Young People’s Blog

“Those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:17).

In this chapter of Proverbs, wisdom is spoken of as if it were a person — a woman. She makes herself easily available to anyone who wants wisdom. In the beginning of the chapter, she cries “at the gates” of the city, and “standeth in the top of high places.” She is easy to see! Later in the chapter, we find that wisdom is Christ Himself, for Christ is the wisdom of God for our pathway in this world. Also, we find that Christ takes a real interest in us, for He says, “My delights were with the sons of men” (Proverbs 8:31).

However, we must do our part too, for we must want to get wisdom from God. It is important to seek this wisdom early in our lives, as today’s verse teaches us. God makes it available to us, but He does not force it on us. But those who seek for wisdom early will find her and get the benefit of her guidance. We need guidance from God today, more than ever before.

“Put them in mind…to be ready to every good work” (Titus 3:1).

In James 4:4 we read that “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” We should not be part of this world, so that they consider us to be “one of them.” However, when someone is in trouble, we Christians ought to be the first ones to come and help. Some years ago, there was a severe earthquake in the state of Gujarat, in India. Many Christians from all over India came up to help with food, water, shelter, blankets, etc., and also to help them rebuild their homes. It was a good testimony, and those Christians were able to share the gospel with many of those people who were suffering.

If our neighbors and others whom we know are in any need, let us be ready to help. But let us remember that we do not help just because we are part of the community. We help because we belong to Christ. When we speak to people, it is important to give the Lord the credit for what we do.

“In all things affording thyself [showing yourself] as a pattern of good works…a sound [good] word, not to be condemned; that he who is opposed may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us” (Titus 2:7-8 JND).

The character of the Cretian people had been rather bad for hundreds of years, and Paul mentions this in Titus chapter 1. This tendency was hard to overcome, even when some of them got saved. But it was important for the Christians on that island to be good examples of Christ, and especially in the way they talked. This world is watching us, and will quickly notice something in our talk that is not right. They will take every opportunity to find something wrong and use it to oppose us.

But if we are careful, and ask the Lord to help us, then we can avoid saying wrong things. The result will be that unbelievers will be ashamed of themselves, when they cannot find something with which to accuse us. The world may not like us, but we should not give them a chance to say evil things of us.

“He shall see of the travail [hard work] of His soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11).

Have you ever spent a lot of time making something, but then were not satisfied with it? Or have you ever spent a lot of money buying something you really wanted, only to be disappointed in it? I have done both of those things at different times in my life. I wished I had never bothered to make some of the things I thought I could make, and I wished I had not spent my money on some of the things I bought. But when the Lord Jesus has us up there with Him in heaven, and sees us in the perfection that He has made us, He will be totally satisfied.

It cost the Lord Jesus all His suffering in the three hours of darkness on the cross, in order to have us up there with Him. We will never be able to understand all that He suffered. Yet in that day He will say, “It was all worthwhile!” How great His love is!

“These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14).

This verse is also speaking about the Lord Jesus, but it is not talking about the creation of this world in Genesis 1. Yes, the Lord Jesus was the Creator of this world at that time, but here it is speaking of new creation. What do we mean by that?

The present creation has been spoiled by sin, and continues to suffer under sin. But eventually sin will be completely removed from this entire universe, because this universe will be burned up. Then God will make a “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). The Lord Jesus is the beginning of all this, for it is because of His suffering on Calvary’s cross that sin will be eventually removed from this world.

You and I, if we are truly saved, are already part of that “new creation,” for we read in 2 Corinthians 5:17 JND, “So if any one be in Christ, there is a new creation.” We look forward to the time when the new creation will be complete, and sin gone forever.

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).

This beginning brings us to the time when the Lord Jesus became a man, and was born into this world. It was a wonderful beginning, for man could see, hear, and touch the Lord Jesus. He was a real man like us, only without sin, but He was God too. He was God and man in one Person. When He came into this world, it was the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the word gospel means “good news.” At last there was some good news for sinful men, for God was going to accomplish a work through His beloved Son that would enable us to be saved. It was indeed a wonderful beginning!

Men like the Apostle John, the Apostle Peter, and the other disciples, had all seen, heard, and touched the Lord Jesus. They were able to write about that wonderful beginning, for they had seen it all.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 JND).

Here we have another beginning, when the universe, including this earth, was created. We do not know how long ago this was; it could have been millions of years, or even more.  God has not told us. But He has told us that He created this universe; that means He made it out of nothing. Yet He specially marked out this earth as a place in which to work out His purposes, and to honor His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus.

It is interesting and helpful to notice that the word used for God in this verse is the Hebrew word for God in plural — that is, more than two. However, the verb “created” is in the singular. This shows us the truth that God is a Trinity of three Persons, yet acting as one God.

Later in Genesis 1:26, we read, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Here is the Trinity taking consultation within itself, when the important question of making man came up. For that reason it says, “Let us make.” How accurate the Word of God is!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

“Our Lord Jesus Christ…dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto” (1 Timothy 6:14,16).

“After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

Before we go on to another beginning, I would like to explain the word “trinity” a little. This word does not appear in the Bible, but it is a good word to know, for it describes what the Bible teaches about God being three Persons in one — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three Persons of God are distinct, yet always work together in perfect harmony. God the Father is the One who starts the purposes, God the Son carries them out, and the power to do so is the Holy Spirit. Every action of God is like this, whether creation, redemption, resurrection, judgment, etc.

This was not made clear until the New Testament, when the Lord Jesus came down into this world as a Man, and revealed the Father. He also spoke of the Holy Spirit, and we know that it came down and rested upon Him, as we get in Matthew 3:16-17. Since this wonderful revelation, we as Christians now know God as our Father, Christ as our Savior, and the Holy Spirit as the One who lives within us. It is wonderful to live at a time when we can know all this!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2).

The Bible talks about a number of beginnings, and I would like to look at some of them over the next few days. The beginning in our verses today goes back the furthest, for it is a beginning that was before anything else that had a beginning. God uses the word “beginning” because it is impossible for us, as humans with limited minds, to wrap our minds around the thought of eternity. But these verses teach us that God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is called “the Word” in these verses, existed from a past eternity. He had no beginning, but was a distinct divine Being, was “with God,” and was God.

Sad to say, there are those today who deny these precious truths. But God’s Word tells us the truth, even though we cannot totally understand it. We accept by faith what God says, and enjoy it.

“The truth which is after godliness” (Titus 1:1).

“The doctrine which is according to godliness” (1 Timothy 6:3).

In these verses we have both doctrine (teaching) and truth, and they are said to be “after” or “according to” godliness. This means simply that good spiritual teaching, and the truth of the Word of God, will result in godliness in our lives. If we listen to good teaching, learn the truth of God, and then apply it in our lives, it will make us more like Christ. Also, it will honor God, and bring glory to Him. Bad teaching always results in sin and takes away from God’s glory.

There is a simple test we can apply to any kind of spiritual teaching — does it honor God, or does it honor man? If it honors man it is always bad teaching, for good teaching and God’s truth always honor God.

Many of those to whom Timothy and Titus were sent came from bad backgrounds, and even as Christians they needed to be reminded not to allow bad teaching to spoil their Christian lives. We need to be on guard for this too.