Young People’s Blog

Arise, Go!

“Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me” (Jonah 1:1-2).

The story is told of a poor Chinese country woman; just a cook. She had been sick and was not strong enough to go on with her work, and it was suggested that, as she knew the Lord and His love, she might visit about amongst her neighbors and tell some of them the good news. One old brother rather intimated that she was not capable of such work as this, and she quite fell in with his view of the matter: and absolutely refused to seek to go about with the gospel at all.

That night while she was asleep, she suddenly heard a voice say to her, “Jonah!” Only one word. The call woke her up, and she instantly thought of the story of Jonah, and how he was called to go and give a message; and the way he refused to go. Then she thought of what happened to him, and her thoughts were not very happy as she realized how much alike she and Jonah were.

The next morning, she cheerfully set out to visit a poor old woman up the street, to tell her about the Lord. Do you think the Lord might ever say to you or me, “Jonah?”

The Perfect Example

Have you ever, in a single day, compared your watch with various clocks you come across in your travels? I have, and sometimes it is quite astounding to notice the difference. Some clocks may vary a minute or two, others several minutes, and I have seen some that are stopped altogether. Then there is the atomic clock reputed to be the most accurate type of timepiece in the world, designed to measure time according to vibrations within atoms. However, even this type of clock is dependent on certain conditions for its accuracy.

This reminds me of believers who take their model for life from other Christians. While we are thankful for the godly example of others in our life, yet we need to have Christ, the perfect example, as our model. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Today we may wonder which clock or watch is really telling the correct time. But we don’t have to wonder who to follow as the perfect example for life. Many times, the Lord told individuals, “Follow Me.”

His Brother

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother … . brought him to Jesus” (John 1:40, 42).

What a happy day that was for Peter. He would never forget the time when his brother came to him with the news, “We have found the Messias” (verse 41).

It wasn’t necessary for Andrew to introduce his brother to the Lord. No, the Lord knew who he was and all about him. “And when Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona” (verse 42).

Peter went on to establish a personal relationship with the Lord and to be a prominent and faithful disciple. After the Lord went back to Heaven, he was used in a mighty way to present the gospel on the day of Pentecost and on a number of subsequent occasions. Literally thousands were saved because of his preaching and testimony, and we have two wonderfully instructive epistles that the Spirit of God used him to write.

When was the last time you introduced someone to the Lord? You may not have the gift of preaching or public speaking, but we can all acquaint souls with the Lord. We never read of Andrew taking a prominent or public part, but what a wonderful service he did in bringing his own brother to the Lord.

The Cross

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).

I love the cross of Jesus,
For there my Savior died;
For there His blood, so precious,
Flowed from His spear-pierced side.
The cross is all my glory,
In nothing else I boast;
It made me fit for Heaven,
With all the ransomed host.

I’ll tell the cross of Jesus,
To those who do not know,
It’s power to free from evil,
From sin, and Satan’s woe:
Of Jesus who has given
His life to save each one,
The risen, living Savior,
Who bids each sinner “Come!”

Dear Young Christian:

The busyness and pressure of life coupled with our own self-interests can often keep us from seeing another’s need. How often do you stop by to visit an elderly person who sits alone day after day? When was the last time you dropped in to see someone who is sick or going through some turmoil or heartache in their life? It may be just a short time until our turn comes and we long for someone to stop by and sit with us. The Bible tells us, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27). Job could say, “I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy” (Job 29:13).

Someone else has well said, “Sometimes we are caught by the Tyrant of Urgency when we could be giving valuable time to the important matters of life … to people instead of things.”

Don’t get so wrapped up in your own interests that you have no time for others. Of the young man Timothy, Paul said to the Christians at Philippi, “I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state” (Philippians 2:20).Could that be said of you?

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

Sacrifice

“Once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

On October 30th, 1991, a Canadian Armed Forces CC-130 Hercules transport plane left the U.S. Air Force base at Thule, Greenland, flying on an Operation Boxtop supply (of mainly fuel) flight. The aircraft crashed about 30 kilometers short of Canadian Forces Station Alert (which is the world’s most northern settlement), on Ellesmere Island in the high Arctic. Captain John Patrick Couch died while waiting for rescue; 13 people survived the accident. Captain Couch gave some of his Arctic clothing to keep others warm and then worked for hours in the freezing cold to keep still others warm. He then laid down to sleep and never awoke. The news headline later read: “Pilot gave his life for his crew.”

Such a sacrifice reminds us of the great love of the Lord Jesus who gave Himself for us in that great sacrifice. We can say with awe and reverence, “He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Yes or No

The following account shows us how simple it is to just say “yes” to the Lord, and come to Him for salvation:

“I wonder, Harry, that you are not afraid to die; I am terribly afraid!” were the words of an old man to a young person, who lay on the bed next to him in a large ward of a city hospital.

Harry’s symptoms were telling plainly that his short life was fast nearing its end.

Mr. Clayton, a Christian visitor, had just been pressing on the old man the need of immediate acceptance of God’s free salvation. “I know it all,” he had replied, “but I do not understand how I can get it, how I can make it my own?”

“How did you get it, Harry?” the visitor asked, turning to the youth.

“Why, when the Lord Jesus said to me, ‘Come unto Me … and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28), I just said with all my heart, ‘Yes, Lord, I come,’ and He was true to His word, and gave me rest. And when He said, ‘Come now’ (Isaiah 1:18), I said, ‘Yes, Lord, now; not tomorrow.’ And when He promised to forgive me freely, to make me His own, and fit me to be with Him forever, I just said, ‘Yes, Lord,’ for I knew He could not break His word. How could I say ‘No’ to Him?”

Monthly Question Page

Q. Why is it that I read the Bible but don’t seem to get a lot out of it?

A. There are several things that keep us from understanding and enjoying the Word of God.

Firstly, it is only in the power of the Spirit that we can truly enjoy and understand the Scriptures. The Lord pointed this out to the disciples while He was still with them. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). If we are allowing something in our lives that is hindering the Spirit from teaching us we need to confess it so that we “grieve not the holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30).

Remember too, it is not through our own intellect that we gain true knowledge of the Bible. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Pray as you read and ask the Lord to open your understanding. This He delights to do. “Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45).

Lastly, don’t struggle with the things you don’t understand; enjoy the things you do understand which the Lord has already made precious to your heart.

Our Feet

David talks a lot about our feet in the Psalms that God used him to write. Here are just a few references:

• First, the Lord sets our feet on a Rock (Himself), so that we have a firm foundation to stand on.

“He … set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” (Psalm 40:2).

• Next, He puts our feet in a large room, a place of fellowship with Himself and the family of God.

“Thou hast set my feet in a large room” (Psalm 31:8).

• Thirdly, He gives us the ability to rise above the difficulties of life and the obstacles that the enemy tries to put in our way. He also provides the power to walk as heavenly people for His glory.

“He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places … and He will make me to walk upon mine high places” (Psalm 18:33; Habakkuk 3:19).

• Lastly, He gives the power we need for every step of the Christian pathway, guiding and guarding our feet so that we don’t have to slip or stumble.

“Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:36).

Monthly Scripture Reading
Ecclesiastes 7

1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.