The Open Bible Bulletin - September 2021

OPEN BIBLE BULLETIN

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, visit our website or call us closer to the time of each event for further updates and cancellations.

MIKE GRANT September 17-19 Appleton Baptist Church Appleton, ME Missions Conference

Ladies of Grace Conference

VOL. 62 NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2021

October 22 & 23, 2021

For more information go to nbbi.ca/ladies

November 11-13, 2021 God's desire for your life is that you might know Him in a deep and personal way. And we can't know God apart from God's Word which shows us who He is. At NBBI we believe that knowing God's Word and obeying it is the key to living a joy-filled Christian life. Are you ready to meet the challenges life may throw your way? Do you know God's Word and have the ability to share the truth with others?

NBBI exists to help you gain a deeper knowledge of who God is and to challenge you to live for Him. Join us for College for a Day, November 11-13. Sit in on some classes, meet our current students and see if God might be leading you to study His Word for a year.

Ladies, we are so excited already by the response of registrations coming in!!!! We have missed you all and can hardly wait for this upcoming Ladies of Grace Conference!!

Our speaker this year will be Paula Dunn Egel from Lynchburg, Virginia. For the past 32 years, Paula has been using her dynamic voice and unique story to encourage, challenge, and inspire audiences of all ages. Paula began performing concerts at the age of 14 and has released 12 solo albums.

She is a graduate of Liberty University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and a Master’s degree in counseling.

Paula’s singing was born out of a desire to help those who are hurting. Her personal story of triumph

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...........................................Larry Rushton Copy proof..............................................Rose Meed Printer.................................................Merritt Press

For weekly updates visit us at nbbi.ca/connect

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FOCUS

BY TIM LEUBNER The Perfect Finish

Paula and her husband, Robb, have been married for 22 years and have a daughter, Emma Grace.

To learn more about Paula, head on over to <pauladunnministries.com>, connect with her on Facebook at Paula Dunn Ministries or follow her on Instagram @pauladunnegel.

Don’t stay on the fence for long about joining us on October 22 -23, 2021, because our campus will fill quickly as we look forward to hosting our Ladies of Grace Annual Conference once again! Can’t wait to see what God has in store for all of us!!

PARTNER WITH US

nbbi.ca/donate

Give online: Click the Donate Now button. Make a one-time gift or choose the recurring option for automatic monthly support.

Give by mail: Send your cheque payable to: New Brunswick Bible Institute 2335 Route 103 Victoria Corner NB E7P 1C7 U.S. Donors: East Hodgdon Bible Church Attn: NBBI Fund PO Box 828 Houlton ME 04730-0828 Give by e-transfer: Send an e-Transfer via the bank of your choice to nbbibusiness@gmail.com.

For additional options: Call us toll-free at 1-800-771-NBBI (6224).

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over tragedy allows Paula to relate to audiences of all ages and backgrounds as she shares of growing up with a father in prison, drugs and alcohol in the home, and a mom dying of cancer when she was 11 years old. However, she also shares of God’s grace and His sovereign hand which reached down to save and rescue her as a young girl.

The year was 2008; the Summer Olympics were in Beijing, China. United States swimmer, Michael Phelps, was going for eight gold medals in one Olympics, but he was going to need some help.

It was the men’s 4 x 100 relay and with one swimmer to go, the USA was behind an entire half-second to France, which, in swimming time, is next to impossible to make up with only two lengths of the pool to go. Jason Lezak, age 32, for the United States ended up swimming the fastest split ever recorded and touched the wall a mere 0.08 seconds ahead of France and secured the ultimate prize, an Olympic Gold Medal. Michael Phelps was asked about the performance and he said “His last 50 meters were absolutely incredible; he had a perfect finish.”

The Christian life is likened to sports and racing in the Bible and there are three things we must do if we are to win the prize.

1. Compete - Hebrews 12:1 says “let us run”. The “us” here is referring to the saved, the justified in Christ. He is saying to us, “we are in a race, so get running.”

Too many Christians are willing to join the team, but sit down and wait for heaven to

come to them. We have enough 100-yarddash Christianswho have quick spurts of running, get winded and then give up.

The Christian life is a marathon. These surface-level Christians don’t understand that when they signed up with Jesus, life would be agonizing at times. Agony is what is described when the author of Hebrews said, “let us run the race”. The Christian life will take discipline, it will be hard, and we must have that competitive edge, that determination to please God if we are to be successful in our running.

2. Lay Aside - Athletes compete with minimal restrictions. They train to get rid of the bulk, the extra weight that takes them out of competition. We have to trim the fat of sin off, in order to run well. Think through what sins are holding you back from running the race, then put them off and abandon them, so that you may be effective in your running.

3. Fix Your Eyes - Why are we running?

To where are we running? 1 Corinthians 9 says that we run to obtain the prize. This prize is Jesus Christ. He is the One you are to keep your eyes on; He is the One to whom we are running. “Keep your eyes on the ball” is what we are told in sports.

If you get distracted by anything other

than that for which you are competing, you will miss. The wordage used in Hebrews 12:2 means to “look away to Jesus”.

As soon as we turn and look at who else is running, how they are running, comparing ourselves to others, we slow down, we veer off course because we have forgotten to keep our eyes on the prize.

Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith; the finish line of our race.

Surely we strive to have a “Perfect Finish”.

NBBI

God’s Purpose Our Passion Established 1944 2 Timothy 2:15

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PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE

BY MATTHEW LITTLE

with a

Looking For Jesus!

Like never before, our world is in desperate need of HOPE! Discouragement abounds and the devastating effects of sin continue to grip us. News’ channels are filled with stories of violence, murder, deception, fear and every form of hopelessness. In Harvard Business Reviews, July-August 2019 issue, Spencer Harrison, Arne Carlsen and Miha Skerlavaj wrote an article entitled, “Marvel’s Blockbuster Machine.” In it they stated, “In just a decade Marvel Studios has redefined the franchise movie. Its 22 films have grossed some $17 billion - more than any other movie in franchise history.” As I read that article, I could not help but feel that movie goers are drawn to these movies due to a much-needed escape from reality into a world where the good guy wins, justice prevails and evil is held at bay.

These movies are not rooted in reality but they are rooted in a reality most people long for.

We insert into discussion the triumphant claim that “Christ is coming!” This

is not a statement to be debated but a fact to be anticipated and a truth to be believed. A true understanding that Jesus is coming is medicine to the soul. 1 John 3:2-3 says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

In a world surrounded by discouragement, the Christian clings to the hope of Christ’s return. Two things about this hope stand out. First, it is a hope that purifies us. The word “purify” means to “consecrate, or dedicate by sacrifice.”

The coming of Jesus spurs the believer on to holy living. We speak differently; we think differently; and we respond differently to life’s challenges. As the world continues to fall apart, the believer looking to Jesus does not! Second, the passage suggests that believers have this hope “...in Him...”. How often Christians have the right answer of truth but are not

“WOW” SCHOOL OPENING September 17-19, 2021

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In A. W. Tozer’s book, Preparing For Jesus’ Return: Daily Live The Blessed Hope, he said, “Let us be alert to the season in which we are living. It is the season of the Blessed Hope, calling for us to cut our ties with the world and build ourselves on this One who will soon appear. He is our hopea Blessed Hope enabling us to rise above our times and fix our gaze upon Him.” Ask yourself this question today, “What am I most looking forward to?”

Your answer to that question will say a lot about your priorities.

FAMILY FILE Birth June 7, 2021 - to Brock (ABM/B.Th. ’18) and Grace Anne Caissie, a daughter, Susan Joy.

We are excited about the start of our 2021-2022 academic year. As we welcome back our students, we are confident that God will do a work in their lives as they seek to grow in their faith.

Our Weekend Of Welcome speaker will be Mr. Tim Whatley. Tim is Executive Director of Ethnos Canada and provides encouragement and support to ministry leaders. A son of a missionary couple, he was raised in the jungles of the Asia Pacific region. He also served as a church-planter in the Moi tribe of the Asia Pacific region, being part of a team to make first contact with them. Tim, and his wife Kathy, have three children. We are excited to have them with us.

personally living out that truth in their daily lives. Discouragement abounds all around us and our response cannot be empty rhetoric. We must not greet the masses peddling unlived truth.

The apostle Paul warned us when he said, “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power” (1 Corinthians 4:20).

2021

VacationVision

Homegoings Keith Hatt, graduate of 1976, was promoted to Glory on April 3, 2021.

Please be in prayer for his wife Valerie and the family.

CHAPEL SPEAKER Tim Whatley Executive Director Ethnos Canada

September 30, October 1....Ron Grossman

Israel’s Hope

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