Month: February 2015

His Perfect Ways — Part 2

When we get to heaven and we are with the Lord we shall fully understand and see clearly how all the threads of life were put together, to tell the story of the love of God toward us. Looking now on the wrong side of things, circumstances often seem mysterious and meaningless. But soon, in the presence of Christ, all will be made clear and plain, and the shadows will be turned into light and understanding, and then “shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

He is love, He has loved us, He is loving us, He will love us. In a coming day we will read clearly all that which tear-blurred eyes could not see now. Solomon, looking at things from earth’s viewpoint said, “That which is crooked cannot be made straight.” (Ecclesiastes 1:15). However, Isaiah looking on to a future day of glory and manifestation said, “And the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.” (Isaiah 40:4).

How good it will be when we understand everything in the light of His purposes and ways with us, and see that everything in our lives was working out for a purpose of blessing.

His Perfect Way — Part 1

Standing before his audience, the preacher held up a text formed with silk threads on perforated cardboard. But he held the back of the text toward the people. To them, all that appeared of it was a tangled mass of various colored threads. No words could be made out. The stitches might have been made without reason, and to the onlookers they conveyed no message.

The preacher was showing how all God’s dealings with us are the outcome of His deepest care for our blessing and well-being; and that we cannot always see why it is we have to suffer and pass through certain things. “For now we see through a glass, darkly,” but soon we shall see “face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Then it is that the dark places will be made plain, and then, up there, we’ll understand it all.

When the preacher turned the text toward his listeners they could read clearly, the words that had been formed with care and beauty:

GOD IS LOVE

Every thread had helped in the weaving of the message. Not one of them was unnecessary or out of place.

Dear Young Christian:

In the past weeks I have experienced some wonderful answers to prayer. Sometimes, perhaps we lose sight of the power of prayer and its effects. Prayer is a very real element of the Christian life. Of course, God, who knows what is best for us at all times, may not answer our prayers the way that we had hoped, but His answer is always the right one. That’s why, when we pray, it is good to ask that His will would be done for His glory. Like the Lord Jesus who said, “Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Sometimes, He does, in His mercy and goodness raise up a loved one who is sick, or change the weather, or intervene in some circumstance, but not always. If not it is because of some need on our part, and some lesson He is seeking to teach us.

We never want to forget to thank and praise Him for all His answers, whether it was the answer we wanted or not. “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Man of Sorrows

“He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

I adore the love that led Him to be made sin for me. There was the full testing of the love that carried Him through all. It is deeply instructive, though very dreadful to see there what man is and how his heart was fully exposed at the trial and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. What do I expect of my friends if I am on trial? At least that they will not forsake me. “They all forsook Him, and fled” (Mark 14:50). In a judge? I expect him to protect innocence. Pilate washes his hands of His blood, and gives Him over to the people! In a priest? That he will intercede for the ignorant and for them that are out of the way. Instead, they urge the people, who cry, “Away with Him, away with Him” (John 19:15). Every man was the opposite of what was right, and that one Man was not only right, but in divine love He was going through it all!

Nothing could stop that love. Nothing! “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it” (Song of Solomon 8:7). Love divine! Wonderful love! May we never forget it!

Loved

(John 3:16).

Feed on God’s Word — Part 3

The Manna in the Old Testament is a picture of the Man Jesus Christ. In John chapter 6 the Lord taught His disciples to feed on Himself, the Heavenly Manna. He said, “I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead…This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever” (John 6:48-49,58).

If we want to be healthy, happy, fruitful Christians, with proper spiritual growth, we need to feed on Christ, and the way we feed on Christ is through the Word of God.

When we eat something we take it into our system and it becomes part of us. This is true of the Scriptures. When we read it, meditate on it, and digest the truth of it, we receive eternal benefit. Then we will be able to “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). The Manna sustained the Israelites for the whole forty years that they were in the wilderness, and the Word of God is sufficient to feed us with Christ for our whole life as long as we are here in this wilderness world.

Feed on God’s Word — Part 2

The children of Israel, in Exodus 16, were instructed to gather the manna they needed every day. The manna they needed today was not the manna they needed tomorrow. They needed it fresh EVERY DAY! If they kept it over (except on the Sabbath) it went bad and could not be eaten. “Some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank” (Exodus 16:20).

The lesson we learn from this illustration is that we need a fresh portion of Scripture every day. Leftovers from the fridge may be good for a day or two, but it does not work that way when it comes to the Word of God. Not that we shouldn’t go back over what we have read and enjoyed in the past, but we also need fresh, daily, spiritual food. Job said, “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).

We take good care to eat two or three good meals a day, and often a snack in between, but do we take as good care of the spiritual man as we do of our natural, physical being?

Feed on God’s Word — Part 1

Do you ever just sit and read the Bible because you enjoy the Word of God? I don’t mean do you read it simply because you feel obligated to read a chapter or certain portion every day, but do you read it because it is your joy and delight, and because you have a hunger for the “Bread of heaven”?(Psalm 105:40). The Prophet Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16).

Constant, consistent, and orderly reading of Scripture will create an appetite, and will feed the soul, so that the result will be growth and maturity in your spiritual life, and a greater understanding and appreciation for divine things. There is no other way to “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). When I was growing up we often sang the chorus:

Feed on God’s Word in the morning,
Feed on God’s Word at noon.
Feed on God’s Word in the evening,
To keep your heart in tune.

All Scripture

“All Scripture is…profitable” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Not just some Scripture, and not just the New Testament, but “all Scripture.” Not just the portions we think we understand, but “all Scripture.” Not just our favorite chapters and the verses that we like the best, but “all Scripture.”

We need to read all the Word of God. Even those difficult passages. The rest of the verse tells us why. Most importantly it is “given by inspiration of God.” It is God speaking directly to us. Then too we learn what it is profitable for…“doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

The next verse tells us what the result will be. “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (Verse 17).

If you want to be instructed in the ways of the Lord and be a useful Christian, you must avail yourself of “all Scripture.” Read, study, meditate, and put into practice, “all Scripture,” and you will have much profit and blessing in your life.

Dear Young Christian:

Let me pass on something I read the other day, which was written by an older brother in Christ years ago, but still has value today.

“Nothing counts but CHRIST! All else is without value. All else will eventually perish. The knowledge of God revealed in His person and communion with Him is what will satisfy the soul here, and never pass away. True service to His name, and faithful following of Him will truly ‘count’ when we get to heaven.”

It makes me think of the statement penned by the Apostle Paul, who said, “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). He also said, “For to me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21).

In light of this let’s really seek to have CHRIST much before us this week. That’s what really matters.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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