I still can’t believe the foolishness of some people. I was watching two fishermen working their way north along the shore past the cottage where I was watching the storms roll in across Lake Michigan from the west. The most fascinating and dangerous events of the shore is when the thunderstorms move in from the […]
Question of Michael Vermeer My philosophy professor in college has often asked the question “What makes a right (wrong) thing right (wrong)?” In attempting to answer this question, he has brought up several theories, one of which is called the Divine Command Theory. According to this theory, God makes something right or wrong by saying […]
After reading the article “Slim Possibility of Overcoming a Weighty Problem” I felt compelled to write a response. I am thankful for the people who write articles for the Beacon Lights and the staff for oversight of this publication. I do not want to discourage this author or anyone else from submitting articles. For the […]
Ever since the sun was created, it has been spewing forth a violent cocktail of energy. The energy expands outward through space like the ripples from a stone cast into a quiet pond. The ripples, however, could better be likened to a storm tossed sea, rather than a quiet pond. The sun would be more […]
Professor Russell Dykstra was born on March 10, 1954, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the son of Arnold and Donna Dykstra who are members of Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Growing up in the Grand Rapids area near Hope Church, Prof. Dykstra attended Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School and Covenant Christian […]
Does clay to potter speak: Why is this form for me? Can earthen lump or muddy clump Control its destiny? The artist’s skill must be The sole authority. Why, man, do you to Him Who molds your life, so speak? Dissatisfied arid filled with pride, Not Him, but self you seek. Obedience to His law […]
June 1 Read Psalm 21; Lord’s Day 46 Q & A 121 After confessing that God is our father, we then quickly acknowledge that He is not an earthly father with an earthly father’s weaknesses. Our father is in heaven! By making this confession we must remove from our minds any earthly conception of God […]
Thou shalt not kill. Exodus 20:13 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10 The Way of Thankful Obedience, on which we are traveling, is like a freeway. It is like a freeway, first, because the free, unmerited grace of God has put us on this […]
We ended the last article with three tactics used by the Arminian party to further their cause. They attempted to infiltrate the seminaries; they discredited the creeds of the Reformed churches; and they used every means available to short-circuit the proper ecclesiastical operations of the churches. Their tactics many times were successful to the great […]
John is a member of Byron Center Protestant Reformed Church in Byron Center, Michigan. He wrote this article for the 2001 Protestant Reformed Scholarship. Every Christian is called by God to serve Him in every area of our lives. Indeed, God commands us to do all things to His glory (1 Cor. 10:31). Whether we […]