Young People’s Blog

Provision Provided

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1).

During the Spanish-American War, Clara Barton was overseeing the work of the Red Cross in Cuba. One day Colonel Theodore Roosevelt came to her, wanting to buy food for his sick and wounded men. But she refused to sell him any. Roosevelt was perplexed. His men needed the help and he was prepared to pay out of his own funds. When he asked someone why he could not buy the supplies, he was told, “Colonel, just ask for it!” A smile broke over Roosevelt’s face. Now he understood — the provisions were not for sale. All he had to do was simply ask and they would be given freely.

Just so it is with the wonderful resources that we have from God through Christ. Every provision is provided and paid for through the work of Christ both past and present.

As a result of the work of the cross, we have salvation and a future home in Heaven. As a result of the Lord’s present life for us now, we have all the power and resources we need to live the Christian life.

Reproach

“I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors” (Psalm 31:11).

Reproach is an expression of disapproval and ridicule. If we truly live for the Lord and reflect Christ in our lives we can expect reproach from the unbelieving world. The Lord said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19).

But there is another source of reproach that is even harder to take, and that is reproach from those who are closest to us. David noted this in the second part of the above verse. Maybe you have close family who do not appreciate the fact that you are saved or who do not understand some of your exercises in following the Lord. Remember, the Lord felt reproach from those He came to bless and from those who were closest to Him during His time here on earth. He could say, “The reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me … . Reproach hath broken My heart” (Psalm 69:9, 20).

His Preeminence

“And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).

There is no place in this Scripture for pride, no standing room for hypocrisy, no seat for self-occupation, and not an iota of space for personal elevation. Christ sits on the throne of God, and the day is coming when we, by grace alone, shall share His throne with Him, as promised in the letter to Laodicea: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne” (Revelation 3:21).

However, we must never forget that before He sat down in Heaven as a glorified Man, this world rejected Him, cast Him out, and said, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him” (John 19:15). The Man Christ Jesus, who was so dishonored on earth, nailed to a cross, and given the lowest place possible, is now seated at the highest place in Heaven. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). May we honor Him with worship today!

Our Conversation

“Speaking things which they ought not” (1 Timothy 5:13).

As a follow-up to yesterday’s meditation, I wonder, do we really give enough thought to the impact of our conversation during the course of a day? How many words do we speak? How much of our conversation can be termed purposeful and profitable speaking?

I have seen some percentage estimates that suggest that maybe up to 75% of conversation is negative. That may be a rather high estimate, but even if we reduce it considerably, it still warrants some serious consideration.

A good question to ask ourselves is this: “Has the greatest percentage of conversation today contributed to the blessing, encouragement, and help in some way of the people I have met and interacted with?”

David must have had a concern about this when he prayed: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). That approach will assure a confidant manner of life, a positive attitude, and encouraging conversation.

Dear Young Christian:

Someone has said,

“ ‘Truth’ is like surgery: it hurts, but it heals.”

“ ‘A lie’ is like a painkiller: it gives instant relief, but has side effects forever.”

There are several exhortations in the New Testament in regard to lying. Here are two examples:

“Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth” (Ephesians 4:25).

“Lie not one to another” (Colossians 3:9).

The first recorded sin after the church was formed on the day of Pentecost was a lie, in connection with Ananias and Sapphira. “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost … thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” (Acts 5:3-4).

God does not look lightly on lying, and even though we may not be struck dead like this couple in the early church, yet lying is just as serious today as it was back then. We need to be upright and truthful in all our dealings, whether at school, work, home, or with other believers.

Your Christian Friend,

 Jim Hyland

Objects to Love

“The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was … . Then I was by Him, as One brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men” (Proverbs 8:22-23, 30-31).

Before a planet or moon hung in space, before the sun warmed the earth, or an angel served in Heaven, before any created thing, there was God — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Son was the delight and joy of His Father from a past eternity.

Then came creation. However, even in creation, there was something missing — objects to love. So the Godhead took counsel, “And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). The Lord Jesus wanted those He could share fellowship with, those He could manifest His love to, and those that He could have as companions to share in His glory for eternity. What grace and love has been shown to sinners like you and me! He is so worthy of our praise and worship today, and every day!

Hope

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively [living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

There is an old song that was popular when I was a teenager, and one of the lines went like this: “And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.”

What a sad hope that is! It makes me think of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Corinth: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

But thankfully the Bible gives us hope beyond this life or just dying in our sleep. Peter refers to it as a “living” hope, because it is not only based on the death of Christ but His resurrection.

Do you have this hope in Christ? If you are not saved, then you might well say that the best you can hope for is to die in your sleep. But don’t forget, physical death is not the end. There is eternity to consider, and it will be spent in one of two places … . Heaven or Hell! There is indeed “hope in Christ,” not just for this life but for eternity.

Fields and Pastures

“And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming” (Genesis 24:63).

Fields and pastures when mentioned in the Bible often speak of personal meditation and enjoyment of the Lord. David could say, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2). The Lord said, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

Isaac went out to the field with an express purpose, and that was to meditate. Out alone after the toils of another workday, he drew the daylight to a close in fellowship with the Lord.

As a result he “lifted up his eyes.” Meditation on divine things will cause our eyes to be lifted up, and it is amazing what we will see. Isaac saw the camels coming, bringing with them his bride. We look up and see our Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, and as we look, the light of His countenance falls on us, bringing us hope, joy, and strength.

The House of Mourning

“It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2).

Have you had to attend a funeral lately? Maybe a family member, good friend, neighbor, or a fellow student or coworker has passed away recently.

The above verse tells us that it is a good thing to go into the house of mourning in that it brings us face to face with the realities of life and death. In the hustle and bustle of daily life we tend to forget that our time is short, and that we are only here on planet earth for a shortf time. It is like the reminder of Scripture, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:14-15).

It is good for all of us to have this reality check from time to time. Like Ethan the Ezrahite, who penned the words, “Remember how short my time is” (Psalm 89:47).

Most of us don’t really like to attend a funeral, but it can be a time of profitable reflection, both for the unbeliever, and for those of us who are saved as well.

Really Life

“Lay hold of what is really life” (1 Timothy 6:19, JND Translation).

He is long with the Lord now, but an elderly saint of God used to remind those of us who were younger, “The Christian life is the only life worth living.”

If we were to interview elderly Christians who have lived their whole lives for the Lord and served Him in one way or another, do you think you would find any regrets that they had done so? I think not! The only regret you would find is that they were not more faithful, and that they had not done more for their Lord and Master. The Lord Himself said, “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life … . He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it” (Mark 10:29-30; Matthew 10:39).

In simple, everyday language the Lord was saying, The only life worth living is a life lived in view of eternity.