Young People’s Blog

His Love

• How good it is for our hearts to consider the love of God on this “First day of the week.” (Acts 20:7), “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9).

“The God of love … shall be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

• It is also good to be occupied with the love of the Lord Jesus.

“We will be glad and rejoice in Thee, we will remember Thy love” (Song of Solomon 1:4).

“Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

• This will increase and deepen our love and the response of our hearts.

“Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God” (Joshua 23:11).

“Keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude verse 21).

The Blood of Jesus

I recently read of a prison chaplain who, while sitting by the bedside of a dying criminal, repeated over and over again the well-known verse, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He recited it until the convict, drinking in the life-giving message, died in peace, with the assurance of sins forgiven. As the chaplain left the prison hospital and entered the noisy, busy street, he heard above the bustle of activity a newsboy announcing the death of the king of England, at whose bedside the queen had sat reading the promises of Scripture and its forgiveness. The message that gave hope and peace to a dying criminal was the same message that met the need of the dying king.

This message, too, can indeed meet the need of every soul, no matter what their station in society — rich or poor — and everything in between. And no matter what their record of sin may be, the blood of Jesus is sufficient to remove forever every stain. It can meet your need as well. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Weary — Part 4

“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).

There is much to do for the Lord, but sad to say, sometimes a lack of diligence and energy on our part. Perhaps sometimes we feel that we are doing it all and that others need to step up and help or do something for us for a change. Maybe we don’t see any appreciation on the part of those we are serving, or we don’t feel like there is any fruit as a result of our “well doing.” The book of Galatians gives us further instruction and encouragement: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10).

As we conclude this series, I would point out one more verse: “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary” (Isaiah 50:4). If you see fellow believers who has become spiritually weary and faint, seek to help and encourage them by speaking of Christ and sharing those things from the Word of God that will give courage to the weary spirit and the fainting heart.

Weary — Part 3

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall” (Isaiah 40:30).

At face value and out of context this is not a very encouraging verse, is it? We learn from this that the natural strength even of youth is not enough to meet the situations of life. I am finding more and more that there are many young people who are saying, “I can’t do it!” “I give up!” However, there is power to live the Christian life even in these “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1). You say, “How can I then have power and spiritual fortitude to live for the Lord?” The answer is in what follows: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). The eagle soars above the problem, the runner keeps going even when there are obstacles to overcome, and the walker consistently presses on, no matter how steep or difficult the pathway may be. The Lord can help us to do that. The promise is, “Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25). Shoes speak of our walk for the Lord, iron speaks of strength, and brass speaks of endurance.

Weary — Part 2

“Looking unto Jesus … For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3).

Are you weary? Maybe not physically, but spiritually? The remedy (at least in part), is in the first three verses of Hebrews 12. Sometimes we are weary because of things we are allowing in our lives that hinder us from running the Christian race. Sometimes it is because we are not focused on the Lord Jesus, who has lived here in this world, completed the path of faith in perfection, and is now seated “at the right hand of the throne of God” (verse 2). To “consider Him” is not just a casual glance now and then. It is to have real focus on Christ as our object. It is to see “no man, save Jesus only” (Matthew 17:8).

When we have Christ as our object, then we can follow the exhortation that we have later in Hebrews 12, “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (verse 12). So, instead of giving up and saying that life is too hard, let’s refocus on the true object for faith … Christ! Then, and only then, can we “run with patience the race that is set before us” (verse 1).

Weary — Part 1

“My soul is weary of my life” (Job 10:1).

Do you ever feel like Job felt when he said these words? Job was going through some real trials. As far as he could discern there was no point in living any longer. He was weary of it all. However, when the story of God’s dealings with Job was over, there was far more blessing and benefit for him than if those trials had never happened. The fact of the matter is that “the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).

We too go through trials and tests in God’s dealings with us. There is training and discipline, as well as the work of the enemy, Satan. There is physical and mental weariness as we try to survive in the society in which we find ourselves. And yet we can be happy, fruitful Christians through it all. When Job’s life is summed up in the New Testament we read, “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11). Whatever God allows in our lives, He provides the strength and grace and everything that is needed to live for Him. We can all say, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Dear Young Christian:

This week we are going to have a series on the subject of “weariness.” As you start out today you may be feeling physically weary. Perhaps you didn’t get enough rest over the weekend. Maybe you stayed out late with your friends and didn’t get enough sleep, or you were busy studying, or involved in some outreach and work for the Lord. Jesus Himself knew what it was to experience physical weariness. “Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well” (John 4:6). There was another time when we read, “And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow” (Mark 4:38).

However, the weariness we are going to consider is not physical tiredness but spiritual fatigue. The enemy, Satan, is making great efforts to wear down those who are seeking to follow the Lord and be a testimony in this morally dark and sinful world. If we are not careful, we can get spiritually weary, but we have one who says, “I have satiated [fully satisfied] the weary soul” (Jeremiah 31:25).

Your Christian Friend,

 Jim Hyland

Worship

“Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33).

“And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him” (Matthew 28:17).

“And they worshipped Him” (Luke 24:52).

This is what the Son of God desires from His own …WORSHIP! Worship comes from a heart overflowing with an appreciation of the person and work of Christ. On several occasions we read of the disciples worshipping the Lord as they were with Him and occupied with His glories and attributes. There also were many others during the life of the Lord on earth who came and worshipped as well.

On this first day of the week, let’s ask ourselves this question: “How much does the person and work of Christ mean to us? Is there true worship in our hearts? As we meet with other believers will there be a response that is real and genuine?”

That is what will delight His heart. “So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him” (Psalm 45:11).

The First Time

“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter … . Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them” (Acts 17:32, 34).

People get saved at all ages. I was saved as a young boy. I have known those who have been saved in their teens. I met a young woman who was recently saved in a gospel meeting in her early twenties. I have known those who were middle-aged, and a few who were older as well, and even some who were saved at the end of their lives or on their death beds.

But the question remains, “When is the best time to be saved?” Usually the answer given is “NOW!” While this is certainly correct, I heard an even better answer from a young person who was asked this question as she left an evangelical service one evening. Her answer was, “The best time to be saved is the first time you hear the gospel.”

How many times have you heard the gospel? What is your response? Are you saved? Don’t be like those who heard the truth from the Apostle Paul and mocked or neglected. Be like those that believed!

One to Another

Here are some things that should characterize us as Christians in our relationships “one to another.”

“They that feared the Lord spake often one to another” (Malachi 3:16).

“Have love one to another” (John 13:35).

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another” (Romans 12:10).

“Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Ephesians 4:32).

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another” (James 5:16).

“Use hospitality one to another without grudging” (1 Peter 4:9).

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another” (1 Peter 4:10).

“Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5).

Here is something that should never characterize us as Christians in our relationships “one to another.”

“Lie not one to another” (Colossians 3:9).

Remember, our interactions “one to another” have more effect either for good or bad than we realize.