Young People’s Blog

Stops & Steps

“At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents” (Numbers 9:18).

Recently, going through a difficult time in our lives, my wife and I were reminded of what an older sister in the Lord once said.“God guides by stops as well as steps.”My wife had jotted this down long ago in the flyleaf of an old Bible of hers, along with the above verse.

It was a timely reminder for us to realize that there are times when we follow the Lord and times when we stop and rest with Him. How good if we can listen and obey. Otherwise, we lag too far behind or we run too far ahead. Some of us are doers … multitaskers … activists … and we like to keep going. But, sometimes the word is “stop!” For me personally, this is perhaps the hardest thing of all. It reminds me of the word to Ruth from her mother-in-law, at a crossroads in their life. “Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day” (Ruth 3:18). Don’t forget the stops as well as the steps.

While We Are Young

On his 85^th birthday (June 17^th, 1788), the evangelist, John Wesley, wrote the following in his diary:

“I find some decay in my memory with regard to names and things lately past, but not at all with what I had read 20, 40, or 60 years ago.” (Paraphrase)

It certainly shows the importance of storing up our minds with that which is good, profitable, and spiritually edifying, during the years of our youth. Personally, I am finding out that what I read and study as I get older, I enjoy, but don’t retain as easily.

With this in mind, I want to encourage you to read and study the Word of God; memorize Scripture, read good Christ-exalting ministry, and learn good Biblically based hymns and spiritual songs. A little time and effort now in your youth will be a great blessing to you in the future. The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy, “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Monthly Scripture Reading

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Paradise

I am in Nassau, Bahamas today. The weather is great, not too hot, a nice ocean breeze, and sun shining down on what the advertisements call “a tropical paradise.” However, the truth of the matter is, while it may be tropical, it is far from paradise. Gang violence has increased, drugs and murders are rampant, and my room at night has burglar-bars on the window. There is no paradise this side of heaven! The word paradise appears three times in our English Bible.

First, in connection with the repentant thief on the cross. “Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Second, with regard to the Apostle’s Paul’s experience: “He was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:4).

Third, concerning the overcomer during the millennium: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).

The enjoyment of paradise is yet future, not here in this world so marred by sin and sorrow.

Dear Young Christian:

Did you attend some Bible meetings this past weekend? If so, remember, it is not enough to hear the Word of God ministered and explained, but we must take what we have heard and put it into practice. Otherwise, we are like the person described in the book of James: “For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:23-24).

Someone has well said, “Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them!” The mark of a spiritual person is that they not only hear the Word of God, but they do it. They are marked by obedience, and their life is governed by the precepts and principles of Scripture.

As we start out this week, let’s remember what we have heard this past weekend, and let’s pray the prayer of David, “Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God” (Psalm 143:10).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.

Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Three Facts

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Three glorious facts concerning the work of Christ:

1. He died:

“And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

2. He was buried:

“He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9).

3. He rose again:

“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

Trace through the Scriptures and you will see these three precious truths confirmed over and over again. The death, the burial, and the resurrection of Christ has been established beyond a shadow of a doubt. Worship and praise Him today for that wonderful work!

reparation

On the January page of a calendar hanging in our kitchen, there is a quote by American author, H. Jackson Brown Jr. This is what it says:

“The best preparation for tomorrow
is doing your best today.”

While this may be true in certain aspects of practical life, such as school, work, etc., yet, when it comes to eternity and where you will be in the next life, nothing could be farther from the truth. We are certainly told to make preparation for the future, and the Bible plainly states, “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12). We do well to raise the question, “How then do we prepare?”

Here are some verses that answer that question:

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved” (Isaiah 45:22).

“Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Have you made preparation for tomorrow? Are you ready if called today to leave this world for the next?

The Right Way

“The Lord God … led me in the right way”(Genesis 24:48).

“He led them forth by the right way” (Psalm 107:7).

“I have led thee in right paths” (Proverbs 4:11).

When we allow the Lord to lead, and follow that leading, then we can rest assured it is indeed “the right way.” It may not be the easiest way, and it may seem strange or even unjust, but it will be “the right way.” We may not understand why He has brought us this way and that, and why we have to stop here and there, and come to this place and that place, but it will be “the right way.”

Someday, when we are with the Lord in heaven, we will look back in retrospect and realize that it was “the right way.” We will also realize that when we chose our own way it was not for our good, and only caused us needless frustration and sorrow.

Let’s not be like those of whom it says, “Which have forsaken the right way” (2 Peter 2:15).

Let’s be like David, who prayed, “Lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:24).

Psalm 23 — Part 1

“A Psalm of David” (Title).

When reading the Psalms, it is important to realize that the titles of these Psalms were not added by the translators, but are part of the original manuscripts. Therefore, we conclude that they are part of the inspired word of God and worthy of consideration. The titles, which many of the psalms bear, often give us the author’s name and introduce the subject of the inspired writer. As we consider this Psalm, it is instructive to notice the author. David was one who in his younger days was a shepherd boy, and of whom his father, Jesse, could say, “Behold, he keepeth the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:11). What better person to write about the Lord as the Shepherd than one who understood what it was to care for, feed, water, lead, and protect a flock of sheep for his father.

This Psalm opens up to us abundant and endless thoughts and comforts of the Lord Jesus, who said,“I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep … . I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine” (John 10:11, 14). It is a psalm that is intensely personal, as is the care of the shepherd for each of his sheep individually.

A Small Miracle

The following is a note from one of our readers:

We recently experienced a small miracle at our house. Here is what happened:

We went to a Bible conference for the weekend, and, on our return, we were expecting company for lunch on Monday noon. Monday came, but with a slight disaster — the refrigerator quit. Mom called our good neighbor Jennifer, to see if we could borrow her large chest-cooler. Hearing about the fridge problem, Jennifer said, “Listen! My sister Gretchen just got a new fridge and stove set. The old one still works, and in fact we’re going over there tonight to get it. My husband said not to throw it out in case we, or you, need it. So, we’ll go and get it whenever you want!”

Jennifer and her husband went to Gretchen’s and brought over the fridge. We used it and entertained our guest successfully. It is still working, and we’ve used it ever since. It made me think of the verse: “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

Yes, the Lord is always doing small miracles in our lives!