Young People’s Blog

“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption” (Galatians 6:7-8).

We all know that if we sow a certain type of seed, we will reap that kind of plant and its fruit. So it is in all of our lives, even as Christians. We may know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, but if we deliberately allow our old sinful nature (the flesh) to act in our lives, we will reap the fruit of it. We will have an unhappy life with many troubles and difficulties.

I have known a number of dear believers who thought that because they were already saved, they could allow the old sinful nature to act freely in their lives. It is true that once we are truly saved, we can never be lost again, but we can have an unhappy life, with little that is for the Lord’s glory. Tomorrow we will see a better way.

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

“For every man shall bear his own burden” (Galatians 6:5).

At first glance, it appears that these two verses contradict one another, for each is the opposite of the other. However, God’s Word never contradicts itself.

In the first verse, the Greek word for burden has the thought of an intolerable heavy burden that might occasionally come upon someone, such as a natural disaster, a serious illness, the loss of one’s job, a terrible accident, etc. Then we are to help one another.

In verse five, the word for burden is different. It has the thought of normal, everyday responsibilities, such as providing for our own food, clothing, and shelter, looking after our families, paying our taxes, etc. We should not expect others to do all that for us: it is our proper responsibility.

We need wisdom from the Lord to know when to help others, and when to allow them to look after their own needs. We should always be ready to help in a case of need, but we should not encourage others to be lazy.

“It is an honor for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it” (Proverbs 20:3 JND).

Perhaps 150-200 years ago, it was common for men to fight duels. If one man insulted another, the one who was insulted might challenge the insulter to a duel. Should the insulter refuse to fight, he was regarded as a coward. These duels were serious, for since they fought with pistols, it was not unusual for one man to be killed.

However, it sometimes happened that the one who was insulted would say, “It is not worth fighting about. I can simply let it go.” He might be regarded as a man who would not stand up for himself, but our verse today says that it is an honor to cease from strife. Is it worth another man’s life just to avenge an insult? No, it is not, and the Word of God calls him a fool who rushes into strife just to have revenge.

“Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15).

When I was a boy, many country roads were not paved; they were gravel roads. When the weather got dry in the summer, vehicles traveling along those roads would raise clouds of dust. None of us liked that, and my mother especially hated it, as it blew onto her freshly washed clothes that were hanging on the line.

Dust in Scripture speaks of desolation. When Adam sinned, God told him that he would eventually die and go back to dust. Although He too went into death, the body of the Lord Jesus never went into corruption, or turned back to dust. But He experienced all the sorrow of going through death, in order to put away your sins and mine. He was indeed brought into “the dust of death.”

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).

The Galatians had learned much from the Apostle Paul, and they really loved him. Yet, when he spoke faithfully to them about a wrong way by which they were trying to live their Christian lives, it seems that they quickly thought he was their enemy. He had to reassure them of his love for them, and how much he cared for them.

Why did the Galatians not want to hear the truth from Paul? It was because what he said crossed their wills, and reached their consciences. We do not like someone whose words go against our own will, or touch our consciences. Even as Christians, we have to realize that “the carnal mind is enmity against God” (Romans 8:7), and if we allow our old sinful nature to react, it will always react against the things of God. We need to recognize this, and to turn away from those wrong thoughts. Then the Spirit of God can show us what is right, according to God’s Word.

“Whatsoever things are true…honest…just…pure…lovely… of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

This verse makes me think of the coils in that lasso! This is a most practical way of bringing our thoughts into captivity, as yesterday’s verse told us to do.

It takes effort and concentration on our part to be thinking of things that are pure and lovely. Maybe someone has said some unkind and hurtful things to you or about you. The hurt just seems to be circling around in your mind and you can’t seem to get rid of those thoughts. Replace those thoughts with something positive.

Think of how our Lord Jesus was treated. Many were unkind and told lies about Him. They even said He had a devil. But He continued in doing good and lived His time on earth in peace. He has promised us this peace as well.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you” (John 14:27).

What a wonderful rope with which to encircle our wandering thoughts!

“Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

This verse makes me think of cattle roping. In the western USA and Canada, and in other countries, cowboys often need to bring in cattle from the open range. They do this on horseback using a lasso or lariat. There are various types of rope used, and the rope is always coiled and ready on the side of the saddle. Roping cattle is a skilled art that takes a lot of training and practice. It is beautiful to see in action.

Just like those wandering cattle, we have wandering thoughts, and the Lord instructs us to bring those thoughts into captivity. They may not always be wrong thoughts, but they can lead us off down a trail that takes us away from our Owner and Master (the Lord Jesus, if we know Him as Savior). He wants us to be near Him, and ready to be used for His purposes.

So how can we bring those thoughts into “captivity”? The lasso is always ready at the cowboy’s hand. It takes vigilance to have our mind clean, clear and “in sync” with our Master. Read something in the Word of God each morning before you start your day, and ask the Lord to bring it to your mind as you go through the day. Enjoy His Word. It can be an anchor for your mind and thoughts.

“He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding” (Proverbs 15:32).

Some time ago a man made this comment in a newspaper—“It is dangerous to point out to people that they are wrong. When was the last time someone thanked you for pointing out that he or she was in the wrong?” Usually, if we point out to someone that he or she is wrong about something, they will defend themselves rather than learning from the experience.

However, the Word of God tells us many times that wise men and women will accept correction and learn from it, instead of reacting against it. Four times in this one chapter (Proverbs 15) we are told to accept reproof.

The next time someone corrects you, and especially if that person knows more than you do, instead of automatically defending yourself, ask yourself, “Can I turn this into a chance to learn something?”

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

You young people know that many items of interest appear on the internet, and we can disregard almost all of them. However, one item caught my eye a few days ago. A question read something like this—“Is the soul of man immortal? Science may provide the answer.” Then, if you had wished, you could have clicked on the site, and found out what science had to say on the subject.

We must remember, however, that man is a discoverer, never a creator. Also, he cannot discover anything beyond this life; he must rely on divine revelation. God has already told us in His Word that man was given a “living soul”—one that will live forever. Also, God has warned us faithfully that death is not the end of man’s existence. “After this [death] the judgment.” We need not speculate on the matter, for science can never tell us the truth of these things. “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17).

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus…that if he found any of this way…he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).

“In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend [arrest] me: and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands” (2 Corinthians 11:32-33).

When I was young, I used to think that this event in the Apostle Paul’s life would have been rather exciting: to be trapped in a walled city guarded by soldiers, and to escape by being let down in a basket like this.

However, it is recorded for us because it was probably one of the most humiliating experiences Paul ever had. Remember that he had ridden to the city on horseback, a proud man, and at the head of a band soldiers who came to arrest any Christians they found. Now, having become a believer himself, he is compelled to sneak out of the city at night, let down in a basket, in order to avoid being arrested himself. All his pride was gone; he was now a persecuted man, and despised by this world.

All this is a good lesson for us. If we want to follow Christ, the world will despise us, and it is a humbling experience. But it is worth it, for we have Christ!