August 8 Read Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 What is the meaning of life? This is the question that Solomon sought the answer to when he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. As he nears the end of his life and reign as king of Israel, Solomon reflects on his own experiences in order to instruct the people of […]
“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Rev. 6:8). “And […]
There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: an he goat also. — Proverbs 30:29, 31 The billy goat charges forward, horns curling majestically. The billy goat doesn’t worry about anything in his way. Other animals scatter before him when he runs forward. They fear his horns and his […]
And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my […]
The title of the present article ought to incite a certain reaction in the heart of the regenerated believer. Friendship with unbelievers? God forbid! Indeed, there is no such thing as friendship with unbelievers. Why is this so? In this article, I call your attention to three points related to the topic of the title. […]
Covenantal Protestant Reformed young people, the precious doctrine of the covenant is one of the first things that should come to our minds when we speak of friendship. God in his infinite love has established and maintains a relationship of friendship, fellowship, and communion with his people. “And I will make an everlasting covenant with […]
Your friends have a tremendous influence on you in your Christian walk. Your parents know it to be the case. That is why they ask you, every time you leave the house, “Who are you going out with?” Your parents know, and so do you, the evil into which your friends can lead you. My […]
Some Editor’s Notes are easier to write than others. This qualifies as one of the more difficult ones. After almost nine faithful years of serving the Beacon Lights staff and readership as Managing Editor, Ryan Kregel will be stepping down from this post. With his steady, able hand on the tiller, Ryan steered the magazine […]
“You can’t trust your feelings.” “Don’t make emotional decisions.” “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). The heart and its strong feelings are clearly to be held in check in many contexts. But who can love an aloof and unemotional man who goes through life without […]
God is the covenant friend of his people. Abraham “was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23), for God said about Abraham and his seed, “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend” (Isa. 41:8). Jehovah “spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh […]