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A daily meditation for young Christians

April 2020

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Thursday, April 30, 2020

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Paradise — Part 3
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).
In the earthly paradise, called the Garden of Eden, there were two trees, one connected with privilege (the tree of life), and one with responsibility (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). Adam disobeyed and lost all blessing on the ground of responsibility. As a result, God came into the garden to drive out Adam and Eve from that paradise.
However, the way is now opened for man to enter the paradise of God as the result of redemption, based on the work of Calvary, and there to feed on Christ, the tree of life. The promise to the overcomer in Ephesus was that the believer who repents and gets back to his first love would be satisfied with the fruit of the tree of life in the paradise of God. This is really the promise of a foretaste and present enjoyment of what will certainly be our full enjoyment of Himself in a future day, when we are safe home in paradise, or, as we know it, the “Father’s House” (John 14:2).
Are you enjoying the person of Christ? Are you living in the sweet enjoyment of His love? If you are, you are already in the enjoyment of “the paradise of God.”

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

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Paradise — Part 2
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).
The incident noted here is the time when the Apostle Paul himself was caught up to paradise. What a wonderful experience this must have been, and so foreign to anything he had ever known or experienced on earth. In fact, it was so indescribable that he didn’t even talk about it for fourteen years. Later on, Paul said, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (Philippians 1:23). Paul knew exactly what he was talking about when he said, “Far better.”
Soon every believer is going to be “caught up … to meet the Lord in the air.” There is no paradise here in this sin cursed earth, but we shall soon be permanently in that wonderful place called heaven. “And so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

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Paradise — Part 1
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
It is early morning and I am sitting in my room in Dickson Village, on the Island of Saint Vincent. I can hear a rooster crow in the distance, and the chirping of a few birds outside my window. All is peaceful, and I suppose if we were doing an advertisement for a travel company brochure we would say this is paradise.
But there is no paradise here on earth. Eden was spoiled by sin. If we were to take a walk down the Dickson village road, we would soon realize this. As in every place, sin, sorrow, and corruption abound at every turn. When the repentant thief turned to the Lord Jesus on the center cross, and asked to be remembered in the Lord’s kingdom, he got a far better promise than that. The Lord promised him paradise that very day. The thief was going to have his legs broken in a few hours and expire there beside the Lord Jesus. But he had the promise that he would immediately be with Christ is a better place. Life may seem difficult today. Maybe you are going through some real trauma. But take heart, we are on our way to be with Christ, “in paradise.”

Monday, April 27, 2020

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Dear Young Christian:
“Wherein hast Thou loved us” (Malachi 1:2)?
Have you ever questioned the Lord’s love for you? I suppose if we are honest many of us have done this at some time in our life. For myself I have found it helpful to always look back to Calvary when this happens. Maybe we can’t always see His love in our circumstances, but we can always see His love when we look to the cross and realize the great cost of our salvation and blessing. Here are some verses that confirm this:
“Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor” (Ephesians 5:2).
“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
“Jesus Christ … loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).
“Greater love hath no man than this” (John 15:13).
Meditate on, and enjoy His love today, and all this week!
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, April 26, 2020

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Singing
“I will sing unto the Lord” (Psalm 13:6).
“Come before His presence with singing”(Psalm 100:2).
Singing God’s praises does four things:
1. Honors the Lord.
“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me” (Psalm 50:23).
2. Gives testimony to the unsaved.
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25).
3. Edifies our brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
4. Brings joy to us.
“Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart”
(Isaiah 65:14).
Singing has always been a way for the people of God to express their joy in the Lord, and their appreciation of what He has done for them. Let’s sing His praises from our hearts today. He is worthy of every note that we can give Him.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

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C-O-M-E
C – is for the children,
       In their youthful days;
O – is for the older folks,
       In life’s sunset rays;
M – is for the middle-aged,
       Although they’ve come that far;
E – is then for everyone,
       No matter who they are.
The invitation is as follows:
“Come thou” (Genesis 7:1).
“Come unto Me” (Matthew 11:28).
“Come now” (Isaiah 1:18).
“All things are ready: come”(Matthew 22:4).
“Let him that is athirst come”(Revelation 22:17).
Have you responded to the Lord’s invitation to come to Him for salvation? Don’t be like those, of whom He had to say, “Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40).

Friday, April 24, 2020

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Monthly Question Page
Q. Who will have opportunity to receive the gospel of the kingdom that is preached after the Lord comes for the Christians?
A. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14).
The following is a quote from Outline of Prophetic Events, by B. Anstey, page 29:
“This gospel announces the coming of the King and Messiah of Israel to establish the kingdom promised in the Old Testament Scriptures. It will be mainly Jews that preach this gospel at first, but later converted Gentiles will also preach it. By the time the tribulation is over, it will have been preached in all the world. Those who have not willfully and intelligently rejected the gospel of the grace of God … will have an opportunity to believe this gospel. A great multitude of Jews and Gentiles will believe it and will be blessed on earth when Christ establishes His Kingdom.”
Read Revelation 7, and you will see that not only do a great number of Jews receive this gospel but some from the nations as well—notice particularly verses 9 and 14.
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Thursday, April 23, 2020

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The Right Direction
Centuries ago, the Apostle Paul penned these words by divine inspiration: “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me … Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1). None of us would dare to make such statements, and yet there is an important lesson we can learn from them. It is simply this:
ONLY AS WE FOLLOW CHRIST CAN
WE LEAD OTHERS IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
With this in mind, let’s each stop and ask ourselves the question, “Are we leading others in the right direction or are we leading in ways and places that we ought not to?” You would be surprised how many of those you know are looking to you and following your example. You may not be aware of it, but you influence others more than you realize. Can you say, like Paul, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience” (2 Timothy 3:10). It is a wonderful thing when we walk in obedience to the Word of God, and follow the Lord in the path of faith, so that others are encouraged in the right direction as well.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

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Monthly Scripture Reading
2 Corinthians 12
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

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Accepted
“Accepted in the beloved”(Ephesians 1:6).
“Accepted of Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9).
The grace of God and the work of Christ have made us accepted in Him — God’s beloved Son. What a wonderful standing we have! God sees us in all the perfection of Christ, because, “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). Nothing can ever change that! It is all secure in Him.
However, to be “accepted ofHim” is a very practical matter and deserves our day-to-day attention and consideration. Do you, like the Apostle Paul, have a genuine exercise each day of your Christian life to live in a way that has the Lord’s approval and acceptance? If you really love the Lord and appreciate what He has done for you, it will make you want to please Him more. Paul was misunderstood, even by fellow-believers at Corinth. They questioned his apostleship, his ministry, and even his ability to present his ministry. However, he had the assurance in his own conscience that he had the Lord’s acceptance, and isn’t that what we really want?

Monday, April 20, 2020

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Dear Young Christian:
Someone has well said, “The world, like the internet, has much that we need to avoid.” The Bible gives us excellent advice in this matter. “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:14-15). Sometimes we think we are strong enough to go so far and no further. But once again we are warned from Scripture,“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
As you step out the door for another week of school you are going to see and hear things that defile. We can’t always help it, and the Bible makes provision for it. For instance, “the washing of water by the Word” (Ephesians 5:26). And, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word” (Psalm 119:9). But remember to avoid going to places or participating in things that you do not have to be involved in. It will be a great preserving factor in your life and testimony.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, April 19, 2020

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Valued
How much does the person of the Lord Jesus Christ mean to you? Do you value Him above all others and esteem Him above all else?
Here is a quote from Augustine (354 AD – 430 AD):
“Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued above all.”
The Apostle Peter reminds us:
“Unto you therefore which believe He is precious” (1 Peter 2:7).
The Apostle Paul declared,
“That in all things He might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).
Take time today to read some Scriptures concerning the person of Christ, and meditate on the following subjects:
• Who He is.
• What He has done.
• Where He is now.
• What He is doing for us.
• What He will do in a future day.
A meditation on these subjects cannot help but increase your value and estimation of the person of Christ.

Saturday, April 18, 2020

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Clean
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean” (Job 14:4)?
I recently heard of a Christian college professor who had a note sent to him by one of his students. It was a heart-rending letter, telling of a life of sin and shame by one brought up in a Christian home, and among Christian friends. At the end, the question was asked, “Sir, can your God save such a person as I?”
In front of the class the next day, the professor used the following illustration: “As I came along Princess Street this morning, I looked up and saw a beautiful fleecy white cloud in the sky. I asked it how it got there, and it seemed to say, ‘From the slime and muddy pools of your great city I came. The sun with all its power came down and lifted me and purified me, and made me what you see me now to be.’”
The professor then added, “If the young person who sent this letter is here today, I want to tell them that there is One who is mighty to save, and who stooped down and with His pierced hands laid hold of the lives of men and women broken and bruised by sin. Remember, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Friday, April 17, 2020

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Keeping His Word
“Now have I kept Thy word” (Psalm 119:67).
What a statement for the inspired writer to make! Could you honestly make this statement to the Lord? Could you repeat with the Psalmist, “Now have I kept Thy word”?
The Lord very graciously said of His disciples at the end of their time with Him during His public ministry, “They have kept Thy word” (John 17:6). There had been much failure amongst them, and there was more to follow, but the Lord could commend that which had been of faith, and that which had been according to His Father’s word and will. This He delights to do in our lives too. And the day is coming when He will reward for all faithfulness in keeping His word.
Of the Christians in the ancient city of Philadelphia, the commendation was similar: “Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word” (Revelation 3:8). They had the Lord’s approval, and isn’t that what every believer, deep down in their heart, truly desires?Our Lord values this very much, and the Scripture tells us, “Blessed are they that keep His testimonies” (Psalm 119:2).

Thursday, April 16, 2020

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Psalm 23 — Part 4
“He leadeth me beside the still waters”(Psalm 23:2).
Still waters would remind us of those quiet times of refreshment, when we have our spiritual, inner thirst satisfied by the Shepherd, through the living water of the Word. He invites us, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters … If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink” (Isaiah 55:1; John 7:37).
It is vital that we learn to follow our Shepherd to those calm, tranquil waters; otherwise, we are going to try and satisfy our souls with the things that this world seeks to offer us throughout the day. We have within us a thirst that only the One who made us can truly and fully satisfy. On another occasion, David said, “O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Psalm 63:1). Have you had a drink from the Living Word today? If not, you are a thirsty Christian, and you are spiritually dehydrated. What a sad condition to be in when there is so much refreshment available on a daily basis. Stop now and take a drink of “cold waters to a thirsty soul” (Proverbs 25:25).

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

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End-Time Believers
While on the Island of Grenada a few days ago, we passed a building with a large sign out front. It read, in part,
END-TIME BELIEVERS
MEET HERE
I found the statement rather thought provoking, to say the least. This is because there is a very real sense in which we should all consider ourselves to be End-Time Believers. These are what are describe by the Apostle Paul as “the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1); and by the Apostle John as “the last time” (1 John 2:18). We are right at the end of God’s day of grace, the Lord Jesus is about to come and call us home to Himself, and the judgments of this world are at hand. The realization of this should not discourage us, but should, and will, mold our conduct and behavior as believers.
 “And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11).
What a privilege it is to be living in the last moments just before the Lord’s return. To be End-Time Believers is to expect His coming at any moment.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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Leaper Hill
Last week, when in Grenada, I visited a historical site overlooking the Caribbean Sea, with a large monument with the following inscription:
In 1651, the Caribs, realizing that they had made a mistake by allowing the French to remain on the island, became hostile. They killed many Frenchmen who in turn retaliated and with their superior weapons decided to wipe out the Caribs.
The last stand the Caribs made was on a precipice in the north of the island, but they were completely defeated. Those who survived, rather than surrendering, jumped over the precipice, which the French called “Le Morne De Sauteurs” or “Leapers’ Hill.”
It reminded me of the many martyrs who have given their lives rather than submit to that which is contrary to the Word of God. Those martyrs have a special promise.“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Would I be willing to die for Christ? I can’t answer that question, as I have never been put to that kind of test in the path of faith. However, there are many, even today, who are facing this greatest of tests. We are told to, “remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them” (Hebrews 13:3).

Monday, April 13, 2020

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Dear Young Christian:
“Have a good day!” “Have a good week!”
How often have we heard these statements said to us, or how often we have said them to someone else. It’s certainly not a bad thing to say, and, hopefully, when we say it we really mean it. But to have a really good day or week we must include the Lord in everything. “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:15).
Start out this week with a real desire to walk with the Lord. Be like Asaph, who wrote,“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. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee” (Psalm 73:23-25).
I certainly wish you a good day, and a good week, and my prayer for you is that you will put the Lord first in everything you do and say.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, April 12, 2020

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An Accomplished Work
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:28-30).
In the Gospel of John there is no record of the Lord’s sufferings in the garden of Gethsemane or the sufferings on the cross. In keeping with the purpose of the gospel, all is presented from the divine side. With divine knowledge, Jesus, knowing that all things were accomplished, fulfilled the Scripture by saying, “I thirst.” Then He said with divine certainty, “It is finished.” Then we read, “He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.” This was His own divine act. A man can take his life, but no mere man can, by an act of will, separate his spirit from his body. This the Lord did as the Son, as He had already said in this Gospel, “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” (John 10:17-18).

Saturday, April 11, 2020

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No Difference
Hurricane Ivan hit Grenada in September 2004. I was there afterwards and saw the devastation it left in its wake. It was the worst storm to hit the Caribbean in many years.
Recently, while back in Grenada, a brother in Christ who went through it was telling me that, in the days and weeks after Ivan passed, people would line up just to get a bag of flour, some bottles of water, or a few nails. He told me that he himself stood in line with millionaires, politicians, and the elite and wealthy of the country. It didn’t matter who you were, everyone was equal. There was no difference.
Listening to this brought to mind the following verses:
“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation 6:15-16).
In the day of judgment, it won’t matter who you are, or what you had in this world. If you have rejected Christ, there will be no exceptions made … there will be no difference.

Friday, April 10, 2020

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Spices — Part 3
“And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment … Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 23:56; 24:1-3).
What devotion these women exhibited! They waited just long enough to fulfil the requirements of the sabbath day, and then, in haste, they made their way to the tomb of the Lord Jesus, who they so loved. There was very little intelligence as to what was transpiring, but great devotion. They need not have prepared the spices, for, as we well know, they found the tomb empty, and the Lord Jesus risen from the dead. What a day it was for them, and for all the world! What a day for us! We have a risen Savior, living in heaven and soon coming back to take us to that wonderful home. But let’s not forget the prepared spices. The hearts of the ladies were in the right place, and understanding and intelligence soon followed. What a lesson for us today!
I’m leaving Grenada tomorrow, with a bag full of spices.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

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Spices — Part 2
I am still on the spice Island of Grenada, and today, as I purchased some spices to take home to my wife, I was thinking again about the Bride in the Song of Solomon. When describing her bridegroom, she said, “His cheeks are as a bed of spices” (Song of Solomon 5:13). The north wind and the south wind had had their effect, and her appreciation of Himself had deepened. She appreciated in a way she had never before, the fragrance and loveliness of her lover. In fact, at the end of her enumeration of His qualities, attributes, and glories, she says, “Yea, He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend” (Song of Solomon 5:16).
Don’t despise the winds of circumstance that the Lord allows in your life. Let those winds, soft or harsh, warm or frigid, gentle or cutting, blow you closer to the Lord Jesus, your beloved Bridegroom, and let the sweetness and fragrance of Himself fill you with joy and delight. Then you will respond like the final words of the bride at the end of the book, when she said, “Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices” (Song of Solomon 8:14).

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

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Spices — Part 1
I landed on the island of Grenada this morning. Grenada is known as the “spice island,” and, depending on how the wind is blowing, you can often smell the cinnamon, nutmeg, and other pleasant fragrances wafting out over the Caribbean, even before you reach the shore. It brings to mind the following verse and meditation:
“Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out” (Song of Solomon 4:16). This is the request of the Bridegroom in connection with His bride, typifying the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride, the Church. He not only requests the gentle, warm breezes of the south wind to blow, but the harsh, cold winds of the north also. Why? What lesson do we learn from this?
The lesson is simple! If there is going to be the fragrance of Christ and the production of worship in our lives, of which the spices flowing out would speak, then there must be the trials and difficulties as well as those pleasant quiet times when all goes well. We need both. Don’t think that because you belong to the Lord all is going to go well. No, we need the winds of adversity as well as the winds of tranquility.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

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Have You Ever Wondered
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Have you ever really wondered
Just what heaven will be like?
Have you ever contemplated,
No more clocks the hours to strike?
Have you ever thought about it,
When all pain and sorrow cease,
When from every care and worry,
We will have a full release?
Best of all, to be with Jesus,
This will be what makes that place,
Captivated by His glory,
When we see Him face to face!
All His splendor, all His beauty,
Then eclipsing all around,
He alone, the theme, the center,
In that home where joys abound!

Monday, April 6, 2020

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Dear Young Christian:
Can it be another Monday already? Yes indeed, time waits for no one. We say, “Time flies.” We imagine that time is going by faster than it used to. However, it is we that fly and we who are going faster and faster. It is society that has picked up the pace, not the clock. Job said, “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle” (Job 7:6).
One thing is for sure, we are that much closer to the Lord’s coming than we were last Monday. I can’t tell you when the Lord is coming or if He is coming this week, but I know with certainty that we are nearer to that event today than we have ever been before. The promise remains, “Behold, I come quickly” (Revelation 3:11).
So, start out to school or work with this hope before you.“Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh”(James 5:8).
In the meantime, try, if you can, to slow down a little, and make sure you spend some quiet time with the Lord amidst the pressure and fast pace of everyday life.
Your Christian Friend,
Jim Hyland
We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Sunday, April 5, 2020

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The Blood
The blood of Jesus is a very precious subject.
• It is that which cleans us from every stain of sin. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
• It is through that blood that we have redemption and forgiveness. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7).
•It is the blood of Christ that has given us access into His presence.“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
•We are sanctified (set apart for Himself) because of His blood. “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate” (Hebrews 13:12).
• Through the blood we are justified and brought into a perfect standing before God. “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9).
What a theme to meditate on today! It is that of which we will sing for all eternity (Revelation 5:9).

Saturday, April 4, 2020

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Warnings
On Wednesday, February 4, 1970, the Liberian registered tanker, the Arrow, ran aground and broke in two off Canada’s east coast. The ship, coming from Venezuela, was headed to Cape Breton with a cargo of 108,000 barrels of Bunker C fuel. The oil spill resulting from the wreck contaminated the waters of Chedabucto Bay, as well as 190 miles of Nova Scotia shoreline.Reports say that there was equipment failure, and it is true that the weather conditions were very adverse. However, confessing it to be his error, the Captain said, “I did not believe the message of my electronic depth sounder.”
We shake our heads and wonder at such folly. But how many there are on the sea of life who do not believe the warnings of the Bible. Of such we read, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1). Don’t be like the captain of the Arrow and ignore the warnings. There is a much worse fate awaiting those who refuse to listen and heed the warnings of Scripture. “What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17)? Hell! Therefore, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

Friday, April 3, 2020

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Fame
Two famous athletes were being questioned by a sports writer as to their legacy and accomplishments. Ted Williams pointed to his success in baseball. Michael Jordan noted his achievements in basketball. How sad! A lifetime quest for fleeting fame and the applause of this world. Here is what the Bible has to say on the matter: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26). Athletes strive for a prize that is corruptible at best. Their names come and go from the sports pages and news casts of society.
In contrast, the Apostle Paul had the best goal of all, declaring, “For to me to live is Christ … I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:21; 3:14). What are you living for? Is it a flash of glory and fame in this world, or is it for Christ and eternal consequences?

Thursday, April 2, 2020

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Complaining
“And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard” (Numbers 11:1).
“Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord” (Psalm 106:24-25).
Instead of enjoying the blessings of God and all His care and provision for them, the children of Israel despised His goodness and, sad to say, for the most part, disregarded His word. Privately in their tents they complained and murmured, thinking perhaps that no one else could hear them. But little did they realize that the One who hears our cry when we are in distress is also the One who hears our voice of discontent and complaint. Remember, when we complain, the problem may be with us and not with others or concerning our circumstances. Also, remember, that when we grumble and complain we are really in the end blaming God, and that is a serious thing. Whether in secret or publicly, the Bible never condones complaining. “That there be no complaining in our streets” (Psalm 144:14).

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

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Not an Easy Road
While traveling by car through the jungle of Guyana, South America this morning, on our way to preach the gospel at a village by the name of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, I couldn’t help but think about the following lines of a hymn, writer by J. W. Peterson, that we used to sing as young people.
It’s not an easy road we are travelling to heaven,
For many are the thorns on the way;
It’s not an easy road but the Savior is with us,
His presence gives us joy every day.
No, no, it’s not an easy road,
No, no, it’s not an easy road;
But Jesus walks with me and
Brightens my journey,
And lightens every heavy load.
The road we were driving on was indescribable and there were times when I really wondered if we would make it.
Isn’t that the way it is with the road of life sometimes? And yet, when we trust the Lord, and walk with the consciousness of His presence with us, He always brings us through. He has promised, “I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Joshua 1:5).
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