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Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

January 2019

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Thursday, January 31, 2019

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Comfort — Part 3
Here are some further ways we are comforted:
• Comfort from the Word of God:
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
• Comfort from one another:
“And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother” (John 11:19).
 • Comfort of His coming:
“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
• Comfort in our soul:
“In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul” (Psalm 94:19).

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

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Comfort — Part 2
It is a wonderful thing to realize that the whole Godhead is interested in every detail of our lives, and that there is the comfort and consolation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Here is just a sample of verses from the Bible to confirm this wonderful truth of …
• The Comfort of the Trinity:
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).
“Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).
“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless” (John 14:16-18).

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

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Comfort — Part 1
In writing and compiling these calendar pages, I try to pray about which page goes with which date of the year so that it will be just what is needed in the reader’s life for that day. The verse that is pressed upon me as I write this is the exhortation to the prophet Isaiah amidst all kinds of sin, failure, and difficult circumstances amongst the people of God at the time. He was told: “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God” (Isaiah 40:1). With this in mind, we are going to have some Scriptures for our comfort over the next three days. Perhaps there is someone reading these pages who needs true comfort. It may be in connection with a death in the family, the loss of a job, or some other real sorrow. First and foremost, we have…
• The comfort of Salvation:
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).
There is no real comfort for those who are not saved.

Monday, January 28, 2019

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Dear Young Christian:
Yesterday, I was on a Dash-8 plane from Freeport to Nassau Bahamas. We took off in a severe rain storm with high winds and thunder. I’m surprised that we went in such weather, but we did. The result was extreme turbulence unlike anything I had experienced before. Even the flight attendant said that, in her eleven years of flying, she had never been in anything as rough. Many people on the plane were screaming and crying, thinking it was the end. I must admit I too wondered if the Lord was going to take me home to heaven through a plane crash. However, I could remain calm (at least outwardly), knowing that, whatever happened, I would be “with Christ; which is far better” (Philippians 1:23).
How about you? Would you have had that confidence? If something happened to you this week, and you were to die unexpectedly as a result of an accident, would you have the calm assurance that you would be “absent from the body … present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8)?
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, January 27, 2019

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The Lord’s Presence
“One thing have I desired … that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4).
David’s heart longed, above all else, to be in the presence of the Lord. On another occasion, we read, “Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord” (2 Samuel 7:18). Here is where he could behold the beauties of the Lord, and sit — comfortable in the enjoyment of the one he loved, and who loved him. He learned by happy experience the truth of the words he himself would pen by divine inspiration: “In Thy presence is fulness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).
Will you find yourself in the presence of the Lord today? Will you sit down with other believers to reflect and remember the one who has requested, “This do in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19)?
Let’s have the same attitude and response of heart as David, who also said, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).
The Lord desires our presence; do we desire and long after His?

Saturday, January 26, 2019

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Our Debt
“Owe no man any thing” (Romans 13:8).
When we purchase things on credit we owe money. When the total amount is paid, our debt is settled, and it is usually a great relief to get a receipt stating, paid in full.
But what about the debt of sin we owe to God? No matter how hard and how many times we try; we can never settle our debt in full. However, the good news of the gospel is that we are not required to settle the debt. The Lord Jesus went to the cross, and the debt has been paid by His death and the shedding of His blood. Now, He alone has the power to wipe our account of sin clean — if only we would come in simple faith and confess our sins to Him. By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work at Calvary, our debt can be forever settled, because full payment has been made to His satisfaction. He states unequivocally, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). Have you had your debt forgiven and paid? It can happen today. You are not able to pay it yourself, but remember what the Bible says of the Savior, “And when they had nothing to pay, He frankly forgave them” (Luke 7:42).

Friday, January 25, 2019

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Monthly Question Page
Q. What does it mean to be justified? Is it the same as forgiveness? (Part 1)
A. Justification goes far beyond forgiveness. Notice how Paul separates them: “Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38-39).
Let’s illustrate it this way: Suppose I broke into your home and robbed you, and having been caught, you decided to forgive me instead of pressing charges. Furthermore, since we were friends in the past, you told me that this should not break our friendship, but that we could continue our relationship as if nothing had happened. Now consider this: Would I ever really feel comfortable in your presence again? No, I would always feel like a forgiven thief, even if you assured me that all was forgiven and forgotten.
So, it is true that our sins are forgiven on the basis of the blood of Christ. But, to be justified is to be brought into a new standing of perfection before God, where there is “no more conscience of sins” (Hebrews 10:2), because, He has said, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). (Continued next month.)
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Thursday, January 24, 2019

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Pride
Nothing is more detestable in God’s sight than pride on the part of those who have absolutely nothing to be proud of. “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look …” (Proverbs 6:16-17). This was the condemnation of the devil — self-exaltation. In another, how hateful we instinctively see it to be; but in ourselves, how readily and almost unconsciously it is tolerated.
In any case, it certainly indicates a lack of brokenness and self-judgment before God. The Bible teaches that lowliness of mind is an indication of true wisdom. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:12). It indicates a person who has learned to judge himself aright in the presence of God.
The Bible also teaches that pride is the sole source of contention. “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom” (Proverbs 13:10). If pride were properly judged and the sin of it frankly owned before God, how soon would much that has caused contention, controversy, and competition amongst Christians be resolved.
(Adapted from H. A. Ironside and augmented.)

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

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Monthly Scripture Reading
Genesis 1
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

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Chastening
“In the way of righteousness is life” (Proverbs 12:28).
When we go our own way, how graciously God works in our lives to bring us to our senses and turn us around to the right way! Waywardness not only dishonors Him but also robs us of joy and peace. If God allowed us to continue in the path of disobedience, we would eventually have to reap the consequences. But in love, He lets us feel His chastening hand and uses circumstances to break down our rebellion to His will. Solomon wrote, “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth” (Proverbs 3:11-12 JND).
A loving Father may have to chasten His child for his own good. Many times, the child may doubt the motives of the Father, but the child’s inability to discern the Father’s purpose does not change the Father’s love or methods. If the child had more confidence in his Father, he would believe Him, even though unable to understand. This makes it easier to yield to the Father’s will and obtain peace as well. Confidence in God is necessary to enjoy peace.

Monday, January 21, 2019

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Dear Young Christian:
It is interesting to note that nowhere in the Bible is the word “personality” used. God never asks for personalities, He asks for persons. He is not just looking for certain types of people with certain characteristics, like a corporation might when doing job interviews for certain positions within the company. No, He chooses and calls all kinds of people. More often than not, He selects quite ordinary men and women to do His work. Then He gives them the power and resources they need and sends them forth to accomplish His will.
As you start out today, remember that you have been chosen for a specific purpose and work. Everything you need to accomplish that work has been provided. Keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus: “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you” (John 15:16).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, January 20, 2019

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“They”
“They stripped Him” (Matthew 27:28).
“They…platted a crown of thorns” (Matthew 27:29).
“They spit upon Him” (Matthew 27:30).
“They…mocked Him” (Matthew 27:31).
“They put on Him a purple robe” (John 19:2).
“They took Jesus, and led Him away” (John 19:16).
“They crucified Him” (John 19:18).
“They watched Him” (Matthew 27:36).
Yes, what awful things “they” did to God’s Son. The hatred of man’s heart against God was fully exposed like never before. But how wonderful that, through it all, the Lord Jesus had one object and goal–to do the will of God and offer Himself as that great sacrifice. There was one thing that “they” could not do, and that was to take His life. He had previously stated, “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father” (John 10:17-18). He is indeed “Our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us” (Titus 2:13-14).

Saturday, January 19, 2019

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Too Fast
“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end”
(Deuteronomy 32:29)!
A patrolman stopped a speeding driver near Missoula, Montana. “Oh, thank you, officer,” said the driver’s wife. “I’ve been telling him all the way over from Helena that he was driving too fast.” He had been breaking the law for 112 miles, and for 112 miles he had been warned about it. But he evidently paid no attention to these warnings and was at last stopped by the police.
Multitudes today are speeding down the broad way that leads to destruction. They are being constantly warned about it in one way or another from God’s Word. Still, they rush headlong down to destruction. And then what happens to them after this brief life is over? They must meet God someday. Death plays no favorites: each year, millions of people die.
When will your turn come? No one knows but God. How imperative therefore to stop–stop now, immediately, before you do anything else–and accept God’s salvation.

Friday, January 18, 2019

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A Lamp & Light
“For Thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness” (2 Samuel 22:29).
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light
unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
The thought in the word “lamp” is “candle,”which word could be inserted in both of the above verses to replace the word “lamp.” The Lord and His Word are both candle and light to us. A candle gives enough light for one step at a time. This is the life of faith. It is light for each step, day by day.
But the Lord also lightens our darkness and His Word lights our path. This is a shining light, obliterating the darkness and illuminating our way. The Word shows us where the path leads and how it ends. It is sufficient light for the whole journey. “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18).
At times the way is daunting, but God’s Word and God Himself will lighten our journey through the valley. Trust in Him at all times and for every situation. “Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Thursday, January 17, 2019

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Numbers in Scripture: #1
The number one is God’s number of supremacy and exclusiveness. It is also the number of God’s unity, as we have in the seven things listed in Ephesians 4:4-6:
1. One body.
2. One Spirit.
3. One hope.
4. One Lord.
5. One faith.
6. One baptism.
7. One God and Father of all.
These seven things complete a perfect circle of God’s oneness in person and purpose.
Here are a couple of other examples:
• “One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:15).
• “One offering” (Hebrews 10:14).
The number “one” leaves no room for additions from man. It is God’s number signifying His divine right, dominion, and mastery. As the last writer of the Old Testament emphatically states: “Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us” (Malachi 2:10)?

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

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“Such a Time”
“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)?
The name “God” does not appear in the book of Esther, but the providence and care of God is evident on every page. The nation of Israel was threatened with annihilation, but this could never happen with God on the throne and in full control. In the shadows, God had Mordecai, a man of faith, and Esther, a godly young woman, available, “for such a time as this.”
Both Esther and Mordecai had humble backgrounds, but they became instrumental in God’s plan of deliverance. Our background doesn’t matter to God. What He is looking for today are committed believers. Those who have a love for Himself and for His people. Those who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the blessing of others. He is looking for those that He can transform into faithful servants, who, like Isaiah, are willing to say, “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). Are you one of those young people that are willing to give yourself in sacrifice to the Lord and to your fellow-believers?

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

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Sola
To capture the basic theological principles that emerged from the Protestant Reformation, the Reformers embraced five Latin phrases that stood in stark contrast to unbiblical teaching. Commonly referred to as the “five solas (Latin for “alone” or “only”), these phrases have continued to serve each generation of Christians as clear statements on the Bible’s authority, our only hope for salvation, and God’s purpose for redemptive history. Here are the five phrases:
1. SOLA SCRIPTURA — Scripture alone.
“The Word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8).
2. SOLA FIDE — faith alone.
“The just shall live by faith.” (Hebrews 10:38).
3. SOLUS CHRISTUS — Christ alone.
“Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).
4. SOLA GRATIA — grace alone.
“By grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).
5. SOLI DEO GLORIA — To the glory of God alone.
“The knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Are these five things personally true of your life?

Monday, January 14, 2019

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Dear Young Christian:
Here I am on the boat between Union Island and Saint Vincent. We have just pulled into the Island of Canouan to unload supplies and pick up more passengers. We are already a couple of hours late, which is very normal down in this corner of the world. For a guy like me, who likes punctuality and seeing things run on time, it can often be very frustrating. Thankfully, I have the assurance that God’s timetable is always perfect. “For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work” (Ecclesiastes 3:17).
Perhaps your plans will be changed, thwarted, or even cancelled this week. Don’t let it discourage or dishearten you. Take it from your loving God and Father, knowing that His plans and timetable are really the best. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He submitted to the perfect timetable of His Father. On occasion, He could say, “My time is not yet come” (John 7:6). How good if we can have that same attitude, and echo like David, “My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, January 13, 2019

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Forsaken
“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me”
(Psalm 22:1)?
“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me”
(Matthew 27:46)?
“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me”
(Mark 15:34)?
What a question, spoken from the lips of the Lord Jesus at the end of the three hours of darkness on the cross. It is repeated three times in the Word of God to impress upon our hearts something of the reality of what it must have meant to that Holy One to be forsaken of God in those awful hours when He “bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).
Now, as a result of that work, we will never have to experience being forsaken by God. The wonderful promise to us is, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).
As we consider the Lord Jesus today, and remember all that He went through for us, let’s echo the sentiments of the children of Israel, who said to Joshua, “God forbid that we should forsake the Lord” (Joshua 24:16).

Saturday, January 12, 2019

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One God
There are many false deities worshipped and prayed to everyday in this world. However, the God of the Bible says, “There is no God else beside Me” (Isaiah 45:21). We further read, “Hath not one God created us” (Malachi 2:10)? The New Testament reaffirms, “There is one God” (1 Timothy 2:5).
In other words we are not given a choice of the sort of God we want to believe in or not believe in. This is the God we must face. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica he reminded them that they had, “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
This true and living God has provided a Savior through the sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross. “For there is … one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Friday, January 11, 2019

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Success
“Then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
Each young person must apply the following three things in their life as soon as possible to ensure good, spiritual success. These three things are to be practiced daily — not just once or twice a week.
1. We are to search the Scriptures.
“Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39).
“They received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures DAILY, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).
2.We are to cry out to the Lord in prayer.
“Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto Thee DAILY” (Psalm 86:3).
3. We are to take up our cross and follow the Lord.
“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

Thursday, January 10, 2019

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Submit & Accept
When things don’t go as you would like, submit and accept the situation immediately. If you indulge in feelings of regret, they can easily spill over into resentment and bitterness. One of the keys to this is found in the words of Peter’s epistle: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).
Rejoice in what the Lord is doing in your life, even though it is beyond your understanding. Through all the din and confusion of daily routine, keep your eye of faith focused on Christ. This is the ultimate challenge in the Christian race. No matter what is going on around you, don’t lose sight of Christ and the prize. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
When Christ is our object and heaven our goal, we are able to view our circumstances from His perspective. Then and only then will we be able to truly and completely submit and accept.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

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Empathy
It is wonderful to have a friend or loved one with us in a trial or difficulty. But isn’t it more wonderful to have someone who has been through a similar circumstance? That person can not only sympathize, but can also empathize as well. That person knows what you are feeling, and feels it with you, because they themselves have been through the same experience. They know and understand more than someone who has never been in the situation.
The Lord Jesus never passes His own through anything in the path of faith that He, as a man, hasn’t felt in His journey through this world. Here is how the Bible sums it up: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all pointstempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Because of this wonderful fact, we are invited to come to Him in every situation and receive the help and comfort we need. The next verse encourages us by saying, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

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Apart
Come apart, or fall apart!
It’s going to be one or the other. Notice what the Lord said to the disciples when they came and told Him of the death of John the Baptist, and all the things they had been doing in active service for Him. “Come ye yourselves apart … and rest a while” (Matthew 6:31). He knew that there was a need for quiet and refreshment in His presence. When you read the rest of the chapter, you realize that it did not last very long. Very soon, we find these twelve men distributing food to thousands of people under the direction of the Master. He knew what was ahead, and He knew it was vital that they have a short time to “come apart” in order to equip them for the task at hand.
We need these “come apart” times as well. We can only be strong in the Lord and effective in our service for Him as we spend quiet, restful moments in His company. There is much to do, and many opportunities for Christian service. The times when we “come apart” may not last long, but they need to be frequent. The Lord, in His pathway of service as man, understood this need. That’s why, “He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Monday, January 7, 2019

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Dear Young Christian:
Is there someone in your life who needs sympathy? There are different ways of showing sympathy. Some are helpful and some not. A fable is related of an elephant who, travelling over a desert, discovered an ostrich egg on the sand. Standing over it, he said, “Poor thing! What a shame! It is all alone!” The tears started in his eyes and rolled down his trunk. “Well,” he said, “I will sit on it myself.”
While we smile at the legend, yet there is a lesson to be learned. We need to be wise and yet harmless. The Lord said, “Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Let’s be careful in our zeal to help that we don’t crush those who are in need of comfort and sympathy, but lift them up and encourage them in the Lord. “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (Hebrews 12:12). And remember, when we need sympathy ourselves, we have, “an High Priest … who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:27).
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, January 6, 2019

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The Lord’s Supper
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins”
(Matthew 26:26-28).
At the close of the passover supper, the Lord institutes that which the Apostle Paul later speaks of as the “Lord’s supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20). The Lord well knew that Satan would enter into Judas Iscariot to make sure he carried out the awful deed of betraying Him. He also knew that the Jewish leaders were plotting His death, that the multitudes whom He had healed and fed would turn against Him, and that His own disciples would flee and leave Him alone. Yet nothing could stop the outflow of His love. His heart was filled with thoughts of infinite love, both for His own and for mankind, of which these memorials of His death so simply speak. “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1). May we never cease to remember such divine love.

Saturday, January 5, 2019

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The Blind Man
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him” (John 9:35).
If you read the account in this chapter, starting at the 13 verse, you will see that Jesus had just healed a man who had been blind from his birth. That his sight was fully restored was entirely evident to all who knew him. Yet the religious leaders, namely the Pharisees, rejected this man and his account of what had happened to him. However, Jesus in His love and compassion found him. And, in response to the Savior’s invitation, he trusted in the Lord and worshipped Him.
Do you feel rejected, alone, forsaken, and misunderstood? Jesus offers Himself to you as Savior and Lord. Will you believe in Him today? You will never have to feel alone or forsaken again. Best of all, you will be on your way to heaven to spend eternity with Jesus.

Friday, January 4, 2019

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With God — Part 2
“And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach” (Mark 3:14).
The first and foremost reason why the Lord chose twelve disciples was so that He would have them “with Him.” He desired their company and fellowship. Later, He did send them out to preach and to work all kinds of miracles, but not until they had spent time “with Him.”
If we want to be effective in our Christian service we must learn, like Enoch, Noah, and the disciples, to walk with Him.
In a future day, we are going to walk with Him when we arrive in heaven—the Father’s house. He promises, “And they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy” (Revelation 3:4).But it is our immense privilege to experience that here and now in this life.
Walk with the Lord, stay close by His side,
Feel His presence, trust Him as guide;
Then from faith’s pathway you never will swerve,
This will equip you, to please and to serve.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

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With God — Part 1
“Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:24).
“Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).
These two men had the testimony of walking with God. To walk with someone means that you do not run ahead, nor do you lag behind. In my own case, I have to admit that I sometimes do one or the other. I either get ahead of the Lord and His timing, or I drag my feet — instead of taking the steps of faith when I should, I am like Peter, of whom we read, “and Peter followed afar off” (Luke 22:54).
The inspired writer, Asaph, said, “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand” (Psalm 73:23). To hold someone’s hand and to walk by their side means that you neither hurry nor dawdle. You keep up!
How much is this true in our lives? Do we get up each morning and pray for a sense of the Lord’s presence with us for the day? And do we pray for grace and spiritual energy to walk with God? Wouldn’t it be great if, at the end of each day, we had this testimony written after our name in God’s record … “(your name), walked with God”?

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

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Pray or Worry
I was riding with my cousin in her car earlier today, when I noticed an air-freshener dangling from her rearview mirror. Here is what it said:
Pray More,
Worry Less!
Perhaps we should all have this reminder hanging somewhere where we could see it often throughout the day.
This is really the message that the Apostle Paul was conveying to the Christians in the city of Philippi, when he wrote: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).
Do you worry a lot? Do you anticipate things you think are going to happen in the future and become anxious and afraid of what might be lurking on the horizon? Here is another way that we could interpret the motto on the air-freshener:
The More Prayer,
The Less Worry!
Which is it in your life?

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

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The Future
“He knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10).
“I will trust, and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2).
The future holds no fear for me,
Nor do I dread eternity —
All is secure in Christ!
He knows it all,
He has His way,
And I can trust Him every day —
He knows the best for me!
I’m glad the future’s in His hand,
That Jesus knows what He has planned —
The bitter and the sweet!
His love is sure,
His wisdom great,
Nothing is left to chance or fate —
It is His grand design!
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