Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou
     shalt follow Me afterwards.

     — John 13:36

""And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, Follow Me."" Three
years before, Jesus had said – ""Follow Me,"" and Peter had followed
easily, the fascination of Jesus was upon him, he did not need the
Holy Spirit to help him to do it. Then he came to the place where he
denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit,
and now Jesus says again – ""Follow Me."" There is no figure in front
now saving the Lord Jesus Christ. The first ""Follow Me"" had nothing
mystical in it, it was an external following; now it is a following
in internal martyrdom (cf. John 21:18).

Between these times Peter had denied Jesus with oaths and curses, he
had come to the end of himself and all his self-sufficiency, there
was not one strand of himself he would ever rely upon again, and in
his destitution he was in a fit condition to receive an impartation
from the risen Lord. ""He breathed on them, and saith unto them,
Receive ye the Holy Ghost."" No matter what changes God has wrought in
you, never rely upon them, build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus
Christ, and on the Spirit He gives.

All our vows and resolutions end in denial because we have no power
to carry them out. When we have come to the end of ourselves, not in
imagination but really, we are able to receive the Holy Spirit.
""Receive ye the Holy Ghost"" – the idea is that of invasion. There is
only one lodestar in the life now, the Lord Jesus Christ.

On this day...

• 1 Kings 6 - 2024
• 1 Kings 5 - 2024
• Technology and Faith: 12 Positives - 2012
• John Owen - What Was Accomplished in Christ's Death? - 2012
• We need to know ourselves deeply - 2012
• The Eternal Gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus - 2012
• Grant that, to be loved as to love - 2012
• You will see heaven opened - 2011
• Zechariah 8:14-17 - 2011
• This is a light thing in the sight of the LORD - 2011