Young People’s Blog

Dear Young Christian:

I saw a definition recently that I thought was very good:

Wisdom: The skill for living.

I believe this is a very good and accurate definition, especially from a biblical point of view. It reminded me of several verses. Here are just a few:

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom”
(Proverbs 3:13).

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not” (Proverbs 4:5).

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7).

“Walk in wisdom” (Colossians 4:5).

There may be times this week when you feel like you lack wisdom, but don’t forget the promise, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally” (James 1:5). Just ask, and He will give!

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Honor

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).

Most nations of the world boast of favorite sons. Abraham Lincoln, the great emancipator of the slaves, is an honored son of the United Sates of America. Victor Hugo, the revered novelist and poet, is an esteemed son of France. William Shakespeare of Great Britain, Sir John A. Macdonald of Canada, and so on.

But the Son of Man was, and is, owned by no nation, not even Israel. The leaders of that nation adamantly affirmed, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). We also read, “But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us” (Luke 19:14).

It was the whole world that He came to bless and save, but they would not have Him. Today He is not owned as King here on earth; He is the rejected one. However, He does want the place of honor in your heart and mine, as we look up by faith and see where He is now and how God has owned and honored Him.

 

The Cross

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved
it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

John Beck, a missionary in Greenland, was discouraged, because the people he was trying to reach were becoming increasingly hostile. He was working at translation, when a group of men burst in. Kayarnak, the worst of the lot, seized a sheet of the manuscript and asked the meaning of the black marks. Beck explained that they were words, just like the words they were speaking. Kayarnak demanded him to make the paper speak. The missionary then read bits from different places in the Gospels, and was in the middle of the story of the crucifixion when he became conscious of the dead silence in the room. Looking up, he saw tears pouring down Kayarnak’s face. “Go on,” he said, “I want to hear more about this Jesus.” Beck went on to explain, as simply as he could the meaning of the Cross and the way of salvation. Kayarnak accepted the Saviour then and there, and proved a most valuable friend, helping in the translation of the Scriptures.

 

The Little Light

Near a huge lighthouse a visitor saw a small, black iron pillar. When he enquired as to what it was, he was informed by the lighthouse keeper, “It also is a light-bearer, and in that iron basket at the top a light is kept burning when the fishing boats are expected home.”

“But surely,” said the visitor, “it cannot be necessary to have a small, insignificant light like that when there is a powerful light in the lighthouse.”

“The little light,” replied the keeper, “helps to make the lighthouse even more useful. When the little light is in a line with the bright light from up above, the seamen know that they are steering straight for the harbor entrance.”

This account reminded me of what Paul said to the Philippians. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16). You and I who know Christ as Saviour are left here in this dark, sinful world to shine for Him. How much has this been true in our lives over the past week? Have we been “little lights” for Jesus?

 

Idols

“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

When Mahmud, the conqueror of India, had taken the city of Gujarat, he proceeded, as was his custom, to destroy the idols. There was one, 15 feet high, which its priests begged him to spare. Deaf to their pleas and seizing a mallet he struck it one tremendous blow. To his amazement, from the shattered image there rained down a shower of priceless gems, mostly pearls and diamonds. It was a treasure of inestimable value, long hidden within the idol. Had he spared the idol he would have lost all that wealth.

Let’s not spare our idols — the things dear to our hearts apart from Christ. It is in our best interest to demolish them. If we shatter them, there will rain about our hearts the treasures of heaven. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven … for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:20-21). These treasures are the treasures that are lasting and eternal.

 

Bible Algebra

(L+J+P)+(L+G+G+F+M+T)=F/S

L ove, J oy, Peace, L ongsuffering, G entleness, G oodness, Faith, M eekness and Temperance, equals the Fruit of the S pirit produced in the believer’s life.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).

These nine elements listed above are really the characteristics and qualities of Christ, and will be reflected in the life of the believer as we walk with the Lord each day.

Fruit is really the reproduction of Christ in the believer, and is perhaps all that this world is going to see and read of Him. Paul reminded the Corinthian believer, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2). How much fruit will you produce for Christ today? It will be only in the measure in which you are walking close enough to Him to have His likeness mirrored in your life.

 

The Word

“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou
hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

In Genoa, Italy, there used to be a Christian store owner who put a copy of the Gospel of John or Matthew in the bag with each hat he sold. Once a Russian sailor who bought a straw hat also received a Russian Gospel. When he opened the bag on the street and discovered the Gospel, he returned immediately and asked for more hats. The poor Russian was not allowed to read the Bible in Russia, which was once a communist country, so he thought that he had to buy another hat in order to receive more of God’s Word.

Aren’t you glad you are able to read the Bible, God’s living Word, for yourself with no government authority telling you not to? How many Bibles do you have in your home? I counted quite a few in our house! Let’s make sure we take time to read a portion of the Holy Scriptures every day. God will bless you abundantly for it.

 

Dear Young Christian:

Have you ever started a week feeling very weary? Maybe you didn’t get a chance to rest up over the weekend, or you had an unusually hectic schedule, an evening with friends over, a social event or other happening that drained you and left you feeling like you just couldn’t make it.

Well, while often it is our own fault when we get overtired, yet the Lord does sympathize with us, and we read, “He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). He also tells us, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31). So, weary and tired as you may be this Monday, go forth in the strength of the Lord, and count on Him to take charge of your life and whatever you have to deal with this week.

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Never Forget

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the
palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:16).

The Lord said right before the words in our verse that He would never forget us. “Yet will I not forget thee” (Isaiah 49:15). No, there is no way that He could forget. He shows us a constant reminder of the cost of our redemption engraved in His hands. Each time He holds out His hands He reminds us of Calvary’s cross and what He paid to save us.

Does this speak to your heart? Can you respond by remembering the Lord in His death and worshipping Him today? Can you join with others who say, “O Lord … the desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee” (Isaiah 26:8)? Will you be found meeting with others who “shew the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Corinthians 11:26)?

He is so worthy of our worship. In love, He gave Himself for us. Let’s worship Him today once again as we eat of the loaf and drink of the cup and so show His death, until He comes. He will never forget us, may we never forget Him!

 

A Ticket

“And the word of the Lord was published
throughout all the region” (Acts 13:49).

Garvin Seymour was a teacher at a school on the West Indian island of St. Vincent. Much to the chagrin of the principal, who was not a believer, he was always giving out gospel tracts and telling the students and fellow-teachers about the Lord Jesus and the way of salvation through His death on the cross and the value of His shed blood. In fact, the principal asked him to stop asking people “Are you saved?” Knowing Mr. Seymour as I do, he was not about to stop telling others about the Saviour he knew and loved. And he was not about to stop giving out the gospel tracts which he always carried with him.

Then one day a six-year-old named Melville came to him and said, “Mr. Seymour, I want a ticket.” At first Mr. Seymour was baffled by his request, but soon realized that he wanted a gospel tract and gave him one. I am happy to say that later in life Melville became a true believer, and loves and serves the Lord.

What a wonderful testimony! But what about you? Have you secured your ticket to heaven through the Lord Jesus?