Vol 84 Issue 21

Previous article in this series: September 1, 2008, p. 460. “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.  Jeremiah 6:16 We gratefully acknowledge that, for almost 85 years, the Protestant Reformed Churches have asked for the old path of catechism: the church instructing her youth. God be praised for preserving the PRC on that path, giving rest to our (and our children’s!) souls. Catechism was God’s way...

Mr. Wigger is a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan.   Congregation Activities  With a mixture of great excitement and eager anticipation, thirty-six participants from fifteen different congregations from all over the country (Hull, Doon, Loveland, Kalamazoo, Georgetown, Randolph, and Bethel, to name just a few), accompanied by several older chaperones, left early Monday morning, August 4, for a week-long canoe trip to the Boundary Waters in northeastern Minnesota. What an opportunity for these young people to drink inthe serenity and beauty of God’s creation in a way they might not have experienced before. By God’s grace...

Mr. DeVries is a teacher in Covenant Christian High School and a member of Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, Michigan.   Introduction  As Christians today, it is our responsibility to learn what is going on in the world, and to do so with an eye towards understanding the times in which we live. Sometimes the events we notice are quite obviously fulfilling biblical prophecy, and at other times we have to examine events more closely to try to discover a cumulative effect. By doing so, we can better understand the times in order to be prepared for what lies ahead....

Rev. Langerak is pastor of Southeast Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Up is not a very impressive word. But it need not be, to be important in the Christian faith. Our God, who delights in saving base things, has also given great significance to rather mundane words. Faith and idolatry are the difference between worshiping a god and worshipingthe God. Heresy or orthodoxy regarding the Christ is determined by a single Greek letter (iota). The truth of creation rests upon the word day. And up is more significant than we may realize. Together with its antithesis down, this humble word describes an entire plane of...

Prof. Engelsma, is professor emeritus of Dogmatics and Old Testament in the Protestant Reforemd Seminary. Previous article in this series: September 1, 2008, p. 465. * This is the second and concluding installment of the text of the address—the final rectoral address of the speaker—on the occasion of the graduation of Mr. Heath James Bleyenberg from the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary on June 12, 2008 at Hope Protestant Reformed Church, Walker, MI.The Necessity of Courage  The courage that speaks the word boldly is necessary—necessary in every minister—and the necessity is nothing less than the God-ordained necessity of the preaching of...

Rev. DeVries is pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church in Wingham, Ontario, Canada.   Miracle Mania  Perhaps no movement made more of an impact on the church world in the twentieth century than Pentecostalism. The early years of the twenty-first century have seen no diminishing of Pentecostalism’s influence. A current “revival” in Lakeland, Florida is taking the world by storm, at least as far as media coverage is concerned. It is creating considerable controversy, even among Pentecostals. Rusty Leonard and Warren Cole Smith report in World, June 28/July 5, 2008 in an article entitled, “Same Old Scam?”: Canadian Todd Bentley doesn’t...

Rev. Slopsema is pastor of First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 Psalm 27 is a psalm of David. From the psalm itself it is evident that David was facing great danger from his enemies. These enemies could well have been Absalom and the many in Israel who followed him in rebellion against David.Psalm 3 was written in connection with David’s flight from Absalom. Some see verse 5 of that psalm to express...