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The Best Place to Be! Christian Education: Foundation for Life

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

By: Shannon Green

“Central Baptist Academy, that’s the place where God wants us to to be

We stand for truth and right and purity, the Bible is our guidebook

We will strive to honour God each day, in each avenue of work and play

So that the watching world may see, this is the best place to be!”

Have you ever learned a song as a child, and it comes back to you so easily as an adult? That is the way it was with this song. The CBA Committee was meeting last week and strategizing as a team about the school and what we want it to be known for. This song, written by our very own Linda Penrice in 1978 at the inception of CBA, was ingrained in us as former alumni. It was so fun to reminisce and sing together this song we learned as children. It got me thinking about Central Baptist Academy and what it has meant to me personally and for my family as both my children and I are graduates from the school. As the school will soon be celebrating 45 years, it has been great to reflect as a team what CBA is known for.

I am so thankful that the school is built on Biblical truths and a Christian worldview. Colossians 1:28 says, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” There is nothing more important than introducing children to Jesus and for those who come from Christian homes, reinforcing what they are being taught from their parents. As a parent, it was so nice to know that when our boys went to school, they were learning the truths we were teaching in our home. As Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The truths that I learned at CBA have stuck with me and have formed the foundation of my life as I have faced joys, trials, and challenges. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we know that “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 competent, equipped for every good work”. That is the hope that children will know the truths of God’s word and that it will equip them for all they need in life.

Another blessing of CBA is to know that others are praying for me, while I was a student and for my children as well. Central Baptist Academy has been blessed with some fantastic teachers who not only taught from God’s word but prayed for me and my family over the years. Having Christian men and women who get to know the children in their class and who pray for them through the highs and lows of life has been something that meant so much to me. It is not only the teachers but our church family as well. These four decades have been people who have prayed for the school, the teachers and the students and have had a huge impact on generations of children. I encourage you as a church family that just as Paul prayed in Colossians, pray for CBA. May it be said that “We have not ceased to pray for you asking that you will be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9).

Finally, CBA is a place I learned to serve and use the gifts God gave me for life. It was at CBA that I learned to sing and worship publicly during school concerts. I think without being challenged to step out of my comfort zone and given the confidence to be used in service, I would not be as willing to do that today. At CBA we learned to give to those in need, we learned to share our faith with others, and we learned to be in community with one another. Mark 10:45 says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as ransom for many.” Many of the friends I made at CBA are the ones I serve alongside today in church, committees and in our community. It is so wonderful to be in community with one another for life and to see us continuing to use the gifts we were encouraged to use in our time at CBA.

I am so thankful for you and your support of CBA. As the song says, I am so thankful that the school has always stood for “truth, righteousness, and purity and that the Bible is our guidebook.” May that be all of our song that “we will strive to honour God each day, in each avenue of work or play.” As our church motto is to worship, grow and serve, I have seen this lived out at the Academy as a student, parent, and church member. I might be biased, but I truly think “This is the best place to be!”

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The Holy One of God

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

By: Pastor Lars Janssen

We are presented with so many options in our culture. From entire grocery store aisles full of different kinds of cereal to the brand of vehicle we drive, we are overwhelmed with a complex web of choices every day. Sometimes those choices are easy to make and sometimes not so much.

In John 6:53-58, Jesus presented himself as the only way to know God. He called himself the only true food and true drink through which we may live forever. The choice may seem simple when Jesus puts it that way, but even then “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (v66). They made a choice. Jesus did not suit their taste so they went searching for another brand.

As his followers left Him, Jesus turned to the twelve disciples in verse 67 and asked, “Do you want to go away as well?” Peter’s response in verses 68-69 cut through the branding to the truth: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Jesus is the Holy One of God! Brands and choices fade into the background in light of this reality—at least they should. But that’s not always what happens. Did you know that Jesus is only called the “Holy One of God” in one other story in the New Testament? In Mark 1:24 (paralleled in Luke 4:34), a demon cried out at Jesus, “I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” Thus we see that Peter’s genuine confession of Jesus as his Lord in John 6:69 echoes an earlier demonic cry of terror at Jesus’ lordship. Even those who believe that Jesus is the “Holy One of God” have a choice to make. This is why Jesus responded to the twelve in John 6:70 with both encouragement and a gut-check, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”

Knowing facts about Jesus is different than choosing to humble ourselves and follow Him. One may know exactly who Jesus is and decide, “That’s not the brand for me.” I could shout as loud as anyone that Jesus is the Holy One of God and then spend my time on only myself, use my money without a thought of Jesus, and hate people for whom he became true food and true drink on the cross.

The challenge of James 2:29 rings in my mind as I recognize my own poor choices, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” Do you believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God? I hope so. I do. But what matters most is what we do with that. Do we look to Jesus as our only true food and true drink through which we may live forever? Or do we look for another brand? Something other than the Holy One of God?

We are confronted daily by choices and we will not always make the right ones. But thank God that our hope is in Jesus’ choices. What grace that the Holy One of God would choose such as us! Where else can we go for our true food and true drink than to our Jesus? Nowhere else! Every day, let us go to Him and Him only. And though we may choose wrongly at times, our hope and help will remain nestled in the Holy One of God who says of us, “Did I not choose you?”

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Breaking Free From Anxious Thoughts

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

By: Rebecca Feere

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The past two years have made one thing clear – we are not in control of our circumstances. For those who know and love Jesus, this is not new news; the Bible repeatedly declares that God is the One who controls ALL things (1 Chron. 29:11-12; Job 42:2). Considering rapidly changing news headlines, lock downs, health protocols, etc., you may find your mind racing with many “what-if” scenarios about the future. Living in fear of the future does not align with Jesus’ teaching (Matt. 6: 25-34). But how do we as believers stop the toxic spiral of negative or “what-if” thinking when the circumstances of life seem to be getting harder? How do we renew our minds as we are instructed in Romans 12:2? Can we really live and “not be anxious about anything” (Phil. 4:6)?

Thankfully God didn’t tell us not to be anxious and then leave us to figure out how to overcome these “what-ifs” on our own. Philippians 4 gives us two concrete ways to overcome our anxious thoughts. 1) Choose to be grateful (v.6), and 2) Choose to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (v.8).

I recently listened to Katherine Wolf speak. (You may learn more about her story at www.hopeheals.com). One of her closing points was that we need to develop a ridiculous amount of gratitude for our lives – NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. Katherine Wolf struggles to walk on her own. She says she is not “wheelchair-bound.” She chooses to see her wheelchair as a vehicle to her freedom – it is a tool that enables her to live the life God has planned for her! Now that is choosing to think about what is true and praiseworthy.

As a young girl in grade school, my English teacher had the class make a title page for each new unit of study. At least once a year, one of those title pages included Philippians 4:8. Admittedly, I was more concerned about getting all those words to fit and making my page look nice, colour-coordinated, and symmetrical (this was done by hand, with pencil crayons). A few years ago, that verse took on new meaning when a speaker at a ladies’ conference listed all those qualifications for what we are to think about. She brought to our attention who or what those adjectives perfectly describe – Jesus. One key to stopping the “what-if” thoughts is to train our minds to think about Jesus and what He has done for us!

The “what if” scenarios are where my mind naturally gravitates. I have to be intentional to think about what I am thinking. Here are some questions that I have recently learned to ask myself about my thoughts (taken from Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen, p. 114-115)

– Grab the thought – What is the thought?

– Diagnose the thought – Is it true?

– Take it to God – What does God say about this thought?

– Make a choice – Am I going to believe God?

The key here is to remember we have a choice. We can choose to live as victims of our circumstances, or we can choose to live in the victory that is ours because of Jesus. Because His Spirit lives in us, we can choose to renew our minds and ground our hearts in the truths of Scripture. There is abundant hope in knowing Jesus. He is the One Who never changes (Heb. 13:5)!

Glory in Weakness

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

By: Pastor Lars Janssen

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In the summer of 2017, Sarah and I took our kids on a family road trip to Windsor, Nova Scotia. We went to spend time with Jay and Laura Callaghan and their kids and see some sights. This trip is especially memorable to our kids because of things like playing with the Callaghans, going to the beach, catching frogs, and driving through the night on our return trip. Though the time we spent with the Callaghans was memorable, this trip is especially memorable to Sarah and me because of the several emergency room visits which revealed that I had pneumonia, the especially feverish night when I was hallucinating, and driving through the night on our return trip because we just needed to be home. I learned a lot on that trip.

I learned that physical weakness cannot be overcome by trying harder. In my weakness, I lacked the strength required to act. I wanted very badly to do things, but I simply could not. I had become familiar with exhaustion—at the time we had 4 small children and a busy household—and I knew that up to a certain limit I could push through exhaustion. But weakness, I found, could only be endured and not overcome through any act of my will.

The Apostle Paul was learning about this when Jesus told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Paul struggled with weakness just like we do. But that weakness did not lead him to despair. His weak vision (or whatever his struggle was) did not inspire self-pity, it inspired awe. The same awe I can have at my God, who makes use of my weakness so “that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” My weakness then becomes an opportunity to expect God’s wonders—to marvel at what God does with what little strength I have.

My mom passed away in 2015 and her birthday was April 12th. She would have just turned 70 years old this year. Thinking back on her struggle with weakness at the end of her earthly life reminds me that she is weak no longer. She is with Jesus and someday, believer, we will be too. Whether he comes back soon or we go to be with him, we will one day see that “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).

Nothing God does is without purpose. Even our weaknesses are an opportunity to glorify him. Will we glorify his sufficient strength when we’re weak? Will we glorify him by sharing our weaknesses for the benefit of others? Will we look forward to the wonders only God can do?

Central family, how will you glorify our all-sufficient God in your weakness today?

“God’s power operates best in human weakness. Weakness is the arena in which God can most effectively manifest his power.” -John Stott (1921-2011), English pastor and theologian

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -The Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12:10)

Biblical Counselling = Becoming More Like Jesus

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

By: Pastor Jeremy Heikkinen

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So, what is Biblical Counselling anyways? Well, here is a definition for you to think about:

Biblical counselling happens when believers help other believers become more like Jesus by renewing the rehearsal of their minds in Scripture (worship), engaging their heart’s desires through conversation in Christ-like community (grow), and enlisting their body to share the hope of Jesus with their neighbour by doing what is right (serve).

In short, Biblical counselling helps believers become more like Jesus in every area of their life.

Everyone struggles. Everyone is affected by sin in their own life and the sin of others (suffering). Whether in the rehearsals of the mind (fear, worry, anxiety, depression, identity, etc.), desires of the heart (cravings/lust, lifelong dreams, hopes, expectations, motives, emotions, etc.), and/or actions of the body (behaviour and speech). The question is not whether everyone struggles in these areas; the question is how do you deal with it? What kind of counsel do you seek regarding these struggles?

Everyone gives counsel — whether to ourselves, loved ones, or those who ask for it (and sometimes to those who do not). The question is not “do you give counsel.” The question is, “how biblical are you in your counsel?” This is not to say that those who know the Bible and belong to God do not struggle with sin or suffering. Christians struggle with sin and suffering (Rom. 8:18-30; 2 Cor. 5:2). Yet, those that belong to God approach them differently. This can cause some questions to arise. If you are becoming more like Jesus, does it mean that depression, worry, anxiety, and fear will not be a part of your life? Must you overcome these first before you can become like Jesus? What does becoming more like Jesus have to do with how I handle emotional struggles? Does God’s Word even say anything about these struggles? The Bible not only has answers to these questions (2 Pet. 1:3-4), but it also equips believers to walk others through these questions (2 Tim. 3:16). The authoritative source on life and godliness is the Bible. In short, Biblical Counselling means helping believers become more like Jesus in all areas of their life in Christ-like community by applying the Word of God to their struggles.

In short, Biblical Counselling means helping believers become more like Jesus in all areas of their life in Christ-like community by applying the Word of God to their struggles.

Everyone needs godly counsel. From the Garden of Eden to everyone here at Central, me included. So how do we as a church family get better at helping each other become more like Jesus when tempted with sin and persevering through suffering? Well, here are three helpful questions we should be in the habit of asking ourselves and each other regularly:

  1. “Why do I do what I do?”
  2. “What am I wanting so bad that I am willing to sin to get it or sin if I don’t get it?”
  3. “How does God want me to respond?”

Here is your challenge: take a conflict/struggle you had this week and put it through these three questions, or ask a Christian friend to help you walk through them. Let me know how it goes.