Our Daily Bread 5 November 2019 – Do the Next Thing

Today’s Scripture: John 14:15–21 (NIV)

Today’s Insight
Today’s text comes from Christ’s Upper Room Discourse—His teaching time with the disciples (John 14–16)—just hours before His sufferings would begin at Gethsemane. Because He announces that He’s going away from them (14:1–4), one of the main topics of this discourse involved the coming of the Holy Spirit and His work in the lives of believers in Jesus. Words used to describe the Spirit are advocate and helper (v. 16), truth (v. 17), teacher (v. 26), witness (15:26–27), agent of conviction (16:7–8), and guide (v. 13). These roles, however, are more than just functional reasons for the Spirit’s coming. They come in the shadow of Christ’s declared departure. Each element was intended to bring God’s comfort and presence to believers in Jesus when He was no longer with them physically. The ministry of the Spirit was to make up for the fear, confusion, and loss those men experienced by Christ’s leaving.(Bill Crowder)

Our Daily Bread 5 November 2019 – Do the Next Thing

Today’s Word: When was the last time you felt compelled to help someone, only to let the moment pass without a response? In The 10-Second Rule, Clare De Graaf suggests that daily impressions can be one of the ways God calls us to a deeper spiritual walk, a life of obedience prompted by love for Him. The 10-Second Rule encourages you to simply “do the next thing you’re reasonably certain Jesus wants you to do,” and to do it right away “before you change your mind.”

Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). We might think, I do love Him, but how can I be certain of His will and follow it? In His wisdom, Jesus has provided what we need to better understand and follow the wisdom found in the Bible. He once said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and will be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (vv. 16–17). It’s by the work of the Spirit, who is with us and in us, that we can learn to obey Jesus and “keep [His] commands” (v. 15)—responding to the promptings experienced throughout our day (v. 17).

In the big and little things, the Spirit motivates us to confidently do by faith what will honor God and reveal our love for Him and others (v. 21).

Reflect & Pray
Why is it important for you to follow through on promptings that line up with Scripture? How can you seek to live a more obedient life by the power of the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit provides what we need to follow Jesus in obedience.