Vol 80 Issue 07

Reprinted from When Thou Sittest In Thine House, by Abraham Kuyper, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. 1929. Used by permission of Eerdmans Publishing Co. Spring Scripture does not know spring by name, any more than autumn; only once, at the very end, in Jude’s brief epistle (12, autumn trees, Dutch version), it is noted more in passing than described in its dying glory. The country accounted for this. In Palestine the transition from winter to summer, and from summer to winter, took place more quickly, more as it were at once, and the almost six months’ absence...

Rev. VanBaren is a minister emeritus in the Protestant Reformed Churches. Thanksgiving to Whom? Thanksgiving Day has come and gone. According to custom and in harmony with the requirements of our Church Order, we assembled together as congregations to express thanks to God for all of His benefits bestowed on us for Jesus’ sake. Our thanksgiving was not just for things, but for all that God gave (including even sickness and poverty). Whatever He provides for Jesus’ sake and for our spiritual profit is good and deserving of our thanks. Apart from Christ there would be no blessing—only condemnation. Whether...

Mr. Kalsbeek is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. “And the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.” I Chronicles 12:32 “We must rethink our ideas about God; we should place less emphasis on Christ as a person and a redeemer. We should put the Bible away for 20 years while we radically rethink our religious ideas.”1 Those words were spoken by...

For a long time, I have wanted to write on the assurance of salvation. God willing, this editorial is the beginning of a series of articles on Scripture’s precious doctrine of assurance and, based on this doctrine, the Christian’s precious experience of assurance. Assurance is a prominent teaching in Holy Scripture. The apostle teaches the assurance of the elect believer in Hebrews 10:19ff. We have “boldness” to enter the holiest. We are called to draw near to God “in full assurance of faith.” There is an urgent warning against “wavering,” casting away our confidence, and drawing back. Assurance is precious. Certainty...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. Evangelism Activities On Friday evening, November 21, and then again the next morning, November 22, the Evangelism Committee of the Hudsonville, MI PRC hosted a seminar entitled, “Defending Creation in an Evolutionary Age.” Friday featured a video by Answers in Genesis entitled “In the Beginning,” followed by Prof. H. Hanko speaking on “Evolution: Its Effect on Your Life and Your Beliefs.” Saturday featured a video by AIG entitled “The Grand Canyon Catastrophe” and Rev. R. Kleyn, pastor of the Trinity PRC in Hudsonville, speaking on “Believing by...

Rev. Dick is pastor of Grace Protestant Reformed Church in Standale, Michigan. If you are a Grace Life person, you are a morning person. You are a lover of morning. For it is the time of glories. You just have to get up. You have to be there among those morning glories. To observe them, smell them, listen to them, touch them, and drink them in. To enjoy them. So those glories become yours. So you are glorified for another day. What are those morning glories? Why do we not want to miss them? Why especially in the morning of...

Rev. Hanko is minister in the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington. We have seen in the previous article that the book of Haggai contains four prophecies, each introduced by the date on which it was delivered. The first prophecy is a call to be busy with the work of building the temple, accompanied by a warning against further neglect of the work. In that warning God points out the sins of His people and shows them how He was punishing them for those sins. Though they did not recognize the fact, many of the troubles they were suffering in...

Rev. Kleyn is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. God loves His church—so must we. The church is precious to God—so ought she to be to us, her members. The question is, How can we actually love the church? In what ways can we show our love for her? To love someone or something involves seeking the welfare of that person or thing. That is how it must always be with the object of our love. A husband who truly loves his wife seeks her welfare. He does this by providing for her needs, especially her spiritual...

Mr. Minderhoud is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan. Article 12 of our Belgic Confession of Faith begins “We believe that the Father, by the Word, that is, by His Son, hath created of nothing the heaven, the earth, and all creatures as it seemed good unto Him, giving unto every creature its being, shape, form, and several offices to serve its Creator; that He doth also still uphold and govern them by His eternal providence and infinite power, for the service of mankind, to the end that man...

Anon. No Longer We do so appreciate your fine magazine, and are blessed by the thoughtful articles and your solid stands. On page 85 of the November 15, 2003 Standard Bearer, attributed to “Anon.,” is a verse of one of our favorite hymns. It was written by the Scottish pastor, Rev. Robert Murray McCheyne, in 1837. The verse you have quoted is verse 3 in most hymnals. The other verses are: When this passing world is done, when has sunk yon glaring sun, when we stand with Christ in glory, looking o’er life’s finished story, then, Lord, shall I fully...