Young People’s Blog

His Name

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in His fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is His name, and what is His son’s name, if thou canst tell?” (Proverbs 30:4).

These questions were raised by “Agur the son of Jakeh” (Proverbs 30:4). As far as we know he never got the answer, and many times he must have wondered about what he had written. Later on Isaiah gives us some further light on the matter, by telling us, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel … and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). Then we have the further revelation given to Joseph in the New Testament: “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

What a Saviour, and what glorious names have been revealed to us in light of His becoming a man in incarnation!

What Shall I Do?

Have you tried everything and yet failed to find the peace you long for? Do you sometimes say in your heart: “No one could ever feel as I feel”? Maybe you say, “Oh! I wish that I had never been born! There is happiness for others, but not for me. I am afraid to live, and I am afraid to die.”

The cause of this long and continuous distress of mind is found in the very question, “What shall I do?” If we realized our need as a sinner, and our complete helplessness to satisfy God, we would cease from our own efforts to obtain peace with God.

The question, “What shall I do?” was asked of the Lord when He was here on earth. “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:28-29).

Thankfully there is nothing to do, for the work of salvation is all done. I can have peace by simply believing and accepting what Christ has done for me. “For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

You are…

“By the grace of God I am what I am”
(1 Corinthians 15:10).

You are what you eat … Feed on Christ.

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world … .This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” (John 6:51, 58).

You are what you read … Read God’s Word.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13).

You are what you watch … Be careful what you see.

“Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity” (Psalm 119:37).

You are the company you keep … Choose your friends wisely.

“I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts” (Psalm 119:63).

Practical Applications
of God’s Word

Part 8 — Refreshment

“O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly”
(Song of Solomon 5:1).

Have you had a drink from the Word of God today? If not, you are a thirsty Christian, your soul is parched and you are spiritually dehydrated. What a sad condition to be in when there is so much refreshment available on a daily basis! Stop now and take a drink of “cold waters to a thirsty soul” (Proverbs 25:25). When the Lord was talking to the woman at Sychar’swell, He said: “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13-14).

A thirsty person seeks to have his thirst quenched. The “living water” satisfies our thirst completely, not just for a moment but for eternity. And more than that, it is free. The Lord Jesus says: “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Revelation 21:6).

Learn to drink from the Word of God every single day … yes, more than just once a day. You don’t take a glass of water in the morning and expect it to last all day. Discipline yourself to drink again and again … and again!

Contentment

“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).

In the past weeks and months we have mentioned the need for contentment several times. Here is another word on this relevant and important subject:

Frustration is the opposite of contentment. Solomon’s wisdom tells us that to be content with a little is so much better than to be rich but frustrated and with troubles. The Apostle Paul said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). We are further exhorted, “Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:15). One of the more difficult things to resist today is the desire for more. You may have to find out on your own that to be full of this world’s goods does not fill your heart. Only Christ can do that. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). Be content with what the Lord has given you and be filled with Him.

“I Will … ”

Here are some things that the Lord has promised that He will do for each one of us:

“I WILL remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

“I WILL bless thee” (Genesis 22:17).

“I WILL strengthen thee” (Isaiah 41:10).

“I WILL help thee” (Isaiah 41:10).

“I WILL uphold thee” (Isaiah 41:10).

“I WILL instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go” (Psalm 32:8).

“I WILL guide thee with Mine eye” (Psalm 32:8).

“I WILL give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“I WILL never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

“If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I WILL do it” (John 11:14).

“I WILL come again, and receive you unto Myself” (John 14:3).

What a wonderful God and Saviour we have! Claim His promises, and remember, “There hath not failed one word of all His good promise” (1 Kings 8:56).

Dear Young Christian:

Do you ever feel that your unsaved fellow-students, coworkers, neighbours, and acquaintances, look at you with pity and say, “You don’t know what you are missing or losing out on”? There may have been those in the court of Pharaoh who thought that about Moses. Yet we read, “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26). Moses saw something better in the future than the wealth and fame of Egypt. He saw that which was of eternal value. So while the unsaved of this world pity us, they are really the ones that need to be pitied, and we can say of them, “You don’t know what you are missing or losing out on.” We can face this week with eternity in view, knowing that we have the best of both worlds.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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Together for Worship

“And we … came unto them to Troas … And upon the first day of the week … the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:6-7).

This morning I am writing this page from my room in Cairo, Egypt. It is 11:00 am, and I look forward to remembering the Lord in the breaking of bread this evening at 8:00 pm. Here in Egypt, as in most Moslem countries the Lord’s Day is not a day off for most. So, the believers come together in the evening for meetings and fellowship. This was probably the case when Paul and his fellow travellers were in Troas, which was a dark, heathen city, where most were worshippers of the false god, Jupiter.

Today, I will not be able to sing the hymns as they will be sung in Arabic, and the prayers will be translated for me. I will be able to follow along in my English Bible as the Scriptures are read, but any ministry and visiting will again have to be translated.

It should make us thankful that most of us can meet with those who sing, pray, read the Scriptures, and share with us in our own language. Will you avail yourself of such an opportunity and privilege today?

The Creator

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth”
(Psalm 33:6).
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).

The universe, the stars, the planets with their moons, and this world we call earth, were all made by the word of the Lord. He spoke and trees grew. He spoke and mountains appeared. He spoke and animals, birds, and fish were seen. But when it came to man, the Lord formed him from dust. God formed man with His hands. Woman was formed from one of Adam’s ribs. Yes, God has a special care for man, and man as a God-conscious being is responsible to His Creator.

God loves all mankind, wants them all to accept His Son, Jesus, as Saviour. “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). When it came to creation He could simply speak and it was done. However, when it came to redemption for fallen man He had to die. Is the Creator your Saviour as well?

The Way We Say It

Someone has well said, Ninety percent of all the friction of daily life is caused by mere tone of voice. When a person speaks, their words convey their thoughts and their tone conveys their mood and attitude.

It is not always what a persons says, but how they say it that makes the difference in how it is received and reacted to. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth He spoke faithfully, firmly, and truthfully. Yet we read of those who heard, “And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (Luke 4:22). On another occasion the officers who were sent by the authorities to arrest the Lord, came and reported, “Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46). It was not only a question of what He said, but the very tone and intonation of His voice was perfect. Yes, He was the perfect, sinless, Son of God!

What about our words? We are told, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). And again, “Speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

Remember, it is not necessarily what we say, but how we say it.