Breaking Through Bars

Proverbs 18:19

A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

The closer a relationship the deeper an offense is felt. It may or may not be easier to offend a brother, but when he is offended the wound goes deep, as is the witness of many, many family divisions. The offense only goes deeper and the brother more unyielding when the offender tries to argue his case which ends up in quarreling.
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Esperanza Job Opportunities

Esperanza Health Center has a number of full-time job opportunities. Click here to see their openings.

PCA's Magazine, byFaith

Free subscriptions to the PCA's magazine are available. Issues include news from around the denomination—from PCA churches, agencies and committees, and from individuals whose ministries will motivate and inspire you. byFaith also addresses timely topics from a Reformed perspective. Contact Margie to subscribe.

Sunday Services 9/22/2013

Join us this Sunday for our services.
AM (9 & 11): Dr. Liam Goligher preaching, “The Gospel According to Isaiah: Whose Leaf Withers” (Isaiah 1:21–31). Hymns: We Gather Together; Give Praise to God; Great God of Wonders
Parish 3 will worship together in the Catacombs during the 11:00 service.
PM (Soli Deo Gloria 6:15): Bryan Anderson, organ
(6:30): Dr. Liam Goligher preaching, “That You May Believe… The Voice of One…” (John 1:19–28). Hymns: O Could I Speak the Matchless Worth; My Jesus, I Love Thee; There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood.

TCF Prayer Request

Please pray for the TCF Retreat in Ocean City, NJ this weekend. Pray for students attending as they make deeper relationships with each other and as they study the topic of faithfulness. Pray that we have safety in our travels and good weather!

Casting the Lot

Proverbs 18:18

The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.

It is interesting how the casting of lots or drawing straws or flipping coins settle matters that could produce controversy or are already controversial. Rival teams let a coin flip decide who gets the ball first; kids arguing over who has to take the worse job will meekly accept the result of drawing the shortest straw. There is an odd sense of fairness to committing a decision to chance. That is when there is no clear reason for choosing one side or person over the other, or sometimes simply to avoid the ill will that choosing will cause.
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A Maranatha Moment

Perhaps you remember a few months back, during the morning service, about 100 people, mostly teenagers, clad in gray t-shirts storming the platform.  If you were so overwhelmed by the number of bodies up front that you missed what was said, let me fill you in: Maranatha, our youth ministry, was  being commissioned for summer missions.
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Apartment Needed for 3 Months

I am trying to help find a more suitable accommodation for a friend of mine who arrived last Sunday in Philadelphia from Poland to do a three-month's sub-specialty fellowship at HUP. She would be interested in renting a furnished 2 bedroom (or 1 bedroom if a sleeping area also in the living room) apartment for three months, where she, her husband and son (both of whom will be coming only for several weeks) could stay. She is currently in an old apartment in a poor condition on South Street (close to Front St.), for which she pays $900/month. Anyone knowing of options can email me, Lucy.

Church Millennials

I first thought this was about people with certain millennial views. But, oops, it is about the young adult generation. So, what does keep millennials in church, regardless of their millennial view? Read this article.

Examination

Proverbs 18:17

The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.

What a true observation! How many times have we heard one speaker lay forth an argument that seems the epitome of commonsense, only to hear someone else give a different opinion or exam the first speaker, and we completely change our opinion? Perhaps the first speaker omitted pertinent information; perhaps he operated from presuppositions that needed questioning. Whatever the case, it took another examiner - either one impartial or with a differing opinion - to present a fuller picture.
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New Town Discovered from Jesus' Day

For you archeological buffs - a new town found in Israel, perhaps Dalmanutha that Jesus visited?

Silvernail's Seven

An interesting article on what is happening in the PCA.

The Giving of Gifts

Proverbs 18:16

A man's gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.

What is the difference between a gift and a bribe? Is this proverb permitting the offering of bribes to get one's way? The proverb may not be giving permission for anything. Many proverbs are mere observations about life, adding no comment about the moral value. That is true of this one.
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Upcoming Boice Center Lecture

Dr. Vern Poythress, professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary, will present the next lecture for the Boice Center’s series on inerrancy. The lecture is entitled “Inerrancy and Science” and will be held in the sanctuary on: 

September 28, 2013 at 7:00 PM. 

Dr. Poythress is a professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia where he earned both his MDiv and ThM. He has a background in science and mathematics and has written several books on biblical interpretation and science including: Inerrancy and Worldview:Answering Modern Challenges to the Bible, Redeeming Science: A God Centered Approach, and Logic: A God Centered Approach to the Foundations of Western Thought. 

 *All Boice Center lectures are free and open to the public. 

Seek Knowledge

Proverbs 18:15

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Note the precondition of the person who gains knowledge. He is already intelligent, already wise. It is his intelligence and wisdom that spurs him on to attain knowledge. He becomes knowledgeable because he values knowledge. Unlike the student who raises his hand in class and asks the teacher, "Is this going to be on the test," the intelligent person inquires deeper into the subject. He is interested in what he is learning; he wants to learn.
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