Month: May 2019

Frustration

“He that earneth wages earneth wages
to put into a bag with holes” (Haggai 1:6).

How true this is of today’s society. For those of our readers who are working full time, it’s very frustrating to bring home your hard-earned pay only to see it all disappear on bills and living expenses. That’s why it is SO important that your eternal riches don’t suffer the same fate. Treasure built in heaven can never disappear. Labor for the Lord will be rewarded by Him. I think sometimes He allows us to feel frustrated here with earthly things, so that we might be more and more occupied with Him and heavenly things. That’s why the Lord said to His disciples, “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, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). What a rich spiritual inheritance is ours! “An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

Dear Young Christian:

I write these pages a long time before you read them. The calendar has to be turned in for editing and proofing, and then be printed, sold, and shipped to those who order them. As I write a page like this I wonder if it will ever be read this side of the Lord’s coming. I, for one, am expecting the Lord to come at any moment, and give the shout in fulfilment of His promise, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

However, in the meantime, we keep writing the calendar pages, preaching the gospel, and trying to encourage believers young and old to continue on in following and serving the Lord. He has said, “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13). There is much that can be done for Him, and we need to pray every morning that He will show us how we can serve Him in some little way, whether it is in testimony to the lost or encouragement and help to a fellow believer.

What will occupy your time and energy this week?

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.

Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Looking Up

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).
“We see Jesus … crowned with glory and honour” (Hebrews 2:9).

While it is true that we look back to Calvary to see the foundation of all our blessings, yet we also have the profound privilege of looking up by faith to see where the Lord Jesus is now. In doing so we realize, first of all, God the Father’s satisfaction with all that was accomplished for His glory here on earth. Secondly, it produces worship, praise, and thanksgiving, as we are occupied with a risen, ascended, and glorified man at the right hand of God. Thirdly, we can avail ourselves of all the resources that are ours for this life. And, fourthly, we can rejoice as we look forward to the moment when we too shall be there in the Father’s house to be with the one who is at this moment is “set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

What a Savior! What an occupation for our hearts!

Wrong Door

A young man who often listened to a great Scottish preacher wanted very much to be saved. He had longed in his heart to know Christ as his deliverer and to know the blessedness of God’s salvation. Although he wept and prayed for weeks, he could get no sense of forgiveness, and no assurance that he was received by God.

One night the evangelist preached on the words, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). He stressed the fact that “any man” included sinners, no matter how wicked and corrupt they were. As he preached, the cloud of doubt lifted from the young man’s face.

After the meeting, the youth said to the preacher, “I got in at the open door tonight.”

“I am glad to hear it,” replied the preacher, “But why did you not get in before?”

“Well,” said the young man, “I had been at the wrong door all the time. I went to the saint’s door and I found it locked against me. I thought I had to be good enough for God to let me in. But tonight, I came as a sinner and found the sinner’s door wide open.”

A Perfect Plan

The Lord is interested and involved in each moment of our life. He has carefully mapped out every inch of our journey through each day, and as much as we may feel things happen by chance or haphazardly, don’t forget that it has all been preplanned in His wisdom and foreknowledge. Things may seem to be unravelling in the world around you and even in your personal life. But remember, “As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him” (Psalm 18:30). Yes, His way is indeed perfect, even in the midst of what might seem complete turmoil and upheaval. Through it all He wants us to stay focused on Himself and trust Him implicitly. Be conscious of His presence and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit step by step. This will give you confidence, peace, joy, and assurance of His love in your heart, as you travel through a world of trials, tests, and the breakdown of everything good and holy. The promise to the one who stays focused and centered on Christ is, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

Numbers in Scripture: #5

The number 5 denotes human weakness in connection with our responsibility to God.

David collected five stones from the brook when going to meet Goliath. “And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:40).

The disciples could only provide five loaves of bread along with two fishes, for the feeding of the five thousand. “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many” (John 6:8-9)?

In both cases, the Lord showed His power and ability to meet the need in spite of weakness on the part of the individual or their resources. The Apostle Paul realized this principle and could say, “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).We too can have great victory in spite of our own weakness when we rely on the Lord.

When Jesus Comes

I was having dinner with a Christian family, and as we ate together I noticed a plaque on the wall with a very interesting and significant challenge. Here is what it said:

Rules for Today

• Do nothing that you

would not like to be doing

when Jesus comes.

• Go to no place where you

would not like to be found

when Jesus comes.

• Say nothing that you

would not like to be saying

when Jesus comes.

It reminded me of the Scripture: “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).

For or Against

Jacob said, “All these things are against me”
(Genesis 42:36).

The Apostle Paul said, “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31)?

How do you view life? Are you a Jacob or a Paul?Neither of these men had an easy time of it, but they had a very different perspective and attitude as they faced daily circumstances and the things that God had allowed in their lives. Jacob felt that life had not been fair. He thought everything that God had allowed was against him, and that he might as well just die and be done with it all.

On the other hand, Paul, in spite of all that he went through, understood that God desired his good, and that He was really for him, and that everything allowed was for a purpose of blessing in the end. This is how Paul could rejoice and be thankful — even when in prison and other very adverse circumstances.

What a difference these two attitudes make in our lives. Let’s learn the truth of an earlier verse in Romans 8, that says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God” (verse 28).

Dear Young Christian:

Coming home from a Bible conference about a month ago, my wife and I were driving on the main highway through Cambridge Ontario, when we noticed an interesting license plate on a van in front of us. Here is what it said:

B GR8FUL

We soon realized what the message was — “Be Grateful.”

Of course, we have never met the owner of the vehicle, but we wondered if they were a true Christian.

The Bible describes to us the characteristics of the times we are living in just before the Lord’s coming. “This know also, that in the last days … men shall be … unthankful” (2 Timothy 3:1-2).Yet, that is not the way it is to be with the one who knows Christ as their Savior.The Word of God exhorts us, “be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15).

As we begin another week, let’s do it with gratefulness. Think of all the things you have to be thankful for, and it will eclipse all the things that we often complain about.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.

Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Jesus

“And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people
from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

“JESUS” is a precious name to all believers because it reminds us that He is the Savior. It was the name given to Him by God when He came into this world. It teaches us the purpose of His incarnation. It is His human name reminding us that He who is God is also man.

Peter made much of this name in the healing of the crippled beggar in Acts chapter 3, and when questioned about it, boldly declared, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

It is to that name that everyone will bow in a coming day. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” (Philippians 2:10).

How wonderful that we have come to know and love that name here and now, and that it is the most real and blessed name that we have ever known and ever will know for all eternity … the wonderful name of JESUS!