Author: BTP

Gates of Nehemiah — The Fountain Gate

“The gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh” (Nehemiah 3:15).

In Scripture, running water, such as a spring, a river, or a fountain, is often a type of the Holy Spirit. The Fountain Gate would remind us of the work of the Spirit of God in usand through us, and the power that we have in worship, service, and for our walk of faith. Here are some examples:

“Worship God in the Spirit” (Philippians 3:3).

“Praying in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

“Led by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:18).

“Sing with the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:15).

“Walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

We want to be careful to keep this gate in constant repair. That keeps out of our lives those things that would hinder the work of the Spirit of God mentioned in the verses above. We are told: “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19); and, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30).

The Lord said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Don’t let the enemy, Satan, hinder that work of God.

Walk In Love

 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2).

As God’s children, we are exhorted to walk in love, and, in the above verse, we have Christ set before us as the great and perfect example of this divine love. In Him we see the devotedness and intensity of love that gave Himself for others, and this devotedness goes up to God as a sweet-smelling sacrifice. Such love goes far beyond the demands of the Old Testament law which required that a man love his neighbor as himself. Christ did far more, for He gave Himself to God for us.

It is this same love that we are asked to imitate, a love that would lead us to sacrifice ourselves for our brethren. Such love will in its little measure, even as with the infinite love of Christ, go up as a sweet savor to God. The love that led the Philippian assembly to meet the necessities of the Apostle Paul had this very effect. That love was to God “an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18).

Be Careful for Nothing

 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

Let’s break this verse down and make it as simple as possible.

“Be careful” — Don’t be full of care.

“For nothing” — At any time or in any situation.

“But in everything” — Not just some things.

“By prayer” — Bring it to God, talk to Him about it.

“And supplication — Be earnest and fervent.

“Let your requests” — Be specific.

“Be made known unto God” — Tell Him all about it.

What a wonderful resource we have in being able to bring everything to God our Father in prayer. He knows all about it even before we tell Him, but we are invited to, “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). If you want to have a worry-free day, you must learn the simple truth of Philippians 4:6.

Dear Young Christian:

Today, most of us will return to work, school, and whatever other responsibilities the Lord has given us in this world, while we wait for His coming to take us to heaven. Here is a good verse to take with us this week as we live in a world that crucified our Savior and still hates Him to this very day. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Galatians 6:14).

Paul had no desire for the favour of a world that had crucified the Lord, who in love had died to save him: and the world did not want a man that gloried in the Lord that it had crucified. What a wonderful example Paul is for us.

The Lord Jesus said of His own, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). It is true we are still in the world, but we are not of the world. We belong to another world, that is heaven, and we are on our way there. In the meantime we are to walk in separation from the evil and to be a testimony wherever we are.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

A Lamb

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain” (Revelation 5:6).

What a wonderful day it will be when we too are there in the Father’s House, and behold the One, who as the Lamb of God, went to Calvary and was slain in His love for us. There we will have a constant reminder of that great work, as we are occupied with “a Lamb as it had been slain.”

This is the One of whom John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:36)! And the One of whom we later read, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7).

As the Lamb, He is worthy! Worthy of our worship and praise. In heaven we will give Him that worship and praise, and sing, “Thou art worthy … for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

Today He wants our worship and praise as well. He is so worthy! Let’s give Him that which He desires most — the response of our hearts!

God’s Love

“Does God really love me?”

So questioned a young man at the inner-city mission. A young lady, who had been beaten and abused, raised the same question at a gospel meeting one Sunday night.

Yes, many have made the same inquiry! Thankfully the answer to this question is a resounding and definite, YES!

The Bible, over and over again confirms that God loves the sinner and desires their eternal blessing. The following are just two of many Scriptures that confirm this wonderful truth:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

“God is love. 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 4:8-9).

There was a young man who came to the Lord when He was here on earth, and we read, “Jesus beholding him loved him” (Mark 10:21). As far as we read he never received the blessing the Lord had for him. Don’t be like that young man!

As Soon As Possible

ASAP! Most of us have heard and used this expression many times. Perhaps even today we have had someone tell us that they need something done ASAP.

“That assignment needs to be completed and turned in, ASAP … I need a reply, ASAP … Call back, ASAP,” and so on.

Yes, life is hurried, and seems to be getting faster and faster. But while we usually think of this abbreviation in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives, maybe if we think of it a different way, we will find strength and help in dealing with the difficulties of life and the fast pace of society.

Always

Say

A

Prayer

What a lot of frustration we could save ourselves if we took time to pray about everything. Let’s remember the exhortation, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).

How?

From the desk in the room I am staying in this weekend I can read a text on the wall, with a rather interesting and perhaps unusual quotation from the Bible. It is only part of a verse and perhaps applied slightly out of context, yet it has really spoken to me. Here is what it says:

“THE LORD KNOWETH HOW … ” (2 Peter 2:9).

Sometimes I wonder “how” things are going to work out, and “how” this or that can really be the best and for blessing and good in the end. But thankfully I don’t need to know, because My Lord knows. He knows “how!”

Even Solomon with all his God-given wisdom had to acknowledge, “Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way” (Proverbs 20:24).So often we question God’s ways with us, but how good it is to simply submit, even when we don’t fully understand it. I am reminded of the chorus of a hymn we often sing:

“Farther along we’ll know all about it,

Farther along we’ll understand why.”

Reading You

“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men … written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).

The following story is related of a striking experience of a missionary to the islands of the Inland Sea near Japan. One evening a sailor came to ask him to call on a man on another island who was under a deep sense of spiritual need. The missionary, very tired, turned to a recent convert and said, “I am so tired! Won’t you take the man a Bible?”

“No,” the friend replied , “It is not time to take the man a Bible. That book is yours and mine by God’s grace. But it is not the Bible that man is reading. That man is reading you.”

The missionary could not sleep that night. He kept hearing those words over and over again: “That man is reading you.” Before daybreak he set out to see the man.

The Christian is the only Bible the great majority of people ever look at. It was said of another missionary: “There is no difference between him and the Book.”

What does the world read in you? Do they see something of Christ, and does it cause them to want to read more?

The Mission Field

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6).

Open your door, there is a mission field,

The Master calls you, to His call then yield:

There is a work for each of us to share,

A service and a burden each can bear.

Some travel far, and some from home just walk!

Around the world, or just around the block;

Where He has placed us, work for Him today,

There will be open doors that come your way.

And when at setting sun you finally rest,

There will be fruit, and souls will have been blest.

Your heart will with His own “Well done” rejoice,

Because you yielded to the Master’s voice.