Month: August 2014

The Twelve Apostles – Part 8

Philip

“The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow Me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:43-45).

These verses give us an insight into Philip’s call to discipleship and his desire for others to meet the Lord Jesus.

He seems to have taken a prominent place amongst the disciples. He is the one who spoke of how much it would cost to feed the multitude (John 6:5-7). Certain Greeks questioned him as to seeing Jesus (John 12:20-22). He asks the Lord concerning showing them the Father (John 14:8-9). He is listed with those that were in the upper room waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit (Act 1:13).

From these scriptures we learn that Philip had a warm, loving heart with a desire to help others, although not always sure how it could be done. In spite of what often seemed like a lack of faith the Lord used him in blessing to many.

 

I Can’t Help It

“I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:29).

Temperament is often an excuse for inexcusable conduct. How often have we heard it said, “I can’t help it, I am made that way.” The dictionary defines temperament as “the physical and mental constitution peculiar to an individual.”

So we recognise the fact of differences in people. Every one of us is different, consequently our reactions greatly vary.

If, however, we are Christians we must never forget that while conversion does not change the temperament, it reveals the possibility that grace can control the temperament and the temper. While we may be quick to notice and resent the un-Christ-like outbursts of others, we must ask ourselves whether we always reveal a Christ-like spirit.

Let’s be as ready to make excuses for others as we are for ourselves, and take heart from the fact that Christ is able to provide grace to subdue what needs to be subdued. He has assured us, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

 

Included

“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

There is an old story of a ship passenger who lived on crackers and cheese all the way across the Atlantic Ocean only to learn that his meals were included in his ticket.

Our salvation includes far more than pardon from sin, deliverance from hell, and a ticket to heaven. It also includes all that we need on our journey through this world. Sin has been dealt with at Calvary, but the Lord Jesus is not only our Saviour, He is our full resource and sustenance for our spiritual life. We are not to subsist on our own “crackers and cheese.” We have everything we need in Christ. “For all things are yours” (1 Corinthians 3:21).

What an all-inclusive ticket to heaven we have! The cost was God giving His Son for our sins. Now as a result of that great sacrifice we have “all things.” Throw away your “crackers and cheese!” You have a right to eat in the main dining room.

 

Dear Young Christian:

Are you starting the week as a happy Christian? It is a healthy thing all the way around. The Bible states, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22).

It’s really surprising how a happy person’s happiness rubs off on others. Life is hard. For many, life is cruel with no laughter or joy. Paul said of his experiences, “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). He wasn’t thick-skinned or callous when it came to the things he went through, but he had a happiness and joy in the Lord through it all; a happiness that we can all have, and that overcomes any circumstance no matter how tough.

What a witness it is for the Lord when we are happy, and when our happiness overflows to those around. This is one medication that doesn’t cost anything to make or to get. Let the enjoyment of the Lord in your life show on the outside, by being happy. Give out some doses of happy medicine this week.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you. Send your comments or questions to jhyland@primus.ca

Our Sins

“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We cannot really understand the Lord’s hatred of sin. He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). “And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5).

Yet God heaped all our sins on His Son in those three hours of darkness and punished Him for them just as if He had committed them all Himself. He had no sins of His own personally — far be the thought, but He took our sins and confessed them as if they were His own — what a Saviour!

He who was, and is, perfect was made sin for us. Why? So that we might, through faith, be made righteous. This should make us bow our hearts in worship and adoration today as we remember the Lord’s sufferings and death.

He bore my sins as if they were His own,

He took my punishment from God,

No greater work is known.

 

Snakes and Sins

“If ye believe not…ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).

“He that believeth in Me, thought he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Some years ago there lived in France a celebrated snake-charmer by the name of Pamela. It is almost unimaginable, but she was in the habit of taking her venomous pets to bed and letting them sleep with her during the night.

One morning she never woke up. Her lifeless body, swollen into a shapeless blue mass, almost beyond recognition, was found by her friends several hours after her untimely demise. The snakes, so long tolerated and toyed with, had bitten her to death. Constant usage and familiarity had caused her to regard them as harmless. But she had trifled with, and trusted them, once too often.

Our sins are not unlike Pamela’s snakes, if we are not saved. While our eyes are closed in spiritual sleep they surround us. One of these days, unless they are gotten rid of through the work of Calvary and the blood of Christ, they will be our ruin.

 

“Ups” And “Downs”

Recently I had the privilege of being at the wedding of a young couple, and it was a very happy occasion as it was a marriage “in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39). However, in less that a week I attended the funeral of a young lady, just 23 years of age, who had been killed in a car accident. Although she knew the Lord as her Saviour, and we know that she is “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8), yet it was quite a shock to her family and all that knew her.

These circumstances are a stark reminder of the “ups” and “downs” and uncertainties of life. How good it is to have God as our Father, and the Lord as our guide, comfort, and friend, through all these things. What would we do without this constant resource? David valued what he had in his God. He said, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:5-7).

He is with us, and He is able for whatever happens!

 

Preaching – Part 2

“And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

It has been estimated that if all the unsaved people of the world were to line up single file at your front door, the line would reach around the world 30 times, and this line would grow by twenty miles each day.

Now, if you were to drive a car at 50 miles an hour for ten hours a day, it would take you 4 years and 40 days to get to the end of the line of souls. And by then it would have grown by 30,000 miles.

Even if these statistics are only somewhat accurate, they should make us aware of the great need there is in the world today. We don’t have to look very far to see the need or make known the gospel. The Lord says to each of us, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mark 5:19). Look out your front door and see lost souls. Then in one way or another, “Preach the Word” (2 Timothy 4:2).

 

Preaching – Part 1

We are not sent to preach sociology but salvation; not economics but evangelism; not reform but redemption; not culture but conversion; not progress but pardon; not the new social order but the new birth; not revolution but regeneration; not renovation but revival; not resuscitation (restoration of life) but resurrection; not a new organization but a new creation; not democracy but the GOSPEL; not civilization but CHRIST.

The Bible tells us that we are ambassadors not diplomats. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

Don’t get caught up in the politics and other issues for the betterment of society and the world that we are so bombarded with today. The Apostle Paul made it clear what the theme of his preaching was. He said: “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23). “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord” (2 Corinthians 4:5).

Continued…

 

Memorizing

“I will meditate in Thy precepts…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 dialling, our ability to remember may be short-circuited by reliance on technological gadgets. A Los Angeles Times article says that in years past, as we dialed phone numbers, the “repetition…slowly etched them in our long-term memory.” Daily use provided constant review. I used to know all the numbers for family and friends, 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 God’s Word is of the utmost importance. 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 we 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 it find a permanent home in our hearts.