New Brunswick
Bible institute GOD’S PURPOSE
OUR PASSION
OPEN BIBLEBULLETIN VOL. 60 NO. 6 JUNE 2019
FOCUS BY MIKE GRANT
FOUR Simple Words There are four words that can make all the difference in the world for our lives. Notice that I said they CAN make all the difference. These words aren’t big, difficult words and they’re not hard to pronounce. They’re also quite simple to define; in fact, a child can understand them. What are these words? Trust in the Lord. Recently, I found myself in a situation where I had two options - trust God or stress, worry, and panic. I’m sure you can relate. I was just sitting in my office at the time, when I stopped what I was doing
and opened my Bible to the wellknown passage Proverbs 3:5-6. Like me, you’ve heard umpteen dozen messages, devotionals, etc. on these simple yet profound verses. I also thought of several illustrations that I’ve either heard or used myself on trusting the Lord. As I thought about these verses, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a picture of an indigenous man who recently heard the Gospel for the first time. This man grew up in an animistic people group where constant fear ruled his life. Until recently, he had never heard the Word of God. A tear came to my eye as I sat there rejoicing over the joy I saw in my brother’s face! The Word of God had changed this man! The holy, inspired, inerrant Word of God had transformed him! The Word of God
had displaced this man’s fear and his face and eyes now gleamed with joy! He went from fear to faith – a simple result of trusting the Word of God. I then looked at my Bible. I have the Word of God sitting right beside me! I didn’t have to wait for a missionary to come to my land and learn my language; I’ve had God’s Word my whole life. Now, the question is whether or not God’s Word is IN my life. Is my life governed by joy or by fear, by peace or by worry? Proverbs 3:5 says to, “Trust in the Lord with ALL thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.” The Word of God contains so many stories of God’s faithfulness and so many passages challenging us to fear not, to rest, and to be of good cheer. Yet it is so easy to worry, stress and panic. Why do we? Simply put, we’re not trusting the Word of God. Think back to the fall of man. What did Adam and Eve do? They leaned on their own understanding. That’s exactly what we’re told not to do. Just like the picture of the indigenous believer clearly shows, trusting God brings peace, joy and hope and erases worry, stress and panic. It’s really quite simple, isn’t it? 1
PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE BY MATTHEW LITTLE
Fully Known By God Many years ago a Model T Ford was on the side of the road, with a young man under the hood desperately trying to get it running. Although the owner had an above average understanding of cars, he seemed to be unable to pinpoint the problem. He tried everything he could think of but to no avail. The longer he worked on the car, the more frustrated he became. As he worked away, a limousine pulled up and stopped behind him. A distinguished, well-dressed man stepped out of the car. He promptly asked the young man what the trouble was and, in exasperation, he answered, “I don’t know. I can’t seem to get this car running”. This high-society businessman suggested that he make a minor adjustment,
showed him how, and promised that it would fix the problem. The young man was sceptical and questioned in his mind how a businessman who had likely never handled a wrench in his life could possibly know about cars. But willing to try anything, he made the adjustments and cranked it, and sure enough it started. With a look of shock the man said, “How did you know what to do?” “Well,” the other man said, “I’m Henry Ford. I made this car and so I know everything there is to know about it.” God is fully acquainted with your life and yes that includes both the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the revealed and the hidden. But the mind-blowing reality is that He still loves each of us and He desires that we walk with Him. Often,
life finds us on the side of the road with broken-down dreams, shattered hopes and a life we can’t seem to get running. But our Creator Who “fully knows us” has just the answers we so desperately need. Just like Henry Ford knew how to get that car started because “he made the car and knew how it worked”, so God knows you. In Luke 12:20b, Jesus said to the 70 disciples He sent out, who were rejoicing in what God had enabled them to do, “…notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” You may not think you have much to rejoice in today but you can rejoice that you are fully known by God.
Vacation with aVision JUNE 23-29 & JUNE 30-JULY 6 Summer months provide an opportunity for us to accomplish projects which cannot be completed during the school year. No matter what your skill level is, we can use your help. Here are some of our projects that we are considering for this summer: shingling the back side of the roof on our dining hall (the front side was completed a couple of years ago), renovating one of our staff
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houses to make way for our newest staff family (the Grants) to move on campus, finishing the office carpeting, renovating our ladies’ dorm and various other carpentry, painting and general maintenance projects. Camp NBBI will be held for children ages 5-12, during the second week, June 30 - July 6, with a full program of activities such as hiking, swimming, games, and lessons from the Bible.
S P R I N G B A N Q U E T 2 0 1 9
Student Testimony If you ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you that I like to organize and take charge of things. Unfortunately, I often don’t slow down enough to consider the strengths and abilities of others. I often have it stuck in my head that there is only one right way to do things and because of this, I hesitate to trust other people to carry out a task. At the beginning of this year, I had to face this sinful tendency head-on, and it was painful. A few faithful friends pointed out this tendency and I dismissed their concern as trivial.
Throughout this year I have seen the negative impact that obsessive control can have and I realize that is not edifying. So how do I change? By God’s grace, I am slowly learning that the body of Christ is supposed to work from “...what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which each part does its share...” (Ephesians 4:16). The idea that I
Lydia boyd senior class secretary
could be stifling other people’s ministries by always being too ready to jump in was startling. God has prepared work for each believer and I think so many miss out on what God would have for them because
they are not looking for opportunities. As in my case, there are many who seek to do too much and end up pushing people out of the ministry that God has prepared for them. I never want to be part of hindering another believer in their spiritual growth. The realization that I might be hurting other people through my over-controlling tendencies showed me the need for change.
When I look back on the past three years, I recognize that the lessons God has taught me outside of the classroom have been invaluable to future ministry. -Lydia Boyd
December 10, 2018 - to Jason (Assoc. ’11) & Leah (Clark, Assoc. ’04) Chartier, a boy, Hudson Carter. March 18, 2019 - to Steven (ABM ’10) and Rosalie (Allen, ’08) Mollins, a daughter, Brooklyn Joy. April 2, 2019 - to Corey (’09) and Angel (Haines, ’08) Long, a girl, Chloe Grace. April 9, 2019 - to David (’07) and Sarah (Williams, ABM/B. Th. ’11) Taylor, a boy, Theodore William. April 9, 2019 - to Luke & Katie (Fillmore, Assoc. ’11) Mostert, a boy, Linden Luke. March 16, 2019 - to Caleb (ABM/B.Th.’16) & Rebecca (Boyd, ABM/B.Th. ‘19) Wentzell, a boy, Austin Lantz
PROMOTED Long-time pastor and friend to so many, Melvin Dana Jones, graduate of 1955, went to be with the Lord on March 28, 2019 at the age of 84. Please pray for his wife, Myrtleen, also a grad of 1955, his daughters, Esther (’80) & Tim Meisel and Deborah (attended ’78-’80) & Donald (attended ’78-’80) Wilkinson, and son, David & Cheri, and their families.
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BIRTHS
November 27, 2018 - to Graham & Kathleen (Davidson, Assoc. ’15) Crawford a boy, Austin Boyd.
WHO IS IT ? Larry Rushton’s
Printed in Canada
FAMILY FILE
Angie (Ashley) Henderson
After graduating from NBBI in 1955, she married Gerald Henderson and now resides at the Madigan House in Houlton, Maine. She is pictured below with her room-mate from NBBI, Mary (Somers) Day who is now with the Lord.
MIKE GRANT
May 30 - June 2 Chapel of the Living Water Tracy, NB Missions’ Conference June 9, 16 Temperance Vale United Baptist Church Temperance Vale, NB Sunday Services
George Spaulding, graduate of 1967, went home to be with the Lord on April 15, 2019. Please continue to pray for the family.
June 30 - July 5 Tay Valley Bible Camp Taymouth, NB Adventure Camp
MATTHEW LITTLE
June 19-28 Camp Good News Livermore Falls, ME Christian Youth In Action
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with Keith & Kristyn Getty! October 19, 2019
As part of our 75th anniversary celebration the Gettys will be here on our campus. Watch for further details
New Brunswick Bible Institute 2335 Route 103 Victoria Corner NB Canada E7P 1C7 Phone: (506)375-9000 Fax: (506)375-1800 Website: nbbi.ca Email: nbbi@nbbi.ca
Editor........................................Larry Rushton Writers... Faculty, Staff, Students & Alumni Typist........................................Brenda Cabral Layout & design...............................Joseph Fellows Copy proof.................................... Rose Meed Printer....................................... Merritt Press