Young People’s Blog

Contentment

“Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me” (Proverbs 30:8).

This is a very hard prayer to pray, but it’s a good one. To be content with what the Lord has given will save so much frustration and trouble. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). “And be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

More important is spiritual growth which is the result of eating convenient food and is so much more essential than worldly wealth. All the things in this world are going to be burned up. “The Heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment” (2 Peter 3:7). Only what’s done for the Lord will have lasting value. Reading this calendar will give you a small spiritual vitamin pill each day. But we can’t get too much of the Scriptures. Don’t forget to read a portion of the Word of God daily.

Young People of Scripture
Eutychus

“And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead” (Acts 20:9). To get the full story read Acts 20:7-12.

The name Eutychus means “well off,” and so he was. He was in company with the early Christians in the city of Troas and was, no doubt, a true believer himself. He had the privilege of being present for the breaking of bread on the first day of the week, and, on this particular day, had the privilege of listening to the ministry of the Apostle Paul. However, he tired of all that and sat in a window, a dangerous place — especially when one is tired and three stories up. The result was that he fell to the street, outwardly seemed dead, but eventually was revived and restored to his brethren.

There is a lesson to be learned from this. We can become spiritually sleepy leaving ourselves open for the world and fall from that place of privilege we have been brought to by grace. While there is always restoration available, there is spiritual hurt and loss as a result.We are exhorted, “Now it is high time to awake out of sleep” (Romans 13:11).

Comfort and Grace

Do you need comfort and grace for your circumstances and trials today?

Turn to…

“THE GOD

OF ALL COMFORT”

(2 Corinthians 1:3)

And to..

“THE GOD

OF ALL GRACE”

(1 Peter 5:10).

Injured

A giant gorilla can be gentle. However, when visiting the zoo, I have heard it roar and seen it beat its chest when injured. Christians, too, are often gentle until injured by others, including other believers. When we’re hurt, we want to roar and say, “I’ve got to stand for my rights. I’m not going to let that person push me around. I’m going to think of myself first.”

Here are some good verses to keep in mind when we feel that way:

• “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men” (2 Timothy 2:24).

•“Speak evil of no man … but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men” (Titus 3:2).

•“The wisdom that is from above is … gentle” (James 3:17)

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the new believers at Thessalonica, he reminded them, “We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children” (1 Thessalonians 2:7).

Remember too, “The fruit of the Spirit is … gentleness” (Galatians 5:22).

Dear Young Christian:

It is good for us to learn early in our Christian experience that the source of our strength and might is not within ourselves but in the Lord Jesus Christ in glory. The Apostle Paul learned this, and by divine inspiration wrote the following: “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power” (Colossians 1:11).

Are you strong physically but feel like you lack power in your Christian life? You will only have it as you walk each day conscious of the fact that your life is linked with the life of Christ in glory. That is the only source of true spiritual power. Without this divine power “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31).

Rely on the Lord’s power as you start your weekly routine. You may feel your own weakness, but “when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

The Father and the Son

“And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:2).

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17).

This story of Abraham and Isaac is one of the most beautiful foreshadowings of God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus going to the cross, and the Son being offered as the true burnt offering. It is summed up by these wonderful words: “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). “Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor” (Ephesians 5:2).

Today we remember that atoning work, realizing that for Isaac there was a substitute, “a ram caught in a thicket by his horns” (Genesis 22:13). However, for the Lord Jesus there was no substitute, He “offered Himself without spot to God” (Hebrews 9:14).

True Love

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

In this text we have the basics of the gospel and salvation.

• First, we have God’s very nature … “Herein is love.”

• Second, we have our attitude towards God … “not that we love God.”

• Third, we have His attitude towards us … “but that He loved us.”

• Fourth, we have God’s great provision … “and sent His Son.”

• Fifth, we have the sacrifice and work of Calvary … “to be the propitiation.”

• Sixth, we have the reason for the work … “for our sins.”

This is true love, love beyond any earthly love. Have you come to know the One who is the source of that love? Is He your Savior and Lord? “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9).

Confession

“If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).

If you are a real believer and have been disobedient in something, you will have a bad conscience about it. To clear your conscience, it is necessary to confess this sin to God when you are alone with Him in prayer. Tell Him that you did it and why you did it. Be specific!

That’s what confession means. Tell Him you’re sorry about it and desire to avoid doing it again. Every sin confessed in this way is immediately forgiven! “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

God will never change His mind about you or disown you. You have been bought with the precious blood of Christ. You are too valuable to Him to be lost! Here are words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself that were written for your assurance: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).

Our Shepherd

“He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out” (John 10:3).

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

Our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, desires that we follow Him. He calls us, we hear His voice, and we follow. How simple a formula this is, and yet how often we miss it. To follow the Good Shepherd is to experience His love, His care, and the joy and peace that result from obedience and the enjoyment of His presence and approval. When you doubt His wisdom and love, then repeat, with David, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psalm 23:1-6).

Our Purpose — Part 2

As mentioned yesterday our purpose in life should be fourfold. Here are the two further examples:

3. To edify and help our fellow believers:

The Lord as the perfect example said to His own, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace” (John 16:33).

We are told, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

4. To be God’s light to unbelievers:

Pilate said of the Lord, as the perfect example, “I find no fault in this Man” (Luke 23:4).

The Centurion gave a similar testimony: “Certainly this was a righteous Man” (Luke 23:47).

We are exhorted to “be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

It is only in this life that we have the privilege of living for Christ. Are we fulfilling the purpose we have been given by God?