Young People’s Blog

In Control

Some years ago on a flight to London, I was in the front row of the aircraft. In those days, the door to the cockpit was often left open and I had a good view of a young pilot at the controls. As the lights of Heathrow came into view I watched the pilot edge the throttles forward to balance the engine power against the resistance of the wing flaps. But just a few moments before touch down, another hand reached across and took the hand of the young pilot, and eased the throttle just a fraction further forward. Sitting on the other side of the cockpit was the senior pilot who considered that just a little more power was needed to achieve a safe and smooth landing.

There are times in our lives when we need someone to take control. Times of sorrow and difficult decisions, times when we come to crossroads and don’t know where to turn, or things seem out of control. It is wonderful to know that the Lord is close by waiting to put His hand on ours and take full control. Just like Peter, “When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:30-31).

Satan’s Devices

“For to this end also did I write … Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of
his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:9, 11).

It doesn’t take much thought to figure out that Satan uses more than one trick to try and catch us in his trap. Each of us has different weaknesses which the devil well knows and will take advantage of. Some have a real weakness in music; for others it may be sports; for some it may be laziness; still others are too driven; and on and on the list goes. Satan has used the same things more than once to get me to walk a path that is not according to Scripture. He usually attacks without warning, often when things are “going well” (or at least seem to be). And he doesn’t quit after his first success or failure, but rather he tries again and again to make us stumble. That’s why we are warned, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). WATCH OUT!! We are not ignorant of his devices.

Thankfully we have a great power at our disposal! “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

He Paid the Debt

He came to pay a debt He did not owe,

Because we owed a debt we could not pay;

Mercy to sinners now can freely flow,

His blood removes each stain of guilt away.

He came to pay a debt He did not owe,

Sold all He had, laid down His life in death;

God’s holy claims forever met, we know,

When on the cross He yielded up His breath.

He came to pay a debt He did not owe,

And now ascended, lives in heaven above;

Blessings divine He richly doth bestow,

The Son of God who gave Himself in love.

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Dear Young Christian:

Last week a few of us went out for a couple hour boat ride on the Nile River. As we relaxed and enjoyed the cool breeze I couldn’t help but think of the awful edict of Pharaoh back in the days when the Children of Israel were slaves under his command. “And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river” (Exodus 1:22).

What if you had been born to Israelite parents back in those days? Are you truly thankful for the home and parents you have? Are you thankful that you have heard the Word of God and the way of salvation? So often we complain about our parents, our circumstances, and the hard times we think we are experiencing. But there have been, and still are, many who are worse off than we are. At the beginning of another week let’s, “Give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:1).

I also found comfort in the fact that every baby boy thrown into the Nile, I will see in heaven some day.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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The Curse

“And unto Adam he said … cursed is the ground
for thy sake” (Genesis 3:17).
“For as many as are of the works of the law
are under the curse” (Galatians 3:10).
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

The Old Testament law could only condemn and show how far short the human race came in measuring up to God’s standard of holiness. The last word of the Old Testament is “curse” (Malachi 4:6).

Notwithstanding, Christ, on the cross bore the curse of sin so that we would never have to bear it. “Who His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Now, instead of a curse, we have the blessings. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Thus the New Testament ends with “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Revelation 22:21).

Death Bed

Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau (March 9th 1749 — April 2nd 1791) was a leader of the early stages of the French revolution. He was probably the greatest political mind and orator of the time.

Here is how an eyewitness described his deathbed scene:

“He urged ‘Crown me with flowers, intoxicate me with perfume, let me die with the sound of delicious music.’ When death came nearer he said, ‘My sufferings are intolerable: I have in me a hundred years of life, but not a moment’s courage.’ He then demanded and received a draught of opium under which influence he died.”

We may have wealth, fame, and great natural abilities in this life, but when it comes to facing eternity all those things mean nothing if we do not know Christ as our Saviour, and enjoy the assurance of sins forgiven. The Apostle Paul, as a young man, had everything going for him in this world, but when he got saved he said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7). Whatever we have in this life apart from Christ, will do us no good when we leave this world for the next life. To know Christ as Saviour is everything!

Purpose

It is Christ that gives purpose and meaning to life. Here are some examples and exhortation from the Bible on this subject:

“Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8).

“Barnabas … Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord” (Acts 11:22-23).

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Does your life have real meaning and purpose. If you are seeking to live for the Lord, reading your Bible, spending time in prayer, serving others, and spreading the gospel, then your life will have purpose, substance, and eternal value. You will be like Paul, who could say to Timothy at the end of his life, “Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience” (2 Timothy 3:10).

Jesus Speaks

“I Jesus” (Revelation 22:16).

At this point in the book of Revelation the angel has delivered his message, and now the Lord Jesus, the theme and center of all prophecy, Himself speaks. The solemn scenes of judgment, the coming glories of the heavenly city, the blessedness of the millennial reign, the perfect bliss of the new heaven and the new earth, have all passed before us, but at last we are left alone with the One upon whom it all depends — we are alone with JESUS. The One who can say, “I Jesus” has the last word. Angels have spoken, elders have spoken, trumpets have sounded, the voice of great multitudes have been heard and the sound of mighty thunderings, but at length all give place to the One who is above all — the voice of Jesus is heard.

We can hear His voice speaking to us today as well. Through all the din and activity of everyday life — He speaks; through the noise and confusion of the world around us — He speaks; amidst the distractions that our enemy Satan seeks to put in our path — He speaks. He speaks, and we need, like the boy Samuel, to respond, “Speak; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:10).

Discontent!

Some time ago there appeared in a newspaper a cartoon showing two fields divided by a fence. Both fields were about the same size and each had plenty of the same kind of lush green grass.

In each field there was a mule, and each mule had his head through the fence eating grass from the other mule’s pasture. All around each mule, in his own field was plenty of grass, yet the grass on the other side of the fence seemed greener or fresher, although it was harder to get. Furthermore, in the process the mules were caught in the fence wires and were unable to disentangle themselves. The cartoonist put just one word at the bottom of the picture — “DISCONTENT!”

Does this describe you? The Bible tells us, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

The key to contentment is really to be enjoying the company of the Lord Jesus each day. So we read, “Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). Is He enough to satisfy no matter what our circumstances? Indeed He is!

Watch & Pray — Pray & Watch

In the Bible “watching” is often connected with prayer. In the following verse we are to first “watch” in order to keep out of our lives those things that would hinder an effective prayer life. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). David realized this when he penned the words, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). We need to always be on our guard that we do not allow sin, or worldliness to dull our affections, chill our souls, or lull us into spiritual complacency. These things will hinder “effectual fervent prayer” (James 5:16).

However in the following verses you will notice that the order is reversed. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18). “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).  This is the thought of persevering. Persevering in prayer would imply, not only turning to God in some special need, but the habitual attitude of dependence upon God. “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray” (Psalm 55:17). However prolonged the trial, though the answer may be delayed, we are to “persevere in prayer,” and then to give thanks for whatever the answers are.