Young People’s Blog

Joy and Sorrow

Every heart has its secret of joy or sorrow that no other person on earth ever shares. Centuries ago King Solomon put it this way: “The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy” (Proverbs 14:10).

Hidden deep down from the sight of the nearest and dearest friends, family and closest acquaintances are often griefs and feelings too deep for utterance or joys that are too great and profound for words. How true is this in the case of the Lord Jesus Himself! Who could ever enter into the depths of the anguish of His soul? Who can estimate properly His joy and pleasure?

To such a High Priest we can go with our heaviest sorrows, and with Him we can share our inmost thoughts of exultation and delight! “For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

 

Jacob’s Twelve Sons — Dan

We learn in Genesis 30:6 that Dan was the fifth son, the first of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid. The tribe of Dan was very numerous. When they left Egypt at the exodus there were 62,700 fighting men, more than all the tribes except Judah. By the time they are numbered again they increased to 64,400 — compare Numbers 1:39 with Numbers 26:42-43.

When Jacob blessed his sons he said, “Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. (Genesis 49:16-17). It has been suggested that the Antichrist will be from Dan, which explains why his name is omitted from the list of those that are sealed in Revelation 7:3-8.

This tribe was guilty of introducing idolatry in the land of Israel very early in their history, which continued until the captivity. “The children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land” (Judges 18:30). May we take warning from this, as John exhorts us, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (1 John 5:21).

 

Bible Algebra

T+E=E

Truth mixed with any amount of E rror ultimately adds up to E rror.

Here is what Solomon had to say on the matter:

“Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good” (Proverbs 14:22).

He further instructs his son:

“Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge” (Proverbs 19:27).

One drop of poison corrupts the whole cup. There is a story in the Old Testament which illustrates this truth so very well. You can read about it in 2 Kings 4:38-41. Wild gourds shredded by one man into a pot of food caused the others to cry out, “There is death in the pot.” The result was that “they could not eat thereof.” However, there was a remedy, and that was to “bring meal. And he cast it into the pot.” The meal speaks of Christ, the “Truth.” Learn to shun all error and “walk in truth” (3 John 4).

 

Vision

“I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision”
(Acts 26:19).

I called a friend yesterday. I was feeling down and, to be honest, discouraged and burdened with the circumstances of life. Calling this particular friend and fellow believer was the best thing I could have done. Why, you ask? Because he spoke to me of Christ and reminded me of the Apostle Paul, who got a vision of that Man in the glory, and as a result was able to live for and serve the Lord amidst all kinds of problems and difficulties. My friend said, “Remember this: when Paul got a vision of Christ in glory his whole life changed, and everything else melted into insignificance.” This one statement did more to encourage me and lift my spirits than you can imagine. In fact, I didn’t realize how discouraged I was until I was encouraged by these words.

It is indeed Christ in glory that eclipses everything else. Paul got that vision, and it never faded. It made him a willing, obedient, happy Christian and servant of Christ, in spite of reproach, persecution and all the other things he suffered.

 

Dear Young Christian:

I was driving through Bardwell Kentucky, when I noticed a large sign that caught my attention. This is what it said:

WHEN LIFE KNOCKS YOU TO YOUR KNEES, PRAY!

Don’t you feel like you have been knocked to your knees sometimes … your feet knocked right out from under you by circumstances? I know I do. Well, this sign certainly had a timely message for me. That week, I felt like I had been struck down, and the wind knocked out of me. The Lord knew I needed the reminder to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We also need to learn to “continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

Whatever hard knocks life seems to deal you this week, remember that the Lord is there, always ready to help, comfort and give the grace and strength to get up off our knees from prayer and dependence, and go on in the path of faith.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Memorial

“Upon the first day of the week … the disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7).

Fifteen years ago today, two planes rammed into the World Trade Center in New York city. A third plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, and yet a fourth into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. The death toll amounted to 2,996. This day has become known as 9/11 and the plot of ground where the trade center stood is known as “Ground Zero.” Today there will be many memorials and remembrances, and thousands will pause for a moment to reflect on what happened back at a time that many of my readers were too young to remember.

Yes, 9/11 is firmly etched in many of our memories, and I for one remember exactly where I was and what I was doing that fateful day. But there is another memorial being celebrated today. It is the remembrance of the Lord Jesus in the breaking of bread. As in the early days of Christianity this memorial is still carried out by many. Will you be there to take part in this wonderful and solemn commemoration? The Lord Jesus has invited us to His table and says, “This do in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

 

John 3:16

For God so Loved the world,

that he gave His Only begotten Son,

that whosoever belie Veth in Him, should not perish,

but have ev   Erlasting life.

My father was a man who kept notes for many years on the verses that gospel preachers started their sermons with. Near the end of his life he told me that more preachers start with John 3:16 than any other Scripture. Is it any wonder? This verse tells us of seven wonderful facts:

The love of God.

Who He loves (the world).

The gift of His Son.

The scope of the blessing (whosoever).

The way of blessing (believe).

Escape from judgment.

The gift He is offering as a result (eternal life).

Someone has said, “John 3:16 is the gospel message in a nutshell.” What a verse! Is it a reality with you?

 

Service

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward” (1 Corinthians 3:14).

At the judgment seat of Christ, He is going to examine our service and the things we did for Him while here in this world. One reason He will do this is to see if it was done according to His will and in accordance with Scriptural teachings. If it was, then we will receive a reward. If not, our “works” will go up in flames, figuratively speaking. Take your Bible a minute and read 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. Do you see what standard God has set? It’s the highest! And He’s given you the power and ability to reach the standard so that He can reward you for your service. Keep serving, but remember to do it according to the Word of God and in a way pleasing to the One who has called us to His service!

The Lord wants the joy of being able to say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). Are you going to give Him that joy? If you serve Him faithfully now, He will have that joy then!

 

Joy

As I was driving through my home town of Smiths Falls, Ontario the other day, I noticed a sign outside a local church. It was a sign that encouraged people to attend services at that particular church on Sundays, but what really caught my attention were the four words in large capital letters and in quotation marks. This is what they said:

“THE JOY OF YOU”

This really disappointed me, and more so the more I thought about it. Christianity is not so much the “joy of you” but as we read in the Bible, “The joy of the Lord” (Nehemiah 8:10). When Paul wrote to the Christians at Philippi, he didn’t tell them to rejoice in “themselves.” No, he said, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord .… Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 3:1; 4:4)

If you get your joy from self, you are going to be sadly disappointed. If you find your joy in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will have a heart so full of happiness that you won’t be able to contain it. Which will it be? Whose joy are you experiencing in your life?

 

Tears

Will you shed tears today? No doubt some of my readers are going through real sorrows and heartaches at this present time, and if not now, you certainly have in the past, and will in the future. None of us are immune to tears!

King David went through a lot of sorrows in his life and often refers to tears in the Psalms that God used him to write. Here is one reference he makes on the subject: “Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?” (Psalm 56:8). It was a comfort to David to realize that the Lord knew every tear that he cried, and was storing up those tears in His bottle, and recording them in His book. Maybe you have cried many tears that have been long dried and forgotten by yourself and others. But remember, they are never forgotten by the one who shed many tears when here in this world. We read that He “in the days of His flesh … offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears … ” (Hebrews 5:7). Soon, for the believer there will be no more tears! “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4).