They will not see him again, not until He returns in all His eternal glory as: their Judge!

"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord" (Matthew 23: 39).

The Lord in His risen power and glory was seen only by those who believed in Him. They, and they only, were the witnesses to His resurrection.

That explains why the Lord Jesus said, "But ye (shall) see Me!" In that statement He places great emphasis on the vital truth of His Word. You - especially and exclusively you - shall see Me!

Faith is so gloriously rewarded. Being entrusted with this amazing privilege which is far too wonderful for words.

Faith sees Him! In His resurrection life. In His resurrection power. In His resurrection glory.

Faith sees Him in the awesome wonder and glory of His resurrection life. Faith hears Him proclaim this strong Word of assurance: In that same resurrection love and power ye shall live also!

When He speaks about that assurance, is He only referring to the future? To eternity?

This is for us: Now! His assurance includes: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10: 10).

He is taking about life for those who believe. Life: now! Life abundant: now! A vital present reality for the here and the now!

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 John 5: 11).

"Hath given!" That is the glorious accomplished fact! God has already given to us this eternal life. The life which is in His Son! Resurrection life!

Permit the Holy Spirit to flood your total person and personality with this amazing reality.

What more do we need to really love Him? What more is required to enable us to keep His commandments in the demonstration of the genuineness of our love?

"At that day ye shall know!" That day, when in response to the request of the Lord Jesus, the Father gives to you the Holy Spirit. That day when the Holy Spirit comes to be with the disciples.

That day in which the Holy Spirit carries out His wonderful ministry. Teaching them. Revealing the Lord Jesus to them. Glorifying the Lord Jesus to their enlightened eyes.

Then: they will know! They know because the Holy Spirit has given them their spiritual focus.

That fact is still true. It is by the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit that we are able to gain our true spiritual focus. Then: we see! We know!

It is the will of God that we both see and know! Yet, we each one actually decide for ourselves how much we will allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to see and know. We decide how open our hearts and minds will be.

He had already told them that fact. "Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me" (John 14: 11).

"When the day of Pentecost was fully come"- then they were "all filled with the Holy Ghost." In that moment they saw the statement of Jesus in a totally new light. (See Acts 2: 1 - 4)

The Holy Spirit opened their understanding, to see that vital fact! By enlarging their comprehension of the eternal truth they saw so much that they could not see before.

"I am in the Father!" Then they saw the wonder of the relationship He spoke about. The amazing significance of His words.

The Holy Spirit continually seeks the opportunity of enabling us to know! To see! To understand more and more of the implications of "I am in the Father!"

It is only as we are actually filled with the Spirit that we will see and know. It is only as we really do "know"- that we can move on in our growth in Him.

Paul is right. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2: 14).

The natural man cannot receive them. Neither can the carnal, compromised, worldly Christian.

Nor yet the Christian who is content to take his ease in immaturity, seeing no need to press on with urgency into the wonder of the glory of the will of God.

The person who is pressing on. Urgently desiring to be more mature. More Christ-like.

The one who is willing to leave behind everything that would distract and divert him.

The one who is urgently seeking to be continually filled with the Spirit. Continually indwelt by Him. Taught. Inspired. Corrected. Guided.

And knowing- claim the full fruition of the love which "is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Romans 5: 5).

Christ - in me! Therefore: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!" (Philippians 4: 13).

I can love - as He enables me to love. Love my Lord- out of a pure heart, fervently!

I can! As I humbly and sincerely seek and yield to the coming Holy Spirit. Welcoming Him to be in me constantly!