Month: September 2014

Getting What You Want – Part 1

“My God shall supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).

“I want it!”

In this day of easy accessibility to material things this seems to be our attitude, more than just the fact that,

“I need it.”

The prodigal son summed it up when he said: “Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me” (Luke 15:12). In this regard the following article recently caught my eye; in short this is what it said:

There is a popular idea floating around about how to get whatever you want. It’s called “the law of attraction.” Just think and feel what you want to attract, and “the law” will use people, circumstances and events, to magnetize you to it. This positive-thinking philosophy teaches that the “energy” of your dominant thoughts “attracts” your circumstances.

You won’t find that idea anywhere in the Bible! As believers, we have good reason to be positive in our thinking, but it’s because God our Father understands and meets our needs. Because He cares for us, we don’t have to be anxious.

Continued…

 

Fire Triangle

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity” (James 3:5-6).

When I was in the fire protection business, I used to give seminars and demos on fire prevention and safety. One thing we always taught was the fire triangle, or the three things that it takes to constitute a fire, namely, oxygen, heat, and fuel. In fighting a fire you eliminate one of the three elements and the triangle is broken, and as a result the fire is extinguished. This usually means eliminating the oxygen by smothering, or the heat by cooling.

However, when it comes to the gossip spreading fires that the tongue ignites, it is the fuel that needs to be removed. “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth” (Proverbs 26:20). Let’s eliminate the fires of rumor and gossip that do such great damage by learning to hold our tongue…by removing the fuel.

 

Dear Young Christian:

I have been reading a book entitled Under A Thatched Roof. It is an account by Rosemary Cunningham her work with her husband as pioneer missionaries amongst the Cayapo, a savage tribe of Indians in the interior of Brazil. In reading of the darkness of heathendom, the awful power of evil spirts, and the witchcraft connected with Satan’s domain, it has once again made me thankful for the light of Christianity, the fact that I was born in a country where that light still flickers, and that I was raised in a home where it burned brightly.

I, too, have had opportunities to visit parts of the world, where spiritual darkness is unhindered by the light of God’s Word and Christianity. It is a darkness not unlike the physical darkness in Egypt in Moses’ time: “Darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt” (Exodus 10:21).

Often, in our youth, we don’t appreciate and value such an upbringing, but it is a privilege. Don’t waste it!

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Deep Waters

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul…I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow Me” (Psalm 69:1-2).

What an agonizing cry of desperation! David, who penned these words, was feeling this pressure from God and so cried out for help. Little did he realize that in type, he was speaking and feeling what our Lord Jesus experienced in connection with Calvary. The awfulness of God’s wrath against sin was so terrible that Jesus felt as if He were drowning in a turbulent ocean.

Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the great fish included these sentiments: “The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head” (Jonah 2:5). He, too, is a type of the Lord going under the waters of God’s judgment in those three hour of darkness when He bore, “our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

We will never know the full extent of what Jesus suffered, but we can always thank Him for bearing it for us.

 

Evil Speaking

“Speak not evil one of another, brethren” (James 4:11).

“Let all…evil speaking, be put away from you…and be ye kind one to another” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

When was the last time you said something mean, bad, or nasty about another believer? I heard an interesting quote the other day concerning talking about a brother or sister in Christ. The quote was this…

“Ask yourself three things before speaking:

Is it true?

Is it kind?

Is it necessary?”

There is a fine line between gossip and godly concern. Sometimes things need to be discussed and warning given, but make sure it’s godly concern and not gossip. Make sure that no more is said than is absolutely necessary. Solomon gave God’s instructions when he wrote: “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

 

The Shout

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Usually when we think of a shout or shouting it is in the context of something surprising or frightening, or having some argumentative connotation.

However, I want to tell you something very interesting about that word “shout” in the context of today’s opening scripture. Greek scholars tell us that this is the only place in the New Testament where the Greek word here translated “shout” occurs, and it does not mean a shout of terror, or a startling shout. No, it is a word that denotes encouragement. It is the word that was used in olden times to encourage the rowers manning the oars on the galleys. It is the shout of encouragement for the people of God, the word that calls them, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The One who loves us, who has done so much for us, will be there on the threshold of the Father’s house, and will take us in. What a scene that will be! Perhaps we will hear that wonderful shout today…are you listening for it?

 

Unmeasured Love

Someone once stated: “The measure of love is to love without measure!”

Here are some verses that show the love of God and Christ…without measure!

“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

“Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3).

“Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19).

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor” (Ephesians 5:2).

Enjoy that love today, and remember, “Greater love hath no man than this” (John 15:13).

 

Carried

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost” (Luke 15:5-6).

A shepherd writes: Walking through my field on a wintery morning, I met with a lamb I thought was dead, but taking it up, I found it barely alive; the cruel mother had almost starved it to death. I put it into my arms and brought it into my house. There I rubbed its starved limbs, warmed it by the fireside, and fed it with warm milk. Soon it revived. First it feared me, but afterwards it thoroughly loved me. I fed it with my own hand, so it followed me wherever I went, bleating after me whenever it saw me, and was always happy when it could frisk around me, but never so pleased as when I would carry it in my arms. Jesus is a shepherd, the Shepherd of souls, and of Him it is said, “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11).

 

Overwhelmed

“From when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2).

When everything seems out of hand,

I, on the firm foundation, stand:

On Christ the Rock, whose strength prevails,

Whose love and power never fails.

When overwhelmed my heart — I cry,

Lead to the Rock, higher than I.

I know His saving grace and power,

And I can trust Him every hour.

I’m sheltered safe within His hand,

His promises forever stand.

When overwhelmed…etc.

His blood has washed my sins away,

His grace preserves me every day:

He lives, for me to supplicate — 

My Great High Priest, and Advocate.

When overwhelmed…etc…

Continued next month…

 

Dear Young Christian:

For many of us, when we flip the calendar to the month of September it seems like summer is over, vacation behind us, and it’s time to get serious about life again. Time to settle down and get ready to go back to school, maybe a new job, perhaps even a move to a new location. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming and frightening.

Whatever changes September brings, remember, the Lord is with you. David had lots of changes and scary experiences in his life, too. On one occasion he prayed: “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). He also prayed, “Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust” (Psalm 16:1). In fact, David uses the expression “preserve me” six times in the Psalms, and the word “preserve” in other contexts many times. He felt the need of the preservation of His God, and often prayed that he would be “preserved.”

This is a good prayer to start a new month with!

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca