Young People’s Blog

Beyond Communication

Have you ever been beyond communication?

For the past two weeks I have been, more or less, cut off from the outside world. I have not been able to contact my family, and basically have no idea what is going on as far as current events are concerned. In some ways it is nice to be isolated for a time from the confusion and din that we find in this sad, sin-sick world, in these “last days” and “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1). However, it can be frustrating as well, wondering if everything is all right at home, etc., etc.

With all this, it struck me today, that there is always an open line to the throne of grace. As a Christian we can never say that we are beyond communication. No, the ear of our God is always open to our prayers, and we can come anytime of the day or night. We never get put on hold, never a busy signal, no call-waiting or call-forwarding, and we never get cut off or have a dropped call.

Have you communicated with your God and Father today? I would love to be able to call my family this afternoon, but I can’t! There is One who would love to hear from you today. Speak to Him! He says, “Let me hear thy voice” (Song of Solomon 2:14).

Words of Wisdom

Here is a letter written to young people over 80 years ago, yet its contents are still relevant…

Dear Young Christian:

“My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart” (Proverbs 4:20-21).

I rejoice with every one of you who have trusted Christ and know Him as Savior and Lord in the sunny days of youth. Some of us are getting old, and we will not be able to run the Lord’s errands, and tell others of His love very long. You will be filling our places, and going forth with the glad tidings to near and distant lands.

Keep close to Christ now; read and meditate on His Word; speak often to Him in prayer; and keep well away and far off from ungodly companions and worldly associations, by which so many bright young believers are spoiled and reduced to miserable backsliders.The out-and-out follower of Christ is the only truly happy person on earth. May you each be found among that royal few who follow Jesus fully.

Lord

“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well;
for so I am” (John 13:13).

 Have you ever truly owned Jesus as your Lord? I’m not asking you if you know Jesus as your Savior, but do you know Him as the Lord and Master of your life? Do you seek His direction in everything you do? It is a good practice to get up every morning and say “Yes Lord.” If we do this, then the Lord wants to guide us and direct our footsteps in every detail of life. Abraham had a servant who could say, “I being in the way, the Lord led me” (Genesis 24:27). Solomon said: “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6). “Thomas … said unto Him, My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Saul of Tarsus asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” The answer from the Lord Himself was, “It shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6).

Yes, He wants to be more than just our Savior and provider, He wants to be our Lord. He has every right to have full control in every aspect of our life. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

All The Day

“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long” (Deuteronomy 33:12).

I woke up in the morning

With my Savior by my side,

And I knew He’d walk right with me,

As my faithful friend and guide.

And so it was as promised,

He never left me all the day,

And by evening we had traveled

Safe along life’s narrow way.

As the western sky was glowing

With a sunset deep and red,

I paused for just a moment,

Thanked my Lord and bowed my head:

So I laid me down and rested,

For I knew the whole night through,

His watchful eye would keep me,

Till the morning dawned anew.

Dear Young Christian:

“He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation” (Psalm 107:7).

As I write this page my wife and I are speeding through France on the bullet train, known as the TGV. Having boarded in Paris we are headed for Bordeaux, and then with a short layover and change of train to Bergerac. As the countryside whizzes by I am reminded of an old hymn we often sang at gospel meetings when I was a young person.

“Passing onward quickly passing,

Yes, but whither, whither bound.”

My wife just asked me if I thought we were on the right train to the right destination, and I assured her we were. Thankfully, we also have the assurance from Scripture that we are on the right way that leads to heaven and the Father’s house. The Lord said, “I am the way” (John 14:6). Knowing the Lord as Savior puts us on the right track, and He stays with us all the way.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Remember

“We will remember Thy love” (Song of Solomon 1:4).

Today we need to spend some time in a simple remembrance of Jesus and His sacrificial death at Calvary. Although it happened some 2000 years ago, it is still as fresh in God’s mind today as when it happened. God remembers the awful cost of our redemption, that time when, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).

The Lord Jesus too remembers that work and suffering as freshly as if it was yesterday. He says: “Remembering Mine affliction and My misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in Me” (Lamentations 3:19-20).

Now we, as believers in the Lord Jesus, can remember it too. The chorus of an old hymn comes to mind in this regard:

Lest I forget Gethsemane;

Lest I forget Thine agony;

Lest I forget Thy love for me,

Lead me to Calvary.

May we never forget what happened at Calvary!

The Face of Jesus

An artist, imprisoned on a false charge, was allowed to have his brushes and paints, but nothing on which to paint. He asked for something, and a warden tossed him an old dirty handkerchief. Being a true believer, he painted on the soiled cloth what he conceived to be the face of Jesus. When he finished he showed it to a fellow prisoner. It’s marvellous sweetness and gentle expression touched the man’s heart and tears ran down his cheeks.

This account is just a faint picture of what Christ can do for poor sin-soiled lives. A look of faith to the Savior of sinners can bring about a work of repentance in the heart and light to the soul. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).

It is not to see Him with the natural eye, or some artist’s depiction of what he may think He looked like, but a look of simple faith. The invitation is: “Look unto Me, and be ye saved” (Isaiah 45:22).

Monthly Question Page

Q. What does it mean when it says, “Praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 5)?

A. First of all I would say that it does not mean superficial or casual saying of prayers. Nor does it mean mere repetition of some words printed on a card, or the repeating of what is commonly called The Lord’s Prayer.

Praying in the Spirit means true spiritual communion with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Our praying is to be motivated by the Holy Spirit Himself. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18). This is only possible as we “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). That is, living as we ought to live, doing what we should be doing, and saying what we should be saying. Then and only then will we be able to ask in fellowship with the Spirit, and according to the Lord’s will. When we do this the promise is, “if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

Prayer is not so much getting man’s will done in heaven, as it is getting God’s will done on earth.

Do you have a question? Email us at [email protected]

Contentment

How content are you with the position and circumstances God has placed you in? In this day and age of fast living and constant change there seems to be a restlessness and discontentment that pervades our way of thinking and our attitude. Here are some verses from the Word of God that would encourage and exhort us to be content, above all, because we are saved and have everything we need from the hand of a loving Father through Christ.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

“Be content with your wages” (Luke3:14).

“Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

The next time you find yourself complaining about life in general think back to these Scriptures. Let’s be like the Apostle Paul, who said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Monthly Scripture Reading

Genesis 50

15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.