{"id":2905,"date":"2016-03-18T21:33:04","date_gmt":"2016-03-18T21:33:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/balboaunionchurch.org\/?p=2905"},"modified":"2016-03-18T21:43:14","modified_gmt":"2016-03-18T21:43:14","slug":"weekly-newsletter-march-18-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/balboaunionchurch.org\/es\/2016\/03\/18\/weekly-newsletter-march-18-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Newsletter: March 18, 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

Disculpa, pero esta entrada est\u00e1 disponible s\u00f3lo en English<\/a>. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.<\/p>

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Verse for today:<\/h1>\n

Proverbs 1:20-23<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

English Standard Version (ESV)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The Call of Wisdom<\/span><\/h3>\n
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20\u00a0<\/sup>Wisdom cries aloud in the street,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>in the markets she raises her voice;<\/span><\/span>
\n21\u00a0<\/sup>at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:<\/span><\/span>
\n22\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cHow long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?<\/span>
\nHow long will scoffers delight in their scoffing<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and fools hate knowledge?<\/span><\/span>
\n23\u00a0<\/sup>If you turn at my reproof,[a<\/a>]<\/sup><\/span>
\nbehold, I will pour out my spirit to you;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>I will make my words known to you.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A stunning rose<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The story is told about an old French priest who was having coffee at an outdoor table at a Parisian caf\u00e9 with a young male parishioner, when a beautiful woman strolled past on the sidewalk. The old priest\u2019s eyes followed the woman with delight. The young parishioner admonished him: \u201cFather, certainly God wouldn\u2019t appreciate one of His servants looking with lust upon a woman.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLust?<\/em>\u201d laughed the old priest. \u201cO, no, mon am\u00ed, there\u2019s no lust involved. It\u2019s gratitude, gratitude. If you were to stroll in a garden and you came suddenly upon a stunning rose, wouldn\u2019t God appreciate your pausing for a moment to gaze upon His creation with gratitude?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether or not there existed lust in the old priest\u2019s gaze is something that only God could know (Matthew 5:27-30). But what is pertinent in this opening story is that wisdom in Proverbs is depicted as just such an eye-catching woman, \u201ca stunning rose,\u201d one worthy of attracting our gaze and inviting us to take delight in her beauty. \u00a0Wisdom, as presented in Proverbs is\u00a0God\u2019s feminine qualities: Wisdom\u2019s feminine personification.\u00a0As an attractive woman, she appeals to men. As a true friend, she appeals to women. It is these traits that should make us both, male and female, want to pursue this woman ardently as friend and companion.<\/p>\n

Another reason why Solomon personified wisdom as a woman might be the fact that Solomon understood that the perceptive woman is often much better at seeing through the posturing and pretenses of people than men are:\u00a0it is often the perceptive woman who is able to discern matters of the heart while the man is often indifferent to these matters.<\/p>\n

Wisdom, Divine truth, does not merely whisper its doctrine in secret places where there are few to hear; she does not reserve her teaching to the closed classroom to which only some favoured ones find admittance. She does not mince her words; she does not cut away the knots of the cord with which we are to be stirred to newness of life. She calls men simpletons, scorners, fools, and upbraids them for their stupidity and their folly (ver. 22). When we listen to the voices which are from above we must expect plain speaking. We must not start back with offence if we find ourselves condemned in strong terms.<\/p>\n

\u00abBehold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you\u00bb (ver. 23).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Its aim is spiritual and beneficent. God wounds only that he may heal. He sends \u00abpoverty of spirit\u00bb that he may thereby make rich forevermore. He humbles that he may exalt. His one desire is to make us like himself; to put his own Spirit within us, that we may be \u00abthe children of our Father who is in heaven.<\/em>\u00bb<\/p>\n

Prayer for the Day:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Father, please give me wisdom in my personal affairs so that I might walk in your blessings and prosperity, that I, in turn, might be able to bless others. Lord, give us wise men in the places of authority to lead us as a nation. May your wisdom be applied in the market places of our land and also to our economic situation at the highest levels. Father, give us wise men to rule over us — men who will be just and fair in their dealings, men of character. Thank you for teaching us your ways and giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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THIS SUNDAY AT BALBOA UNION CHURCH<\/h1>\n

Worship Service at 10 a.m. \u2013 ALL ARE WELCOME!<\/strong><\/p>\n

SPEAKER: \u00a0Pastor Jos\u00e9 Ordo\u00f1ez<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunday School Teachers:<\/strong>\u00a0Jillian Monaghan<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
First Testament Readings and\u00a0Psalm<\/td>\nIsaiah 43:16-21,\u00a0Psalm 126<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Epistle Reading<\/td>\nPhilippians 3:4b-1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gospel Reading<\/td>\nJohn 12:1-8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Prayers Concerns<\/h2>\n

Please Pray for Our Brothers and Sisters from Siria and Iraq<\/p>\n

Lord, please remind the world that we are all brothers and sisters and there should be no violence among us, only love and attempts to understand one another.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We also remember in prayer our former pastor:\u00a0Luis Veagra – facing health issue, was in hospital on Monday but expecting to feel much better and hopefully join us for Easter.<\/p>\n

We pray for Pastor Bill Wilbur, of our sister church: Gamboa Union Church, who has been feeling quite under the weather and undergoing various tests to find out how the doctors can provide him with the best treatment.<\/p>\n

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This week at BUC:<\/h1>\n

Saturday, March 19 – FAMILY PICNIC<\/h3>\n

Please join us for our family picnic and barbecue to celebrate the end of the Panamanian summer.<\/p>\n

\"2016.0319-picnic\"<\/p>\n

Sunday, March 20 –\u00a05:00 PM – our Spanish service<\/h3>\n

You are invited to join our newly started Spanish evening service, with a get together and then fellowship and sharing. \u00a0\u00a0We look forward to having a youthful flavoured service, which draws in our Community to participate in fellowship, education, worship, and service.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"BUCEspa\u00f1olmodel\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Next week at BUC:<\/h1>\n