Vol 93 Issue 05

Congregational Activities From the bulletin of Lynden, WA PRC: Banket making continues this week Friday. We’ll start in the morning and continue on through the evening. Come whenever you can and stay as long as you can! We can use as many hands as possible! Come with no jewelry, an apron in a bag, and a smile. (If you don’t have an apron, one will be provided. If you don’t have a smile, well, we’ll do our best….) Hope to see you there! The PRC at Kalamazoo, MI began using their new organ in worship services not long ago. Young...

Mrs. Kleyn is the wife of Missionary Daniel Kleyn, stationed in the Philippines. What believest thou concerning the “holy catholic church” of Christ? That the Son of God, from the beginning to the end of the world, gathers, defends, and preserves to Himself by His Spirit and Word, out of the whole human race, a church chosen to everlasting life, agreeing in true faith; and that I am, and forever shall remain, a living member thereof. Lord’s Day 21, Q&A 54 The above Lord’s Day on the holy, catholic church of Christ has always been a favorite of mine. I...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Holy Scripture sets out the simple truth that God created humans as male and female right at the beginning of the Bible, at the conclusion of the creation history in Genesis 1:27. Yet as simple as this truth would seem, the world increasingly seeks to blur the lines between male and female. First homosexuality became legalized and even promoted by society and by our government institutions. More recently the conflict has focused on so-called “transgender” individuals, who act...

How can one measure stress? Some use a numbering system called the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. Although any given event can affect individuals differently, some 43 events have been assigned stress points, to give a rough estimate for the general public. For example, death of spouse is at the top of the list with 100 stress points. For the child, it is death of a parent, with the same number of points. Divorce is 73 points for adults and 90 for children of divorced parents. A parent dismissed from work can add 47 points, while for the child of...

Dr. Looyenga teaches in the Science Department at Calvin College and is a member of Faith Protestant Reformed Church, Jenison, Michigan. “What then is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know.” –Saint Augustine “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good.” Genesis 1:3, 4 The concept “time” is among the most commonly experienced, yet most mysterious, of God’s creatures. I call it a concept because defining time—at least in any...

Previous article in this series: September 1, 2016, p. 468. Not long ago a young adult asked me a question about something he had heard at college. One of his instructors cited Colossians 1:20 as proof that Christians have a calling to strive to renew everything in this world. That specific passage in Colossians speaks of Christ “reconciling all things” unto God. What does that mean, and what does it imply as to our calling in the midst of this world? Colleges training “agents of renewal” Both Calvin College and Dordt College refer to themselves as institutions designed to train...

Previous article in this series: November 15, 2016, p. 85. Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Ecclesiastes 7:27-29 In the preceding verses, Solomon spoke of the limits of his wisdom and understanding of God’s works and, concerning man, of sin and its deceitfulness....

Rodrigo Duterte, The Philippines’ New President At the time of the writing of this article, the Unites States’ elections were still underway. But as we brace for the changes of the next presidency, the citizens of the Philippines are also experiencing many changes in their own land with their new president, Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte has only been in office since late June of this year, but has been getting international attention as one of the most controversial and vulgar political figures in the global political arena. What follows are excerpts from a report by Angela Lu for World magazine describing...

Previous article in this series: November 15, 2016, p. 76. Editor’s note: These editorials on schools and teachers are, of necessity, somewhat provincial because the focus is on the schools that are maintained by members of the Protestant Reformed Churches. I am very much aware that many readers of this magazine are not directly affected by these schools or their concerns, since these readers are not Protestant Reformed and have no connection (children or grandchildren) to the schools. However, I do not apologize for these articles. First, throughout its history the SB has been a staunch supporter of Christian education...

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 Psalm 139 is a prayer of David in which he exalts the great majesty of God. God is all knowing and everywhere present. He is the absolutely sovereign Creator of all. He is perfectly just and righteous. To such a God and to no other, David submitted himself and was devoted entirely. That submission and devotion is set forth no more concisely and powerfully than in the...