It is never easy to say good bye to a friend or family member. Especially if that friend has become more important than anything else to you. That is what the disciples of Jesus felt when He told them in John 14 that He would not always be with them in the same way. In what must have been a startling development for His followers, Jesus predicts His betrayal and His death. How this must have seemed so foreign and so much opposite of what they had been looking for. Peter and the gang were expecting Jesus to set up an earthly Kingdom that would put Rome in its place and raise Israel to its rightful position on top of all other nations. Over and over our Lord warned them about what was to come and over and over they missed the warnings. Finally in a clear and direct way the Master says in John 14 That He is leaving to prepare a place for His disciples and for all those who would follow after Him. Even though Jesus was leaving to return to the Father, He reveals the next step in His follower's development, The Holy Spirit.

"And I will ask the Father and He will send you another counselor who will be with you forever-the Spirit of Truth"

Because the Lord loves us He wants the best for each one of His kids. In this case it was best for the Holy Spirit to come so that the followers no matter where they were at in the world at work for the kingdom of God would have access to truth, wisdom, insight and direction. It is interesting the Jesus tells the disciples about the work of the Holy Spirit prior to the cross not just after. He says that the Counselor the Holy Spirit would lead those who follow the Lord into all truth and chapter 16 declares that this counselor would do several things. 1.) Convict the world of sin 2.) Lead people into right living 3.) Guide every believer into all truth 4.) Speak what is best and what is God given 5.) Bring glory to the Son by taking what is of Jesus and making it known to His true disciples.

These works of the Holy Spirit are awesome and powerful and what Jesus was promising was not someone who would just help once in a while, but one who would be constantly working, and constantly active on the earth and every person. The same Spirit of God who was active in creation would now be active in God's new creation of men and woman's hearts and lives. But with this great promise also comes a responsibility for each of us to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and follow the direction of God over all every area of our lives and every person that we might encounter. Recently I received a great email from a lady in our church who was used by God to share her faith and lead a person to salvation, all because she was open to the voice of the Holy Spirit prompting her. The Holy Spirit will convict people of their sins, but He also wants to use us to bring them to a place of forgiveness.

Listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit will require you and I to be attentive and not push through that still small voice that says don't say that and don't say this. Or stay away from that influence or stop acting that way. How many times have we pushed through the Holy Spirit's caution? How many times have we chosen to listen to our own voice and not the voice of the one who Jesus said would lead us into all truth? I encourage you to take time with me today and ask the Holy Spirit to forgive us for not listening to the truth that He so graciously wants to give. If we ever needed the Holy Spirit in the history of the church of Jesus it is now. "Holy Spirit, we need you please speak the truth that will set us free to follow. And may we be quick to listen to the voice that will lead us closer to Jesus.