August 9

" O n the last day. that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified."

John 7:37-39

The gift of the Holy Spirit, indwelling each believer, was dependent upon the glorification of the Lord Jesus, following His sacrificial death and His triumph and resurrection. The Spirit has come to witness to these great truths. He has taken up His abode in all who have believed the gospel, and henceforth He is the power of the new life and the One who leads us out in testimony to the world. On our part we need to be very careful to deal with anything that would grieve Him or dishonor the Lord Jesus whom He delights to glorify. For it is only when He is unhindered by hidden or overt sin that He is free to do the work in which He delights—revealing the precious things of Christ to the soul that they may be shared with others.

How changed is life since now I see—

O blessed truth—Christ lives in me!

His Spirit fills me day by day,

And, as I yield, directs my way.

I need not cry in times of strife

For Him to come into my life,

For He is there since I believed

And Christ’s atoning work received.

Yea, even when my coolness grieves,

God’s Holy Spirit never leaves.

A God Omnipotent and Great,

The Bless’d and Only Potentate,

The Lord of lords and King of kings,

Creator of all living things—

What humbling on my Saviour’s part

That He should dwell within my heart!

—Barbara E. Cornet