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Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

December 2016

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Saturday, December 31, 2016

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Forgiven
On New Year’s Eve, a headmaster of a private boys’ school invited the students to a party. When they arrived they found that he had already lit a huge bonfire in the middle of the playground. After he was sure everyone had arrived, he produced a large book. It was “The Detention Book.” In it were the names of all who had failed to complete their lessons or who had misbehaved in some way or other over the past school term. With great ceremony he held up the book for all to see and then cast it into the flames, saying, “This is the last day of the year; all the past is going to be forgiven and blotted out.”
How wonderful that we can have the forgiveness of sins, and the record of our guilt eternally erased from God’s book, because of the work of the Lord Jesus at Calvary, and the blood that He shed there for sinners. When we are saved, the assurance of the Bible is, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). We also read: “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). As this calendar year ends, we trust and pray that all our readers have experienced God’s forgiveness.

Friday, December 30, 2016

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Monthly Question Page
Q. Could you explain the following statement? “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife” (Philippians 1:15). How can a person preach in that way?
A. It seems that there were those in the time of Paul who were jealous of him for one reason or another. Perhaps it was because of his apostleship, or the prominent work and place the Lord had given him. Whatever the reason, it is evident that their hearts were out of communion with the “Lord of the harvest” (Luke 10:2). Instead of being glad that Paul was being used mightily of God they tried to make things hard for him, hoping, as he says, “to add affliction to my bonds” (Philippians 1:16). What a sad and awful motive for preaching the gospel.
It is nice to see Paul’s reaction and attitude in this regard. “What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” (Philippians 1:18). Paul knew that the Word of God would have its powerful effect no matter how it was spoken. And knowing this, he was content with any way that the gospel was propagated. The rest he left with the Lord.

Thursday, December 29, 2016

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Necessity of Prayer
“Praying always” (Ephesians 6:18).
Are you a prayer warrior or a prayer worrier?
It is interesting to see how much of the Bible is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in providing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises. We scarcely open the Bible before we read, “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26). Then, just as we are about to close the Book, the “Amen” of an earnest supplication meets our ear: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
In God’s Word we find Daniel who prayed three times a day, David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elijah; in the prison dungeon we see Paul and Silas, and many more. All men of prayer!
These examples teach us the importance and necessity of prayer. We may be certain that whatever God made prominent in His Word, He intends to be conspicuous and prevalent in our daily life. He has said much about prayer, and this is because He knows that we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

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Monthly Scripture Reading
Daniel 6
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

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Lonely
Have you ever been alone? I mean, really lonely? I suppose all of us from time to time, even in our Christian experience, have felt alone.
But this need not be the case. There is One who is always with us. It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He has promised, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). Later in Scripture we read a further statement by the Lord. “He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). The next time you feel that you are all by yourself, just remember what the Psalmist said: “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:23-24). Nothing can change that! If we do not enjoy His company it is not His fault but ours. We need never feel lonely!
I often feel lonely,
When I forget the Lord:
When I neglect my Jesus,
And fail to read His Word.
But when my heart remembers,
And hand in hand we walk,
I never feel lonely,
With Jesus I can talk.

Monday, December 26, 2016

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Dear Young Christian:
I realize that quite a few of my readers are on holidays this week. Maybe some of you are attending a Bible conference, special meetings, or even a Christian youth camp. Whatever you are doing, remember, we should never take a holiday from following the Lord, reading our Bible or spending time in prayer. Let’s be like David who said, “I have set the Lord always before me” (Psalm 16:8). Every day, he sought to have one goal and object: to have the Lord as his focus and to live a life pleasing to Him. Sometimes he failed, got discouraged and allowed sin in his life. But when this happened, he soon came back to the realization that he needed to confess his shortcomings. He needed to refocus on what really mattered, what truly satisfied his soul and brought happiness and peace of mind.
The year is fast drawing to a close and this is the last personal letter I will write to our readers this year. If the Lord hasn’t come by the new year we look forward to keeping in touch once more.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 25, 2016

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The Lord’s Day
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10).
The Lord’s day, referred to in this verse, is the same day of the week the Lord rose from the dead. “Jesus was risen early the first day of the week” (Mark 16:9). It is also the day when He appeared to His disciples with a message of assurance and peace. “The first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (John 20:19). It was on this day that the Lord ascended back to heaven, and this day when the early believers in the city of Troas met for breaking of bread, fellowship and to hear the preaching of the Apostle Paul who was visiting at that time. “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them” (Acts 20:7).
What does the “Lord’s Day” mean to you? John saw and heard wonderful things concerning the person of Christ because he was in tune with the Spirit of God on the first day of the week. Will this be your experience today?

Saturday, December 24, 2016

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Freedom
The “Four Freedoms” were goals set out by the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 6, 1941.
“Freedom from fear” for all mankind was one the “Four Freedoms” proclaimed in the Atlantic Charter by the President and other of the world’s great statesmen at the time. But none of the signers has lived to realize the ideal. In many countries millions still live in fear, as terrorism, disunity, unstable regimes, terrible armaments, and “wars and rumors of wars” (Mark 13:7), raise grave concern throughout the world. But millions more live only in fear of death, their consciences warning them that one day they must stand before God. This is by far the most serious prospect. And be assured it is real! “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
The question arises, “Is there no way of escape from judgment and from the bondage of fear?” The answer is Yes! The Lord Jesus came into this world to save us, and “that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Friday, December 23, 2016

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Day By Day — Part 4
3. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
We grow old! Every one of us, sooner or later, realizes that the body gets older and weaker. If we have aches and pains with our natural bodies, we know that as we feed the “inward man,” there is a daily renewal of spiritual strength. The more we feed the new life the more we are renewed.
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). We need to take the shield of faith to stop the arrows of Satan, and to have the Lord as our resource “day by day.” There is a serious warning concerning Abraham’s nephew, Lot. “For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds” (2 Peter 2:8). There can never be the blessing of the Lord or power to meet the enemy while we are in such a situation as Lot. It is important for a Christian to walk in separation “and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). In this way we will be preserved “day by day.”

Thursday, December 22, 2016

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Day By Day — Part 3
2. “Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner” (Nehemiah 8:18).
Here we learn the necessity of a daily reading of the Scriptures. When we read our Bibles we learn to appreciate the practical truth of the verse that says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily [day by day] loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation” (Psalm 68:19). Do you read your Bible on a day-by-day basis?
We also need to have fellowship with other believers, in the feast of remembrance that we have in Christianity. Like the early believers, of whom we read, “And they, continuing daily with one accord … and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46). The Lord has asked us to do this until He returns. “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). This will strengthen us “day by day,” and Satan will have no space to put in his terrible doubts.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

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Day By Day — Part 2
In the young man Joseph we see a firm commitment to trust and obey, and “the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy” (Genesis 39:21). Do you also know how to act and what to say in such dangerous moments of life? Have you ever been in such a situation? How great is the Lord’s mercy. He gives us these stories in the Bible to encourage us to be faithful at all times. We honor Him very much, when we trust Him in faith and resist the temptation. The Lord gives us tools that we can use in the trials of “day by day” living. Here are just three of them:
1. “And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord” (2 Chronicles 30:21).
Satan always wants to steal our joy in the Lord, and hinder our praises. This verse teaches us the need to live for the Lord seven days of the week, by keeping sin — of which leaven is a picture — out of our lives, walking in separation from the world and cultivating the habit of praise and thanksgiving every day.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

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Day By Day — Part 1
“And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by
day, that he hearkened not unto her” (Genesis 39:10).
In Genesis 39 we find Joseph in very special circumstances. His brothers had sold him as a slave into Egypt, and there he came into the house of Potiphar. We don’t know how long he stayed in the house of this important man, but we know that he was in a responsible position, and Potiphar’s house prospered because of Joseph. But after some time a very dangerous problem started. Potiphar’s wife became a tool in the hand of Satan, to try and cause Joseph to sin. Satan knows human nature very well, and so he used this woman as a tool to tempt him, “day by day.” However Joseph said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Satan never gives up. If something “day by day” is pressed on us, we become worn down and vulnerable. Amidst all this Joseph was steadfast, and the time came when he “fled, and got him out” (Genesis 39:12).
In our lives the Lord uses these things to test our faith and obedience to Him and His Word.

Monday, December 19, 2016

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Dear Young Christian:
Here is a question for you as your start your school or work week: How contented a person are you? Here is what Solomon wrote on the subject: “Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Proverbs 15:16).  This is a simple couplet that makes a lot of sense. Why is the first part so much better than the second? Which would you rather have: peace and a happy heart, or trouble, trouble, trouble? I think we would all pick the first. And we can have it, if we make the Lord our primary object.  The Apostle Paul said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).  He also records, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).  The book of Hebrews tells us why we should be content: “And be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).  With Christ’s presence to satisfy our heart and His loving care and protection all along the path, what more could we really want?
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 18, 2016

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A Finished Work
At the end of His perfect pathway of faith and service to God His Father, The Lord Jesus could with confidence confirm, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” (John 17:4). Then at the end of the three hours of darkness, after He had made atonement by bearing the punishment of God against sin, and just before He laid down His life, He could affirm, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
What a work … complete, done, finished and accomplished to the glory and eternal satisfaction of God. Nothing left undone. Not like in the Old Testament where the priests had to offer the same sacrifices over and over again. Now by faith we see Him, seated at the right hand of God as a proof that God is so satisfied that He will never, and could not, require another sacrifice for sin. “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:11-12).

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Paid in Blood
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things, as silver and gold … but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Hank saw a flashing red light in the rearview mirror, and then a police officer firmly stated the infraction, “You were exceeding the speed limit by 10 miles an hour. This ticket stipulates you pay the fine in money, or in blood, to the Red Cross.”
The offender eventually presented his ticket to the police station. Across it had been written in red ink, “Paid in blood.” The Lord Jesus Christ shed his precious blood in order to pay our debt of sin and redeem us to Himself. Is your debt of sin “paid in blood”? Hank was thankful that his debt was paid by donating blood, but it cost the Lord Jesus His life. We read, “When they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John19:33-34). Have you believed it and freely received eternal forgiveness and salvation?

Friday, December 16, 2016

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Security
We hear a lot these days about security. Financial security, job security, secure investments and so on. But how wonderful to not only have eternal security because we are saved and on our way to heaven, but to have security and protection all through life as well. We are completely surrounded and encased by our God, and nothing can touch us apart from what He sees is best and for our good and blessing at the time. Here are some verses from the Bible that show how thoroughly secure we are, as encircled on every side by the love, power and preserving presence of the One who is watching over us every moment of very day.
“I will go BEFORE thee” (Isaiah 45:2).
“His banner OVER me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4).
“He shall COVER thee with His feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust” (Psalm 91:4).
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and UNDERNEATH are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27).
“The Lord shall be thy REREWARD” (Isaiah 58:8).
“The Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever” (Psalm 125:2).

Thursday, December 15, 2016

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Jacob’s Twelve Sons — Asher
He was the eighth son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid and his name means happy.“And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher” (Genesis 30:13).
When Moses blessed the tribes before he died, he said, “Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:24-25). There is a very real and practical lesson for us to learn from this portion. Children would speak of bearing fruit for God, and being acceptable to our brethren would remind us of the need to go on in fellowship with those who love and seek to please the Lord. The foot dipped in oil would speak of a walk in the power of the Spirit. As a result of such a walk there will be power and endurance in our life and testimony, of which the shoes of iron and brass are a figure.
In Luke 2:36-38, we have a prophetess named Anna, “the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.” She was a woman of faith and one of the few who was truly waiting for the Messiah.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

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Bible Algebra
C+O-S=G
C ommunion (reading your Bible and Prayer), and O bedience to the Lord (walking in the truth), along with keeping  S in out of our lives, will cause spiritual  G rowth in our Christian experience.
The following verses really speak for themselves in this regard.
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12).
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:1-2).
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:17-18).

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

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Stress
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want”
(Psalm 23:1).
We live in a hurry up, worry up world. Stress is something we are all prone to face, and this Psalm of six verses, 118 words and 28 pronouns is power-packed with truths that can help us face and conquer the stress that surrounds us. What causes you to fret, fuss and fume, toss and turn? What makes you wonder if it’s ever going to work out? What puts a pit in your stomach? Worry is like racing your car engine: it is stewing without doing. Worry is unhealthy, unreasonable and unnecessary! Imagine if you saw me this morning choking myself. Would you think I was crazy? Sure, because I would be! Worry is like choking yourself.
What is God’s answer to our anxiety? God Himself! David, the writer of Psalm 23, had a lot of stress in his life. But he found his stress relief in the Lord, and the Lord’s provision for his daily life and path of faith. We can too! Read this Psalm through, memorize it if you haven’t already, and quote it to yourself whenever you are feeling especially stressed or anxious.

Monday, December 12, 2016

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Dear Young Christian:
In the corner of the world where I come from — eastern Ontario, Canada — winter is upon us. Summer and autumn have long passed and now, cold, snowy, icy winter has set in. Everything in this life changes constantly! However, in the midst of all this there are some things that never change.
The Lord Himself:
“Thou art the same” (Hebrews 1:12).
The Word of God:
“The Word of our God shall stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
His purposes:
“According to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Ephesians 1:11).
So, in a world of continual upheaval there are some things we can count on. Has someone disappointed you or let you down this past weekend? Never mind — you can start the week with confidence in the Lord, His Word, and His ways.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 11, 2016

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Fire From Above
“From above hath He sent fire into My bones, and it prevaileth against them” (Lamentations 1:13).
“Love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the
grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame” (Song of Solomon 8:6).
What we have, prophetically in these two verses, is not the physical sufferings of Christ at the hand of man, but the atoning sufferings of Christ at the hand of God. Notice it is “from above.” The Lord Jesus, in love, bore the judgment of God against sin in those three hours of darkness, when no eye could see, and no human hand touched Him. This is summed up by the Apostle Peter when he penned the words, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Paul also records this momentous event by saying, “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Only the Son of God could do such a work to the glory and satisfaction of His Father.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

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You Are Loved
“Jesus beholding him loved him” (Mark 10:21).
Like the young man in this verse, the Lord loves you!
Frederick was raised in a Christian home like some of our readers. Sunday school, gospel meetings, family Bible readings, prayer time — he hated it — he was sick of it. Enough was enough! In his late teens, he decided that was it! He was gone! He left home for a distant city. He loved the busyness of metropolitan life. There was lots to do, plenty of entertainment, plenty of work — life was good.
However, the Lord loved him and had His eye on Frederick. One day while walking to the bus stop he glanced down and saw a crumpled piece of paper with some words on it. Curious, he bent down a picked it up. It was a gospel tract with a very timely message. A message warning of the folly of following the ways of Satan and leaving this world at the end of a godless life. The Spirit of God used it to go straight to his conscience, especially the verse, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25). Not many days later he was able to joyfully call his parents to tell them the good news, that now he was saved. This could be your joy too!

Friday, December 9, 2016

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Making Time For God
“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).
“And He withdrew Himself into the
wilderness, and prayed” (Luke 5:16).
It wasn’t easy for the prominent missionary, Hudson Taylor, to make time for prayer and Bible study while traveling in northern China. His children remember how at night, after sleep and darkness had finally brought a measure of quiet, they would hear the striking of a match and see the flicker of candlelight which told that their father, however weary, was poring over his Bible. From 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. was the time he usually gave to personal, private prayer, as it was the time he could be most sure of being undisturbed to wait upon God.
In later years, the memory of that flicker of candlelight meant more to them than all they read or heard on the subject of Bible study and secret prayer. Their father, as busy as he was, had demonstrated in a very real and practical way the need for personal communion and time alone with the Lord.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

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God’s Dealing
“God dealeth” (Hebrews 12:7).
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ve been dealt a bad hand in life”? Sometimes even a believer will blame God for dealing to them what they feel is a bad hand.
God does “deal,” and with His children, He deals out just what He knows and sees is the very best. What He deals to one of His children may not be the same as He deals to another. It is important for us to realize that we are individuals in His vast family, and that whatever He deals to us is in His infinite wisdom and love. If we don’t understand this, it will cause one of two things, bitterness or jealousy. Bitterness if we feel we have been dealt a bad hand that we didn’t deserve, or jealousy when we see others get what we feel is a better hand than us.
When I was a young person there was an older brother in Christ who used to often quote the following lines of a poem to us:
He knows, He loves, He cares,
Nothing this hope can dim;
He does the very best for those,
Who leave the choice with Him.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

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Poison
“Let all bitterness … be put away from you”
(Ephesians 4:31).
“Holding on to anger and bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”
At first we may smile at the above quote, but with this unique analogy there comes a message that I believe is important for us to consider. So often we harbor anger, bitterness or an unforgiving attitude, thinking that it is going to affect or change the other person, when in reality it does as much — or even more — damage to us.
The result of imbibing this poison of anger and bitterness is that we lose the enjoyment of several things:
Our communion with the Lord.
Our joy in the Lord.
Our walk before the Lord.
Our dependance on the Lord.
Our service for the Lord.
That is why we are exhorted, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15).

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

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Quiet Reflection
“I will give peace and quietness” (1 Chronicles 22:9).
“In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
I sat alone the other day,
Sipping coffee in a small café,
And I thought of the pressure of daily life,
In this world of sin, and sorrow, and strife;
And then I thought of my Savior and Lord,
Whose love by so many is scorned and ignored;
It made me so thankful that He is my friend,
My faithful companion, whose love does not end;
He’s with me each moment, He keeps by His power,
He’ll never forsake me, no, not for one hour …
I sipped at my coffee, and went on my way,
Glad for reflection at that quiet café.
So, if ever you doubt, or worry, or fret,
Stop and consider, and do not regret,
Moments of quiet reflection and thought,
They will help you recharge, and encourage a lot.

Monday, December 5, 2016

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Dear Young Christian:
I am in the West Indies this morning. By 8:00 am it is hot and humid, and outside I can hear the hustle and bustle of the day beginning: vehicles are racing by on the road below my window, the roosters are crowing, dogs are barking, people are calling out to one another, and I can hear breakfast being prepared, just to mention a few. So it is time to start the day and another week. My prayer is that it will be with the conscious sense of the Lord’s presence and approval. And as I mop my brow, I will try to remember the verse that says, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
Yes, I am very thankful to be here, and for another day the Lord has very graciously given. Not only are there many opportunities to serve the Lord here today, but wherever you are reading this calendar page from, don’t forget to look around and take advantage of the opportunities the Lord is giving you right where you are. He says, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door” (Revelation 3:8).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Sunday, December 4, 2016

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Brass
“And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood … And thou shalt overlay it with brass … All the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass … And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof” (Exodus 27:1-4).
“And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:9).
Brass in Scripture is a picture of divine judgment. It symbolizes the Lord’s ability to bear the judgment against sin because of who He was, the eternal Son of God. So the brazen altar is a picture of the cross, and the brazen serpent a picture of the Lord Jesus as the sin bearer. It is summed up in the words of Peter, “Christ also suffered for us … who did no sin … who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:21-22,24). We will never know just how deep and intense that suffering was. That’s why it says, “The weight of the brass could not be found out” (2 Chronicles 4:18).

Saturday, December 3, 2016

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Another Week
Since last Saturday’s gospel message, you are one week older and one week closer to eternity. For those who know Christ as their Savior, this is a joyful thought. But for those who are still lost in their sins, this is a fearful thing. God in mercy has given another seven days of grace, and if there is someone reading, or listening to this page being read to them, remember, God does not promise you another week to repent and accept His offer of salvation.
There is always an urgency connected with the gospel, and the warning is, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). One warning of the New Testament is, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7). To flee from something is to get as far away as fast as you can. Or it may be to get as close to something as quickly as possible. Have you “fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18)? If not, Christ is that refuge!

Friday, December 2, 2016

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Great Faith
“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O
woman, great is thy faith” (Matthew 15:28).
“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).
We may not have great faith like the woman in Matthew 15, but to have faith in a great God is a great asset, and can accomplish great things. The Lord said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20).
Go into today with confidence in God, in spite of circumstances and obstacles that may seem insurmountable. You may be surprised at what you can accomplish and what He can accomplish through you. Remember too, there is a reward for simple faith and trust, even when all seems hopeless and out of control. The promise is, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward” (Hebrews 10:35). So, whether you have “great faith” or “little faith,” the key is, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).

Thursday, December 1, 2016

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Sing a Hymn
In keeping with yesterday’s meditation, here is a hymn that can be sung to the tune of, “Did You Think To Pray?”
Did you sing a hymn this morning?
Did you praise the Lord?
Did you lift your voice in gladness,
Drive away the gloom and sadness,
With a joyful chord?
Oh, how singing lifts our spirit,
Jesus loves to hear our voice!
Others too, no doubt, will hear it,
Making hearts rejoice.
Did you sing a hymn at noon time?
Did you bless His name?
Did you give Him praise and glory?
Did your lips tell forth the story
Of His love and fame?
Will you sing a hymn this evening,
When the day is done?
Will you thank Him for His mercy,
All His grace and goodness, that He
Gives from sun to sun?
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