Month: June 2019

Dear Young Christian:

I went out for a walk today near the home where I am staying in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. On the marquee outside an ice-cream shop I saw the following words:

Live For Now

I know it was simply an advertising slogan to catch the attention of passersby so that they would stop and buy a treat before going any further. However, it made me think of life in general and how the spirit of the age we live in is just that … living for now, without much or any thought for tomorrow. Rather than living for now, how much better to live for Jesus, and to live in view of the future and heaven. Everything we do in our Christian life has impact and consequences. And not only does each decision and action affect ourselves, but, more often than not, it affects others as well. That is what we learn from the verse that says, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Romans 14:7).Make Christ your object and heaven your goal, and you will have a happy, fruitful Christian life!

Your Christian Friend,

 Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.

Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Remembrance — Part 2

“Remembering Mine affliction and My misery, the wormwood and the gall” (Lamentations 3:19).

Our hearts recall Thy sorrow,

When in Gethsemane,

Thou didst address Thy Father,

“Let this cup pass from Me.”

Yet Thou, to do His blest will,

Would never turn aside;

Golgotha was before Thee,

And for us Thou hast died.

We break this bread, Lord Jesus,

Our hearts are stirred within;

For in those hours of darkness,

Thou, Lord, didst bear our sin.

We hear Thee cry, “’Tis finished.”

Then yielding up Thy breath,

Thou as the willing victim,

Laid down Thy life in death.

(Continued next Lord’s Day.)

Saved or Condemned

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).

The same gospel that saves those who believe, also condemns the unrepentant and rejecter. Noah built the ark as a refuge for whoever would heed the warning. “God … spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly” (2 Peter 2:4-5).

Sadly, only seven people besides Noah eventually entered the place of refuge and were saved from the flood. The ark was not only a place of safety and sanctuary for those eight souls at that time, but also consigned the unbelieving world to judgment.

Christ died to save us from the storm of judgment that is coming soon on this earth, and from the eternal judgment and consequences of hell. Have you availed yourself of God’s Ark, the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you saved or condemned?

Peace in His Presence

There is a great peace that is derived from living in the presence of the Lord. It is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,” and we are told that it “shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

David learned this, and could say, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5). If there was one thing David desired more than anything else, it was a conscious sense of the Lord’s presence with him. Notice the precious verse: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).

When Christ is our constant companion, then the way is bright, our step will be light, and there will be a song in our hearts. He has said, “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). There is a burden, but yoked in step with our faithful friend and Lord, it is all good, and all peace … His peace!

His Promises

God’s promises are always solid and never fail. Here are three witnesses to this wonderful fact:

Solomon:

“According to all that He promised: there hath not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised” (1 Kings 8:56).

The Apostle Paul:

 “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

The Apostle Peter:

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

We too can claim the promises of God. The Bible is full of these wonderful, sure promises. Search them out for yourself, and then rely on them no matter what happens in your day-to-day life.

Faint and Weary

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

Sometimes, we may feel we are on a long, uphill journey, and that our energies are almost spent. We may have faltered, and even fallen at times, but the Lord is right there, and has promised, “I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

Go to Him, tell Him everything, and find fresh courage and renewed strength for whatever may lie ahead. Notice the next verse in Isaiah 40, and take comfort and hope from its truth. “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” (Verse 31).

The Lord understands us even in our youth. He walked this earth as a young man, and now fully empathises and sympathises with us in every circumstance. And more than that, He is able to lift us above the problems and give us what is needed — no matter how hard or how steep the climb may be. Trust Him fully, and your strength will indeed be renewed.

Someone

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”
(Psalm 107:2).

Did you tell a friend of Jesus,

Did you tell someone today?

Did you point some soul to heaven,

Showing Jesus as the way?

Have you told a friend about Him,

Speaking of His grace and love?

Did you quote a verse of Scripture,

Talk of Christ in heaven above?

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

Have you helped a fellow Christian,

Someone struggling hard today?

Did you give some hope and guidance,

From God’s Word to show the way?

Did you speak with love and kindness,

Take some time with them to pray,

To direct their heart to Jesus,

Lest they faint and from Him stray?

Dear Young Christian:

“I love them that love Me; and those that seek
Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:17).

I have two questions for you as you start out on another busy week.

1. Do you love the Lord?

2. Do you seek Him early?

The first question you can answer in your own heart.

Now think seriously about the second question! Do you get up in the morning with a desire to seek the Lord by reading your Bible and spending some time talking to Him in prayer? If you do, you will find Him. You will find Him in some way or other on every page of the Word of God, and you will find Him ready to listen to your prayers and ready and able to help you through the day — no matter what you have to face. Here is a prayer of David, and good for us to pray as well: “Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Psalm 63:1).

 Your Christian Friend,

 Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.

Send your comments and questions to jhyland1959@gmail.com

Remembrance — Part 1

“We will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

Lord Jesus, at Thy table,

We gladly take our place;

For Thou hast here invited,

Sinners of Adam’s race;

Washed by Thy blood, and pardoned –

Our righteousness Thine own –

Forgiven and accepted

In Thee, and Thee alone.

We worship Thee, Lord Jesus,

As gathered to Thy name;

Assembled by the Spirit,

Thy holy presence claim;

A loaf and cup before us,

We would remember Thee;

And think upon Thy sufferings,

And death at Calvary.

(Continued next Lord’s day.)

Response

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3)?

There are various ways in which people, young and old, may respond to the gospel message. To those who reject it, we warn, “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).

Then, there are those who neglect the salvation God offers. They are completely indifferent to it, and, according to our verse, they will not escape eternal doom in the Lake of Fire. If there is an unsaved soul reading these words (or listening to them being read to you), we plead with you — neither reject nor neglect God’s offer of salvation, but receive it through our Lord Jesus Christ, before it is too late.

The jailor in Philippi, asked the question, “What must I do to be saved?” When told, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved … . he … rejoiced, believing in God” (Acts 16:30-31,34).

Don’t be a neglecter, or a rejecter! Be an acceptor! This is what guarantees a happy life now and a secure future for eternity.