Live to Love Scripture Encouragement

Live to Love Blog May 2026 by Norm Wakefield

John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
In what day? I can think of two possible answers from the context. 1. The day of which Jesus spoke was the day they saw Him in His resurrected body in the upper room. 2. The day of which Jesus spoke was the day that each of them received the Holy Spirit. In John 20:19-22 we discover that both of these happened on the same day and within perhaps seconds of each other. “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” We can see why they rejoiced! Then it happened as promised. He gave them the Holy Spirit by breathing on them and simply commanding them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Which is most important, seeing Jesus alive in His body or receiving the Holy Spirit? This is an important question because we haven’t seen Him physically. We would think that they are blessed more than we. But hear the words of Jesus in John 20:29 spoken to Thomas who didn’t see Him the first time and doubted. Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” He is speaking of us! The best of the two options then is receiving the Holy Spirit. It indicates that Jesus was indeed God, and was in the Father. We also know that we have an eternal abiding place in Jesus. And furthermore, we know that Jesus dwells in us like the Father dwelled in Jesus. What a glorious day it was when you received the Holy Spirit! We have His life in us and therefore are sent to love in this world just as Jesus was sent.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
I don’t know if we can imagine the impact of these words on the disciples. He’s told them He’s leaving so that He can return to live in them so they might live forever with Him. Let’s remember why Jesus told them these things. He was telling them what was to happen in the future so that they might believe that He is the Son of God and the life of the Father. John 13:19 “From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.” Within days, Jesus died on the cross, three days later was raised, and then they saw Him—alive—in the upper room again fulfilling this promise—“you will see Me.” If we have life, it is because Jesus, who is the life, died, was raised, was glorified, and lives. He has given us life. The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians in 3:4. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” for “Christ in you, [is] the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). We are not of this world. We have been loved by God and filled with His life so we can love with Him. We live because He lives, and we love because He is love.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:17-18. that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
So far in John 14, we have seen the foundational truth of the union of the Father and the Son. Now in vss 17-18, we discover another foundational truth. The Holy Spirit is united with the Son. Jesus said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.” Here He said, “When you receive the Holy Spirit, you will have Me as your Father dwelling with and in you.” Notice the verb tenses. You know the Holy Spirit now because He abides with you now in me. You know Him now because He that is with you now will be in you later.
In contrast, the world can’t receive the Holy Spirit because the world doesn’t see or know Him. The world who can’t receive the Holy Spirit is the same world for which Jesus doesn’t intercede in His prayer to the Father recorded in John 17:9. “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours.” The presence of the Holy Spirit is the sure sign that you belong to the Father, that you are not orphans, that you are not of this world, but are one of His household of which He spoke in vs. 2. Jesus’ promise to come to them is a repeat of His promise in vs. 3. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself.” This leads us to conclude that the primary truth Jesus has in mind isn’t our being with Him in heaven, but His being with and in His family here on the earth. This is only possible after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and glorification. John explained this in 7:39. “But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
Let this amaze us who have the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwelling with us. Jesus has come to us because He has been glorified by the Father for His work on the cross. This place was prepared for us by our Lord. To God be the glory! That’s why we live to love with Jesus.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 14:16.2 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;”
This is the first promise to His disciples regarding the Holy Spirit. Again, we come to a third pivot point. The promise of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives changed everything from the moment these words were uttered. It was a seismic paradigm shift of understanding and world view. Up to this time, the disciples were focused on their own abilities and greatness for God—their performance—their works for God. In these words they hear the glorious news that the Father, God, is going to give them the life of God—the Spirit of the Father and the Son—to be with them forever. Their new lives will be defined by the life and presence of the Spirit of God, not by their own works and performance. Is that how we approach life each day? Do you believe Jesus’ words? Do you trust in Jesus’ intercession for you? Do you believe in the Father’s generosity and joy in sharing His life with you so that you can bring Him glory through His Son? The presence of the Helper, the One who walks beside, the One who comforts us is our confidence as we run the race set before us. Thank You, Father for sending Your Son to help us by taking away our sins which separates us from You. Thank You, Jesus, for interceding for us so we could come to God for help. And thank You, Holy Spirit, for helping us live and love for the glory of God.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com