Young People’s Blog

Review

“I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways…I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy Word” (Psalm 119:15-16).

In a world of cell phones and speed dialing, our ability to remember may be short-circuited by reliance on technological gadgets. A study on this subject concluded that, in the past, as we dialed numbers, the repetition slowly etched them into our long-term memory. I used to know many of the numbers of friends and family, but today all I need to do is press a button.

Letting a phone number slip our minds may be trivial, but keeping a mental grip on the Word of God is vital. Someone has said that the three principles of Scripture memory are, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! It is also good to memorize the reference with the text. That way, you will be able to find it when the need arises.

The goal of etching Scripture in our minds is to have it fill our hearts and motivate our actions. Memorizing opens the mental door to God’s Word. Review helps to give it a permanent home in our hearts.

Self-Discipline

“The fruit of the Spirit is…temperance (self-control)” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word discipline in the following way:

Discipline (verb): To train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control…to bring under control.

Another online site states, “When you have discipline you have self-control.”

The Bible says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit (self-control) is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).

I read recently of a group of students at a private school who wrote the headmaster the following: “We want more freedom, less homework, more TV and entertainment time, and no curfew limit.” They wanted to have what they thought was true liberty, and exemption from rules and regulations. But freedom is not the right to do what I want but the power to do what I ought.

As believers we need, in the power of the Spirit and the divine life we have in Christ, to practice self-discipline…self-control. This in itself is a great testimony to a world where self-indulgence is constantly preached and practiced.

Full Control

• Elijah was fed by ravens: “I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there” (1 Kings 17:4).

• Daniel spent a night with lions: “They brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions” (Daniel 6:16).

• Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of a fish: “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah” (Jonah 1:17).

• The Apostle Paul had his hand seized by a poisonous snake, but was unharmed: “There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand” (Act 28:3).

• When Peter needed money to pay his tax, the Lord used a fish: “Cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money” (Matthew 17:27).

These instances show that our God is in full control of every level of creation and cares about us at all times. So why does our faith waver when we are faced with unusual or difficult circumstances? It is because we have not fully learned the truth of the verse,

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Straight Ahead

Colin Luther Powell, the American statesman and retired four-star general, once made the following statement:

“Always focus on the front windshield and not the rearview mirror.”

While this may be sound advice for driving a vehicle or a good metaphor for getting along in the world, reading this quote reminded me of something the Apostle Paul said in regard to our Christian life as well. “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Paul had a very checkered past which he had judged and left behind. Now he had Christ as his object and heaven as his goal. There was no looking back or turning back. He was heeding the words of Solomon, who wrote, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee” (Proverbs 4:25).

Maybe there are things that have not been right in your near or distant past. Don’t let them spoil your joy in the Lord today. Judge them and press on in the path of faith. Look straight ahead and follow Christ, our one great object.

Dear Young Christian,

Recently I heard someone say, “When you fall, the best way to get back on your feet is to get down on your knees.”

It reminded me of the verses, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand” (Psalm 37:23-24).

Our enemy, Satan, is always trying to trip us up so that we stumble and fall. He is clever and powerful, and often he may succeed in getting us down and discouraged. But we don’t have to stay down. There is always the resource and power of prayer. Have you ever noticed that, when you go to get up off the ground, you invariably start with a kneeling position? Just so, when we fall spiritually we can begin to rise by being on our knees. If you feel like you have hit bottom, look to the Lord, and remember that He is “able to keep you from falling” (Jude 24), and, when you do fall, He is able to lift you up again. The Psalm writer said, “Thou hast delivered…my feet from falling” (Psalm 116:8).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

The Lamb

The Lamb of God is one of the most unique titles given to God’s Son. When John the Baptist saw the Lord Jesus walking towards Him, he exclaimed in spontaneous tribute, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The next day, when John again saw Him, he declared, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36).

This was the One of whom it had been prophesied, “God will provide Himself a Lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). “The Lamb” sums up the obedience, the love, the sacrifice, the suffering, and the triumph of Christ.

It is the Lamb and His worthiness that will occupy us for all eternity!

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain…And they sung a new song…And I heard the voice of many…Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation 5:6,9,11-12).

How thankful we can be today for that sacrifice of the Lamb of God. He is worthy of all worship and praise!

Saved?

Recently I was passing by a large graveyard in Carmel, Indiana and noticed a large tombstone with its back to the street. In large engraved letters that could not be missed by passersby, the question was asked:

IS

YOUR

SOUL

SAVED?

It reminded me of the verse concerning Abel’s testimony: “And by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4).The person whose body lies beneath that gravestone in Carmel is, evidently, “Absent from the body…present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).Yet their testimony lives on and they still speak to passersby through the words on their stone.

How about you? Are you saved? If you were to be buried in a local cemetery later this week, would you be “with Christ; which is far better” (Philippians 1:23)? And would you be able to give testimony as to your salvation and the need for others to be saved from the inscription on your tombstone? If not, be saved right now!

Pleasing the Lord

“Do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

Who do you want to please?

Every young Christian (and older one, too), down deep in their heart wants to please the Lord. However, if we are not careful, we may find ourselves trying to please people and in so doing compromise the Word of God. Paul’s desire after he was saved was, first and foremost, to please the Lord. The question he asked on the road to Damascus carried through his whole life: “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). Later on, he encouraged the brethren in Ephesus to live and to walk to please the Lord, “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).

Here is an example of a man who lived to please God at a very difficult time in the history of the world. “Enoch…had this testimony, that He pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

Solomon concluded,

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7).

True Happiness

“Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord”
(Psalm 144:15).

Have you ever sat on a bench in a shopping mall and watched people walking by, or sat in an airport and observed those who are hurrying to catch a plane? If you have, you’ve probably noticed many faces that seem distant or unhappy. I have noticed many blank stares that may be the result of stark, cold humanism and selfish living. Yes, the world is certainly filled with a lot of unhappy people.

Does this description apply to you? If so, ask yourself, Why? Even Christians can fall into this trap and find themselves in a state of unhappiness. Sad to say, there are many true believers who are living for themselves and wondering where their joy has gone. Only a life lived for Christ and in the service of others is a truly happy life.

When the Queen of Sheba visited king Solomon, one of the things she noted regarding the men and servants of his court was, “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom” (1 Kings 10:8).

Could someone say that about you?

Negativity

“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured” (1 Corinthians 10:10).

The following story is told of a farmer who was prone to focus more on the negative than the positive:

One bright sunny day, a neighbor stopped by and commented on the farmer’s wonderful bumper crop. “You must be extremely happy with this year’s harvest,” he said.

“Well, yes, it looks like an extra good one, but a bumper crop is awfully hard on the soil.”

Yes, if we are not careful, it is easy to focus on the bad and the negative. Our verse today tells us that the children of Israel often did this during their forty years journey through the wilderness. Negativity leads to murmuring and complaining, unthankfulness and faultfinding. This attitude then leads to discouragement and, ultimately, sin. We read that, “When the people complained, it displeased the Lord” (Numbers 11:1).

It is easy to develop a critical, grumbling attitude. But let’s focus today on the good things that the Lord is doing in our lives. If you do this, you will find that you have every reason to be thankful!