BIBLE BULLETIN
Your God In The Midst Of Thee
President’s Challenge - By Matthew Little
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.”1 Frequently, our success is reflected in the ministry we participate in, the meetings we attend, and the gifts we possess. This evaluation is misguided, unfortunate, and contrary to the assessment of both C.S. Lewis and also the prophet Zephaniah. He emphasizes that true godliness cannot be forged through appearance but rather through a strong and present connection with the living God. Zephaniah 3:17 states, “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee (emphasis mine) is mighty; He will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Notice that Zephaniah says that God is a personal God (“thy God”), a present God (“in the midst of thee”), and a powerful God (“is mighty”). It is my understand-
ing that God’s power will not be effective in our lives until He becomes personal to us.
One time, a famous actor and a humble preacher of the gospel were at a social gathering. One guest suggested that both the actor and the preacher recite Psalm 23. With finesse, charisma, and perfect pronunciation, the actor delivered the entire Psalm word for word. The audience was amazed and enthusiastically applauded. Then the preacher got up and humbly quoted it, with barely any enthusiasm or dramatics. Most of the guests had tears in their eyes when he finished. There was no applause as the guests bowed their heads in reverence after being blessed. A little later, the actor was talking to another guest and said, “I would give anything to be able to touch the hearts of people the way that preacher did. In your opinion, how does he do it?” The man he was talking to said, “Sir, you did very well, but there is a differ-
Can I Ask You A Question?
Howmany times have you been asked that? From family members to complete strangers we all ask questions. Electronics certainly are playing a major role in finding quick answers but we inquire of others for their thoughts on the matter. Of course, not all questions are of equal importance and the difficult ones are asked out of deep pain and sorrow. It’s in these times we need to hear wisdom from God, not just an opinion. Many of these truths we were taught in our youth. God’s Word very clearly says in John 16:33 “in this world you will have tribulation” (trouble).
There is no way to avoid the ups and downs of life. We know “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” 2 Peter 1: 3. Our world and our lives have been broken because of sin; therefore, we all need to be saved (rescued). Jesus is THE
WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. Whosoever believes in Him will have life and more abundantly. The life answers God gives are more than our eternity in heaven but include answers to our daily challenges. Through His Word, God reveals to us His loving kindness and man’s greatest need met through an ongoing relationship with Him. He isn’t called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort for nothing. Second Corinthians 1:3-4 also reminds us God is the one …“who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we (believers in Christ) may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God”. The comfort we have received from God in our life challenges can be used to help others in their times of trouble.
It is not our experience alone, but how God through His Word brought us through the experiences of our life.
ence between you and that preacher. You know the Psalm; he knows the Shepherd.” Zephaniah was speaking to people whose relationship with God flowed from form and was not fashioned through an intimate walk with God. The Christian faith is more than just knowing about God’s Word or Jesus Christ. Many treat salvation as a prescription that we take to overcome a sickness or a signpost that points us to the destination rather than a vibrant, intimate relationship with the God that created us. Such people are in danger of having a detached faith that consists of outward knowledge instead of a personal faith based upon a God that loves us and wants to fashion us into the image of His Son.
Zephaniah reminded these wayward saints that “The Lord thy God” is “in the midst of thee.” In his book, Experiencing the Presence of God, A.W. Tozer wrote, “Nothing in or of this world measures up to the simple pleasure of experiencing the presence of God.”
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17). As His disciples, we have the awesome opportunity to share the same life-changing truth with those we meet each day. It is no longer an issue of being asked hard questions, but instead, when asked the hard questions will our answers be biblical?
By Pastor Wayne
Heikkinen
1 C. S. Lewis (2003). “A Mind Awake: An Anthology of C. S. Lewis”, p.75, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
In speaking to the believers at Corinth, Paul said in I Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” Jeremiah Burroughs, a famous Puritan preacher, once said, “The Lord doesn’t judge the work we do, but the faithfulness of our hearts in it.” After 44 years of service at New Brunswick Bible Institute, Danny Robins is retiring along with his wife, Lorna. Danny’s father, Ken Robins, was used by God to help pioneer this work and Danny has spent his life pouring into this place as well.
We are grateful for the many years he has spent in the Business Office keeping the finances of the school running smoothly. Lorna has also served faithfully as Danny’s secretary ever since she joined the work 10 years ago, but has also been by Danny’s side through all of their years together. We are thankful for their lifetime of service in this ministry and wish them God’s blessing as they retire. To God be all the glory.
HAPPY RETIREMENT 2024 Graduates
Top: Associate Diploma of Biblical and Theological Studies
Left: Diploma of Biblical and Theological Studies
Right: Bachelor of Biblical Studies / Bachelor of Religious Education
FAMILY FILE
Rennick Michael Baker
May 11, 2024
To Gerald (Assoc. Dip. ’11) and Rachel (Goode- Assoc. Dip. ’09) Buchanan.
PARTNER
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Staff On The Road
Matthew Little
July 6-12 Elim Lodge Christian Retreat Conference Center - Lakehurst, ON
July 20-27 Odosagih Bible ConferenceMachias, NY
August 2-5 Sandy Cove Bible Camp - Dumfries, NB
August 18 Calvary Baptist Church - Miramichi, NB
Keith McMahon
July 14-19 Sandy Cove Bible Camp - Dumfries, NB
It's Time to Thrive!
We are so excited to be welcoming Paula Dunn Engel and her daughter, Emma, to our campus this coming October! Paula will be sharing from the Word and, together with her daughter, will be leading us in worship. How cool is it that they get to serve the Lord together in this way?! You won't want to miss this opportunity to be encouraged and refreshed as we hear Paula share what the Lord has taught her about living the Christian life.
The following is an excerpt from Paula's description of our topic: "Let's face it. Life can be hard sometimes and before long we can even find ourselves going through the motions of just existing and surviving our circumstances. But God wants so much more for each of us. He doesn't want us just to survive life. He wants us to thrive and to experience the abundant life that He talks about in John 10:10. This kind of living can only happen when we know our purpose, when we rise above our circumstances, and when we seek God's face and surrender our lives to Him each day. This, and so much more, will be presented as Paula discusses practical ways to thrive and experience God's presence in today's culture."
Wow! I can hardly wait to hear all the Lord will have for us as we gather together for worship, fellowship and refreshment this coming October! Will we see you here? Please save the date and plan on joining us October 25 & 26 of this year! You won't regret being a part of this amazing event! To God be the glory!! - By Beth McMahon
Mike Grant
July 7 Lindsay United Baptist Church - Lindsay, NB
July 21 Jacksonville Baptist Church - Outdoor service at First Eel Lake, NB
July 27-August 1 Tay Valley Bible Camp - Taymouth, NB
August 17-20 Sandy Cove Bible Camp - Dumfries, NB
Tim Leubner
August 4 Seal Cove Baptist Church - Grand Manan, NB
