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Young Christians Calendar

A daily meditation for young Christians

May 2023

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Wednesday, May 31, 2023

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“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary [pharmacist] to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly [something stupid or silly] him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour” (Ecclesiastes 10:1).
Today most drug preparations are in jars or tubes, already mixed up, but sometimes the pharmacist has to make up a jar of ointment himself, putting various medicines into it. Usually it is something you rub on your skin. You can imagine how dead flies in it would make a bad smell! You would not want to use that kind of ointment! The Lord says that is like those who have a good reputation, but who suddenly do something wrong. Immediately it spoils everyone’s opinion of them, and all people can think about is the stupid or sinful thing they did.
As Christians, we must be careful how we act, for we can do a hundred things right, but if we do one foolish thing, that is what people seem to remember. It does not take much to spoil the way we appear to this world, so it is important to be on guard, and to avoid doing something that dishonors the Lord.

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

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“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1).
When I was a teenager, I often worked for a man for whom my father worked. He was rich and was a good boss, and most of his life had Christians working for him. He knew the gospel, but frequently made fun of it, and did not want to be saved.
One day he went into one of his apartment buildings to check out a problem in the basement, slipped on the stairs and fell, and hit his head on the concrete floor. He never regained consciousness, and died less than two days later. As far as I know, he was one of those who “hardened his neck,” and was “suddenly cut off.” He was only fifty-five years old.
It is a serious thing to harden ourselves against the grace of God. This man had heard the gospel from his Christian employees for about thirty years, but did not want it. Once again, have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior?

Monday, May 29, 2023

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“My son, attend unto My wisdom, and bow thine ear to My understanding” (Proverbs 5:1).
“Doth not wisdom cry…she crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city…Unto you, O men, I call…understand wisdom” (Proverbs 8:1,3,4-5).
The first seven chapters of Proverbs almost all begin with the words “my son” or “ye children.” They are addressed to those who come from homes where fathers and mothers give them good instruction, and teach them godly wisdom. If you are growing up in that kind of a home, it is a real privilege, and you should be very thankful for it.
However, the Word of God recognizes that everyone does not have that privilege, and perhaps some of you who read this calendar come from homes like that. In that case, we find in Proverbs 8 that wisdom is made into a person, who cries out to people to come and get what she offers. She is not in the home now, but out at the gate of the city, crying out to whoever will listen. It is really a picture of the Lord Jesus.
If you and I really want to know God, and want to learn what is right, God will make it available to us, even if we do not get it at home. His Word is there for all of us to read.

Sunday, May 28, 2023

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“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when He had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that He had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46).
Here we find a merchant man, a picture of the Lord Jesus, who saw you and me (His church), and who valued us so much that He sold all that He had to get us. He gave His life for us! Will He ever sell us? No! That would be impossible. He loves us too much for that.
But remember our verse from yesterday, where we were told to buy the truth, and “sell it not”? Some believers learn a lot of truth, but then decide that it is not worth keeping, so they sell it. That means that they give it up in order to have an easier pathway through this world. I knew a man many years ago who knew the truth of God, but who gave it up because someone offered him a lot of money if he would join a group of Christians who met in an unscriptural way. That man knew better, but he wanted the money, so he gave up the truth.
If you and I have learned any of the truth of God from His Word, let us not sell it. Selling it may give us an easier time in this world, but it will be a loss for all eternity. The Lord Jesus will never sell us; let us not sell the truth.

Saturday, May 27, 2023

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“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23).
In this verse we have an unusual expression — “Buy the truth.” Yet if we think about it, we realize that we must pay a price for anything worth having. It may not be a price in money, but perhaps in time and effort. If we really want the truth of God, we will have to buy it. That means spending time in reading and prayer, and listening to others explain the Word of God. Most of all it means knowing the Lord Jesus, who is the truth.
When the Lord Jesus stood before the Roman governor Pilate, He said, “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” (John 18:37). Pilate’s reply was, “What is truth?” (v. 38), and then he walked away. He was not interested in knowing the truth.
If you and I as Christians want to know the truth about any moral and spiritual subject, we will find it in Christ, and through His Word. There is a cost involved in buying it, and once we have bought it, we are told not to sell it.

Friday, May 26, 2023

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“Those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:17).
“They shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me” (Proverbs 1:28).
When we first look at these two verses, they seem to say the opposite. But does the Lord contradict Himself? No, so we have to look for the explanation, and it is not hard to find.
The first verse mentioned is talking about those who are young, and who really want wisdom from the Lord. If we really want to know the Lord, and to have wisdom from Him, then we will seek it early (or earnestly). The Lord promises that if we do this, we will find Him and wisdom too.
The second verse we have listed today is talking about those who have had the chance to seek the Lord, but have not paid any attention to His call. In describing such people, the Lord says, “I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded” (Proverbs 1:24). Then later, when they do want to listen, it is too late.
It will be the same with the gospel. Those who do not listen today will try to come later, when the Lord has come, and He will have to say to them, “Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27). How important it is to get saved now, while you are young!

Thursday, May 25, 2023

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“Fools make a mock at sin” (Proverbs 14:9).
When we are among unsaved people at school and at work, we will often hear things that are sinful. Sometimes this takes the form of filthy jokes, or jokes that make it sound funny to do something wrong. It can be tempting even to us as Christians to laugh, but the Word of God says only a fool does this.
Many years ago, a Christian man who worked in an automobile factory was surrounded by some of his fellow workers who then told a filthy joke when he could not get away from them. When he did not laugh, they asked him why. His answer was, “Men, I live in the presence of God.” That was a good answer, and the men walked away ashamed. Let us always remember that we too live in the presence of God.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

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“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts…which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
As we remarked yesterday, it is never right for a Christian to want to be rich. The world goes after money and what it can buy, but you and I have spiritual riches that are far more important. During my lifetime I have seen some Christians who wanted to be rich in this world, and they used their time and ability to go after money. Some of them did well, but in most cases their spiritual life suffered. Their minds were on money instead of enjoying Christ, and they often did not stop to think that they must leave all their possessions behind when they leave this world. But spiritual riches will last for all eternity.
What kind of an investment are you and I making? Perhaps at your age you are not thinking of getting rich, but often our course in life is determined when we are young. To work and earn an honest living is good, but to make it your goal to be rich will harm you as a Christian.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

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“Wealth gotten by vanity [emptiness, something that is not real] shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase” (Proverbs 13:11).
Many people dream of “getting rich quick,” and they try many ways to do this. Some resort to gambling, some buy lottery tickets (which is a form of gambling), while others look for “hot tips” on buying stocks. Still others look for a job that requires little work but pays well. It is true that some people get rich this way, but they rarely keep their money very long. As our verse says, it usually diminishes, and they lose it again. As we all know, the vast majority of those who gamble end up losing their money rather than winning.
As Christians it is never right to want to be rich, but it is a fact of life that those who make their money by honest work usually end up keeping it, and using it well. We value what we have worked for, and we tend to take better care of it.

Monday, May 22, 2023

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“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee” (Proverbs 9:8).
We live in a world where it is increasingly difficult to point out to people that they are wrong. It is sad that most of the time, even if people realize that they are incorrect or at fault, they will defend themselves. This was brought out in an article I read recently, in which the author asked, “When was the last time someone thanked you for showing them that they were wrong?” Yet according to this scripture, only a scorner would get angry under these circumstances. If a wise man has made a mistake, he wants to be corrected, and will be thankful for it. Then, if others have been involved, he will be willing to apologize.
During my lifetime, many godly people have had an influence on me, but those whom I admired and respected the most were those who readily admitted a mistake, and were willing to apologize for it. This did not diminish my respect for them; rather, it made me respect them all the more.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

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“Remembering Mine affliction and My misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in Me” (Lamentations 3:19-20).
The Lord Jesus suffered on the cross nearly 2000 years ago, yet this verse tells us that He still remembers all that happened there. It is as fresh in His memory as if it happened yesterday. During my lifetime I have known many people who suffered greatly at some time in their life, and who remember it very well. Perhaps they were involved in a bad car accident, or were in a war where they were badly hurt. But no one has ever suffered as much as the Lord Jesus.
He remembers all that happened there at Calvary’s cross, and He wants us to remember Him. We were not there, of course, so we did not see what happened, but the Lord Jesus appreciates it when we remember, with Him, all that He suffered there.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

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“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee” (Proverbs 3:27-28).
When I was a boy, I had what they called a “paper route,” and delivered the daily paper to a number of homes. Every Saturday I collected the money people owed me for bringing the paper. Sometimes people were busy outside, or perhaps watching a football game on television, and would say, “I’ll pay you next week.” I did not like this, for later that day a representative from the newspaper company came to our house, and I had to pay him for the papers. What was left over was my pay, and if too many people did not pay me, I did not get very much that week.
As our verse tells us, it is good to look after our obligations instead of being selfish and forgetting that the other person may really need what we are supposed to give him. My paper customers were not poor; they could well afford to pay me for their paper (it was only 30 cents a week in those days!). Sometimes they just could not be bothered to go and get it. Let us not act like that, as Christians.

Friday, May 19, 2023

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“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again” (Proverbs 19:17).
Sometimes when we lend money to someone, we may have doubts as to whether they will ever pay it back again. They may ask for a loan, but they never pay it back. But could we ever have a question about the Lord’s paying us back? Of course not! It might not be in cash, but He always repays in some way. Here in our verse we read that taking pity on the poor is the same as lending to the Lord, and we are assured that He will pay us back. Of course, we need wisdom in doing this, for we can be careless and give money to those who do not need it, or are too lazy to work and earn their own money.
However, the Lord Jesus said, “The poor always ye have with you” (John 12:8), and this is still true today. It is a privilege to help those who really need it, and the Lord takes notice of it. He will not let us down if we give to those who are poor; He will make it up to us.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

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“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).
We live in a world with many needs. At the time I am writing this, the world has many problems that man does not know what to do with. Climate changes are causing droughts in some places and floods in others. Migrants are flooding into Europe and the United States, all wanting something better than the desperate conditions under which they are now living. The Covid pandemic continues to bring chaos into many lives, while governments are spending money they do not have in order to combat it.
Within our own individual lives, we too may see many needs around us. Sometimes it is tempting to throw up our hands, and to stop helping other people. But as the Lord gives us strength, we are not to become weary in well doing. The verb “to become weary” in the Greek language means not to faint, or to lose heart. If we ask Him, the Lord will give us strength to continue to help those who need it. We cannot help everyone, but the Lord will give us wisdom to know what to do for Him.

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

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“Brethren, pray for us…that we may be delivered from bad and evil men, for faith is not the portion of all” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 JND).
Quite a few years ago I was handing out gospel tracts on a busy corner in downtown Toronto, Ontario. A man came along who resented my doing this, and kept coming at me with abusive language. Finally, he told me that I would do the world a great favor if I would go out and hang myself. He did not want a gospel tract, nor would he listen to me in any way. I needed to be delivered from him, so I went and stood on another corner, some distance away, and he did not bother me anymore.
We should be ready to speak to anyone about the Lord, but sometimes we encounter people who fit into our verse today — those who are “bad and evil.” Then we need to ask the Lord to deliver us from them. We can continue to pray for them, but it is a waste of our time to try and speak to them. They will only occupy our minds with wrong things, for they do not have faith, nor are they interested in having it.

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

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“We exhort you, brethren…to be quiet and mind your own affairs, and work with your own hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:10-11 JND).
“For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies” (2 Thessalonians 3:11).
Evidently there was a real problem in Thessalonica with this kind of people, for the Apostle Paul mentions it in both of the epistles he wrote to them. It is easy for us to wish to be involved in other people’s affairs, and to be so busy in this that we do not look after our own affairs properly. It is nice to inquire about others when we wish to be a help to them, and especially when they are in trouble, but idle curiosity that wants to know everything about everyone else is really nothing but gossip. This almost always leads to trouble, for things get repeated and often exaggerated, so that what is said is not even true. This causes hard feelings and eventually may destroy our Christian fellowship with others.
It is important to mind our own business, unless the Lord leads us to seek out someone else who really needs help. Then let us keep to ourselves anything that we may know about them.

Monday, May 15, 2023

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“Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us” (1 Thessalonians 2:18).
In our Christian life we will find that when we feel led to do something for the Lord, Satan may well be there to throw up roadblocks in front of us. We must remember, of course, that the Lord is over all things, and that Satan cannot do anything to us unless He allows it. But all the same, we must recognize that Satan is always trying and stop the work of the Lord.
Some years ago I had invited a young man to a gospel meeting, and he promised to come. When he did not show up, I called him the next day. He said that suddenly his sister had come home from a distant city, and that his parents had hosted a family dinner at his home that evening. I am sure Satan arranged all that, so that my friend would not hear the gospel.
Satan has some power but the Lord’s power is greater. If we have a sense in our souls that we are doing what the Lord would have us do, we can recognize Satan’s hindrances, and ask the Lord to help us overcome them.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

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“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
The Jewish nation surely had had plenty of evidence as to who the Lord Jesus was. He had fulfilled every prophecy about Himself in the Old Testament scriptures. The Romans too had observed Him throughout His earthly ministry; they certainly knew what He had been doing, and all the miracles He had performed. But when they crucified the Lord Jesus, He gave them “the benefit of the doubt,” as we might say, and asked that they be forgiven. He said that they did not know what they were doing.
In some ways this was true, for they did not realize the purposes of God in it all. All they knew was that they hated the Lord Jesus for exposing their sin, and they wanted to get rid of Him. But how gracious the Lord was to say those words, as they drove nails into his hands and feet! This is the first of seven things that the Lord Jesus said when He was on the cross.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

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“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation (conduct), in charity (love), in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
When I was young I really liked this verse. Sometimes people did not want to listen to me because I was young, and I thought that the Apostle Paul “had it right” when he told Timothy not to allow anyone to despise his youth. But then I had to learn to read the rest of the verse. If Timothy were going to get respect from others, he needed to cultivate the qualities that would earn that respect. His speech, conduct, love, etc. all needed to be a good example to others.
It is the same today. Even though we are young we like to be respected, and that is good. But then the way we live, talk, and interact with others needs to be Christ-like. Then we will find that others, and especially older believers, will respect us. As we have often heard before, our actions are more important than what we say, and what we are is more important than what we do. If Christ is our object, then our life will reflect what He is.

Friday, May 12, 2023

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“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).
There are different crowns mentioned in the Bible as rewards that the Lord will give us for faithfulness to Him in this world. To win this crown, it is important to hold onto the instruction and teaching that the Lord has given us. I have often seen small children hold onto something very tightly; why do they do that? It is because they are afraid that another child may take it from them. If we value the truth and blessing that the Lord has given us, we will want to enjoy it and walk in it. But if we give it up, the Lord may give it to someone else. Then in a coming day we will feel the loss when we see someone wearing a crown that we might have had.
If you are growing up in a Christian home, you have been given much from the Lord. It is important to appreciate it, and to live it out in your life. Satan wants you to give it up, so it takes effort to hold onto it, but it will be worth it when we stand before the Lord Jesus someday, and hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21).

Thursday, May 11, 2023

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“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep” (Acts 13:36).
Perhaps we can close this series of meditations on David with a verse about him from the New Testament. David had his failures, but overall he was a faithful man, king, and inspired writer. When he did fail, he always repented of his sin and was restored to the Lord.
Here in our verse today we read that he served his own generation, and then “fell on sleep,” which simply means that he died. This is important for all of us to understand. Different generations have different needs, and God raises up those who will serve a particular generation. Then He calls them home and raises up others to serve a new generation.
Those in my age group are getting to the end of any service we can be for the Lord in this world, and if He does not come, we too will be taken home. But then the Lord looks to younger ones like yourselves to step up and take our place. This is something to think about, even at a young age. Are you willing to serve your generation for the Lord?

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

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“So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron…and they anointed David king over Israel” (2 Samuel 5:3).
David had been anointed king many years before, probably when he was still a teenager. Yet it had taken all this time for him actually to be made king. He had begun to reign over Judah when he was thirty years old, but did not become king over all Israel until he was thirty-seven. That was a long time to wait!
However, it is always good to wait the Lord’s time in our lives. David learned some valuable lessons while he was running from Saul; he learned to trust the Lord completely, and he maintained this faith the rest of his life. Many of the psalms were written during this time, and they are wonderful expressions of how David experienced God’s care for him.
Sometimes we too may have to go through some hard experiences in our lives, but let us remember that the Lord has blessing for us at the end. If we go through the trouble with Him, we learn things from the difficulties in our lives, and the Lord has promised to bring us through them. We will get the victory in the end!

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

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“And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 27:1).
Here we find a rather low point in David’s life. David and Abishai, one of his men, had just gone down into Saul’s camp at night, while they were all asleep, and taken Saul’s cruse (jug) of water and his spear. David had returned the spear to Saul, and Saul had admitted to David that he was wrong to keep trying to kill him. Yet in spite of this encouragement from the Lord, David became discouraged, and went over to the Philistines, who were the enemies of Israel.
It can be this way in our lives, too. Satan often attacks us after a victory, and persuades us that it is not worth it to follow the Lord. He tells us that we will have an easier path if we become a friend of the world. But the Word of God says, “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). The Lord preserved David, but he got into some serious difficulties as a result of this decision. Read about it in 1 Samuel, chapters 29 and 30.

Monday, May 8, 2023

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“And he (David) arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city” (1 Samuel 20:42).
“And David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house” (1 Samuel 23:18).
Jonathan was a good friend of David’s, and he encouraged David several times, even going down to the wilderness to visit him, when Saul was trying to kill him. Yet in both cases recorded in our verses today, he went back to the city and to his house. He was a king’s son, and perhaps the thought of “camping out” in the woods for an extended period of time did not appeal to him. He was unwilling to go into rejection with David. As a result, he died in the battle on Mount Gilboa later on.
Jonathan is like the Christian who does not want to share rejection with Christ. We can be true believers and really love the Lord, yet be unwilling to take our place outside of this world. But if we follow the Lord Jesus, we must be willing to go into rejection with Him, even if it means separating from close relatives, and perhaps some of the comforts we may be used to having. Christ must have the first place in our lives!

Sunday, May 7, 2023

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“And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, “Wherefore shall he (David) be slain? What hath he done? And Saul cast a javelin at him (Jonathan) to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David” (1 Samuel 20:32-33).
Saul was envious of David, because David was braver and more highly thought of than Saul himself. Several times in the past, when David was playing the harp for Saul, to soothe him and refresh his spirit, Saul had thrown a javelin at him, trying to kill him. Eventually David fled for his life, but Jonathan, Saul’s son, was a good friend of David’s. When Jonathan defended David to Saul, Saul actually threw the javelin at his own son!
In this story, David is a picture of the Lord Jesus, and the world, so to speak, has already thrown the javelin at Him, by nailing Him to the cross. But now that they cannot touch the Lord Jesus, they will throw the javelin at you and me as Christians, if we speak well of the Lord Jesus. Let us be prepared for this, for the Lord Jesus said, “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).

Saturday, May 6, 2023

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“And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways” (1 Samuel 18:14).
“Saul saw that he (David) behaved himself very wisely” (1 Samuel 18:15).
“David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul” (1 Samuel 18:30).
In spite of his victory over Goliath, David found himself in a difficult situation. The people praised him, and liked him better than king Saul. Saul hated David as a result, and wanted to get rid of him. But David acted properly before the Lord, and was wise in how he conducted himself. He was loyal to Saul, yet kept careful watch on the whole situation, for he knew he was in danger.
We get good advice in the New Testament for similar situations. The Lord Jesus told his disciples to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). What does this mean? It means that we are to show this world the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). At the same time, we are to remember that we are in an enemy’s land. We are to behave ourselves wisely, watching out for attacks of Satan, and relying on the Lord to keep us.

Friday, May 5, 2023

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“And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine (Goliath)…Saul said unto him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite” (1 Samuel 17:57-58).
As we saw yesterday, Saul had already become familiar with David, for David had played his harp to drive away the evil spirit that troubled Saul. Yet later, when David went out and killed Goliath, Saul had no idea who he was. This seems strange to us, for evidently Saul liked David, and he had been Saul’s armorbearer, at least for a while (1 Samuel 16:21). But it seems that by the time Goliath appeared, David had returned home again and Saul had forgotten him.
This is often the way it is with the Christian and this world. They may be glad for us to soothe and comfort them when they are in trouble, but when it comes to fighting the Lord’s battles, they do not recognize us. Saul was glad when David played the harp for him, but did not like it when David’s courage exposed Saul’s weakness. As we shall see, from this point on Saul became David’s enemy. Likewise, when we preach Christ to this world, we will become their enemy.

Thursday, May 4, 2023

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“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23).
Earlier in our chapter, we read that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and instead an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. Even his servants had enough discernment to recognize this. It was doubtless one of Satan’s demons that the Lord allowed to torment Saul. He himself should have recognized this, and judged the sin that he had done.
But David, a man of God, could play on his harp so that the evil spirit left him; it could not torment Saul in David’s presence. You and I may not often have to face evil spirits, but a godly Christian can often be a comfort even to a worldly person who is troubled. I have seen sinful worldly people who were happy for a short time when they were in the company of some happy Christians, because of the peaceful atmosphere. But unless they accept Christ as their Savior, the problem will return, for like Saul, they are not dealing with the root of their trouble. But it is a good testimony to show them the peace that Christ gives us.

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

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“And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him” (1 Samuel 16:17-18).
As we saw yesterday, David was the youngest in his family, and they did not even think to call him when Samuel came to anoint the future king of Israel. Yet somehow David had earned a very good reputation already, for one of Saul’s servants knew all about him, and gives this very glowing report of David’s character and abilities. Most important, the servant reported that “the Lord is with him.”
Even though we may be young and not too well known, yet if we are walking with the Lord, and using our abilities for His glory, we will be noticed by others. Not that we serve the Lord in order to be noticed, but as our light shines for the Lord, others will be aware of us. The time had come for David to be useful outside his own family, and the servant is able to give testimony to David’s good character.

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

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“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
It is very common in this world for people to be captivated with the outward appearance of others, but this can be deceiving. We all tend to like people who are good looking and physically strong. Even the prophet Samuel was at first impressed with David’s older brothers, but the Lord had to remind him that what was in the heart was more important. David’s father did not even think to call him to come before Samuel at first, for he was the youngest in the family, and was out looking after the sheep. But when the Lord refused all the other seven brothers, Samuel insisted on calling David, and the Lord told him to anoint David king over Israel. He was a man after God’s own heart.
Even as Christians we can be influenced by the outward appearance of others, but let us remember what the Lord said, and rather look on the heart. That is what really counts in the Lord’s eyes!

Monday, May 1, 2023

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“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5).
About 75 years ago there were two brothers in Ireland, and one of them emigrated to the U.S.A. After some years the one in America visited his brother back in Ireland. The one in Ireland was so glad to see him, and invited him to sit down and talk. He remarked, “When the Lord made time, He made lots of it!” The one from America retorted, “I think He made only half as much in America!”
There are many demands on our time today, even as children and young people. We may have to “redeem the time,” which means to buy it back. To find time for the Lord, and to use every available opportunity to do something, or say something, for Him, we may have to give up doing something else. If we are not careful, Satan will make sure that all our time is used up with the things of this world, and then there is none left to use for the Lord. It is important to make time for the Lord’s things, for they are the only things that will last for eternity.
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