Young People’s Blog

Confession

On March 18, 2013 a most remarkable story appeared in the newspaper. In brief this is what it said:

“In Hastings, Michigan a burglar, expressing guilt about stealing $800 from a store 30 years ago has repaid the money, plus some interest.” Remaining anonymous, he sent $2,000 in $100 bills to the county sheriff’s department, confessing that he had robbed a certain store, giving the date, which the former owner confirmed as being correct.

The robber sent a note asking that the money be returned to the rightful owner. Part of the note read, “I did a very bad thing that I am ashamed of and have lived with this guilt too long. I can’t begin to say how sorry I am … If you find him please tell him how foolish I was.”

The letter was unsigned and had no return address.

This news item reminded me of the verse that says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). The Lord Jesus as the Saviour of sinners, desires that we would come, admitting that we have sinned, and receive His forgiveness and salvation.

 

Christian Service

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness” (Romans 6:22).

Christian service is toward God. We were once the slaves of death and hell. We were once doing Satan’s bidding, Satan’s work. But now, in Christ Jesus, we are servants to God. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you … For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness” (Romans 6:17,20).

Our fruit is fruit unto holiness. A Christian enjoying fellowship with God will bear fruit — more fruit and much fruit, because that’s what God expects and has equipped us to do. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing .… Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples” (John 15:5,8).

 

Jacob’s Twelve Sons — Judah

“Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise” (Genesis 49:8).

He was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah and his name means “praise.” Judah advised the selling of Joseph rather than killing him (Genesis 37:26-27), and his descendants, the Jews, delivered the Lord into the hands of the Gentiles.

He sinned in the matter of Tamar his daughter-in-law, and was ready to have her punished till it was shown that he also was guilty. Thus is traced the terribly corrupt history of the family of whom came King David and a long line of subsequent kings. The Lord was born of this tribe, and is referred to as “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5).

Though not the eldest son, he took a chief place amongst his brothers, and was even able to persuade his father to let Benjamin be taken to Egypt. When appeals were made to Joseph, Judah was the one who made them. When Jacob blessed his sons it was clearly shown that the tribe of Judah was to be of the royal line of Israel. Jacob declared, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10).

 

Diligence

The following verses from the book of Proverbs, penned by Solomon so long ago, show how God encourages diligence in every aspect of our life.

“The hand of the diligent maketh rich” (Proverbs 10:4).

“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule”
(Proverbs 12:24).

“The substance of a diligent man is precious”
(Proverbs 12:27).

“The soul of the diligent shall be made fat”
(Proverbs 13:4).

“The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness” (Proverbs 21:5).

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings” (Proverbs 22:29).

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds” (Proverbs 27:23).

Whether it is our personal life, our family life, our school or business life, in practical matters or certainly our spiritual life, God never encourages laziness. No, the way of blessing is always DILIGENCE.

 

A New Family

Maybe there is a reader today whose parents aren’t happy that you are a Christian. They themselves have no love for the Lord Jesus, and are disappointed that you want to follow Him. If you are suffering some reproach from your family, here is a good verse to remember: “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” (Psalm 27:10).

Remember too, that you have been brought into a new family. When Peter got to thinking about what he left behind, the Lord reminded him, “There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).

We have a wonderful Heavenly Father, and brothers and sisters in Christ. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ … if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:3,7).

 

Dear Young Christian:

Light does not change things, rather it exposes things. The believer in Christ is referred to as “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Another Scripture reminds us, “Ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

We are not here to change the world; we are here to shine for Christ and point others to Him. The world is under judgment, and the Bible shows us that things on planet earth are going to get worse and worse, not better and better. We are further told, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

As we start another week, let’s step out into the world again with our “lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord” (Luke 12:35-36). Who knows what a testimony it will be, and the blessing that will result in the lives of others. Light does not make any noise, but it does show the way, and gives comfort and guidance.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Two Words

“He died” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Two words, and yet how profound! Why did He die? One reasons is, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Another is, “He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

What was the motive? The first and greatest motive was love and obedience to God His Father: “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again .… This commandment have I received of My Father” (John 10:17-18). The second motive was love to us. Paul said, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Stop today and meditate on these two words. “He died.” Such a meditation will produce feelings and expressions of worship, praise and thanksgiving in your heart. It will deepen your appreciation of what took place at Calvary so that you could be saved from your sins, have eternal life, and look forward to heaven. “He died!” What a death! What a result!

 

Mark Twain

“The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13).

As a boy, I laughed and cried as I read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn. I gave little if any thought to the author of these books, until later I studied the life of Mark Twain.

Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, had his share of tragedy. He blamed himself for his younger brother’s death in a steamboat accident at age 20, and for the death of his only son, who died from diphtheria at 19 months. He grieved bitterly over the deaths of two of his daughters — one from meningitis at age 23 and the other from a heart attack at 29.

But instead of turning to God and the Saviour, he became bitter and pessimistic. When he died at age 74, he was desperately lonely, unhappy and hopeless.

Mark Twain had an emptiness that could not be satisfied with money and fame. His success as a writer only increased his misery and sense of loss. His life illustrates the folly of living without God. If only he had trusted Christ for salvation he could have looked to Him for comfort and fulfilment.

 

Influence — Part 2

“For she loved much” (Luke 7:47).

The day following the accident Catherine Lawes body was resting in a casket in her home three-quarters of a mile from Sing Sing Prison. As the acting warden took his early morning walk he was shocked to see a large crowd of the toughest, hardest-looking criminals gathered like a herd of animals at the main gate. He came closer and noted tears of real grief and sadness streaming down their faces. He knew how much they loved Catherine. He turned and faced the men. He hesitated, then said, “All right men, you can go. Just be sure and check in tonight!” Then, against his better judgment, he opened the gate and a parade of criminals walked, without a guard, the three-quarters of a mile to stand in line to pay their final respects to Catherine Lawes, the woman who truly loved them. And every one of them checked back in. Every one!

What impact will your life have on others? We read of Abel, “He being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4). Make sure your life has a positive not a negative effect on others. Be a blessing, and you will be blessed.

 

Influence — Part 1

Our lives influence others more than we realize. “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Romans 14:7).

In 1921 Lewis Lawes became warden at Sing Sing Prison, one of the toughest prisons that ever existed in the United States. When he retired 20 years later it had become a humanitarian institution. On retirement Lewis gave the reason for the transformation, He said, “I owe it all to my wife Catherine, who is buried outside the prison walls.”

Catherine Lawes, against all advice from friends and relatives, said, “My husband and I are going to take care of these men and I believe they will take care of me! I don’t have to worry.” She introduced Braille for the blind and sign language for the deaf. She went to basketball games and sat in the stands with the inmates. She visited their cells, and showed love to those who had never known what love and kindness is. Then in 1937 she was killed in a car accident. The next morning Lewis Lawes didn’t come to work so the acting warden took his place. Almost instantly the prison knew that something was wrong.

Would you be missed if that had been you?