Young People’s Blog

Are You a Judas?

“Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood” (Matthew 27:3-4).

The story of Judas appals us. For some three years he had accompanied the Lord. During that time he had sufficient opportunity to recognize his wicked inclinations and repent. Even when he betrayed his Master with a kiss, the way the Lord addressed him, “Friend, wherefore art thou come” (Matthew 26:50), reveals how He still sought him in love. But Judas did not heed it. Only when Jesus was condemned to death was Judas seized with regret. But it was regret over the consequences of his deed. He did not repent of the wickedness in his heart. Today we are in no danger of betraying the Lord to crucify Him. Still, we can get to know Him very well by means of Biblical facts; we can know the way of salvation and the sad end of those who neglect or reject that salvation; we can pretend to be a real follower of Christ, and yet be a Judas. The Lord said, “Repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Have you?

Taking No Chances

“I know whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12).

Once in a while somebody speaks of “staking all on Christ,” or risking everything on God’s promises, as though it were a great gamble. But we are not gambling when we venture on God’s Word. Staking something on an uncertainty is a gamble, but when we commit to Christ we are depending on an absolute certainty that cannot fail and we are jeopardizing nothing. It is one thing to act on some vague suggestion, trying to imagine what may or may not be actually true. It is another thing to rest on something we know is true, though sometimes we may not fully comprehend it. Then we may with confidence live in the good and reality of it, because it is absolute truth.

God’s promises are true, and “forever … settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Jesus is “the Truth” (John 14:6). Paul knew in whom he trusted. There was no chance about it, but absolute certainty. We are risking nothing when we trust Him. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).

Heaven

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1).

When I was a boy growing up and going to school in Canada my geography teachers taught us all about Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Although I had never been there, I believed that what I was taught from the text books and photos of beautiful scenery was true. Later in life when I visited those places I found that what was written and reported about them was not only true but that in actuality they were far more beautiful than I had imagined or envisioned.

We only have glimpses of heaven in the Bible but when we get there it will be far more wonderful than we can ever imagine it to be! But best of all we will be with the Lord Jesus. He has promised, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). This is the Christian’s sure and glorious prospect!

The Spring

“All my springs are in Thee” (Psalm 87:7).

Have you ever heard the hypothetical narrative of the desert spring whose waters had certain medicinal properties so that those who drank from it were helped and even healed of various infirmities? In the course of time, homes sprang up around the spring — then came a hotel, stores, and eventually a town that grew into a city. But there came a day when visitors would ask, “Where is the spring from which this grew?” and the residents would say, with embarrassment, “We are sorry, but somehow in the midst of all our progress and improvement, we lost the spring.”

While this story may be more parable than otherwise, yet there is a very significant lesson to be learned in all this. As we draw on our Spring of life and our Blesser, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is easy to become more occupied with the blessings that result and eventually lose touch with the One from whom it all flows. Let’s not lose sight of the Fountain of Life. He and He only is our Spring. “And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought … and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” (Isaiah 58:11).

Prayer & Reading

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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 40:30-31).

Sometimes my heart is weary,

My footsteps almost slide,

My faith grows dim and leery,

And hope seems to have died;

It is because I have not,

Been trusting in my Lord,

I’ve not been daily praying,

Or reading in His Word.

And then His grace restores me,

When back to Him I turn:

And then He, by His Spirit,

Causes my heart to burn:

He leads me back to trust Him,

To pray and read His Word,

To walk in sweet communion,

With Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Dear Young Christian:

“My meditation of Him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord” (Psalm 104:34).

“O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

Meditation is a very important part of Christian growth and spiritual maturity. Here are some guidelines for our meditations this week:

Meditate on creation as it speaks of God’s greatness and majesty.

Meditate on the life of the Lord Jesus to see His grace, goodness, and perfection.

Meditate on the cross to better grasp God’s love.

Meditate on the resurrected, glorified Lord to see His power and His authority.

Meditate on His blessings and be more thankful.

Meditate on what is ahead when we leave this world, and it will give courage and strength for each day.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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Psalm 150

“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord” (Psalm 150:1-6).

In this final Psalm we have brought before us God in His excellent greatness and majesty. This is of course always the great ultimate theme of worship and praise. God is to be praised in His sanctuary, in the firmament of His power, and for His mighty acts.

In a coming day He will have full worship and praise, both on earth and in Heaven. However He wants that worship and praise from redeemed hearts now. Today we are invited to, “come before His presence with singing … Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:2, 4).

Something Missing

Yoga, meditation, Eastern religions — Steve was deeply involved with them all. Still a student himself, he was organizing and teaching classes in meditation and yoga to other college students. Still, there was something missing.

Finally Steve left school to give his time to studying the Eastern writings, going more and more into yoga and “deep meditation.” A year later he still had to admit that something was missing. Then he received a letter from a former classmate, saying, “Jesus is the only Way!” How different this was! Steve spent the whole day praying that, if that were true, God would show him. He went out that evening and stood by the roadside with his thumb out for a ride. A van pulled over. Steve was barely seated when the driver asked, “Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?”

Steve didn’t even hesitate. “No,” he answered, “but I’m ready to!” Right then and there he accepted God’s offer of salvation through the person and work of Christ. No longer is “something missing” in Steve’s life. The Lord Jesus has filled that emptiness, and his time is spent in telling others of the One who said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

Monthly Question Page

Q. What is the difference between 1 Chronicles 21:13, “Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord,” and Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”?

A. In First Chronicles, King David had sinned, and in pride had numbered the people. When he realizes what he has done he takes full responsibility for his actions, and seeks to spare the people from a consequence that he feels they do not deserve. In confessing his sin he understands that God is gracious and avails himself of that grace, instead of blaming others for his failure.

In Hebrews it is a question of a person who rejects God’s testimony and His offer of salvation. This we see from the context, beginning at verse 29. It is indeed a fearful thing to reject God’s grace and salvation, especially for those who have made a profession of being saved and pretend to be believers but are not real. There will be judgment for such!

So, for a child of God to fall into His hand is to count on His grace, mercy, and wisdom. But to fall into the hands of a holy God having rejected His grace and mercy is the most dreadful thing of all.

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Send your comments or questions to [email protected]

Our Ministry

“Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee” (Matthew 4:12).

Sometimes I have asked myself, why didn’t the Lord go and visit John the Baptist, or try to plead his cause and get him out of prison? The answer is simple, because John’s work for the Lord on earth was done. He had spoken the truth and was condemned because of it. He had performed the most significant work of any Old Testament prophet in that he had introduced the Lord to the Jewish nation. But for the most part they rejected his testimony. John then steps aside and lets Jesus have His place as the Saviour of the world. John was faithful unto death too, just as Jesus was. He was willing to be hidden while the Lord came into public view.

We also have a work to do for the Lord. John’s ministry was to announce the coming of Christ. Our work is to announce to this world that He has come, died, risen, and that as an ascended man in heaven He is the Saviour of sinners, and the resource of the believers. Are we fulfilling that ministry? And are we like John who said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30)?