Month: April 2015

Technology

“They that use this world, as not abusing it”
(1 Corinthians 7:31).

Technology can be a good servant, but also a hard master!

I am thankful for the technology that God has allowed man to develop, and it can be used to spread the gospel and the truth of Scripture in wonderful ways. In that context it can be a very good servant. Through technology the Bible is getting into dark corners of the world where it has never been before. Missionaries and servants of God are able to travel distances and to places that were unheard of a few years ago. So we use it, but we don’t abuse it.

However, the great danger with technology is that we become a slave to it, and that it becomes a hard master. It is good to stop and assess the situation from time to time, and ask ourselves, Am I using it for the Lord’s glory, and to simply get me through this world in the everyday circumstances of life, or am I letting it control my time and drain my spiritual energy? To a certain extent we need to keep up with technology for school and work, but don’t let it rob you of the enjoyment of your relationship with the Lord.

 

Eating

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16).

The more we eat, the more we want!

With our natural appetite, the more we eat, the less we want. It is quite different with our spiritual appetite — the less we eat, the less we want; and the more we eat, the more we want.

The less you read of Scripture, the less appetite you have for it. Habitual reading of the Word of God will give you a greater appetite, and will cause you to “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9). The Lord’s desire for us is that we would have a craving for the Word. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). The Bible is the only spiritual food that satisfies the spiritual appetite while we are here in this world. Let’s be like Job who said, “I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).

 

Alone

“I watch and am…alone” (Psalm 102:7).

I am writing this page while on the train from Menen, Belgium to the airport in Brussels. There are three of us traveling together, including my wife and another friend. We have had a happy time in western Europe, and have visited some isolated Christians whom we have come to know and love in the Lord over many years. Many have very little Christian fellowship as they live in areas where the light of Christianity is almost non-existent. In a real sense they go on alone with, and for, the Lord.

I have often wondered what it would be like to have to go on alone for the Lord, or with very little encouragement, even from close family. The Lord knew what it was to be alone. Many Christians are put to that test every day, and we need to pray for them. It is possible to live for the Lord even under those kinds of conditions, and just being with a large number of other Christians is no guarantee that we will continue on in the path or be kept pure. Solomon said, “I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.” (Proverbs 5:14).

 

Dear Young Christian:

Yesterday we considered the question “What think ye of Christ?” raised by the Lord Jesus as He addressed the Pharisees. But there is another very important part to that same question. The second part of the question is, “Whose son is He” (Matthew 22:42)? The answer that the Pharisees gave was, “The Son of David.” But the Lord went on to show them that He was far more than just the Son of David. He was the eternal Son of God.

Earlier in Matthew Peter declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). It is not only important, but imperative that we hold on to the truth that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God. When the Lord was on earth there were many who saw Him as simply being a good man, a prophet, and a great teacher. But, while it is true the Lord was all of those things, yet, He was more. John said, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Christ

“What think ye of Christ?” (Matthew 22:42).

The Psalmist said:

“Thou art fairer than the children of men” (Psalm 45:2).

The Bride said:

“He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend” (Song of Solomon 5:16).

Peter said:

“Lord…Thou knowest that I love Thee” (John 21:17).

Paul said:

“Christ is all (everything)” (Colossians 3:11).

What is your estimation of the Person of Christ? How much does He mean to you, and how deeply do you love Him? As you are occupied with His qualities and attributes, and as you remember and consider the work of Calvary today, your appreciation of the Lord Jesus will deepen. Then, as you go forth this week, the answer to the question, “What think ye of Christ?” will be found and seen in your everyday life and testimony.

 

The Entrance of the Word

“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

A poor man who had been deprived of a Bible all his life, because of the cost, was at last given the opportunity to secure one.

He read it daily with growing interest until one evening he said to his wife, “Let us read a chapter or so together, aloud every night.”

This they did. In about a week, during the reading session, the man suddenly stopped, and said, “Wife, if this Book is true, then we are wrong.”

A couple of evenings passed by when again the man stopped reading and said, “My dear, if this Book is true, then we’re lost.”

Now deeply anxious, he continued reading. By and by he stopped again, but this time his face lit up with joy and he exclaimed, “My good wife, if this Book is true, then we are saved.” He had experienced the truth of the verse, “The entrance of Thy words giveth light” (Psalm 119:130).

 

Monthly Question Page

Q. Who is the Messiah and what does the title mean?

A. Messiah is the English translation of the Hebrew word, “Mashiach,” and means “anointed.” In our English Bible the word, other than in Daniel, is often translated “Christ” or “the Christ.” This links Messiah and Christ together as being “the Anointed.” The Messiah is the only hope, not only for Israel, but for the Gentiles as well.

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:25-26). These verses show that although Israel was cut off from being a nation because of their rejection of their Messiah, yet He will establish them in Millennial blessing and reign over all the earth as “KING OF KINGS” (Revelation 19:16).

We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Egypt

As I indicated on Monday, I am in Egypt this week, and today I took an hour boat ride on the Nile through the heart of the city of Cairo, Egypt. Cairo is a city of almost 20 million people (estimated), and the Nile is considered the longest river in the world.

Egypt must have been a glorious nation in the days of Joseph and Moses. Today it is in economic, political, and religious turmoil. However, the following verses show that God will yet bless Egypt in a future day when He deals again with the prophetic earth. “And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it…Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance” (Isaiah 19:21, 25). (Read the verses in between the two quoted to get the full picture).

No doubt this blessing will be due to Egypt sheltering the children of Israel in the time of the seven-year famine, (Genesis 47), and sheltering the Lord as a young child from the hatred of Herod who wanted Him killed (Matthew 2:13).

 

Monthly Scripture Reading

John 1

16 And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared him.

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

 

Shopping Spree

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed” (Revelation 3:18).

“One of these days I must go shopping…”

I am completely out of self-respect.

I will exchange some self-righteousness for some humility, which is less expensive and wears better.

I need some tolerance which is really “in” this season.

Someone showed me some samples of peace. We are low on that, and one can never have too much.

I must try to match some patience that my neighbor wears. It might look good on me as well.

I’ll try on the garment of long-suffering that they are displaying. I never thought I wanted to wear it, but I feel myself coming to it.

I mustn’t forget to have my sense of appreciation mended with some inexpensive everyday goodness.

I wonder, does my transformation robe need patching a bit?