Month: January 2016

Dear Young Christian:

Did you ever notice how often we complain about the weather? It is either too hot or too cold; too wet or too dry; too humid, windy, stormy, or whatever … Thankfully, the weather, like many other things in life, is not in any way under our control. Our God is in full control, ordering everything according to His wisdom and knowing what is best. I like the verse that says, “The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3).

Some of us come from areas of the world where there is lots of snow this time of year. The next time you complain about having to shovel think of this verse: “He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth” (Job 37:6).

When you grumble about the weather, remember it’s all ordered and perfectly administered from the throne of heaven. And remember too, that no matter how dull and gloomy the weather may be, we can always walk in the sunshine of our Father’s love.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Love

Here are some of the things the Apostle John records about the love of God the Father and the Lord Jesus:

“God so loved” (John 3:16).

“He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

“I [have] loved you” (John 15:9).

“Greater love hath no man than this” (John 15:13).

“Behold, what manner of love” (1 John 3:1).

“God is love” (1 John 4:8).

“Herein is love” (1 John 4:10).

“He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

These short statements ought to stir our hearts’ affections as we consider the greatest love that mankind has ever known or ever will. If love like this doesn’t awaken your affections and cause a response from your heart today, then you need to examine your state of soul and occupy yourself with His divine, unchangeable love. Remember and meditate on the full display of that love at Calvary’s cross. “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).

 

Michael Faraday — Part 3

Speculations

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

As we have noted this week, Michael Faraday was one of the most brilliant scientists of modern times. He was a pioneer in electrical discoveries, although he received practically no formal education.

Above all, he loved his Saviour and Lord. We are not surprised at the words he uttered with his dying breath: “I bow before Him who is Lord of all.”

He died on August 25, 1867. Just before his decease some journalists came to his bedside and questioned him as to his speculations for a life after death. “Speculations!” exclaimed Michael. “I know nothing of speculations. I’m resting on certainties. ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth,’ and because He lives, I shall live also.”

How wonderful it is for the believer to be able to rest on certainties. Like Paul, who said, “We know that … we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). Do you have this certainty?

 

Michael Faraday — Part 2

The Prayer Meeting

“We went … where prayer was wont to be made”
(Acts 16:13).

A crowded gathering of distinguished scientists had been listening spellbound to the masterful expositions of Michael Faraday. For an hour he held his brilliant audience enthralled as he demonstrated the nature and properties of the magnet. He brought his lecture to a close with an experiment so novel, so bewildering and so triumphant that for some time after he resumed his seat, the house thundered with enthusiastic applause. The Prince of Wales — later known as King Edward VII — rose to propose a motion of congratulation. The resolution was seconded and carried with renewed applause. All grew quiet as the audience waited for Faraday’s reply.

However, he did not appear. Only his most intimate friends knew what had become of him. The hour at which he concluded his lecture was the hour of the weeknight prayer meeting at the place where he met with other believers. Even amidst the world’s accolades, Faraday recognized the importance of the prayer meeting.

 

Michael Faraday — Part 1

Our Occupation in Heaven

“Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am” (John 17:24).

Michael Faraday was a chemist, physicist and philosopher. One day a distinguished scientist asked him this question: “Have you ever thought about what will be your occupation in the next world?”

Hesitating a while, Faraday quoted the verse, “It is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). He then added his own words: “I shall be with Christ, and that is enough.”

Yes, whatever else we may do in heaven, Christ will be the center and theme, our eternal and glorious occupation. When we get even one glimpse of His lovely face we will fix our gaze on Him, and He will captivate our hearts forever. As the Apostle John recorded, “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” (Revelation 5:6). It was the LAMB that caught His immediate attention and so it will be with us as well.

 

The Yoke

“It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27).

“Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me … For
My yoke is easy, and My burden is light”
(Matthew 11:29-30).

To be yoked together means that you will be walking with another person in very close company. The direction one person takes is the direction the other must take. The job one person is doing is the job the other must do. Where one person goes the other must go. It cannot be otherwise.

We are to learn to walk with the Lord in our youth, yoked together in fellowship with Him, doing His will and going in the paths where He would have us to go. There will be burdens to bear, and life will not always be easy. But as we learn of Him and His ways, the yoke will indeed be easier, and the burden will be lighter. This is because we are in fellowship with One who does not give us more than we can carry or bear and even carries and bears it with us.

The yoke of this world is heavy. “The way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). However, “the way of the Lord is strength” (Proverbs 10:29).

 

God’s Blessings

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new
every morning: great is Thy faithfulness”
(Lamentations 3:22-23).

If you recount God’s blessings,

And His mercies every day,

You won’t have time to murmur,

Or complain along life’s way.

You’ll be thinking of His goodness,

And His love divine and sweet,

And you’ll talk of it to others,

Yes, to everyone you meet.

On your face there’ll be a smile,

In your heart there’ll be a song,

Whether life is bright and cheerful,

Or if everything goes wrong.

You will rise above your problems,

Whether great or whether small,

And you’ll not be always grumbling,

As God’s mercies you recall.

 

Dear Young Christian:

To someone like myself, it seems that just yesterday the world was anticipating the year 2000, or what was referred to as Y2K, the “new millennium.” Now here we are at the start of 2016, and any of you who were born in 2000 will turn 16 years old this year. Maybe you are looking forward to getting your driver’s license or some other landmark event in your life.

I am reminded of the verses, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:14-15). You may not think so now, but life is short. As believers we need to make every day count. We only have a little time to serve the Lord and shine for Him in this dark, sinful world, which is heading quickly for judgment. Before you know it, we’ll be looking back on the year 2016, if the Lord doesn’t come. Will we look back with the satisfaction that we lived our lives for the Lord?

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

He Gave Himself

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the will of God and our Father”
(Galatians 1:3-4).

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

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

“The Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself
a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

“Our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works”
(Titus 2:13-14).

Yes, “He gave Himself!” Indeed, He was the “merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46). He could not give more; He would not give less.

 

Remember Now

“O Lord God: Thou art my trust from my youth”
(Psalm 71:5).

You will not always be in the days of your youth! As seasons come and go — winter, spring, summer, autumn — as earth pursues its long journey around the sun, as birthdays are brought to somebody every morning, those bright and hopeful days of youth are left further and further behind. The days when your youth and vibrancy have faded are slowly but surely coming nearer and nearer.

The time when you will be known as an old person is, of course, a long way off — perhaps you do not think about it at all. But the Preacher (Solomon) thought about it, and we should think about it as well. So Solomon wrote, “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 12:1).

If you want to be happy in old age and be able to sing the songs of heaven, rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ, “remember NOW thy Creator!”