Let Her Alone – Part 1
Reading: John 12. 1-9a Mary’s outpouring of worship was the subject of divided opinion. Though deemed as waste by man, it brought tremendous pleasure to the heart of God. Her unparalleled appreciation of Christ was clearly manifested by way of this costly deed. The subject of worship – her approach As Christ in all His […]
‘I am persuaded’ – Rom. 14. 14
In a previous article we looked at the first time in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans he uses the phrase, ‘I am persuaded’. This is about the absolute security of believers; Paul is persuaded that nothing ‘shall be able to separate us from the love of God’, Rom. 8. 38, 39. We also quoted Wuest’s […]
Praying
I have found prayer the most difficult discipline in spiritual life. Perhaps one of the reasons the testimony of local assemblies is weak is because fewer saints than ever before have a serious prayer life. Do you regularly pray for the assembly, for the overseers, and for lost souls? The Lord Jesus taught that believers […]
Eli
When I visit the zoo, I enjoy going to the reptile house – the lizards appear to move so slowly. They remain fixed in one position for minutes at a time, without even blinking. Eli the priest reminds me a little of this reptilian behaviour – often, as we encounter him in scripture, he is […]
Grace
‘If indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you’, Eph. 3. 2 NKJV God never changes. God’s holy standards never change. But, at times, God does change the way in which He conducts His affairs with mankind. In the Old Testament, God set Israel […]
Editor’s Introduction
Welcome to YPS November 2019. By the time you read this, we will be well on the way into winter. I like most of the seasons of the year despite the changeable weather we experience in the UK. Some people don’t like winter but I like the opportunity (usually after a busy day and evening) […]
Faith, Meekness, Temperance
Faith or faithfulness One of my favourite hymns of the twentieth century is ‘Great is Thy faithfulness’, which was written by Thomas Chisholm in 1925 in testimony to God’s faithfulness to him during his ‘very ordinary’ life. The scripture referred to1 in the hymn shows that God never forgets to be kind to us, and […]
‘I am persuaded’ – Rom. 8. 38
Many aspects of life include persuasion. From trivial matters, such as choosing one brand over another when shopping, to the important decisions of life, being persuaded, or convinced, is key to arriving at a conclusion. In Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, he uses the phrase ‘I am persuaded’ three times in relation to important spiritual […]
The Reading and Studying of God’s Word
Any progress in the life of a believer will begin with reading God’s word! The New Testament is clear that the Bible is the word of God. God does not usually speak through the miraculous today; instead, he speaks through His word, 2 Tim. 3. 16. Therefore, you will face difficulties if you profess to […]
Phinehas
Phinehas was the grandson of Aaron and the son of Eleazar, 1 Chr. 6. 3, 4. As such, Phinehas became the third man to wear the High Priest’s holy garments ‘for glory and for beauty’, Exod. 28. 2. However, Phinehas did not merely look beautiful – he possessed a beautiful character. We presume that Phinehas […]
Law
‘What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made’, Gal. 3. 19 NKJV. In the opening sixty-nine chapters of the Bible, mankind was tested by God under various stewardships. Under innocence, conscience, government and promise, man failed. In Exodus chapter […]
Editor’s Introduction
Welcome to YPS August 2019. It’s the summer so, hopefully, you will have more time to study YPS and the main magazine thoroughly. If you are like me, that ‘more time’ scenario never quite materializes. There is always something else that demands our time and attention. So, instead, will you make time to read? The […]
Elements of Church Truth
In a day and age when an ecumenical spirit pervades modern Christendom, ecclesiology is relegated to individual preference, and people take a pick-and-mix approach as to what church they should join. We all need reminding of what the Bible teaches on this particular topic. Is church truth up for grabs or has God mandated how […]
Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness
This is a continuation of our YPS series on the fruit of the Spirit based on Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 and 23. Longsuffering A recent news article about the appalling Syrian civil war, described how that the ‘longsuffering’ people of Aleppo had borne the brunt of the devastation there. The word ‘longsuffering’ accurately conveys […]
Principles for Progress – Introduction
In this series of articles, we are going back to basics for individual and corporate Christian growth. Most intelligent young believers accept that local assembly testimony is much weaker than it should be in the United Kingdom. There are exceptions, for which we give God thanks, but, in many places, ground has been lost in […]
Government and Promise
‘When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel’, Deut. 32. 8 NKJV. God has a plan to place a man in authority over the universe. That man is Jesus Christ. […]
Editor’s Introduction
Thanks for picking up YPS this quarter. This is the second issue with the new design. I hope that you like it. It should be easier on the eye, and let you focus on the various articles. So, what do we have for you this month? Well, if you are considering a career in engineering […]
Peace
Peace can be defined as a state of quiet or tranquillity; freedom from disturbance. It is a word commonly used to describe the absence of war or conflict. The Hebrew word is shalom, which is a general, friendly greeting communicated by Jewish people asking after the health and welfare of a person, equivalent to our […]
Peace of God
Last time, we considered the truth that every single person who has put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has the assurance of peace with God, as Romans chapter 5 verse 1 reminds us, ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’. However, as we look out […]
Aaron
Alphabetically and historically, Aaron was Israel’s number one priest. Older brother of Moses, Egyptian slave turned divine spokesperson, Aaron was individually chosen by God to serve as high priest, Exod. 28. 1. In this article, we will compare and contrast Aaron with the Lord Jesus, our great high priest. Aaron’s sympathy After his solo audience […]
Career Choices – Engineering
Engineering covers a wide spectrum of occupations in various fields. The definition of an engineer is given as ‘a person who, designs, builds or maintains engines, machines or structures’. The field of engineering in which I am employed falls into the latter category of structures. Building services engineering is responsible for the design of the […]
Innocence and Conscience
‘Who told you that you were naked?’ Gen. 3. 11 NKJV. Throughout history God has given mankind various responsibilities, so that man might know what God requires of him, but time after time man has failed in his stewardship. But God will have a man to be a faithful steward of the earth, and of […]
Editor’s Introduction
Hi again; thanks for reading YPS. You will note that we have revamped the style of the insert; hopefully, you will like it. One of the joys of compiling and editing a magazine is that you get the opportunity to read lots of articles. If you enjoy books and articles, then this is a real […]
Joy
Joy is the second attribute described as being part of the fruit of the Spirit. Joy is synonymous with happiness, gladness and delight. Secular thinking promotes the concept that joy comes as a result of pursuing things that produce an inner feeling of happiness. However, the Christian should be careful to ensure that this attitude […]
Our Food
Human bodies need food. Without it, we can only survive for limited periods. Similarly, our souls and spirits need to be fed from the word of God; without it they will wither, and we will not prosper and grow as believers. We have rich assurance that once saved, we cannot be lost, John 10. 28, […]
‘I am crucified with Christ’ – Gal. 2. 20
Many Christians love to quote Galatians chapter 2 verse 20, particularly the part that speaks of the ‘Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me’. What an encouraging, yet amazing little phrase; to think of the love and sacrificial giving of the Lord Jesus for Paul! Today, however, like countless other believers […]
A to Z of Priests – Introduction
Scanning along my bookshelves, I noticed several interesting A-Z reference catalogues for various Bible concepts. For instance, John Heading’s Directory of New Testament Churches1 lists every local assembly mentioned in the New Testament, from Achaia to Troas. Other reference works cover The Kings of Judah and Israel2 (from Abijah to Zimri) and The Titles of […]
Unfaithful Stewards
‘Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful’, 1 Cor. 4. 2 NKJV Previously, we saw how God appointed Adam as steward over the earth. But leaving Adam in sole charge of things had not worked, so God replaced that managerial system with a new one. Under this new arrangement, each individual […]
Editor’s Introduction
As we head towards the end of another year it is good to review what we have learned so far. Written material continues to be a primary source of information for personal and professional development. No matter the technological advancement of this generation, reading is vital to being well- informed and to developing our minds. […]
Love
Fruit of the Spirit is a term that refers to nine attributes, which should characterize individual believers in the Lord Jesus. Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 to 23 lists these as: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. These are not individual fruits but rather nine characteristics of a fruitful, Spirit-controlled Christian […]
A Man
I’ve been enjoying two truths in particular from chapters 4 and 9 of John’s Gospel that I’d like to share. The great thing about reading God’s word is that we can enjoy it plus we get something from it. Sadly, I am concerned that speaking about the scriptures amongst my friends is somewhat ‘down the […]
Peace with God
One of the most famous speeches of all time is surely the one given by Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. Standing looking out at the sea of faces before him he said, ‘I have a dream, that one day this nation will rise up and live out […]
Steward and Soldier
A common complaint levelled against ‘millennials’ in the workplace is a mentality which says, ‘that’s not in my job description’, accompanied by an unwillingness to take on responsibility. This should never be the attitude of a believer, in the workplace or in the assembly. Towards the end of his life and service for God, Paul […]
The Courage to Continue
On the subject of failure, Winston Churchill is alleged to have said that ‘success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts’. That sentiment marks so many of the men and women in the Bible who achieved greatness through God – the courage to continue. Such people struggle […]
Grand Unified Theology
‘having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth – in Him’, Eph. 1. […]
Editor’s Introduction
Articles from new writers continue to arrive on my desk and so I am delighted to introduce you to Phil Richardson from Harrogate. Have a read of his article where he discussed Peter’s temporary failure and how the Lord Jesus handled it. It is very helpful. The new Career Choice series continues; this issue looks […]
