So Wrong — 

In John 16:2 we read of those who put others out of places of worship and kill people in the name of religion and believing they are doing God a service. Doing the wrong thing and believing they are right is something that all people experience at one time or another. Former generations stole the lands of native peoples and killed whole villages thinking that they were doing right. In wartime, peoples have destroyed whole towns including vast numbers of innocent civilians thinking they were doing right. Our grandchildren may look in bewilderment and disbelief at our generation which disregards the human rights of defenseless unborn children by the brutal and primitive practice of abortion. What does a civilization do when it wakes up and sees how wrong it has been! Father forgive them! They don't know what they're doing!

Failure can be Success — 

In a world which operates on the paradigm that he who dies with the most toys wins, it can be difficult to feel successful. Capitalism can be a tool for good, but it can also cause a deep sense of failure. A motive can be to sell goods and services to gain wealth whether or not other lives are really improved. Many merchants operate on a win-lose philosophy more akin to the survival of the fittest than a true win-win ideal for the greater good. When business operates on the law of the jungle consumers are the losers. The hardest thing for us to believe deep down inside is that the seeming loser can be the real winner. That is one message of the cross. Many who seem to be first will be last and vice versa (Mark 10:31).

Failure can be Success — 

In a world which operates on the paradigm that he who dies with the most toys wins, it can be difficult to feel successful. Capitalism can be a tool for good, but it can also cause a deep sense of failure. A motive can be to sell goods and services to gain wealth whether or not other lives are really improved. Many merchants operate on a win-lose philosophy more akin to the survival of the fittest than a true win-win ideal for the greater good. When business operates on the law of the jungle consumers are the losers. The hardest thing for us to believe deep down inside is that the seeming loser can be the real winner. That is one message of the cross. Many who seem to be first will be last and vice versa (Mark 10:31).

Fake Promises — 

If we were to listen to those televangelists who offer a pain-free life without trials or troubles, we might be shocked and dismayed when difficulties come. But, if we listen to Jesus, we will not be surprised at all. In John 16:1-4 Jesus told his original disciples to prepare for rough times. They would be thrown out of meetings. Some would be killed by people thinking they were doing God a favor. Why? Were the original disciples disobedient and cursed by God? No, they were told that their troubles were caused because others never really knew Jesus or the Father. Jesus told them these things so that when the time came they would remember his warning. Perhaps the preachers of health and wealth have not remembered Jesus' warning. Perhaps they do not get very much of their teachings from Jesus.

Relative Terms — 

How often have fellow believers described themselves as conservative or liberal Christians? What exactly are they conserving or liberalizing? Some will say that they are conserving the Christianity of their forefathers. To honor our forefathers is good. However, what if their Christianity was just different in some ways to that taught by Jesus? Would they then be more liberal or more conservative than Jesus? Some want to conserve so-called family values or a national way of life. What if that way of life or those family values are different than what Jesus taught? Would they then be more liberal or conservative than Jesus? In John 15:26 it says that a mission of the Holy Spirit is to testify about Jesus. Are terms like liberal or conservative used relative to this world's values or to the ultimate benchmark, what Jesus taught?

Christian Clutter — 

In John 15:26 we read that a mission of the Holy Spirit is to testify about Jesus. That is how the Church's slate began, with a simple Christianity, a testimony about Jesus. However, given the proclivity of people, things were added over time. The slate became crowded with traditions and ideas as people became enamored with their own opinions of these most important events in the history of the world. The higher the position of an individual, the greater ability he had to impose his ideas upon others. Over time the traditions and teachings which resulted began to crowd out the simplicity of Christ. Beside the teachings of Jesus were a whole host of ceremonies and do's and don'ts created by mere men. The challenge is and always has been to put the teachings of Christ in their rightful place.

Miserable Comforters — 

2,000 years ago, Jesus often quoted from the Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint. There the Greek word Paraclete is used in Job for his "miserable comforters" (Job 16:1-2). Job was in the worst of distress and several friends tried to comfort him, but instead only criticized and accused him. It is easy to give the wrong advice and offend rather than help. In John 14:16 the writer used the same word for the comfort that the Holy Spirit gives to Christians. Sometimes human beings, even at their best, are of little or no comfort. We simply don't always have the wisdom to say the right things. The Holy Spirit is a comfort at all times. He stands with us and in us to comfort and support us in ways that no fellow mortal possibly can.

Comfort, Defend and Encourage — 

When Jesus was about to exit this world, he promised another comforter — an encourager, an advocate — in John 14:16. The word another in Greek implies someone, a Person who encourages and defends others just like Jesus. Temptations to denounce and reasons to condemn fellow Christians and other denominations are everywhere. But Jesus came not to condemn but to save. The Holy Spirit does not defend an inerrant Church nor infallible individual Christians. Christian history is a mixture of good and evil. The Holy Spirit is like a defense lawyer who stands beside each person in the Church giving comfort and encouragement, while the accuser attacks. Christians everywhere know their own guilt. The prosecutor has a solid case, except for one thing, the cross. Without the cross the accuser wins. Should we likewise comfort, defend and encourage one another?

Do We Believe the Bible? — 

Men say that the Bible is inerrant. The Bible nowhere uses that word. Do we believe the Bible? Men say that the writings of Paul are infallible. The Bible makes no such claim. Do we believe the Bible? The Bible speaks of certain writings as Holy Scriptures or holy writings. Do we believe the Bible is holy writings? Men say that Christians ought never to drink. The Bible says that Jesus turned water to wine and that wine cheers both God and men. Do we believe the Bible? Men say that God did not use evolution. The Bible makes no claim about evolution but only that God created all things. Do we believe the Bible? Men say that only political and religious conservatives are Christians. The Bible says that Jesus turned the world upside down. Do we believe the Bible?

Another Comforter —

What did Jesus mean in John 14:16 when he said he would ask the Father to send another Comforter? Does that mean that the Holy Spirit is like a blanket or a hug? The English word comforter has changed meaning over the centuries and a look at the original Greek is very helpful. When that passage was written, the word was Paraclete and it meant literally someone called to our side — in general use, a legal advocate. In that sense, the Holy Spirit is a Person who stands beside us to help. We must not miss the word before: we read of another Advocate. The Greek word in this context means an Advocate exactly like Jesus. The Holy Spirit is like Jesus. He is a Comforter and also an Advocate who stands beside us to strengthen and intercede for us.