Young People’s Blog

“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.

“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!

“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.

“They that sit in the gate speak against Me; and I was the song of the drunkards” (Psalm 69:12).

The men that sat in the gate were the leaders — the government of the city. They were the important people; they sat in the place where decisions were made, and judgments were carried out. The drunkards were the lower class of people who wasted their time, drank alcohol and caused trouble. But when it came to liking or disliking the Lord Jesus, all of them agreed together; they did not want Him.

Often in human society at least one class of people will like a particular person, even if others do not. But all of society wanted to get rid of the Lord Jesus. We find out why in John 7:7 — “The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” Everyone hated the Lord Jesus because He told them that they were sinners before God and needed a Savior. Do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior?

“By my God have I leaped over a wall” (Psalm 18:29).

“He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places” (Psalm 18:33).

Some years ago, I took our dog out for a walk through a big farm behind our house. Suddenly two deer jumped out of a drainage channel and began to run across the pasture. Our dog was young and strong, and immediately chased after them. But after a few minutes the deer came to a fence. They gracefully leaped over it, while the dog had to stop and give up the chase.

Here in our verses today David is speaking of how the Lord enabled him to leap over a wall, a picture of how he leaped over difficulties in his life, but then, in verse 33, he says that the Lord made his feet like hinds’ feet. A hind is another name for a deer. This time David does not come down on the other side; he remains on high places. It is one thing to leap over a problem in our life, but the Lord also wants us to remain on a high place. By faith we can live above the difficulties in our lives, if our hearts and minds are occupied with Christ. It does not mean that we are indifferent to the problems in life, but with Christ we can enjoy something better.

“Continue in prayer…praying also for us” (Colossians 4:2-3).

When we pray, we usually pray for ourselves, and perhaps for others who seem to be in difficulties, or are sick, or perhaps seem to find it hard to go on in their Christian lives. All that is very good, but here we find the Apostle Paul, possibly the greatest servant the Lord ever had, asking the Colossians to pray for him. It is true that he was in prison when he wrote this, but first of all he wanted them to pray that the Lord would open a door for him to preach, and second, that he would be faithful in preaching what he should preach.

Paul was a strong Christian who was a help to others, but he still valued the prayers of his brethren. Sometimes we do not think we need to pray for older Christians who have walked with the Lord for many years, but they need our prayers too. Satan specially attacks those who are living well for the Lord; let us remember to pray for them.

“The assembly; of which I became minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given me towards you to complete the Word of God” (Colossians 1:25 JND).

Sometimes people will try to tell us that someone today is a great prophet, and that he or she has a special revelation from God. Muhammad claimed to have a special new revelation from God; so did Ellen White, who started the Seventh Day Adventist church. Joseph Smith, who started the Mormon church, claimed to have found some golden plates with special things written on them. Mary Baker Eddy, who founded the Christian Science church, also claimed special new truth.

If we believe the Bible, none of these claims can be true, for the Apostle Paul tells us that he was given the responsibility to “complete the Word of God.” This does not mean that no one wrote after him, for certainly men like the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation and possibly his epistles after Paul. But he did not teach any new doctrine or truth; he merely filled in details on what was already written. There cannot be any new revelation today, for the Bible is complete.

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him” (Colossians 2:6-7).

“That ye, being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17).

Good root systems are very important to plants. I live in a very rocky area, part of the Canadian shield. The rock is close to the surface of the ground, and the topsoil is only about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm.) deep in many places. In the hot summer, the rocks heat up as well as the air, and the grass is caught between hot air on the surface and the warm rocks underneath. It tends to get brown quickly if there is not enough rainfall. Out in western Canada and western U.S.A., where it is not so rocky, prairie grasses often have roots going down 15 feet (about 4.5 meters) or more. Shrubs and bushes also send their roots down a long way.

In our Christian life, good roots are also important. This means enjoying all that we have in Christ, and feeding our souls with the truth of His Word. It also means enjoying His love in our hearts. Then we will have strong roots, and strong roots produce good fruit.

“For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

We all like to be treated as if we were important, and we all like to be praised for what we have done, especially if we have done something special. It is not wrong to praise others for doing something well, but if we need a steady diet of praise in our lives, then this is wrong. To need to be constantly praised is really pride, and pride is at the top of the list of things that God hates.

We read in the Bible that the Lord Jesus “made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). He was the only One who had a right to be served, yet He served others instead. Now He calls us to follow Him, and to humble ourselves.

We might ask why pride is so wrong. The reason is that pride takes away from God’s glory and gives it to you and me. If we have been able to do anything right, it is only because God gave us the ability to do it. He is the only One who is worthy of all praise! If we humble ourselves in this world, God will exalt us in a coming day.

“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15).

“They have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 12:2).

The first verse today is so important that it is repeated eight times in the Bible. Why is this? It is because we sometimes do not pay attention to what is being said to us. Maybe you have had your parents, or a teacher at school, tell you to “listen up!” We may appear to be listening, but our minds are on something else. We are probably all familiar with the saying, “It went in one ear and out the other.”

The second verse tells us about people (in this case, the people of Israel) who did not want to hear; their hearts were rebellious, and they would not listen. Are we willing to listen to what the Lord has to say to us? What God says to us is always very important, and we need to pay attention to it. God does not speak to us now in an audible voice, but He speaks through His Word. It is important to read it every day, and then to obey it.