B ULLETIN THE OPEN BIBLE
-Tim Whatley Ethnos Canada
REDEEMING THE TIME
By Pastor Dave Goupille - Chairman of the Board
There has been a book sitting on a corner of my desk for about three months now. I have been meaning to pick it up and read it...if I only had more time. Ironically, the name of the book is The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. I have had two friends, one a pastor and the other a missionary, tell me that this book has been helpful to them. But you know how these recommendations go. If I only had the time…
The author makes some startling statements in a chapter entitled “The Solution.” The subtitle is “Hint: the solution isn’t more time.” These are things that have been observed over the last several years by another author named Philip Zimbardo. The average male spends 10,000 hours playing video games by the time he reaches age 21. The average American spends 705 hours on social media each year. When it comes to watch-
ing television, the average person spends 2,737.5 hours per year. And on it goes. In an hour of reading before bed, we could read through the Bible in six months. As believers, we should be doing that and more on a regular basis.
This calls to mind the 2,000-yearold exhortation of our brother Paul, the apostle. In Ephesians 5:1516, he wrote, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.” Make your way through life as a believer in a wise way. Be careful in how you live. Your daily habits matter because your days are made up of moments that we call time. We should not live habitually in a foolish way. If we are to display the wisdom of God in our daily lives, we must redeem the time. What does that mean? Some Bible translations use these phrases to describe the redemption of time:
STUDENT TESTIMONY
Hi! I’m Élisabeth and I’m in my freshman year at NBBI. I’m blessed to say that I was born into a Christian home and had a lot of great Christian models and influences throughout my childhood. I have always had the desire to attend a Bible school because I knew a couple of people from my family and church who came here a couple of years ago, and it really helped them to get solid foundations in their walks with the Lord.
I started thinking more seriously about coming to NBBI when I was in my last year of high school, as I noticed that I needed a break from ‘‘real
school” to get my life aligned with God. I figured that since I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do after high school, the best way to figure this out and grow at the same time was to give a year to the Lord by studying the Word in a Bible school.
I knew this year would not be a waste because it would be a year in which I would acquire so much essential and fundamental information about God, the Bible, and myself. I find that one of the best parts of studying here is the quality of teaching. Each teacher is here to serve the Lord, and it shows in the way they communicate and help us learn. They are caring, captivat-
“...making the most of every opportunity...making the best use of the time...making the most of your time...”
Have you been making the best use of your time? What do the habits of your life say? Could you do better with the ways you use your time? May we invite the Lord by His Spirit to revamp the ways we use our time. After all, our times are in His hands. These are evil days. Only in His power and by His direction will we be able to obey this command.
Matthew Little and Mike Grant Feb 3, 10, 17, & 24
Extension Classes at East Ridge Union Church in Mars Hill, Maine
Keith McMahon Feb 8-9
Bradford Baptist Church in Bradford, Maine
ing and inspiring. Also, God has encouraged me in many ways so far, especially through the different friendships I’ve been able to develop with students. It has been a huge blessing in my life so far to learn, grow, and see progress in my Christian life!
Spring Conference & Graduation - May 2-4 , 2025
Keep a lookout for speaker updates in our next issue!
THE DEVASTATING POWER OF SIN
By President Matthew Little
In 2020, Marius Els, a South African farmer, was mauled to death by his pet hippo, which he had previously referred to as “like a son to me.” He was found dead in a river after having been bitten repeatedly by the animal. Els adopted the hippo, whom he had named Humphrey, when it was found as a calf. The South African farmer mentioned that the hippo responded to his calls, they had a good time playing, and that he even brushed his hippo’s teeth. He swam with Humphrey in the river and claimed to ride him like he was riding a horse.
It appears that others were leery of this newfound friendship, but Els stated, “It’s a little bit dangerous, but I trust him with my heart that he will not harm anybody.” He added, “He’s like a son to me… There is a relationship between me and Humphrey and that’s what some people don’t understand… They think you can only have a relationship with dogs, cats, and domestic animals. I am in a relationship with the most dangerous animal in Africa.”
This story is tragic and the outcome could have been avoided.
Did you know that many Christians treat sin in the same way that Els treated that hippo? They play with it, knowing the imminent danger it poses, all the while bragging that they have a relationship with the most dangerous animal in the world.
Pride lulls people into believing that they can live for God and serve sin, dismissing the warnings about the dangers that surround them. When they least expect it, the devastating grip of sin can come crashing down, catching them off guard.
Genesis 13:12-13 clearly states, “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly (emphasis mine).” The question arises: why was Lot living in such a wicked environment? It’s evident that he underestimated the destructive power of sin and its seductive ability to draw one in. He likely thought he could flirt with sin without facing its consequences. Those who ultimately fall
prey to sin often do so because they become too comfortable with it. When they no longer feel shocked or alarmed by sin, they lose one of the strongest defenses against it. Scripture reinforces the notion that Lot, described as a righteous man, chose to dwell in an exceedingly sinful place.
If your desire is to be godly, you must steer clear of sin. Striving for holiness goes beyond simply resisting sin; it demands that you refrain from approaching it altogether. Powerful, obedient, Spiritfilled Christians don’t test the limits; they eagerly run towards the Lord.
The real issue was never whether Lot fell victim to the evil practices around him because it was his choice to pitch his tent in the wrong place to begin with. As Iain Duguid powerfully illustrated, “Like a whirlpool, sin has a powerful vortex effect. Before we know it, we find ourselves in over our heads, and getting out is so much harder than getting in.” May we all be granted the strength to resist sin and the wisdom to steer clear of its path.
Encounter Youth
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College For A Day
Have you been praying about NBBI? Do you know someone who is in grade 11 or 12 and is interested in seeing what a year at NBBI is like? Look no further than our College For A Day event! Come and be our guest, free of charge, sit in on our classes, enjoy our dining and meet our students, staff and faculty. All meals and accommodations are provided!
To Josh (BTh. ’21) and Ashlan Gerrior, a boy, Henry Arthur, on November 24, 2024.
To Emma (Little – Assoc. ’18) and Logan McLaughlin, a girl, Tessa Maye, on November 25, 2024.
