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God Wants to Help Us Each Step of the Way

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

by: Pastor Alan Rietberg

I don’t know what I would have done if I had been found in the same position as Gideon. I think sometimes we’re very quick to judge someone else when, in fact, we might not fare as well given the same circumstances.

The last few times I led the Wednesday prayer meeting, we looked at the story of Gideon in Judges 6-8. He is first found by an angel of God inside a winepress, threshing grain in fear of discovery. He’s addressed as a “mighty man of valor,” even though he seems to be anything but that at this point in his life. We see Gideon’s faith growing incrementally as God asks him to follow His lead. This obedience ultimately leads to the deliverance of Israel from the Midianite oppression.

God’s divine intervention through the angel, the fleece, and the vision of the opposing soldiers are an attestation of God’s desire to help our faith in Him to grow.

Do you think Gideon would have been willing to obey the final command to lead 300 fearful Israelites into battle with 135,000 Midianites had it not been for the previous steps of obedience which he took?

We see God leading the faltering and somewhat hesitant servant, Gideon, into a deeper faithfulness.

We see a patient God helping Gideon each step of the way.

Judges 7:15 says: “He (Gideon) bowed in worship before the LORD. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the LORD has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!”

Quite the change in attitude from when we first see Gideon, so how about us?

Where are we on our own journey of faithfully obeying?

If we had been in Gideon’s shoes (uh…sandals) would we have been as bold?

How bold are we in following the commands that we already KNOW in the Bible?

How hesitant are we in saying something for God in a crowd of people who need to hear about God’s available forgiveness?

We all need to regularly remind ourselves to “…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10)

Who’s might? God’s might!

How are we made strong? Ephesians 6:13 says “…take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.”

As we depend on God’s strength, and utilize God’s armour, we will lean on Him and leave the results to Him as well. He has called us to be faithful. As we humbly do this we will see Him supernaturally work in people’s lives and we will bow in worship before the LORD.

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Anger is Not Your Friend

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

by: Pastor Jeremy Heikkinen

Anger is not your friend! As I was walking on yard duty today, a student slowly made his way in my direction with his head down. As he got closer he muttered that he needed to walk with me for the rest of recess because of his anger.

Proverbs 22:24 says, “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and enable yourself in a snare” (ESV).

Anger has a lot to do with the desire for control. I want something and if I don’t get it then I use anger to control the outcome or express my emotions towards not getting what I wanted. James 1:19-20 tells us, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (ESV). This passage tells us why it is important to make no friendship with a man given to anger. Not only does his or her sin splash onto you and you learn his or her ways, but it prevents you from doing what God wants you to do (produce the righteousness of God).

It is hard to be in the presence of someone that is given to anger. Why? Because they don’t listen and they say hurtful things. Think about the last time you were angry…what did you say? How loud did you say it?…What did you do with your hands/feet? Would you like someone to treat your like that? In James 1:21 God calls us to “put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (and having to walk with me during recess). Moments of anger should not become excuses to sin, they are opportunities to become more like Jesus.

As I walked out the rest of recess with this student we worked through these questions:

1. What were you wanting that you did not get?

2. How did you respond when you did not get what you wanted? What did you say, what did you do?

3. When is it okay to sin if we don’t get what we want?

4. How might it look/sound to speak the truth in love the next time you get angry?

Take a minute and recall the last time you were angry. Walk down through these questions. If you are given to anger, chances are that life is pretty lonely for you. This can change. By God’s grace, you can change! Turn control back over to God. Ask Him to make His desires your desires. Plead with the Holy Spirit to help you be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

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“Without you there, someone is missing.”

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

by: Pastor Lars Janssen

I have a sister-in-law who has the spiritual gift of hospitality. She naturally understands the difference between “hospitality” (graciously sharing what you have) and “entertaining” (putting on a diverting or engaging event). I only began to truly appreciate her gift when we had an extended family gathering and she was late in arriving (out of necessity, not ill manners). When we were ready to eat, several of us just stood around lamenting her absence because we weren’t sure how to arrange the food without her. Part of the family was missing—her function was not fulfilled as it would have been by her—and the whole family felt her absence.

God has designed his church family similarly. He has gifted individuals in his church to fulfill its ministry as they contribute through their spiritual gifts. When part of the family doesn’t show up, the absence is felt by the rest. Paul explains the beautifully co-operative edification of the church in Ephesians 4:15-16: “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

To begin with, we speak “the truth in love” to each other. This means brutal honesty is off the table. We are not brutal; we are loving. We speak loving honesty. The goal in our words is not to win or be right, the goal with our words is to help others “grow up in every way … into Christ.” We do not speak down to each other as judges, we come alongside each other and speak gently as fellow sinners.

Lord, I repent of brutally speaking down to others … May we all repent of such arrogance. May we be lovingly honest.

Then the passage tells us that we are “joined and held together by every joint with which [we are] equipped.” There are no extra pieces in God’s family. He has equipped us with each other and with our gifts. Find your place and bless your family—in doing so, we glorify God for his generosity.

Lord, I repent of my hesitancy to recognize your equipping … May we all recognize your purpose in putting us here right now.

Finally, these verses tell us that when “each part is working properly … the body grow[s] so that it builds itself up in love.” It ends where it began! When we each do our part, we are better at loving! If we aren’t “working properly” we look for help—loving help. As we begin to exercise our God-equipped gifts, everyone grows and becomes more loving—lovingly honest; lovingly equipped; lovingly growing.

Lord, I repent of my independent attitude … May we all eagerly search out our place in your body—the church.

Praying together is a major part of this growth. I encourage you, if you are at all able, to be there when your church family prays together. Without you there, someone is missing.

Who will “organize the food,” as my sister-in-law does?

Who will pray your prayers?

Who will speak the thoughts God has given you?

Who will do what only you would think to do?

Without you there, someone is missing.

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Through the Lens of Eternity

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

by: Jessi Heikkinen

We have hope. 
My heart has been tempted to drown in hopelessness this past week watching the world begin to turn upside down… again. I have found myself beginning to despair. I am grieving for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing immediate suffering in Ukraine today, grieving for what the future may hold for my children, grieving for the suffering of people I love in my local community, aching over all of the division in our own country.  
It’s all too much to bear if I only stare at that news article, or that Facebook post, or that text message. But, then God tells us…
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” -Colossians 3:2
Because of Jesus, I can stare at that news article through the lens of things that are above.
Because of Jesus, I can read that Facebook post through the lens of things that are above.
Because of Jesus, I can read that text message through the lens of things that are above.
WE HAVE HOPE! Hallelujah!!! This isn’t all there is for us. When I hold everything in my life in the same hand with the gospel, my perspective on that thing completely changes. Nothing can be separate from the hope we have in the gospel. Relationships, health, finances, future…
Let’s ask God to do a radical work in us. May we be a church family who primarily sets our minds on things above and not primarily on things that are on earth. May we do the work that God has for us with the precious and fleeting time He has given us. May our grief push us to to be more missional than every before. 
We have hope. 

Heart Work:

  1. Write down one thing that is weighing heavy on your heart today. How does your future eternity with Jesus change the way you see that thing? Write down your answer!
  2. Pray that God would help you view the thing you wrote down the same way that He views it.
  3. Talk to a trusted friend and / or mentor about what you wrote down. Ask them to pray for you and help to hold you accountable to “set your mind on things above.”
  4. Memorize Colossians 3:2. Write it on a notecard, make it the wallpaper on your phone, tape it to your mirror- get creative! Ask God to help you live it! 

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace
O soul are you weary and troubled

No light in the darkness you see

There’s light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free”

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Our Main Goal

Challenge Central: a CBC devotional

by: Pastor Alan Rietberg

Imagine with me for a moment that someone walks up to you and says “I’ve just heard about something called COVID-19. What’s that all about?” What would be your first thoughts? Or “Was there something going on in Ottawa that had to do with trucks?” What was THAT all about? Or “What is happening in Ukraine?”

We would wonder where this person has been because these events have filled the media over the past two-plus years to such a point that you can’t listen to anything on TV or the internet or in conversations with other people that don’t seem to include fact, fiction, opinion, and (sometimes heated) discussion.

What’s going on behind the scenes? Is there something happening of which we aren’t immediately aware?  Ephesians 6:10-20 reminds us of the reason behind and how to respond to situations that can distract us from God’s plans and purposes for our lives.

10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

We need God’s armour so we can be strengthened by it in order to resist an onslaught. From whence does this attack come? “…the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (v12)

Our main goal in life is to know and enjoy loving God forever by bringing Him glory, which involves making Him known to others so they may know Him too. (1 Corinthians 10:31; Revelation 4:11; Psalm 73:26, 27; Matthew 28:18-20)

This brings me to my main question: what is distracting us from our main goal?

Sadly, the three questions I posed above can potentially create distractions and even disharmony amongst Christians. We can become absorbed in all that’s going on and our main goal begins to fade while earthly/fleshly circumstances become our priority.

First-century (and following) Christians faced these same things that are thrown into world events by the spiritual forces of evil—distractions! When Christians begin splintering over temporal issues, we are being distracted from our main goal in life.

Whether things are going well or going poorly in our world, country, or personal life, let’s recognize and not succumb to the schemes of the devil who wants to distract us from our ‘main goal’ in life.

We need to remind ourselves by asking some questions:

Am I bringing glory to God in my attitude, in my online and verbal opinions, in my finances, in my Bible reading, in my relationships, and in my Christian priority of sharing the gospel with others?

The devil will use any distraction to sway us from our main goal in life because his main goal, as the father of all lies (John 8:44), is to prevent people from ever placing their trust in God as their Saviour and Lord.

Please join me in prayer, that we will not allow circumstances to become the distractions that may dim the main goal of keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and reaching the lost with the gospel.


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