Month: November 2018

Christ Is All

“Christ is all (everything), and in all” (Colossians 3:11).

Do you feel overloaded? The Lord says, “My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).

Do you feel unappreciated? He encourages, by reminding us, “My reward is with Me” (Revelation 22:12).

Do you feel useless? We are told, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it” (Revelation 3:8).

Do you feel weak? The Lord encourages, “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Are you unsure? He says, “I am the way” (John 14:6).

Are you feeling overwhelmed? We are exhorted, “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Do you feel unloved? He assures us, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Never forget, that we have a wonderful Provider, and that no matter what happens He is able for every situation that arises in our day-to-day life.

Dear Young Christian:

Most of us are out to succeed and to achieve our own ends. We spend our energy striving to accomplish our own goals and aims in this life. But God operates a Lost and Found Department. “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39). This is where a person loses himself in Jesus Christ, where they exchange self-realization for Christ-realization. It takes out all the fever and strain, the mad drive to reach some goal this crazy world has set, or some mark of achievement we have put up for ourselves. Today millions crack up in the insane jumble and whirl of worldly society. But those who live for Christ find eternal gain. “He shall receive an hundredfold now in this time … and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:30). That’s why Paul exhorted the Christians in Rome, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

 Your Christian Friend,

 Jim Hyland

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

Worship

“While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped” (Job 1:18-20).

Job worshipped! A remarkable statement considering that all his ten children had just been killed when the house they were in collapsed on them. And Job worshipped! Why? He recognized the power of God and the fact that His hand was in every detail of his life. I think it would be difficult for me to worship after such a major catastrophe. But how about when things are going well? Would that we would spend time in God’s presence today appreciating Him and His great love for us. Joseph said to the chief butler, “But think on me when it shall be well with thee” (Genesis 40:14). In spite of trial and traumas, our Lord is good, and worthy to be worshiped and praised.

Nothing To Pay

Though “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), yet no one has to pay the penalty of sin unless they want to. This is an important point! At enormous cost, God sent His Son to die as a Substitute for sinners. As a result, salvation from sin and its wages is offered as a free gift through the Lord Jesus Christ. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Man is lost because he has a sinful, fallen nature as a result of Adam’s disobedience. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Man is condemned because he is a sinner by practice. In other words he sins, or does wrong things … things contrary to the holiness of God.

But the crowning guilt is his rejection of the provision which God has made for his salvation. The Lord Himself said, “If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).The way of blessing is open for all, the debt of sin has been paid, and the sinner who comes to God in faith, through Christ, has NOTHING TO PAY!

Faithfulness

“Be thou faithful” (Revelation 2:10).

Israel in the wilderness praised Abraham and persecuted Moses.

In the days of the kings they praised Moses and persecuted the prophets.

In the days of Christ, they praised the prophets and persecuted the Saviour.

In the days of the popes, they praised the Saviour and persecuted His devoted followers.

Multitudes now applaud the courage and fortitude of the…

   Patriarchs,

   Prophets,

   Apostles,

   and martyrs…

but condemn as stubbornness and foolishness anything like faithfulness to the truth today. But what God desires is faithfulness to Him and His Word in spite of what others think or say about us, or what they may do to us.

Practical Applications
of God’s Word

Part 11 — Correction

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

Another practical application of the Word of God in our lives, is for correction. Just as a child needs the training and correction of their parents, so we too, as God’s children, need the correction of our Heavenly Father, as to our thinking, our actions, our speech, sound doctrine, and every aspect of life. As you read the Scriptures, take heed to its warnings and let it speak to your conscience. Don’t despise or ignore what it says, or be like those of whom Solomon wrote, “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way” (Proverbs 15:10).

 This is a day when we don’t like to be corrected or admonished. The spirit of the age is, “No one has a right to tell me what to do.” Don’t let that spirit of things invade our thinking. Correction is for our good and blessing. Solomon further states, “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction” (Proverbs 3:11). Read your Bible every day, and let it correct and direct you according to God’s way of blessing and happiness.

The Final Word

“Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak
unto thee bad or good” (Genesis 24:50).

In the Old Testament, Solomon tells us there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). In the above verse the Lord had spoken to Laban and Bethuel, and they recognized that His word was final. Further dialogue or discourse of the matter would be inappropriate … the thing proceeded from the Lord, and that was that! No need for any discussion or reasoning of the matter.

It is very important that we too recognize this principle in our own lives, and that once God has spoken, we refrain from further argument and bow in submission, acknowledging His good, and perfect, and sovereign will. What changes could be brought about in our lives if His Word and His will were the final court of appeal, and if we would be “doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22)! Obedience and submission are really the source of true happiness in the Christian life.

Caught Up

“Caught up” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

How many times have you been asked, or even wondered yourself, “will you ever get caught up?” It just seems like there is always one more deadline, one more task, one more important something that needs to be taken care of.

But yes, there is a day when we will be “caught up.” Not just as far as deadlines, tasks, appointments, and commitments of this life are concerned, but “caught up” out of this world away from it all, to meet the Lord in the air and be with Him in the Father’s house forever. Then there will be no more pressing business, and no pressure to get caught up. The above verse goes on to tell us that we will be “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

As far as the tasks and duties of this life are concerned,

“We won’t be caught up until we are caught up!”

Caught up, and in a moment, forever with the Lord;

Caught up, and then with Jesus, the laborer’s bright reward.

Caught up, no pressing business, no occupation there,

Save, singing Jesus’ praises, will be our only care.

Dear Young Christian:

“Go work today in My vineyard” (Matthew 21:28).

As you prepare for school or work, or for whatever sphere of duty may be ahead of you during the day, do you, above all the hustle and bustle, hear the Lord Jesus say, “Go work today in My vineyard?” It’s true we have our duties and obligations, and many necessary things to accomplish before night, but let’s remember amidst it all there is some work to do for Him in His service. He is the “Lord of the harvest” (Luke 10:2), and the work is His. Because it is His work and His vineyard, He calls, He sends, and He directs. In the end He gives each of His own the joy and privilege of being “labourers together” (1 Corinthians 3:9). It may be witnessing in some way; it may be helping and encouraging a fellow Christian; or simply living for His glory in the corner of the vineyard where He has been pleased to place us. There is a wonderful satisfaction at the end of the day, when we can look back knowing that we have worked in His vineyard. He appreciates it, and we receive the blessing.

  Your Christian Friend,

         Jim Hyland

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

Remembrance

“Jesus was risen early the first day of the week”
(Mark 16:9).
“And upon the first day of the week … the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7).
“This do in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24).

Since the end of World War I, in many countries November 11th is set aside as a special day of remembrance, to remind us of those who gave their lives in the line of duty.

However, the first day of the week should be a day of remembrance for every believer. It is the day when the Lord rose from the dead, and the day when the early Christians met to remember the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread.

Once a year there are special ceremonies, speeches, and moments set aside for quiet reflection and remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of humanity. But as believers we need more than just a yearly reminder of what our Saviour did for us. “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Corinthians 11:26).