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Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

December 2015

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Thursday, December 31, 2015

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Happy Endings
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13).
We all like happy endings. Happy endings to the story we’re reading, happy endings to the surgery or sickness of a loved one or acquaintance…and so on.
As the year 2015 draws to an end, and we look back and recount the ways of God in each of our lives, it is good to realize that amidst the normal ups and downs, joys and sorrows and difficulties, there is a happy ending when we know the one who is the “Beginning and the End.” No matter what happens in our lives we know that He loves and cares, and that in the end we will be with Him in that place of unending happiness.
In the meantime He knows “the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done” (Isaiah 46:10). As one year ends and another one begins, we can trust our Lord who knows the past, present, and future. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
“The Lord thy God careth…from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:12).

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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Shine
“Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
“Ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).
I recently heard of a young Christian lady who went to work in an office with 200 other women. She let them know that she was a believer, but soon became very discouraged because of all the filthy talk and godlessness surrounding her every day. She wanted to quit, and asked a Christian friend, “What shall I do?”
The friend told her, “God looked down in this city and He found you, one of the few believing young persons in it, and thought, ‘I’ll put her as a light for Me in that large office. I hope she won’t let me down where I have done her the honor of choosing her to represent Christ in that place.’”
She replied, “I never thought of it like that,” and within two months she came and told her friend that two girls in that office had trusted Christ as their Saviour.
If you are the only saved person in your class or workplace, don’t be discouraged or give up in despair. Perhaps God chose you, just like He did the young lady, because He has a work for you to do.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

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The Book
“The entrance of Thy Words giveth light” (Psalm 119:130).
Just as Queen Elizabeth I was given a Bible when she was crowned, the present Queen Elizabeth 2 was also given a Bible at her Coronation in 1953. Kneeling before her in Westminster Abbey, the Archbishop of Canterbury said, “We present you with The Book. It is the most valuable thing this world affords. Here is wisdom. This is the Royal Law. These are the lively oracles of God.”
Those words were heard not only by hundreds of people in the Abbey, but by tens of thousands of people all over the world, who were listening on radio or watching the ceremony on television. Those words are worth learning by heart, but it is better still to read and memorize as much of Scripture as we can, storing our minds full of verses and portions of the Word of God while we are young.
Without the Bible we would know absolutely nothing of the true account of creation, nothing of the birth, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and we would know nothing of God’s salvation and blessing through His Son.

Monday, December 28, 2015

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Dear Young Christian:
This is the last Monday of the year, and the last letter of this calendar. Even as I write this page, I wonder if my readers will ever get to read it. These pages are written and edited some time before they are published, and there is an event that may intervene between now and then. That event is the coming of the Lord. James plainly tells us, “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:8).
Perhaps you say, “What is the point then of working on a project so far ahead, if we are expecting the Lord to come at any moment?” The truth of the matter is, we are also told, by the Lord Jesus Himself, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13). So we live every day like it is our last, but we also live in view of tomorrow, because, as Solomon so wisely declared, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). As believers we plan for the future, knowing that our plans may be interrupted at any moment, in exchange for our future with Christ in the Father’s house.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 27, 2015

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Victory
“For the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).
“Remember the battle” (Job 4:8).
My wife and I have had opportunity over the years to visit many of the great battlefields of Europe and other parts of the world. There we have seen the memorials to those heroes who fought and won, and the burial grounds of those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom.
Some battles are more memorable than others whether won or lost. When the fighting has been fierce and costly, the battle is vividly remembered by both winners and losers. The greatest and most significant battle ever waged was at Calvary where the Lord Jesus Christ, though sore wounded and trodden underfoot, was victorious over sin and death and hell. This was the battle of all battles and now that it is over, there is nothing more to do than to remember it. The victory was final and once for all. While there is nothing to add to the work of the cross we do remember the battle, the one who is the Victor, and the blessings that have resulted. May we never forget what was accomplished there for the glory of God and our eternal blessing.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

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Saviour or Judge?
In one way or another millions of people around the world have just celebrated the birth of the Lord Jesus. Yet I wonder how many of them have unknowingly celebrated the birth of their judge?
It is one or the other. Either we know Christ as our Saviour or we are going to meet Him as our judge in a coming day. John tells us about it in the book of Revelation. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12). However, the Lord did not come to judge; He came to save. He Himself said, “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47).
It is a historical fact that Jesus came to planet earth, that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died and rose again, and is now in heaven as a man. Is He your Saviour or your judge? “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” ( John 3:17).

Friday, December 25, 2015

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Monthly Question Page
Q. What does it mean when it talks about “the laying on of the hands of the presbytery” (1 Timothy 4:14)? What is the presbytery?
A. The “presbytery” is simply “the elders,” referred to in other places as “the bishops” or “the shepherds.” They were appointed by the apostles or someone that the apostles delegated, such as Timothy and Titus, with the responsibility of taking care of the spiritual well-being of the people of God. It is also called “the oversight” (1 Peter 5:2).
With Timothy, the gift itself was imparted through laying on of Paul’s hands. “…the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). However, in our verse we learn that the elders also had fellowship with Timothy in the use of his gift and the work the Lord had called him to. It is important when we take up any service for Christ, that we do it in fellowship with our brethren.
The laying on of hands in the early church was a confirmation of fellowship and agreement, such as in Act 13:1-3. “…And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (verse 3).
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Thursday, December 24, 2015

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Why Christ Came
There are many reasons why the Lord Jesus came to this world as a man. Here are five of those reasons given by the Lord Himself in John’s Gospel:
1. To do His Father’s will: “For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me” (John 6:38).
2. To give life: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
3. To accomplish the work of atonement: “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27).
4. To give light to a dark world: “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).
5. To give testimony to the truth: “Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37).

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

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Monthly Scripture Reading
Jonah 3
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

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Lights Out
“Ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).
A traveler visiting the lighthouse at Calais France some years ago, asked the keeper, “What if one of your lights should go out at night?”
“Sir,” he replied, “yonder are ships sailing to all parts of the world. If tonight one of my burners were out, in six months I might hear from America or India saying that on such a night the light of the Calais Lighthouse gave no warning and some vessel had wrecked.”
What an important lesson this is for those of us who know the Lord as our Saviour. Our lights must shine brightly and steadily so that lost souls on the storm-tossed sea of life will be guided to Christ. He has exhorted us, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Monday, December 21, 2015

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Dear Young Christian:
“And he prayed…And he prayed again” (James 5:17,28).
There is a hymn we used to sing when I was a young person, and the first two lines went like this:
“Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?”
The words were written by a lady named Mary A. Kidder, and the music by William O. Perkins. It was first published in 1876.
Although written so long ago it begins with a timeless question that is relevant for today, and every day. Let’s stop and ask ourselves, “Did we think to pray today?” “Did we start the day and the week by asking for the Lord’s help and blessing?” If not, now is the time to do it. We cannot expect power and blessing in our day-to-day life without taking a few minutes in prayer. Prayer is our powerhouse and source of strength, don’t forget or neglect to draw on it.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 20, 2015

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God’s Son
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5).
“Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).
God’s beloved Son, the Author of life, entered a scene of disease and death but remained untainted, unspotted, flawless and faultless. He took on Himself human flesh, partook of our humanity and unresistingly went to Gethsemane and on to Calvary. He, “took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). There He made reconciliation between a righteous God and the fallen man He had created in His image! “For … when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10).
What will you give to Him today in return for all that He has done for you? “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Saturday, December 19, 2015

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Made Whole
“Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6)
Was there any other answer to this question than YES? Yet, there are those who are offered greater healing than just to be cured from an infirmity of 38 years, and they say, “No.”
This poor sinner, waiting hopelessly and helplessly by the Pool of Bethesda, was asked this question by the Lord Jesus Christ. The healing that followed illustrates a deeper spiritual need that only the gospel of salvation can meet. As sinners we are spiritually dead and lost, and “without strength” (Romans 5:6). Only saving grace can remedy this disease of sin. This type of “wholeness” is a divine work in the soul. It is based solely on the merits of the atoning death, blood, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is the only Saviour of sinners.
“Jesus…said…They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick” (Luke 5:31). He says to you, “I am the Lord that healeth Thee” (Exodus 15:26). Say yes to Him now; He will indeed make you whole!

Friday, December 18, 2015

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Precious
Peter, in His two Epistles uses the word “precious” seven times. They are a nice meditation and I would encourage you to examine and meditate on the following references and also to look up their context in First and Second Peter.
1. “The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth” (1 Peter 1:7).
2. “The precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19).
3. “A living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious” (1 Peter 2:4).
4. “Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a Chief Corner Stone, elect, precious” (1 Peter 2:6).
5. “Unto you therefore which believe He is precious” (1 Peter 2:7).
6. “Like precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1).
7. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4).

Thursday, December 17, 2015

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Minor Prophets — Malachi
This last of the Minor Prophets closes the Lord’s testimony to the Jews until the coming of John the Baptist. Malachi prophesied after the rebuilding of the temple and perhaps at the time of Nehemiah’s second visit to Jerusalem (compare Malachi 3:10 with Nehemiah 13:5-12).
Malachi describes days of indifference and lukewarmness very parallel to what is described by Paul as “the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1). In Malachi we learn the faithfulness and love of God for His people in spite of their indifference and coldness towards Him and His Word. While not excusing their sin, He promises blessing on the grounds of His grace when His Man comes to intercede on behalf of the faithful remnant in a yet future day of blessing for the Jews. “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). In the meantime there are warnings and encouragements for the faithful, just as there are today for those who desire to go on for the Lord in these last moments just before the Lord’s coming to call His own safe home to the Father’s house. “And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels” (Malachi 3:17).

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

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Pray for Them
One Sunday morning, Dwight L. Moody entered a house in Chicago to escort some children to Sunday school. While in the home three men backed him into a corner and threatened to kill him. “Look here,” Moody said, “Give a fellow a chance to say his prayers, won’t you?” Amazingly enough the men actually allowed him to call upon the Lord, and he prayed for them so earnestly that they left the room.
I am not sure what I would have done in a similar situation. I probably would have been looking for a way of escape through a window or door, or trying to distract the men so I could run. But Mr. Moody followed the instructions given by the Lord Jesus when He was here on earth, and said, “Do good to them which hate you…Pray for them which despitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28).
Praying for those that treat us badly is one way of doing good to those who hate us. Someone has said, “Returning good for good is human; returning good for evil is divine.”
Is there someone you can specially pray for today? Someone who has done you wrong, but needs the Lord?

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

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Pure
“Thy word is very pure” (Psalm 119:140).
“Every word of God is pure” (Proverbs 30:5).
As we noted yesterday, we like things that are, as far as we can tell, pure. But even with strict government controls, enforcement agencies, and stringent labeling there is never any real solid guarantee that what we are getting is altogether pure. In fact we are rather gullible if we believe everything that package labels state.
However, both David and Solomon affirm the absolute purity of the Word of God. It is not just pure, but it is “very”pure! Not only is some of it pure, but “every word” is pure. Yes, the water of the Word is forever uncontaminated and we are told, “O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved” (Song of Solomon 5:1).
Take a good long drink of the Word of God today. It will refresh and quench your spiritual thirst, and satisfy you like nothing else. The Lord says, “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Revelation 21:6).

Monday, December 14, 2015

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Dear Young Christian:
We all seem to be concerned about purity these days. We want to make sure our drinking water is pure, so we buy it in bottles; we want to breathe purer air, so there are emission controls; we want our food to be pure, so we look for the sign that says, “organic.”
But what about personal, moral purity? In First Timothy we have the word “pure” four times:
“A pure heart” (1 Timothy 1:5).
“A pure conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9).
“Be thou an example of the believers…in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
“Keep thyself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22).
How much is it true in your life? The Lord doesn’t want a mixture of good and bad; righteousness and unrighteousness; uprightness and deceit. No, He wants “pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father” (James 1:27).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 13, 2015

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Unspeakable Gift
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”
(James 1:17).
The other day I was on a plane from Barbados to Saint Vincent, when I noticed a lady a couple of rows in front of me and across the aisle, opening a piece of mail. As she pulled the card from its envelope I couldn’t help but notice the text on the front.
“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift”
(2 Corinthians 9:15).
I didn’t have opportunity to speak with her, but I thought, What a wonderful greeting card to receive from a friend or relative.
How thankful are we today for God’s wonderful gift of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ? This is the greatest gift that God has ever given to man, and every other gift is a result of the giving of His Son and the work of Calvary.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

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What About You?
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
We have had some brief accounts of the sacrifice and suffering of Adoniram Judson in his quest to take the gospel to those who had never heard it before. We shake our heads at the treatment he received, the darkness of heathendom, and deplorable life of those who live in such conditions. But what about you? What have you done with the gospel? Most of my readers live in lands where the light of Christianity has shone brightly for many years. It is not so much a question of whether others are receiving the message of salvation, but a question of whether you have received it. You are far more responsible than those who have never heard. The cities where the Lord performed His greatest miracles were the most responsible, and He said of them, “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21).

Friday, December 11, 2015

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Adoniram Judson Part — 3
Prayer Answered
“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days…In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good”
(Ecclesiastes 11:1,6).
When Judson lay dying he heard from the lips of his wife, as she read the newspaper, that some Jews in Turkey had been converted through the published account of his sufferings for the gospel in Burma. “This awes me! This alarms me!” he said.
“Why?” asked his wife. “This is good news!”
He replied, “When I was a young man I prayed for the Jews and tried to go to Jerusalem as a missionary. But God sent me here to preach in Burma and to suffer in Burmese prisons. Now, by this means, God has brought Jews to repentance in Turkey. What awes me is this, that I never prayed earnestly for anything but it came, sooner or later, perhaps in the last way I could have imagined; but it came.”

Thursday, December 10, 2015

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Adoniram Judson Part — 2
His Motivation
“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead”
(2 Corinthians 5:14).
“Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me”
(Acts 20:1).
Like the Apostle Paul, the two mighty motivations which sustained Mr. Judson in his sufferings for Christ and thrust him out in a ceaseless quest for souls were:
1. The desperate need of a perishing people.
2. The love of Christ.
In a letter pleading for missionary reinforcements, he speaks of “the sin of turning a deaf ear to the plaintive cry of tens of millions of immortal beings, who by their darkness and misery, cry day and night, ‘Come to our rescue, ye bright sons and daughters of America. Come and save us, for we are sinking into hell.’ ”

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

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Adoniram Judson — Part 1
Fearing His Scars
“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places” (Philippians 1:12-13).
Adoniram Judson, the renowned pioneer missionary to Burma, endured untold and countless hardships trying to reach the lost for Christ. For seven heartbreaking years he suffered hunger and privation. During this time he was thrown into prison, and for seventeen months was subjected to almost incredible treatment. As a result, for the rest of his life he carried the ugly marks made by the chains and iron shackles which had cruelly bound him.
Undaunted, upon his release he asked for permission to enter another province of the country where he might resume preaching the good news of the gospel. The godless ruler indignantly denied his request, saying, “My people are not fools enough to listen to anything a missionary might SAY, but I fear they might be impressed by your SCARS and turn to your religion.”

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

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On Track
Soon after William Herschel discovered Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun, on March 13, 1781, some astronomers studying the new discovery observed that whenever Uranus came to a certain point in its path around the sun, it behaved in a peculiar way. Instead of continuing evenly in its orbit it turned aside in a manner that baffled the astronomers. At last it struck them that there must be some other body near enough to Uranus to act upon it, and pull it out of its course. By certain calculations they fixed upon the exact spot in the sky where the suspected body ought to be. On turning their powerful telescopes to that spot they saw for the first time the planet Neptune.
Like Uranus there are many influences on us in this world, trying to pull us off course from following the Lord. Thankfully there is a power that is greater than any worldly influence and temptation, and that is the power that Paul spoke of when he said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). This force is “the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe” (Ephesians 1:19). We don’t have to be pulled off track from the path of faith. He is “able to keep” (Jude 24).

Monday, December 7, 2015

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Dear Young Christian:
My wife and I recently attended a wedding. It was a happy occasion with the Lord Jesus being honored, and we rejoiced with the bride and groom in their new found love and joy.
There is another marriage just ahead, and it will take place in heaven, not on earth. It is referred to as the “Marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). It will be the time when the bride of Christ is married to Himself. He will be the Heavenly Bridegroom rejoicing in the fact that those He loves and died for are finally with Him forever in the Father’s House. The proclamation will be sounded, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). What a wedding that will be, and how close at hand too. In the meantime we should live as those who expect to be called to that wedding at any moment, just as a bride lives in anticipation of her wedding day, and make careful preparation in view of it.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 6, 2015

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Sacrifices
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins…But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
(Hebrews 10:4,12,14).
In an art gallery in Amsterdam there hang two paintings side by side. The first is a picture of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, with the priest officiating. The animal sacrifice is on the altar and under it a burning fire; but the remarkable thing is that the smoke is not rising, but falling to the ground. In this way the artist is indicating that God does not at this time accept such sacrifice. Why not?
The second painting gives the answer. It shows Christ on the cross. The Old Testament sacrifices only pointed ahead to that great Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. “The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). At best they were but pale reflections and feeble foreshadows of that mighty work accomplished to the satisfaction of God at Calvary.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

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The Danger of Riches
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Mark 8:36-37)?
As ridiculous as it may seem, the following account is true. Some years ago a fire broke out in a building in the state of New Jersey, in which a man and his wife occupied an apartment. They initially made their escape to the street below, but then the man missed his wife. At first he was not too concerned until he remembered that they had $350 in a drawer up there, and thought she might have gone back for it. He went to see, but was driven back by the flames and smoke, but not until he had seen her lying helpless on the stairs. The next day her charred body was recovered and the burned fragments of the money tightly grasped in her hand.
We shake our heads at a story like that, but how many there are who are headed for the eternal fire of judgment because they are holding on to the temporal things of this world. “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). What are you trusting in?

Friday, December 4, 2015

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Persecution — Part 2
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him”
(James 1:12).
“Perhaps we are fortunate,” another says. “We suffered so much and have so little, that Christianity is the most attractive option we see in life. If we were secure and well supplied, as we hear of Christians in other places, we might be much less sincere in our discipleship.”
“You must remember something,” says one elderly believer, who languished for more than ten years in a labor camp. “Christian faith is most precious when we experience it under testing. I have know many dark days, but I have also experienced how bright God’s light can be in times of uncertainty and fear. I am sure the Lord is more precious to me because of my experience. Who could ask for more?”
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Thursday, December 3, 2015

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Persecution — Part 1
“Thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you”
(Revelation 2:13).
Most of us don’t know much about real physical persecution. But many are really suffering, even in the twenty-first century, for their faith in Christ and their testimony in the gospel. They certainly need our prayers, and we are told, “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them” (Hebrews 13:3).
Across China many believers have become symbols of commitment at whatever price. It is a land with many Christian heroes. The combined years of imprisonment would strike awe into the ears of most.
One persecuted believers states: “We have all suffered much, and survived only by the grace of God. There continues to be persecution in these days, no one can predict the future, but it is now summertime compared to the winter we once endured. Our concern now is to apply what we have learned, to be obedient always to our wonderful Lord, and to serve Him truly and faithfully.”

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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Stress
Only one witness was present when Joseph Asscher buried his heavy knife in an incision in his target and raised his hammer to strike the knife. He was the grandson of the founder of the most famous diamond cutting company on earth. For three months he and his brother had studied the great Cullinan diamond intensively. A famous physicist in England had examined it using polarized light and detected a small flaw deep inside generating tremendous stress. Joseph took aim at the flaw and brought his hammer down with one precise blow.
Perhaps it feels like stress is building up. But the Master Jeweler is paying attention to His gem. “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer” (Psalm 4:1). Joseph’s blow was perfect. It gave birth to the Star of Africa diamond that graces the English Royal Sceptre and also to the centerpiece of the English Imperial Crown. The rough, stressed stone was replaced with gorgeous polished gems for the glory of the sovereign. May the blows in our lives produce eternal glory for the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16).

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

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Greatness
“God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us” (Ephesians 2:4).
The greatness of our God is seen
In all creation’s power;
The planets, stars, the universe
Give witness every hour.
The greatness of His love is seen,
In giving Jesus Christ,
The Son He loved, eternal One,
Great gift of love, unpriced.
The greatness of His grace is known,
In full salvation seen:
The death of Christ, the blood He shed
Has cleansed, and made us clean.
The greatness of our God is felt,
In daily, hourly might;
Much greater than creation’s power,
Strength for the Christian fight.
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