“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them”– Ecclesiastes 12:1

It is inevitable, young person, that you will eventually come to a time—perhaps even years—when you are not even able to enjoy the pleasures of this life anymore. As unthinkable as it may seem right now, you will not always be strong, free of pain, able to eat anything you want (that day is actually coming soon!), or even perhaps able to get out of bed.

Why does Solomon remind us of this fact? Is he just trying to burst our bubble or make us depressed? No. He is writing this admonition so that we will begin now to pour our hearts and lives into pleasures that even old age cannot take away.
Remember now your Creator! Don’t wait until every distraction is taken away from you and God is the only person left to talk to. Serve Him now, even in the middle of a thousand immediate pleasures that may be tempting you away from Him. Because even now He is greater than any of these pleasures.

The truth is that, in your Creator, there are “pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). He is not reprimanding us for enjoying the earthly pleasures of eating, music, painlessness, or sunsets — your Creator is the one who made these things also. But He is warning us against seeking these niceties as an end in themselves, while we are still able to enjoy them, and forgetting about the greater pleasures that never go away or diminish.

In the presence of God is fullness of joy. Don’t allow yourself to be satisfied with anything less than full joy. — Baptist Bible Hour

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346 

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” – Prov. 1:5

To get going is one thing, to keep going is another. And to keep going we must keep growing. As long as we are in this world there will be room for progress and we should never cease our pursuit of our Savior’s likeness. In regards to this matter, J. R. Miller wrote the following:

The wise man never ceases to be a learner. He never gets to a point where he feels satisfied with his attainments. Many a man, who starts out with great promise in early life, by and by loses his energy and fails of his early hope, because in the elation of his first successes he stopped learning, and then growth was at an end, and when growth stops decay begins.

An old artist had for his motto: “Nulla dies sine linea” (No day without a line). Every day he would add one line, at least, to his knowledge and attainment.

There could be no better motto for any life, young or old. Every day we should learn something we did not know before, add some new fact to our store of knowledge. Every day we should get some new lesson into our life, learn at some point to live better.

This applies to secular life – there should be daily progress in the business or profession we pursue. It also needs to apply to spiritual life – no day should be without its added line of likeness to Christ.

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” – 2 Pet. 3:17-18

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.“ Job 5:6 – 7

Why has this trial come? How ought I to regard affliction? These questions are natural in seasons of suffering. Pain and sorrow make us ask in earnest, the why and the wherefore of what befalls us. And so the soul finds a time of trial, to be a time of education.

The first lesson in the school of tribulation, is that affliction is the visitation of God. “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21 

Nothing in any man’s life comes to him by “chance.” All things, both small and great, are under the control of God. He foresees, and limits, and disposes. What is sometimes called “good fortune” — comes not by accident; neither does trouble spring out of the ground. 

Am I healthy and prosperous? It is the will of God. Am I suffering in body or in mind? It is the Lord — let Him do what seems good unto Him. This is the only answer that can be given to the weak and sorely tempted ones, whom one trial after another afflict with increasing sorrows, “So it pleases God! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right!”

To the believer, Providence is not merely general and universal, but particular and personal. “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!” Matthew 10:30. The believer looks to his own particular afflictions, as the dispensations of Divine Providence. To myself, affliction comes as the special visitation of God; and, looking above second causes, the word of trust from my soul should go forth, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Affliction must not therefore be received as a burden, laid on by a blind and cruel fate — it is given by my wise and loving Father! Nor must I regard it as a “misfortune” — as an unmixed evil, which comes by chance, and is to be received with unconcern. Affliction does not come forth from the dust — it is from God. It is sent in mercy and wisdom — yes, and in power. “For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.” Job 5:18. His visitation is rich in lessons of comfort, of strength and of peace — for all things work together for good to His obedient children. Yes, ALL things!

“O Lord my God, bless this trial which You have sent. Teach me to feel that Your hand is laid upon me. Help me to know that You are speaking unto my soul. May I look on affliction as Your Fatherly visitation — a token of Your love, and wisdom, and power.

“Almighty Father, You have told me that all things are under Your control — not a sparrow falls to the ground unnoticed. Lord, teach me to believe in Your love for me. Oh, help me to feel Your wise guidance and control! Aid me to see that this affliction is sent for my good. O my God, increase my faith. Remove from me doubts and carnal-mindedness. May Your Spirit cleanse and sanctify my soul. Teach me to humbly submit to Your will. By patience and faith may I please You, submitting to sufferings because You send them for my good.

“Teach me that pain and sorrow are Your heavenly messengers. Enlighten my eyes, that so I may say of affliction — it is Your doing. To me, have You sent this. Not by chance, but in wisdom, and with loving purpose it has come. Oh, Lord, do with me what seems good to You. Help me to feel that my lot is wisely ordained. If it is in accordance with Your holy and blessed will — then remove this trial. But if You see fit still to afflict me — then teach me truly to pray, “May Your will be done!” Hear me, O God, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen. (By Walter Parton, 1868)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346 

“Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” John 9: 3 ( Read vs.1 – 12)

An infirmity becomes doubly burdensome when we give it a false interpretation. The weight of a thing is determined by our conception of it. If I look upon my ailment as the stroke of an offended God, I wear it like the chains of a slave. If I look upon it as the fire of the gracious Refiner, I can calmly await the beneficent issue. It is my Lord, engaged in chastening His jewels!

And so our Master first of all relieves the blind man of the false interpretation of his infirmity. “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents.” That lifts the sorrow out of the winter into the spring. It sets it in the warm, sweet light of grace. It becomes transfigured. It wears a new face, placed there in “the light of His countenance.” 

And then our Lord relieves the blind man of the infirmity itself. The ministry of blindness was accomplished, and sight was given. No man is kept in the darkness a moment longer than infinite love deems good. Our Lord does not overlook the prison-house, and leave us there forgotten. “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” So cheer thee, my soul! The Lord is on thy side! The Miracle-worker knows His time and “the dreariest path, the darkest way, shall issue out in heavenly day.”- John Henry Jowett

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“ And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. —-And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.” – Neh. 8:12, 17, 18

Gladness is health. If you can get a patient to look on the bright side of things, you have done a great deal to bring back the tides of life.

Whenever we are optimistic and glad we are looking at things from the divine side, and imbibing some of God’s eternal gladness. And cherishing this temperament, we shall know what Nehemiah and Ezra meant when they said: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh 8:10).

If you have some secret sorrow, tell it to God, but do not impose it needlessly upon men. Anoint your head and wash your face, that you appear not to men to fast, and He who sees the secret tears will comfort you openly (Mat 6:17-18). The pain and sorrow of the world is undeniable, even worse than many of us realise, but this is largely due to the intrusion of sin and selfishness which can only be expelled by love. But even this gives opportunity for that unselfish ministry and devotion which are the keys of the blessed life. In so far as we dedicate our lives to help Christ in His redeeming work of delivering souls out of the power of darkness and translating them into the Kingdom of Life and Light, we share in His perennial blessedness.

It must have been a time of unusual joy when the returned exiles reviewed the finished wall which now engirded the city. There was the consciousness of a finished work. It is always delightful when we have done to the very best of our ability a piece of work that needed doing. One of the elements of a thoroughly enjoyable holiday is to be able to look back on a bit of good construction, a piece of brick or stone work which will endure in the edifice of our own lives or of other people’s.

In addition, there was the Book of the Law of God, in which they read from day to day. Let us take the Bible with us on our holidays! We shall find that it will yield new meaning as we study it by lake or mountain; as we ponder it in country lanes, or by the seashore, One like the Son of Man will walk beside us, and apply its teaching till our hearts burn within us, and we are no more sad.

We thank Thee for eyes that see, and hearts that love, and natures that can enjoy Thy good and perfect gifts. O Father, in Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. AMEN.  – F. B. Meyer

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346