All Articles For When Thou Sittest in Thine House

Reprinted from Implications of Public Confession, by Abraham Kuyper, 7th ed., Byron Center PRC Evangelism Committee, 2020. Used by permission. I prayed…and made my confession. —Daniel 9:4 The seed of faith which it frequently pleases God to sow within the heart of a child does not grow and flourish of its own accord. Imagine, for a moment, that a child within whose heart this seed had been planted had been kidnapped soon after its birth by a tribe of savages, that it had been taken far from its father and mother, and far from the blessed influences of Christ’s church....

But, Lord, in Thee is all my trust, Thou art my God I cried; My life, my times are in Thy hand, I in Thy strength confide. Psalter #80, stanza 9 We are all creatures of time. For the timeless God, in His infinite wisdom, created us so. He, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, has so designed things that all of our life here on earth—as we journey from here to heaven—is governed by time. Not only must we teach our children how to tell time on the face of the clock that hangs on the...

“Make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers.” —Ezra 10:11 Public confession of your faith must take place between your baptism and your approach to the holy supper. That confession is a unique and important event because it represents the time when you rise in the assembly of believers and publicly assert that you desire to be one of them. It is also true that in that sense public confession is entirely necessary and perfectly appropriate. It is an event in your life, and is an important one. But that event should by no means suggest that it is...

Previous articles in this series: June 2021, p. 403 The spiritual nurture of our children from the time of infancy is vital to the confidence, security, and strength they will exhibit in their future lives. Though the topic “Nurturing Preschool Children” may seem blasé and undeserving of our attention, this could not be further from the truth. The years from birth to the time our children enter school are the most formative years of their lives. Neither do we concern ourselves in these articles with the care given our little children from an earthly, material point of view, though this...

Dalton is my friend, though he never talks to me. Perhaps I should qualify that statement. Once in a while he says, “Skid loader.” Usually he holds up his necktie and gives me a big smile. He might like ties as much as skid loaders. Even so, they make great conversation openers. Hard to miss, built like a linebacker with boundless enthusiasm to connect with others, he has landed a soft spot with everyone at church. Dalton is special, but that is not what makes him really special. Dalton is blessed to have been raised by his loving Christian parents...

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Psalm 19:1  God reveals Himself to us not only in His written Word, but also in His creation round about us. God is a God of order, and in His wisdom brought order to His creation by creating the heavenly bodies on the fourth day, as recounted in Genesis 1:14: “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years.” He created these...

Long before John Deere or Case International Harvester, there was a tribulum. A tribulum was an ancient, wooden threshing board studded with sharp flint. On the threshing floor the tribulum was dragged around and around over the harvested grain. With repeated strikes and beatings the kernel and chaff would separate, leaving the precious grain ready to gather and store. Related to the word “tribulum” is the Latin verb tribulare, meaning “to oppress” or “afflict.” From these words we get our word “tribulation.” Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation…” (John 16:33). We think of oppression, affliction, beating, and...

Previous article in this series: December 1, 2020, p. 113. I am not a trained professional who has received a degree in child psychology or family practice. I do not have a Ph.D. in sociology or family counseling. Neither is it my life’s occupation to diagnose childhood disorders or strange behavior patterns in children. I am not saying that these practices are wrong or unnecessary. I am merely saying these are not my credentials. My credentials are more of a practical nature. I was raised in a covenant home with believing parents, my father being a strict disciplinarian and my...

Previous article in this series: January 1, 2021, p. 156. In our previous consideration of parents being tools in the hand of the Master Builder, we looked at the knowledge we have and the comfort we derive from knowing that it is God who builds our covenant homes and families. He establishes His covenant with His chosen people and peculiar treasure, and is pleased to continue His covenant in the line of continued generations with believers and their seed. We also acknowledged and were humbled by the fact that the divine Builder is pleased to employ the use of parental...

It does not take long for a new mother to notice her work is never done. There are so many needs. There are diapers to change, feeding and burping the baby, giving baths, cooking, cleaning, washing laundry, ironing, fixing things that break, running errands, potty training, wiping noses…whatever the need is, and then some, as more children are added to the family. Perhaps a young mother’s most shocking realization is that the bulk of her work is routine and unglamorous. How do you, dear Christian mother, like doing those unpaid, lowly, menial tasks to meet the needs of others? Though...