All Articles For Slopsema, James D

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34, 35 Jesus was with His disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem eating the last Passover supper. After dismissing Judas Iscariot to set in motion the events that would lead to Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus informed His disciples that He would be with the disciples only for a little while. And where He was going,...

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat. Proverbs 28:25 What a sharp contrast is found in this proverb, more technically known as antithetical parallelism. He who is of a proud heart is contrasted with he who puts his trust in the Lord. The implication is that one who is of a proud heart does not put his trust in the Lord. In turn, one who puts his trust in the Lord is not of a proud heart but is humble. Let’s look a little...

Rev. James Slopsema, minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches and member of First PRC (Grand Rapids, MI) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 The apostle John indicates in the preceding verses of this chapter that he was writing to the churches that they may enjoy God’s fellowship and, in God’s fellowship, may also have fellowship with one another. John emphasizes that this is possible only when the saints walk in the light. God is light and in Him is no...

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. John 19:26-27 Jesus spoke but seven times during the six hours of suffering on the cross. The first crossword was spoken after the soldiers nailed Him to the cross at 9:00 a.m.: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” The second crossword was spoken later in the morning to the penitent thief who...

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 The details of Jesus’ birth in Luke’s gospel are scanty. In response to the decree of Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed, Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem. The Jewish custom was to pay these taxes in the city from which one’s family originated. Since Joseph and Mary were of the house of David, they went to Bethlehem, the city of David. Finding no room in the inn of Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary found...

What are we doing in home missions? Events this year have left our churches without a home missionary and a calling church. Our only home missionary, Rev. A. Spriensma, took a call to our Cornerstone PRC in Dyer, IN in January of this year. Due to the loss of her minister and half of her congregation, the Byron Center PRC decided that she could no longer serve effectively as the calling church for another home missionary. So, what is happening in the work of home missions? What is the Domestic Mission Committee (DMC) doing? The DMC is busy not only...

The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. Proverbs 3:33 The family unit in our society is disintegrating. Marriage, which is the backbone of the family, is in deep trouble. Mothers, who are all important to the welfare of the family, are abandoning their God-given role in the family as keepers of the home to take up work outside the home. Children and young people no longer respect authority but live as rebels in their homes. The lifestyle our society has adopted makes family life very difficult. These...

After that, he was seen of James. I Corinthians 15:8 In the first part of this chapter Paul reminds the Corinthian saints of the gospel that he had proclaimed to them. He had proclaimed not only the death of Jesus Christ but also His resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus had been verified by many witnesses: “He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all...

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12 Are you numbering your days? We must number the days of our lives already lived. How old are you? How many days has that been? And what has filled those day? We must also number the days that we can reasonably expect to live yet on the earth. It is good to do this that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. What it means to number or count our days will become clear only in light of what has already been said...

In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Proverbs 15:6 Is there treasure in your house? What kind of treasure is it? Not all treasure is good! Notice the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. There is much treasure in the house of the righteous. There is treasure also in the house of the wicked. That is because he generates revenue or income. The righteous also generates revenue. However, that earthly revenue is not his great treasure. His treasure is heavenly and spiritual in nature. That explains why the...