Dear Beacon Lights readers, Near the end of 1992, I was approached by members of the Beacon Lights staff requesting that I consider writing a series of devotionals for the magazine. I believe the editor at that time was Peter Faber. I prepared several devotionals for their consideration and presented them to two staff members […]
November 8 Read James 1 The writer of this book, who may have been a brother of Christ, writes to the Christian Jews much like the last book. However, the theme of the book is different. The theme can be found in the last verse of this chapter. What is true religion? True religion is […]
October 9 Read 2 Thessalonians 1 The church of Thessalonica along with the church of all ages suffered persecution at the hands of enemies of the truth. Paul had to leave this city and its fledgling church, but the persecution continued. In the opening chapter of this letter he assures them that he will pray […]
September 10 Read 2 Corinthians 10 There were those in Corinth who disparaged the work of Paul and therefore the work of God through Paul. The apostle tries to answer those scoffers. His final argument points at their boasting, and he leaves them with the admonition of verse 17. We do well to heed that […]
August 11 Read Romans 12 From the beautiful doctrines of the preceding chapters, Paul exhorts us to a right way of life. It is a life of sanctification in whatever calling God has given to us. We would do well to reread this chapter throughout the year. Our life of Christian service is not one […]
July 12 Read Acts 10 After receiving the vision instructing him to preach to the Gentiles, Peter is sent into action immediately. Through the Holy Spirit he is sent to Caesarea. Peter must get over his shock of eating what previously had been unclean meats. Now he must go and preach to a Gentile. It […]
June 12 Read John 1 The theme of the fourth gospel is that Jesus is truly divine. This John sets forth already in the first several verses of this chapter as well as very explicitly in verse 34. Obviously there were those who denied this fact, and to counter their claims the Holy Spirit uses […]
May 13 Read Mark 11 We now come to Mark’s account of the passion week, the week in which Christ walked toward the cross for our salvation because of his love and the love of the Father. As has been pointed out before, Mark is the gospel of action. We see that in these closing […]
April 12 Read Matthew 8 Jesus was a great preacher. That is what we saw in the preceding three chapters. Now the gospel writer shows that he was truly God. In this chapter we have a number of the miracles that Jesus did. As you read through them, you see that they are not only […]
March 13 Read Zephaniah 1 Zephaniah is the last of the minor prophets before the exile into Babylon. We see in verse 1 that he is at work during the time of Josiah, who reigned soon after the reign of wicked Manasseh. In this first chapter he pronounces extreme judgment upon Judah and its inhabitants. […]