Thoughts for Young Men: Book Review by Jeff Bush

by J. C. Ryle

• “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.” — Titus 2:6

• Don’t wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is the devil’s day. The devil wants you to put off tomorrow instead of living and serving God today.

• “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” — Ecclesiastes 11:9

• Young man, do not deceive yourselves. Do not think you can fill yourselves of lust and simple pleasures now and then serve God when you are old.

• If you do not seek the Lord while you are young, your sinful habits will be so entrenched that you will unlikely seek Him when you are old.

• Some could say their sins are holding them back, others could say their idleness, but do not wait until later to serve the Lord.

• Seek the Lord early, and you will be spared of many bitter tears.

• There are dangers of young men face:

1. 1. 1. 1. Pride. 

• • • • • • • • • Pride is probably the oldest sin, and it sits in the heart of every man.
                • Young men often think old men are dumb, and cannot help. Like wild horses, they must have their own ways. This is pride. 
                • 1 Corinthians 8:2. Colossians 3:4, Romans 15:2. 1 Peter 5:5. 
                • Never be afraid to sit and listen. Jesus did this in Luke 2:46. 

1. 1. 1. 2. Love of Pleasures.

• • • • • • • • • Col 3:25; 1 Cor 6:18
                • Flee from the places that offer worldly pleasures. Flee from those who tempt you. Flee from talking about the worldly pleasures. Flee from the imaginations of thinking on them. 

1. 1. 1. 3. Contempt of Christianity.

• • • • • • • • • Beware of thinking you do not need to listen to preaching. Beware of mocking godly things. 
                • Psalms 14:1

1. 1. 1. 4. Fear of Man’s Opinion.

• • • • • • • • • Proverbs 29:25
                • What others call good, they call good. And what others call bad, they call bad.
                • The fear of being ridiculed, mocked, or what others will think stops many young men.
                • Learn to say no. Proverbs 1:10

1. 1. 1. 5. Not Considering Consequences of Sin.

• • • • • • • • • Proverbs 14:9

• Your body is to be the servant of your soul, not your soul the servant of your body

• Daniel sought God as a young man. So did Timothy, Josiah, David, and many others in the Bible.

• Determine to make God’s Word your guide in life. 

• Never make anyone a friend who is not a friend of God. Psalms 119:63; Proverbs 13:20

• Devise to remove any sin that distances you from the Lord. The little sins separate you little by little until you are far from God. 

• Resolve to never forget the eye of God. He knows you through and through. How many things are done because men think they are not seen, but He sees all. 

• Resolve that wherever you are, you will pray.