Young People’s Blog

Dear Young Christian:

Here is something to think about as you start out this week:

“And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17).

“Then Jonah prayed” (Jonah 2:1).

It does not seem that Jonah prayed when the heathen shipmaster asked him to “arise, call upon thy God” (Jonah 1:6). It would seem that he spent a full three days in the belly of the fish before he became willing to pray! He knew that his circumstances were from God, but he may have thought that he was being punished and therefore had no access to God. However, God was preparing him for a work.

We, like Jonah, are slow to realize that God is working with us — not against us. Whatever happens this week we have access to the “Throne of Grace.” And remember, “if God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments or questions to [email protected]

Delight

The Father’s delight in His Son in a past eternity: “I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him” (Proverbs 8:30).

The Father’s delight in His Son when He was on earth: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

The Father’s delight in His Son at this present time: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).

The Father’s delight in His Son in a future day of glory: “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom” (Hebrews 1:8).

His delight in us: “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all My delight” (Psalm 16:3).

Our delight in Him: “Delight thyself also in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4).

Born Again

We are living in days of increasing danger. While we may not fear it nor be downhearted, it is certain that all of us will soon be in eternity. In view of this, provision for salvation has been made in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. By His death and victorious resurrection He has broken down every barrier, and provided a perfect ground for our acceptance before God.

Nothing could be simpler than the conversion of a soul to God, but it is a personal matter between God and the sinner, and must be settled in this life. The Lord Jesus plainly stated, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Many think that the great change of being “born again” is unnecessary. Some think that if they “do their best,” and “live up to” their convictions, it will be all right with them in the end. However, remember, the Word of the living God says, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Believe, therefore, with your heart on the Lord Jesus Christ, for “whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1).

After Many Days — Part 3

Petra was overjoyed to learn that we would be happy to supply her with all the gospel literature she could use, and free of charge as well. We left her some of what we had with us, and she went on her way rejoicing. Later in our room Garvin told us that it was a particular thrill to him to see Petra, renew her acquaintance, and hear her story, as she had been a particularly difficult and ornery student. It really made Garvin’s day, and Howard and I rejoiced with him to see the hand of the Lord, and His perfect timing in what the world would say was mere coincidence and happenstance.

So it is events like this that make these trips more than worthwhile, and more than compensate for any little inconvenience, expense, or sacrifice we may feel we have made. We now have added Petra to our prayer list and our mailing list, and know that the Lord will continue to use her on the island of Barbados.

For Garvin, it was like the Apostle John, who could say, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 4). As for Howard and I it was the Apostle Paul’s exhortation. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice” (Romans 12:15). And we most certainly did.

After Many Days — Part 2

“Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” (Ecclesiastes 11:1).

The lady’s name was Petra, and later we met at a fast-food restaurant where, over a light snack, she told us a little of the many difficulties she had experienced in her Christian life. She told Garvin that his godly influence during her childhood had really been used of the Lord, and that while she did not appreciate it at the time, she could look back with a thankful heart for the guidance and discipline she had received under his authority in the school and classroom. She also told us that she had been praying that the Lord would somehow supply her with gospel tracts and literature as she could no longer afford to buy any due to the fact that she had lost her job some time ago. She went on to tell us that she had almost decided not to go out on the street that morning as she had so few things to hand out. However she felt prompted by the Lord to do so and to go ahead in faith anyway. We all realized that if she had not followed what the four of us believed was the leading of the Spirit, she would most certainly have missed us.

After Many Days — Part 1

“Seed to the sower, and bread to the eater”
(Isaiah 55:10).

The following account illustrates how God provides encouragement for those who desire to go out sowing the “Good Seed,” and spreading the “Bread of Life.”

On the 7th of January, 2015, Garvin Seymour, Howard House, and I, were giving out gospel tracts as we moved slowly along one of the busy downtown streets of Bridgetown, Barbados. People were hurrying thither and yon, but most people accepted a gospel paper and wallet calendar. Suddenly on a crowded corner Garvin stopped. In front of him was a lady standing and handing out gospel tracts as well. For a few moments they stared at one another, and then recognition flashed across both faces. As it turned out it was a former student of Garvin’s from Dickson Village, Saint Vincent. They embraced, they laughed, it brought tears to their eyes, and they embraced again. They had not seen each other for many years, and it was a joy to the student to see her former teacher, and a special joy to Garvin to meet his former student, who was now a bright and happy believer serving the Lord and spreading the good news.

Rest

A perfect rest remaineth,

A rest from weary toil,

A rest from busy service,

Nothing that rest will spoil:

No tasks, no pressing labour,

We shall no burdens bear;

We’ll never feel a heartache,

Nor have the slightest care.

A blessed rest remaineth,

Unbroken holy state,

No more will sin affect us,

For this our spirits wait;

To think of self no longer,

But Christ the object be,

His praise our only service,

From all obstruction free.

“That they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them”(Revelation 14:13).

Dear Young Christian:

Just this morning I read the following quote in a Christian periodical, and I thought it might be good to pass it along for your consideration. Here is what it said:

The Bible is not merely a history book, but His-story.

Yes, it is all about HIM, all about God’s Son the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two verses in the end of Luke’s gospel that confirm this beyond the shadow of a doubt.

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27).

“And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me” (Luke 24:44).

How much of His-story will you read this week?

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

We would love to hear from you.
Send your comments or questions to [email protected]

Breaking Bread

“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread”
(1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

We can only draw near to God through the death and shed blood of Jesus. We break the bread, and while breaking it, we remember His precious body given in death for us. “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). It is by the death of Jesus that we freely approach God, and God has raised our blessed Substitute from the grave, and has set Him at His own right hand on high, which is the unquestionable evidence of God’s righteousness being perfectly and eternally satisfied, and the proof of our perfect acceptance in Christ. While eating of the bread and drinking the cup each heart can say, “He loved me so much that He gave Himself for me.”

A Contrast

Lord Byron was an English poet who was born in Dover, England on January 22, 1788 and died in Missolonghi, Greece on April 19, 1824. He enjoyed success, fame, and popularity, and is reputed to be one of Britain’s greatest poets. Not long before he died, at the age of 36, he summed up his life with the following lines:

My Days are in the yellow leaf,

The fruit, the flower of life is gone:

The worm, the canker and the grief

Are mine alone!

In contrast, the Apostle Paul, at the end of his life, wrote:

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

What would you write at the end of your life? What a vast difference when we know the Lord!