Month: December 2018

Success

On the island of Saint Vincent the taxi vans always have interesting names and often provocative slogans and sayings painted on them. While driving along the windy coastal road between Georgetown in the north of the island and Kingstown in the south, I saw a van ahead of us with the following statement painted on its back:

Prosperity is the way to success!

While this may be the world’s recipe for success, it made me think of the Scriptural formula for success. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:8). It is only as we read, meditate on, and obey the Word of God that we will have true spiritual success. We may not have much of what the world calls success in term of material wealth and position, but the Lord said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20).

Practical Applications
of God’s Word

Part 12 — Conclusion

As we have noted in these meditations, the Word of God is sufficient to meet every spiritual need in the believer’s life. The Psalmist declared, “Thy commandment is exceeding broad” (Psalm 119:96). Whether we need spiritual food, power over the enemy, light and direction for our pathway, comfort in the sorrows of life, refreshment for our wilderness journey, or sound Christian teaching, it is all there. The question is, are we reading it, letting it have its way with us in the power of the Spirit, and then obeying it?

We may have a number of Bibles on our bookshelves, but are we prayerfully reading them? “Blessed is he that readeth” (Revelation 1:3), not simply owns. Seven times in Revelation we are exhorted to listen to and take heed to the Word of the Lord: “He that hath an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 22-23). May the living Word of God be a daily and intricate part of your life! We are going to enjoy it fully for all eternity. “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Corinthians 13:9). Why not start now!

Blessings — Part 2

As we said yesterday, there are times when we may even forget to be thankful for the wonderful mercies of God’s redeeming grace, and all that has been provided for us through the work of His beloved Son at Calvary.

Paul and Silas, though they were beaten, thrown in prison, and their feet placed in stocks, could still rejoice in the Lord, knowing, that in spite of present circumstances, His lovingkindness was still the same. I have sometimes wondered if they remembered the Old Testament Scripture, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of Thy righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:62).

In any case we read, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). May we learn from their example, and from the testimony of Benjamin Weir, to count our blessings no matter what our trials or circumstances may be. We have many reason to rejoice, and everything to be thankful for. Are we truly “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20)?

Blessings — Part 1

Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in Lebanon and imprisoned under miserable conditions for sixteen months. In his first interview after his release, he was asked how he spent his time and how he dealt with boredom and despair. His answer stunned the reporters. He simply said, “Counting my blessings.”

“Blessings?” they responded.

“Yes,” he explained. “Some days I got to take a shower. Sometimes there were some vegetables in my food. And I could always be thankful for the love of my family.”

We can understand why the reporters were astonished at Benjamin’s response. It is hard for most of us to be consistently thankful even for the commonplace blessings and mercies that make life pleasant and comfortable. We often forget to be thankful for the unfailing supply of daily needs, the provision of food and shelter, and the companionship of friends and family. Over and over again the Bible exhorts us to be thankful. Paul reminded the Thessalonians, who were also suffering for their faith, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Dear Young Christian:

The Lord wants us to come to Him with a teachable spirit, eager to learn and to have our thoughts moulded and formed by the Scriptures. We need to have the attitude of David, when on two occasions he penned the prayer, “Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies” (Psalm 27:11).And again, “Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name” (Psalm 86:11). And then his further desire expressed when he prayed, “Teach me to do Thy will” (Psalm 143:10).

Our Creator knows us through and through. He watches us with a steady eye and understands us completely. He knows what is best for us, and He has not left us in the dark as to His will, and what is for our blessing and happiness.

As you start another week, consider this truth well, and remember the exhortation from the book of James: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

Your Christian Friend.                

Jim Hyland

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

“PRAISE HIM”

“The Lord is my strength and my shield … with my song will I PRAISE HIM” (Psalm 28:7).

We certainly have much to “PRAISE HIM” for, and especially for that mighty work of Calvary which He accomplished for the glory of God and for our eternal blessing. Here are some exhortations from the Psalms encouraging us to “PRAISE HIM,” for who He is, the wonderful things He has done, and the blessings that we have as a result:

“PRAISE HIM for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5).

“PRAISE HIM, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

“PRAISE HIM in the assembly” (Psalm 107:32).

“PRAISE HIM among the multitude” (Psalm 109:30).

“PRAISE HIM, all ye people” (Psalm 117:1).

“PRAISE HIM, O ye servants of the Lord” (Psalm 135:1).

“PRAISE HIM for His mighty acts” (Psalm 150:2).

“PRAISE HIM according to His excellent greatness” (Psalm 150:2).

While We Are Young

“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes” (Ecclesiastes 11:9).

Wow! This sounds good! It sounds like the Bible is giving us license to live it up and to do our own thing. But let’s examine carefully what follows. “But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10; 12:1). In other words, the day will come when we must face God and give an account of how we lived our life here on earth. Even more importantly we must give an answer as to what we did with God’s offer of salvation through His Son and the work He did at Calvary. Yes, judgment is at the end of a life lived for pleasure and self, and a life lived without Christ. We need to be saved now, and begin to live for our Creator in the days of our youth.

Secret Communion

“Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done” (Judges 14:6).

No, this wasn’t that the young person had broken curfew, or wrecked the car and didn’t tell his folks! Samson here had a secret between himself and the Lord that he told no one — not even his parents. The Lord had given him a special super strength that had not been given to others. And for quite a while Samson kept the secret.

But when we read the whole story of Samson in the book of Judges we find that Satan tempted him and he failed. As a result he eventually lost his source of strength, and in the end, even his life. Satan hates the Lord and His people and will do anything to break that special communion that Christians share with their Saviour. Be careful! Satan will do anything to spoil your “fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Jehoshaphat’s Victory — Part 3

“Then upon Jahaziel … came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s”
(2 Chronicles 20:14-15).

This company standing in one place to wait for the Lord’s answer must have been very astonished at what was conveyed to them by Jahaziel. But perhaps the hardest lesson of all for the natural man is what we read next: “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you” (verse 17). The victory was the Lord’s. It’s not in human strength that we overcome and stand against Satan, but only in the strength of the Lord. The Lord reminded his servant Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul could then say, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). So for us, we have the same resource!

Jehoshaphat’s Victory — Part 2

“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together,
to ask help of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4).

When the enemy comes against us with all his forces we can do no better than to come to the Lord with our fear, just like King Jehoshaphat did. Read verses 5 through 12 of this chapter and you will hear how the king describes to the Lord in prayer their difficult situation, knowing that there is no other possibility of victory than by the Lord Himself. As he says, “In Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee?” (verse 6).

When we truly cry to the Lord in our hearts and with a good conscience, we can be sure that He will answer. He is the only one who can deliver us when there is no help, humanly speaking. “He is able” (Hebrews 5:25).

“And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children” (verse 13). We learn from this that there are times when dangerous situations face all the people of God. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).