Young People’s Blog

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

It was a wonderful time at the beginning when the church of God was new, when everyone was together, and when there were no divisions or denominations. Here in our verse for today we find four important things that characterized them.

The first one mentioned is doctrine, and we might wonder why that is placed first. But if we think about it for a minute, it is obvious that good doctrine (good teaching) is the basis of everything we have in Christianity. Good doctrine is like the skeleton in our body; without it our body would be only a pile of “mush”—unable to do anything.

Over the centuries men have brought all kinds of bad doctrine into the house of God, and this is very serious, for every bad doctrine takes away some of God’s glory, and gives it to man. But today we can still continue in good doctrine, for it is found in the Word of God. He used the apostles and others to write His Word, and it never changes. We can still hold, and continue steadfastly, in good doctrine!

“But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children” (1 Thessalonians 2:7).

“Christ Jesus…appointing to ministry him who before was a blasphemer and persecutor, and an insolent overbearing man” (1 Tim. 1:12-13 JND).

In these two verses we have two descriptions of the same person—the man who was once called Saul of Tarsus, and afterward called the Apostle Paul. Which verse gives a true description? Both of them! It is Paul himself who gives us both verses in the Word of God. The second verse describes Saul of Tarsus before he was saved, and the first verse describes him after he was saved.

Even as Christians, sometimes there can be part of our personality and character that is not very good, and we may excuse ourselves by thinking, “That is just the way I am made naturally.” But the Lord has given us new life in Christ, and is able to change us, just as He changed Saul of Tarsus. The Lord made him a gentle man, instead of an insolent, overbearing man.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

The word philosophy simply means the love of wisdom, and in English it has come to mean the study of life, existence, religion, values, morality, and other questions about who we are, why we are in this world, how we should live, and so on. Sadly, very often this kind of human learning leaves God out, and is merely a collection of man’s ideas and thoughts.

Philosophy was very popular in the days of the Apostle Paul, for the Greeks were keenly interested in that subject. Paul warns the Colossians about it, for much of the time God is left out of any discussion on philosophy.

You and I do not need man’s thoughts, for man’s natural mind can never go beyond himself and what he sees in this world. Only by divine revelation can we know who God is, how the world was made, what happens after death, what is going to happen to this world in the future, etc. More than this, in the questions that surround everyday life, we have Christ, the Man in whom is all the fulness of the Godhead. What can philosophy add to Christ! He is all that we need.

“For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

Today’s verse is one that we should all memorize. It shows us that amazing truth, that the Lord Jesus is fully God, even though He became man. As God He could not come down into this world to reveal God’s heart of love to us. As God He could not die. But He became a man in order to do both of these things.

However, as God, He never became anything less than He was before. He did not display His glory as God in this world, for we as creatures would not have been able to look upon that glory. However, He was always God just as much as He was before He came into this world.

Also, the wonderful thing is that the Lord Jesus will remain a man for all eternity, although having “all the fulness of the Godhead” dwelling in Him. How wonderful it is to think that this One who is both God and man is our Savior!

“Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Colossians 1:11).

A few days ago we talked about Christian warfare, and how we need the whole armor of God. We mentioned that this was spiritual warfare, not warfare with human weapons.

Here in our verse for today we have a different thought. When our hearts are enjoying Christ, we become strengthened “according to His glorious power.” But then, what do we do with that strength? Do we always get the victory against those in this world who do not like us? In one sense we do, for God will always have the victory in the end.

However, in this time before the Lord comes back, we need strength to endure patiently all the suffering we may experience in this world. In many ways, it takes more strength to do that, than to get the victory. Also, we are to endure suffering “with joyfulness.” Sometimes we put up with something that is difficult, but we may not be joyful about it. It is only by walking with the Lord that we can endure suffering with joyfulness, because He is with us, and we know that our pathway ends in certain glory. When we endure suffering with joyfulness, the world around us knows that this is not natural. They realize that it is a power outside of ourselves that enables us to do this. Then the Lord Jesus gets the glory for it.

“I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee” (Psalm 22:22).

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).

It is a wonderful thing to be able to sing praises to the Lord! We see in our first verse that the Lord Jesus Himself is going to praise in the middle of the congregation. In fact, just before He went to the cross, it is recorded that the Lord Jesus and His disciples sung a hymn together. We might wonder how He could sing under those circumstances, but He looked beyond it all to the blessing that would come from His work on the cross.

The Lord loves to hear us sing too, but we should also be “making melody in our heart to the Lord.” If we are singing only because we like the music, then our hearts will not be right. But if our hearts are drawn out to the Lord, our voices will follow, and we will want to sing to the Lord. When we come together to remember Him, let us always remember too that it is a meeting FOR the Lord, not so much for us. Yes, if the Spirit has liberty to lead, we will enjoy it too, but the meeting is really for the Lord. Do you open your mouth and sing His praises when a hymn is given out?

“Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young” (Psalm 84:3).

A few days ago we were staying with a friend in a distant city, and she parked her car in the underground garage of her apartment building. When we either exited or entered the garage through the automatic overhead door, we noticed that a pair of swallows darted either in or out. When we looked carefully, we found their nest on top of some big pipes in the garage. It was a very safe place for a nest, and the swallow had noticed that the door opened frequently enough that they could easily enter and exit in order to provide food for their little ones.

Swallows are restless birds, noted for being able to fly skillfully and fast. Sometimes they flew through the door when it was closing, and only perhaps half a meter from the floor. In the same way you and I can be safe, when we are in the place where the Lord wants us. That garage might not have seemed like a good place for a bird to build its nest, and it would be a big problem if the overhead door did not open frequently. But enough cars went in and out to make it possible for the birds to care for their young ones, and they were quite safe. Sometimes the Lord may put us in a place that does not seem to be safe, but He knows how to make it safe, and to protect us. We can trust Him!

“And they told him [Moses] and said, We came unto the land….and surely it floweth with milk and honey. …And Caleb… said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

…But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land” (Numbers 13:27, 30-32).

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the term “perspective.” How do you view the things that come into your daily life? There is our natural perspective and then there is God’s view. The story in this chapter is a good example to show us two views. The Lord had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt with wonderful might and power. Now He has brought them to the boundary of the promised land. The twelve spies have searched out the land, and truly it was a wonderful, bountiful place. There were enemies to conquer, but God had proven Himself to them already.

But the spies were divided ten against two in the matter. What happened to God’s perspective in the discussion? Man’s fear overruled and the heavenly view was lost. How do we react in our everyday lives; can we see and trust from God’s perspective? He has set the stars in place and created the universe we live in. If He clearly asks us to go forward in a matter in our lives, surely we can trust His perspective and counsel.

“And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover” (Joshua 5:11).

Early August is a very delicious time of the summer here where I live. Fresh sweet corn is in abundance on all the roadside stands, and we all enjoy it very much. In fact, we have a “corn boil” picnic outside our meeting hall every August. A supper in which lots (and lots!) of fresh corn is the star of the menu. With plenty of butter and salt of course!

But what is meant in the Bible by the old corn of the land? We don’t really want to eat old corn around here. We need to realize that the term corn in Scripture generally means wheat. It was wheat that they had obtained from the previous harvest in the land of Canaan, and it speaks of Christ. In the wilderness they ate manna, but now they had wheat, for they were going to have to fight to conquer the land.

A few days ago, we talked about the armor of God, but we also need the proper food for Christian warfare. The old corn of the land speaks of Christ in glory, for only He can give us the power to carry on conflict with Satan and his hosts.

“And being let go, they went to their own company” (Acts 4:23).

Yesterday I went into town on some errands. Just on the edge of town, I passed an empty lot; this time it was not empty…but full of motorcycles. There must have been well over 50 of them: all different models and makes and colors. They were beautiful and shiny, and their owners were all admiring each other’s cycles. Shortly afterwards I heard the thrum of engines, and they began a procession through and out of town.

What had brought all these cyclists together? A common interest in their hobby of motorcycling! Our verse today shows us that common interests also brought people together back in New Testament times. Peter and John had been detained for questioning about their preaching. When the magistrates finally let them go, where did they go? To “their own company.” They headed straight to the company of others who loved and served the Lord Jesus.

When you have free time, who do you look for to spend it with? How nice to find other Christians with whom to share our free time and interests. We can encourage one another.