Bible Truth Publishers
EmailRSS
Blogs

Daily blogs from Bible Truth Publishers

Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

March 2015

All months

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Our Responsibility — Part 1
What a wonderful thing it is for believers to know that their sins are forgiven and that they have a home prepared for them by the Lord Jesus. Also, what a wonderful hope we have in knowing that at any moment we may hear the “shout” and be caught away from this world to meet the Lord in the air, and to be forever with Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout…and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
But why is it that God has chosen to leave us here instead of taking us to heaven the moment we get saved? It is because we are left to represent Christ in this world where He was rejected and crucified. We are left to worship and glorify Him, and left to shine as lights, and to be ambassadors as we wait for His return. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). He has given us a message to deliver to precious souls that He loves, and we are responsible to go to them with this message of salvation that they need so much.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Dear Young Christian:
I am sitting in the Portland Oregon airport waiting for a flight to Phoenix Arizona this morning. From Phoenix, I hope to fly on to Oakland California, and after a few days’ visit there, fly to Chicago, then Philadelphia, and finally to Binghamton, New York. It is amazing how we can zigzag around the world in this day of fast, modern transit, but what I am really looking forward to is that last and final flight to the Father’s house.
That final boarding call, “Come up hither” (Revelation 4:1), will be the best boarding announcement of all. It will take me nonstop to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. It will be a one-way flight to heaven, with no baggage and no delays. This flight might be today or this week, and for those of us who know the Lord as Saviour it should be the anticipation of our hearts.
In the meantime, keep Christ before you as the object and the goal, and, “Rejoice in the Lord alway” (Philippians 4:4).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Distracted
“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:3).
Often when we come together to worship the Lord our minds are distracted easily with other things. What we did or didn’t do this past week: What we need to get done this week: that school project that is due…the work project that is almost finished…problems in our life…and so on.
It is wonderful when we meet to remember the Lord, and there don’t seem to be the distractions. I love to be at a meeting where the leading of the Spirit of God is really felt and experienced, and where there is worship and praise to God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. It is wonderful when distractions don’t seem to be a problem. The Lord loves to encourage us and those times are a closer glimpse of Himself and a little foretaste of heaven. As you meet to remember and worship the Lord today ask Him to help you not to be distracted. Let’s be like the Psalmist, who said, “I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation” (Psalm 111:1).

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Ten More Minutes
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 2:2).
Prince Napoleon, son of Napoleon III, served with the British army in Africa. One day he left camp with a troop of soldiers on an exploratory mission. Far from camp they stopped to rest and eat. It was a dangerous area and one of the men said uneasily, “We had better turn back, and if we don’t hurry we may be overtaken.”
Prince Napoleon’s reply was, “Just ten more minutes.”
However, before ten minutes were up they were overtaken and overpowered, and the Prince lost his life.
Upon receiving the news of his death, his grief-stricken mother exclaimed, “It was a great weakness from childhood. He never wanted to go to bed on time, or get up when he should, he always wanted ten more minutes.”
Prince Napoleon died because he believed he had ten more minutes. But there are many who are going into a lost eternity because they believe they still have time. We have no promise of any more minutes, but this present one — this fleeting NOW! The Bible says, “Make haste, and come…” (Luke 19:5).

Friday, March 27, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Monthly Question Page
Q. When we pray, who are we to address? Is it always God the Father?
A. “And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you” (John 16:23). This verse teaches that we usually address the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord was on earth the disciples could come directly to Him and make request, but after His ascension they would have the privilege of going directly to the Father.
However there are times when it is appropriate to address the Lord in prayers as well. For example, He is “the head of the body” (Colossians 1:18). As such we look to Him as members of His body, for guidance and direction, and those things that affect the body of Christ (His people here on earth) as a whole.
Another time we address the Lord directly is in connection with His being Lord of the Harvest. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Guidance
“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name” (Psalm 86:11).
Discerning the Lord’s mind is largely a question of the state of soul. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” (Psalm 25:14). Is my eye single? Do I desire only His will? Am I not blinded through self-interest or self-will in some way? Do I refer all to the Lord, and wait on Him, to know His will? If so, He will guide. We do not expect any revelation, or anything extraordinary, but He, by laying on the mind what is pleasing to Him, or by some providential way, will indicate His will. This may be so distinct that it virtually amounts to a certainty in the mind, though we may not be able to prove it to another. The great thing is nearness to the Lord and a subject mind, with the desire, “Teach me Thy way” (Psalm 27:11). He sets before us an open door, with something to indicate that we may enter. We see His hand in it, recognize it, and act accordingly.
This is something we have to learn experimentally. It is not easy to teach it to another, because it is not a mere mental or intellectual operation.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Monthly Scripture Reading
John 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.
He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Peace and Love
“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Just when we feel that the turmoils of life cannot get any more desperate, our God brings peace which passes all human understanding.
****
“The love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19).
Just when our loneliness seems too much to bear, the Lord Jesus comes with love that passes all human knowledge.
****
How often we forget Him, and selfishly neglect Him, but He is always exceeding abundant above all that we — feeble humans that we are — could ever ask or even think. Let’s learn to rest in Him no matter what happens, and thank Him for all that He faithfully does for us, in us, and with us. Remember, even when we are unfaithful, He remains the same. “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (1 Timothy 2:13).

Monday, March 23, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Dear Young Christian:
Many decades ago a man by the name of John Nelson Darby made the following statement: “If our hearts are not close to Christ, we are apt to get weary of the way.” It made me think of the Israelites when they fought with Amelek in the wilderness, and what it says about those who were farthest from their captain, Joshua, a picture of the Lord. “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary” (Deuteronomy 25:17, 18). If we follow the Lord at a distance and save corners of our heart for ourselves we are going to be weary, faint and discouraged in our Christian warfare.
This week make sure you keep your heart close to Christ, and you will be kept by His love and power. Be like the Apostle John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper” (John 21:20).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Gave Himself
The Lord Jesus “gave Himself,” and the Epistle to the Galatians gives us two great reasons why.
The first one was our great need. We were sinners and part of a world under judgment. There was no other way that we could have deliverance. Thus we read, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” Galatians 1:3-4).
The second reason was His great love. So the Apostle Paul declares, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
These two reasons put together are a wonderful source of meditation, and can be traced all through the Word of God. Think about them today, and it will cause worship, praise, and thanksgiving.
“Our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13-14). This was total and complete commitment!

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Loss
“Beware lest thou forget the Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:12).
If you meet me and forget me it is no great loss. (In fact it might not be such a bad thing). However, if you meet Christ and forget Him, it is eternal loss.
Many have attended gospel meetings, been handed gospel tracts, heard about the Lord Jesus from their parents, friends, family, or coworkers, and gone their way and forgotten about it. Someday they will remember the Lord and the time and way that they were introduced to Him, but sad to say, it will be too late. They will remember the One they forgot with remorse and anguish as they realize that they are doomed to eternal ruin in the lake of fire.
Perhaps there are some people we would like to forget, but the Lord Jesus is not one of them. His acquaintance and the salvation He offers are vital to our happiness in this life and the life beyond. The Lord through His prophet had to declare of those in the Old Testament, “Therefore have they forgotten Me” (Hosea 13:6). Have you met the Lord? Make sure the relationship is firmly established for time and for eternity.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Shine Out
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
You could not prove it by me, but an electrician once told me that it takes more power to make a small electric light work than it does to make a loud buzzer. Whether that is true or not, I know that in my life it is easier to “sound off” than “shine out.”
Keeping in constant, close, contact with the Lord Jesus Christ will make us “shine” for Himas bright lights in this dark work. This will result in blessing to our own souls, as well as testimony and blessing to others. We can only be a true light and witness as we walk in His company, drawing on Him as our source.
Here is the Lord’s desire for each believer: “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Minor Prophets — Amos
Here is what Amos himself tells us about his background: “Then answered Amos, and said … I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto My people Israel” (Amos 7:14-15).
The practical lesson we learn from this is diligence and obedience. God always chooses people busy at their everyday task to do His work. Amos was obedient to the call of God and used to deliver a message to His people.
His prophesy is one of rehearsing the patience of God, and yet the ultimate judgment due to a lack of response on the part of His people. There is, however, the promise of a remnant being blessed, “That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by My name, saith the Lord that doeth this” (Amos 8:12).
Both Israel (the ten tribes), and Judah are addressed. “O children of Israel…the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt” (Amos 3:1).
Amos, Hosea, and Jonah were the only writing prophets of Israel; all the rest were from Judah.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Visiting
Some time ago I had the privilege of visiting an elderly believer. She was 103 years of age, and it was a joy to speak of the Lord together. When we spoke of heaven and the soon coming of out Saviour to gather us to Himself in the Father’s house, her comment was, “What a wonderful hope.” I read a Psalm and prayed, said goodbye, and left. Three days later I received a call from her daughter-in-law telling me that she was with the Lord.
What a thrill is was to think that another believer was “absent from the body, and…present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8), and to think that we will all be caught away soon to join those who have gone on ahead. It made me look up and once more say, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
As I reflected on our visit I was glad I had taken the time to go and see her. It was my last opportunity this side of heaven, and I was encouraged by the time together. I will always remember the impact her faithful, quiet testimony had on my life.
Take time to do some visiting. Not only will you be an encourager, you will be encouraged.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Old Buildings
I love history, old buildings, architecture, and museums. So today my wife and I visited the Heritage House Museum in Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada, where we live. My niece has work there as a summer job, and she gave us a very informative tour of the house and its artifacts, telling us about the former, long ago, inhabitant and how he lost the house and all his possessions due to a bad investment and bankruptcy
With all the homes, castles, palaces, chateaus and manor houses I have visited around the world, the one I want to see the most is the Father’s House. That is a home that is out of this world. We are told very little about it in the Bible, but the Lord did say, “In My Father’s house are many mansions.” He also tells us, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3). While we don’t know a lot about heaven, one thing is for sure, it is a place that will far outshine any of our expectations. Best of all, it is where the Lord Jesus will be, and we will be eternally with Him. It is often said that four walls and fine furniture don’t make a home, and this is certainly true. Heaven wouldn’t be heaven without the presence of our Saviour.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Dear Young Christian:
I wonder how many lonely people there really are out there. I am sitting in the business lounge at the Toronto Canada International Airport, waiting for an evening flight to Chicago. As I look around and try to read people, I suspect that there are more empty aching hearts within these walls than anyone would care to admit. To be quite honest, I often find myself feeling alone in a crowd.
However, as a child of God we never have to feel alone. Our God is always available, always beside us, and always interested in every detail of our life. Here are some confirmations of that from Scripture: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exodus 33:14). “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).
So you don’t need to feel alone as you start out on another Monday morning. Go forth with a sense of His presence and you will have a happy, profitable week.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Our Passover
“Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).
What does this mean? Just that the sacrificial lamb that was killed in order to save the Israelites from the destroying angel is a picture to us of the death of the Lord Jesus to save us from the destruction of a lost eternity in hell. Therefore, let us remember Him today as we take the loaf and the cup.
Just as Israel had a feast of memorial from year to year, we have a feast of memorial as well. It is called “the Lord’s supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20). We are not just to eat of it once a year or on a special occasion, but we are told, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Will you partake of the Lord’s supper today? Will you remember Him in the breaking of bread? Will you respond to that request, “This do in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19)?
This could be the last time. Before another Lord’s Day we may be called home to heaven. Then we will no longer need this weekly reminder.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Meeting God
 “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).
Many years ago, in Scotland, a teenage girl lay dying in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. She was very ill and rapidly sinking as life ebbed away and eternity loomed ahead.
One of the nurses brought the screens to put around her bed. The sick girl realized what it meant and cried to the nurse, “Take away the screens, I cannot die; I am not prepared.” The hospital chaplain, a man of God, sat by her bedside and tried to point her to the Saviour. The stricken teen looked into the nurse’s face and said, “Nurse I can meet my father and mother” (though she had sinned grievously against them) “but I cannot meet God.” With that she took her last breath and passed into eternity.
What a shocking account, but how true of so many. Not just older folks, but many young people are passing daily from this world to the next. From life here on planet Earth to the next life. But are they ready … are they prepared? We shake our heads at a story like this, but the word to each of us is, “Therefore be ye also ready” (Matthew 24:44).

Friday, March 13, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Faint Not — Part 4
Why do we faint? We have considered just a few reasons this week. Here is one last reason, and something to really consider in the society in which many of us find ourselves today. David said, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). What he was really saying is, “If I lose a sense of the goodness of the Lord and the end of the journey, I will faint. It is those two things that keep me going.”
We live in a live for the moment society. But if we only live for the moment we are going to get discouraged and give up. David’s son, Solomon must have learned the lesson from his father, for he wrote, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Let’s live the rest of our life in view of eternity and the fact that we are going to be with the Lord Jesus in that wonderful place where we will be beyond the weariness, the trials, the need of chastening and the danger of fainting. In conclusion let’s remember the exhortation, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). It will be worth it all when we see HIM!

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Faint Not — Part 3
“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint”
(Luke 18:1).
Here is perhaps one of the most important elements of our subject this week. More often than not, faintness in our Christian life is the result of not praying, and not praying always. Prayer is our powerhouse, and we cannot function as healthy, happy Christians without power, just as a light bulb cannot shine without drawing on the proper source of electrical current.
Notice, it’s not just praying when things are good, or praying once in awhile. It is ALWAYS! Sometimes we pray after we fall or faint, or when some great difficulty looms before us. If we are going to stand fast and “fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 6:12), we must be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18).
The Prophet Isaiah put it this way: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Faint Not — Part 2
“My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him” (Hebrews 12:5).
Here is another reason why the child of God often faints.
When the Lord allows circumstances in our life to correct us because of waywardness, or out and out disobedience, how to we respond? To “despise…the chastening of the Lord,” is to grit our teeth, steel ourselves against it, and be convinced that this is just the kind of thing that happens to everyone now and then. In this way we don’t learn the lesson, nor do we accept the circumstance from His good and loving hand, and the end result is that we faint or give up under the rebuke.
The blessing from chastening only comes from accepting it as necessary, and learning what is in it for our good and blessing. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:11). It is not that chastening is pleasant or enjoyable, but when we have learned the lesson, the result is invaluable, and we avoid spiritual fainting.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Faint Not — Part 1
This week we are going to consider the question, Why do we become weary and faint in the path of faith and service for Christ?
One reason is given to us in the following verse: “For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). In other words, if we forget what the Lord Jesus suffered in His pathway here, we are going to throw up our hands in discouragement when we are wronged or ridiculed for being a believer and follower of Him, or when the trials and difficulties of life hit us head on.
Who suffered more than the Lord Jesus, both in His pathway, and in going to the cross? No one! And if we keep Christ before us as the object for faith and have a sense in our souls, at least in some measure, of what He suffered, we will not faint. Instead we will be given the spiritual courage and stamina to endure in the Christian race. As we read at the beginning of this same chapter: “Let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (verses 1-2).

Monday, March 9, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Dear Young Christian:
When I was a young person I often heard it said, It is wrong to murmur, but not wrong to groan.
The children of Israel did a lot of murmuring. In fact, their history in the wilderness is summed up when it says, “They believed not His word: but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord” (Psalm 106:24-25). To murmur is really to blame God, whether directly or indirectly. When the Israelites spoke against Moses, or anyone else, they were really blaming the Lord.
However, we do groan. “The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also” (Romans 8:22-23). To groan is to feel the effects that sin has brought into the world. We read of the Lord Jesus, “He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” (John 11:33).
So you can groan this week, but be careful not to murmur. Take everything as from the Lord, and Rejoice in Him.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Sacrifice and Victory
“Christ died…He was buried, and…He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
I saw a motto on a bumper sticker the other day while visiting in Trinidad; here is what it said:
NO SACRIFICE, NO VICTORY!
I’ve thought a lot about it in regard to the great sacrifice of Calvary and the great victory that has resulted. The Lord Jesus, in giving Himself as the supreme sacrifice, has won a great victory over sin, Satan, and death. “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).
Whitlock Gandy wrote:
His be “the Victor’s name,”
Who fought the fight alone;
Triumphant saints no honour claim,
His conquest was their own.
Bless, bless the Conqueror slain,
Slain in His victory;
Who lived, who died, who lives again — 
For thee, His church, for thee!

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Was She Happy?
“Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20).
On November 21st 1988 the news reported the death of a very prominent lady, who had spent most of her life occupied with her appearance and making headlines. Her name was Christine Onassis. She died suddenly while on a visit to Argentina. The cause of death — heart failure!
Although the multimillionaire heiress of her father, she had a very unhappy and lonely life. Four times married and divorced, in 1971 She attempted suicide. She lost her parents and brother within a few months of each other. She possessed wealth and fame, but by her own confession she was not happy. In fact she was utterly miserable!
Even for Christine Onassis death could not be halted. Rich, middle class, or poor, after death these things have no further significance. In the next life money can buy nothing. The only thing that counts is whether we decided for or against Christ.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Copy linkPrint
In His Presence
“Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord” (2 Samuel 7:18).
How good, and how needful it is to sit quietly in the Lord’s company…To speak to Him, yes…but also to silently enjoy His presence. Do you, like King David, feel comfortable and secure alone with the Lord? To feel such, is our great source of strength and joy.
Here is what the bride in the Song of Solomon said about her bridegroom: “I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song of Solomon 2:3). When we are with someone we love we don’t always have to be saying or doing something special, we just enjoy being with them.
Another weekend is approaching; you will, no doubt, have some free time. Use some of it to slip away and be alone with the Lord. Just a little quiet time. Feel His love, and those everlasting arms of power that are about you. Give Him the joy of having you alone with Himself.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Good News — Part 2
Here are two more testimonies from long ago, but still relevant for us to consider today:
From the snowy heights of the Andes Mountains comes the following:
“How is it,” asked the Peruvian man, after hearing John 3:16 quoted, “that during all the years of my life I never before heard that Jesus Christ spoke those precious words?”
It was repeated in the white streets of Casablanca.
“Why,” cried a Moor to a Bible-seller, “have you not run everywhere with this marvelous Book? Why do so many people not know the man Jesus whom it proclaims?”
Yes, it is still the cry from the four corners of the earth, and how shall we answer?
Isaiah was asked a question: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” His answer was, “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). We all need to hear and answer this question today. Whether we are sent by the Lord around the corner, around the community, or around the world. We all have a story to tell…the story of the gospel…the story of Jesus.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Good News — Part 1
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation” (Isaiah 52:7).
Here are some testimonies from the past of those that had never heard the good news of the gospel, and wondered why someone hadn’t told them sooner:
“How long is it,” asked an old Mohammedan woman of a missionary in Bengal, “Since Jesus died for sinful people? Look at me! I am old; I have prayed, I have given alms to the poor, I have gone to the holy shrines; I am become as dust with fasting; and all this useless. Where have you been all this time?”
The cry was echoed from the icy shores of the farthest Northwest Territory.
“You have been many moons in this land,” said an old Eskimo to the Bishop of Selkirk, “Did you know this good news then? Since you were a boy; and your father knew? Why did you not come sooner?”

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Hope
My hope is in Thy coming Lord,
I wait for Thee each day,
I scan the dark horizon, Lord,
And from my heart I say:
          Oh, come, Jesus come,
          Come, and receive me home,
          Oh, bear me away to the Father’s house,
          To live eternally!
Lord Jesus, just to be with Thee,
To see Thee as Thou art;
And by Thy side forever be,
I echo from my heart.
I know the moment must be near
When on the cloud we’ll meet;
I listen Lord, Thy voice to hear,
And from my heart repeat.
“And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in Thee” (Psalm 39:7).

Monday, March 2, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Dear Young Christian:
It amazes me that in our modern world, where it seems that every airport is jam packed with people going everywhere, there are still quite a few folks who are afraid of flying. But it is true, and so the American Phobic Society recommends some things a person should do to cope if they really must travel by air. Things like: avoid sugar and caffeine before and during flight; lean back at takeoff and let your muscles go limp; breathe deeply; think positively; close your eyes; stretch your arms; and so on.
These are good suggestions, and no doubt will help, but what about David’s cure for anxiety? “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3). Are you afraid as another week starts? Maybe you are not going to be flying anywhere, but whatever is ahead, you can certainly trust the Lord, and then look back at the end of the week and thank Him. Again, David could say in retrospect, “I trusted in Thee, O Lord” (Psalm 31:14).Let’s do the same.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Copy linkPrint
Give Thanks
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High” (Psalm 92:1).
Nothing pleases God our Father better than our worship, praise and thanks. He expects it and looks for it, and we should be willing to give it. He has done everything for our good. He gave His Son to die on the cross for us. He gave the faith needed to believe the gospel. He cares for us each day. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that is possible. And He has secured a wonderful future for us in Heaven.
David said, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:2-3). Certainly then it is a good thing for us to give thanks unto the Lord. Have you thanked Him today? If not, do it right now, and then continue giving thanks through the day, and through the coming week.
← April 2015February 2015 →