Young People’s Blog

Compassion

Compassion (awareness of another’s suffering coupled with a desire to alleviate it) is a wonderful character trait. It was seen in perfect fullness in the life of our Lord Jesus. “And Jesus went forth and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14). The evening had come and they had not eaten so the disciples wanted to send them on their way. But again, the compassion of Christ was seen. “But Jesus said unto them, they need not depart; give them to eat” (Matthew 14:16). There were only five loaves of bread and two fishes, yet He fed the five thousand plus people and so ample was the provision that there were leftovers.

It was a miracle. But a greater miracle of compassion involves you and me. The Lord Jesus has compassion for us because we are sinners, and He has proved this by laying down His life at Calvary for all mankind. What He accomplished is a completed work. In John 19:30 Jesus said, “It is finished!” It is all done! His compassion and His all-sufficiency are evident. He is “able” and “mighty” to save.

 

Hands Together

Here is an interesting bumper sticker I saw the other day while driving on the highway with my family:

When you find time on your hands
put them together in prayer.

It made us think of several verses of scripture, including the following:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

There are plenty of things to pray about! Needs concerning ourselves, our family members, other believers that we know, as well as the gospel and the salvation of the lost. If we run out of things to pray about we have become insensitive to our circumstances, and need to pray that the Lord will touch our hearts and awaken us to realities of life once again.

 

Purpose of Heart

Put your whole heart into whatever you do for the best of Masters, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice what the Bible says concerning the life and work of King Hezekiah. “And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:20-21).

May it be true of young people who love the Lord. Half-hearted Christians make poor servants, and we certainly do not want to be poor servants for the Master.

We read of another young man: “Daniel purposed in his heart” (Daniel 1:7). Someone has aptly said: “Purpose of heart is a desire where the affections are motivated by an object.”

When Barnabas visited Antioch, we read: “Who when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord” (Acts 11:23).

 

Jesus Knows

“And Peter…” (Mark 16:7).

Are you today worrying and stewing over the failures of yesterday? Did you deny your Lord or were you ashamed to confess Him? Do not despair. Jesus understands, for He who remembered poor Peter, who had failed so badly when the test came, will not cast you off.

David affirmed, “The Lord is my Shepherd…He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1,3).

So it was that a special message was sent to the one who, though so bold in protesting his unfailing loyalty to Christ, had denied Him three times over, with oaths and curses, when the most difficult of tests came. The heavenly messenger said, “Tell His disciples and Peter.”

Here we have a revelation of the loving concern of Jesus for the one whose courage had failed him in the hour of trial, but who was to be restored to service and a place of privilege and blessing. Take heart, young person, and don’t let past failures discourage you from enjoying His love today.

 

Keeping Going

“I press towards the mark” (Philippians 3:14).

The Christian life is not so much a sprint as it is an obstacle race, and one of the qualities called for is endurance. This is a more necessary thing than speed. Moses, we are told, “endured, as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27), and of a greater than Moses it is written “Jesus…endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).

The Lord in His pathway was constantly confronted with obstacles, and finally the cross, but none of these things cause Him to deviate from the course. He continued until He could say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do” (John 19:30). So did Paul, when he declared, “I have finished my course” (2 Timothy 4:7).

The exhortation comes to us, “Let us lay aside every weight…and let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When the going is hard and dangerous, then, “Consider Him” (Hebrews 12:3). He who Himself endured can give grace for endurance.

 

Dear Young Christian:

Being lonely is no fun!

I remember a time when my wife and girls were away for several weeks, and I was left at home alone to fend for myself. I didn’t particularly enjoy it, and it made me appreciate the need to consider and visit those who live alone and do not get about on a regular basis.

James gives us good instruction on this subject. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27). There are plenty of lonely, shut-in people, both young and old. Let’s practice “pure religion” by visiting and helping to encourage such individuals. It isn’t so much what we say, or doing some great deed, but just being there and being a good listener is often the best help we can give.

The Lord has said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (Matthew 25:45).

Your Christian Friend,

Jim Hyland

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

Praise

“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me” (Psalm 50:23).

“PRAISE,” not silence! It is true that true praise needs to come from the heart. The Lord said, of those who only gave outward lip-service in His day, “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8).

Still, praise has to do with that which is audible. If the heart is full of Christ and His work and blessings, there will be praise and thanksgiving on our lips. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34).

Learn to open your mouth and “sing unto the Lord” (Psalm 30:4). He wants to hear your voice. I realize that sometimes as young people we feel it is not “cool” to sing, but if our hearts are really in tune with His, we will not be able to help ourselves.

Let’s be like David who said, “I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord” (Psalm 27:6).

 

The Next Life

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:22-23).

She lived most of her life in the poorest of circumstances, and at 74 years of age, passed from this life to the next. I visited her often over the years, and attended her funeral the other day. Irma was a bright believer, and in spite of a difficult life as a cripple and the appalling surroundings of the only home she really ever knew, always managed to give a bright smile and a word of encouragement to those around her.

At her graveside service, I couldn’t help but think of the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus, whose stories are recounted by the Lord in Luke 16. They lived in very different circumstances in this life, but only one was ready for the next life. As a result, their eternal circumstances are, and will be, not only different, but extreme.

How important to know the Lord as Saviour, and be ready for the next life.

 

Question Page

Q. What would you say to a person who quoted Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” as saying that you need to be baptized to be saved from your sins?

A. Notice, it does not say, “He that is baptized and believeth,” but “He thatbelievethand isbaptized.” This order is important, and baptism naturally follows when someone receives Christ as Saviour. There is no saving virtue in the ordinance of baptism as far as the putting away of sin. It is the expression of subjection to Christ, by owning His Lordship and authority.

The rest of the verse says, “He that believeth not shall be damned.” The Lord didn’t say, “He thatis not baptized,” but “He thatbelieveth not.”

Being baptized is like a soldier putting on the uniform. It does not make him a soldier, rather it is the testimony that he is one already, by enlisting with the army. A man may put on a uniform and not be a soldier at all. Just so, a person may make a profession of being a believer by being baptized, and not be really saved.

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

Personal Hearing

“We have heard Him ourselves” (John 4:42).

At times second-hand information may be true, good, and even very helpful. Still, to have first-hand information is even better. First-hand acquaintance with Christ is essential not only to salvation, but also to growth and development in our spiritual life as believers.

To get to know a person well, we must be often in their company. As a young man, the Apostle Paul, on the road to Damascus, had a personal encounter with Christ and had heard Him, yet he later wrote, longingly, “that I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10). This was the constant desire of his heart all along the path of faith and service. To know the Lord is a deeper, better and more intimate relationship.

We are happy to be with those we love and to hear their voices. How much more ought we to listen to and long for the voice of Jesus. Can you say with the Samaritans, “I have heard Him myself”? He still speaks through His Word, the Bible, and God says, “Hear Him” (Mark 9:7).