Tuesday 21 June 2016

A Young Convert

You are a young convert. You have come to Christ, and have been saved by Him. God knows this, and you know it; but God wants you to let others know it. He wants you to own that you belong to Christ. This is what is meant by “confession”.
 Take your stand for Christ!
 Wherever you may be, in the barracks or trenches, on the battleship, in the office or at the bench, and above all at home, take your stand for Christ at once. Keep close enough to Him to be at a long distance from an evil man, a foolish jest or a wicked story.
Proverbs 14:9 Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favour.
From the side of Christ down to the company of fools who make a mock at sin, is a deep descent indeed, and you will find the return difficult and sorrowful. Be careful what you laugh at. Christ, the living Bread, which came down from heaven, is your daily food
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Do not let the ungodly suppose that you have a relish for unholy talk. If Christ is your life, then say with Paul: “To me to live is Christ.”
“What’s your name, Doctor?”
It was on the battle-field. A soldier lay bleeding to death. Seeing a surgeon passing near, he faintly called, “Doctor, please.” The surgeon dismounted, attended to the man, gave all possible relief, and ordered him to be conveyed at once to the hospital. As he was leaving, the wounded man asked, “What is your name, doctor?”
“Oh! No matter.”
“But doctor, I want to tell my wife and children, who saved my life.”
Surely that was becoming gratitude, and do you not think the Lord Jesus deserves as much from you? Does He not say to you as He did to another,
Mark 5:19 “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
 Tell it out, dear young believer. It will strengthen you. It will be a safeguard to you. It is more likely you will stand from if you openly confess the name of Christ.
Is confession easy? No, it is not. And it becomes no easier because it is postponed. Today you may confess Christ with blushes and awkwardness, with blunders and stammering lips. Never mind; better to confess Christ so than be silent. Tomorrow it will be much easier, and soon you may be strong in His strength that you cannot help saying with the Psalmist “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” Psalm 66:16
After all, you will not have to lay down your life to seal your witness for Christ. It is your confession brings suffering, which many have endured before you. The history of confession is written in blood and flame, and tender boys and girls have their record on its pages. During a massacre of Christians at Marash in Armenia, some years ago, a young lad was given the option death or of denying Christ, and was instantly beheaded. When his headless body was taken to his mother to terrify her, and to convert her to Mohammedanism, she kissed the dead son’s hand, and said, “Rather so, my son, than living to deny our Lord and Saviour.”



Do not be a coward, but follow in the track of such brave confessors, who are passing heavenward, led by Christ Himself. You have countless blessings, may you not miss this one:

taken from The Journey and its End, compiled by A. J. Pollock

Monday 20 June 2016

Brotherhood



All about us, evermore, are human needs and sorrows, which make their mute appeal to us. We are our brother’s keepers. It will not avail as excuse for us that we did our brother no harm. Did we do him the good that his condition needed? It looks from the story as if the priest, when he came to the wounded man, kept his face turned away, so that he could not see him. There are many people that do the same these days. They refuse to see the misery and sorrow about them. But keeping ourselves ignorant of human needs will never excuse us for not relieving them. 
J. R. Miller. D. D.

No distance breaks the ties of blood;
Brothers are brothers evermore;
Nor wrong, nor wrath or deadliest mood,
That magic may o’erpower.
So it is with true Christian hearts;
Their mutual share in Jesus’ blood
An everlasting bond imparts
Of holiest brotherhood.

O might we all our lineage prove,
Give and forgive, do good in love,
By soft endearments in kind strife
Lightening the load of daily life.
Taken from A Daily Message from Many Minds