How true this was for Job who eventually revealed his objections to the way God was running the world. Job’s situation forced him to reveal what he truly thinks of God’s sovereignty and justice. A more negative example would be the Israelites who were just coming out of slavery. Every time things got a little tough in the desert complaints would fly left and right.

The best example of how to deal with pressure can be found in Gethsemane. It was there that Jesus was under some intense pressure to quit his ministry. He prayed over and over again that his father would not have him go to the cross. But Jesus obediently went.

We have a choice about how to deal with pressure. We can complain bitterly, or we can do the right thing in humility and obedience. But that choice is largely made beforehand. The best way to handle pressure beforehand is by working on our character and integrity in preparation for any tough times that may come our way. When the pressure is on, our true character is squeezed out; who you really are will be forced out from the shadows and into the light.

While you are here at EBC, work on your character. Prepare yourself to deal with the world that you will go into after graduation, because the world outside of the EBC bubble will be harsher than the world inside of it.

Jesse Goulet

“Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: ‘Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.’ So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’ 11 As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’

‘As surely as the LORD your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.’

Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.”

Now, this lady only had enough flour and oil to cook a small amount of bread. The fact that Elijah asked for her possible last meal is staggering. He followed with an intriguing challenge. Try and put yourself into both Elijah’s and the widow’s shoes. How would you react if your last meal on this earth was asked for by stranger? Despite his promise from God, would you trust him in the heat of the moment; I sure wouldn’t (forgive my doubt, but in the past I’ve had a Thomas-like faith). However like always, God fulfills his promise and the widow never runs out of flour and oil; quite miraculous.

Consider how trusting God is like that. How much more faith would we have if we trusted like that widow?

By James Fretz

As someone that has struggled with addiction I have spent many days of my life grieving and letting go of the things of my past life. I will say that this is not the perfect solution to all things that you struggle with. Some of the hardships in your life may never be miraculously fixed or taken away. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul reveals the struggle that he personally dealt with “…Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” If there is an issue that continues to plague you after you let it go, take hear t that God may be using it to strengthen you and witness to others.

Anonymous

What is really irritating is when you want something you can’t or shouldn’t have. You really want to go out with your friends to see that movie, but you have an essay due the next morning that isn’t done. Or you need to get committee stuff done but really want to look at Youtube videos. Or someone you like is really distracting you.

Self-discipline, in my experience, is one of the hardest things to learn. Yet it’s also one of the most important character traits for the Christian. Temptation is everywhere, especially in our self-indulgent culture, so it’s hard to stay focused on the tasks that need to get done. Jesus knows what this is like. He had the hardest task of any one individual in all of history. He didn’t want to go to the cross, but he did anyway because it needed to be done. Our lives are full of similar circumstances where we need to get things done, but don’t feel like doing it. We must learn to stay focused on the tasks not get distracted, and resist temptation. This is easier said than done, and it takes practice. But God wants us to be like His Son, who stayed focus on things that needed to get done. So if we ask God for that focus, he will probably give that to us (2 Tim. 1:7).

-Jesse Goulet

This summer I was told a couple of things that probably made folks like the Apostle Paul, the Church Fathers, and C. S. Lewis spin in their graves:

• You don’t need doctrine. You just need the Holy Spirit in you.
• You don’t need hermeneutics or exegesis or the original languages. You just need to have the Holy Spirit interpret the Bible for you.

While the advice may have been well-intentioned, there is a rather obvious flaw to them. This advice assumes that one can’t be both intellectual and spiritual at the same time, typical of the large anti-intellectual attitude in the North American church today, an attitude that prefers entertainment and experience over truth and sound teaching. The results of this are not surprising: biblical illiteracy, lack of (solid) doctrine, theological confusion, shallow sermons, no answers to very important questions (such as the ones that have eternal consequences to them), and thousands leaving the church, especially youth.

Folks, God gave you a brain, and according to the greatest commandment, you are to honour God with it. You should love God “with all your mind.” Hopefully, you did not come to EBC just to get a degree, but to honour that commandment. The main purpose of a Christian education is to learn how to use the mind that God gave you. It is by using this tool properly that we make wise decisions, interpret Scripture properly, evangelize effectively, discern truth and sort through the various opinions, and build up the Body.

Let’s not add to the intellectual deficit in the church. Let’s add wisdom to it. Our minds our precious. Let God use it the way he designed it to be used. Let’s honour that design.

-Jesse Goulet

The Blood of Christ” by Olivia Patricia

As the cliché goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. If this is true, what words does this painting evoke? As we prepare for Good Friday and Easter celebrations this week, what thoughts come to mind when you see this? What emotions do you feel? Is there anything striking that sicks out? Anything you may have overlooked at first glance? Where are your hands in this painting? Are they even depicted on the page?
As I reflected on this painting (actually, I had the privilege of seeing the artist’s original; this one is her do-over), I was immediately struck by a vision of my hands holding the nails at the top of the page, confronted with the reality that I’m the one whose sin caused Jesus to sacrifice Himself. As I continued to look past the mere paint on a canvas, my eyes were opened in a new way to the reality of my tremendous need of forgiveness, my need to be covered in the blood of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and I could also see my hands reaching up, longing to touch just one drop of the cleansing blood. Inspired by Kandace’s painting, I wrote this song, borrowing her title:

The Blood of Christ

This is the blood of Christ washing over me;
this is the blood of Christ setting me free!
This is the blood of Christ cleansing my black soul;
this is the blood of Christ making me forever whole.

You saved me,
You saved me, You rescued me!
Lord, You saved me, You saved me,
Hallelujah!

This is Your body, casting out all fear;
this is Your body drawing me forever nearer.
This is Your body broken for me;
heaven’s sacrifice to save us for all eternity.

Embracing the cross You took my shame,
bore and suffered searing pain.
You paid the price, all for my gain;
You give me life and call me by name.
You purged my sin on Calvary,
by Your amazing grace I’m free!
I’ll sing with the angels glad harmony.
Forevermore my praise will be:
Hallelujah, halle-hallelujah!
Hallelujah, halle-hallelujah!

Hallelujah! He has saved us! There can be no other right response than hallelujahs, highest praise for such a sacrifice. For those of us who have been Christians for several years and have heard the Gospel story over and over again, I fear that sometimes we sweep over it too quickly. My prayer and challenge for us is that we will focus our minds and hearts on the aspects of our faith that this Holy Week commemorates. I hope that through this painting and these lyrics you, too, will be inspired to reflect on the blood of Christ, His sacrifice, and what that means for you. May the Spirit give deeper revelation as we look on the familiar images of the cross, drawing us even closer to Himself.

Tabitha Rozeluk

Good day to you reader!  My prayer for you as I type this, is that you will be able to connect with God, and be drawn closer to Him today, through this is some way.

Please open in a word of prayer that the Holy Spirit would come and prepare you to hear from the Lord.

It has been a while since I have written, so let us do a recap of what we have learned thus far.  We have been looking at the life of Joshua, and discovering some of the things that made him a great leader before he was called by God.  We have learned to be an affective leader:
•    We need to depend on God.
•    We need to trust in God
•    We need to be obedient to God’s word
•    We need to seek God.

Before we read some scripture, let me give you a bit of background information.  Moses had been looking after the people for some time now, and it was starting to weigh him down.  So, his father-in-law, Jethro, suggested to him that he should share the load (Exodus 18).  He did so, but he ran into the same problem again later on.

Please read Numbers 11:16-30   http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers%2011:16-30&version=31

Now, there is a lot of neat things that go on here.  The quail story is pretty cool for sure, but I want to focus on Moses and the elders’ selection.  God places His Spirit on these elders to empower them to do the work, and they prophecy (appointed to speak on God’s behalf).  And Joshua is about to learn a lesson that took Moses a long time to learn:

You cannot do it on your own.

Moses finally realized that it is not good for himself to micromanage (do it alone).  Joshua thought that Moses had to do it all.  He was wrong.  Now, we need to remember that we don’t need to wait for the Holy Spirit; He comes as soon as we accept Christ.  There is no special appointment necessary.  So, we, as Christians, are already equipped to do the work.  BUT, we can’t do it alone!

I’m sure Dr. Roy, or Dr. D would be able to vouch that EBC is not a one man operation.  And although we have assigned tasks, jobs and ministries to do, we are not alone. We have:
•    God
•    student council/committees
•    peers – each other

There is a reason that we are called the body of Christ, and that’s because, although we have different functions, we are all working for one unified purpose: to advance the Kingdom of Christ!  So let’s do our part, and remember not to do it alone.

By Jason Edgar

Any other tree: maple, oak, birch, alder are all ones beaten by winds, fallen leaves and barren during the winter. This reminds me of the parable of the sower, where the seeds fall among rocks, the have no root and in time of testing fall away (Luke 8). Now, when the weather improves the trees renew and flourish and hit the dirt when it gets too tough again. The same can be said of us, do we give up when the storms of life hit? A popular song by Casting Crowns tells us to Praise God in the storm. He loves us amidst our brokenness. Just as he cares for the trees that fall away and renew year after year. We must trust God, for everlasting life, our seasons should not seem so rough if God is on our side, full-on faith in him is the answer. Popular Christian band: Switchfoot released a song called Evergreen, singer Jon Foreman writes these words:

Me and the trees, losing our leaves, Falling like blood on the ground I want to be evergreen Everything dies, I know last night Part of me wasn’t around I want to be evergreen, I want to live all year round.

James Fretz.

As we head into this Christmas season I challenge anyone who reads this to look at own self and come to terms (if not already) with ones sinfulness.  Because it spawns a fresh gratitude for Christ.  I think that this gratitude should be the thankfulness that makes up the essence of our lives.

Blessing,
T. J. Chester.

By: Jason Edgar

**Open in a word of prayer**

 Well, last time, we talked about Joshua, and how God had appointed him to be the leader.  But did you wonder what he did before that?  Joshua was Moses’ aide.

 What is interesting about Joshua is that while Moses was alive and leading the people of Israel, there is not much mention of Joshua.  However, he does appear in a few spots in scripture that helps us get a glimpse into his heart.

 Remember when Moses led the people out of Egypt and stopped at Mount Sinai?  It is the place where he received the Ten Commandments, and other instructions.  Now, at this time in the Old Testament, God appeared to Moses and the people as a “cloud.”  Moses went into this cloud to meet with God.  Now Moses had gone up and down a few times, and on one of his last trips, what most people overlook is that Joshua went with him.  What is even cooler is that they chilled up there for forty days and nights!! (Exodus 24: 13-18)

 Joshua was pretty much Moses’ third arm.  So let us read of another time [Read Exodus 33: 7-11) He followed Moses EVERYWHERE!

 Back in the day, Moses was special because he had an intimate relationship with God.  The people of his time recognized it and honoured it.  Joshua envied it… he craved it… he sought it.  The only difference between us and them is that we don’t have to be “chosen” to have that special relationship.  We can all have it through Jesus Christ.

 What is the same though, is that we need to seek God; always.

 We need to put Him first.  We need to spend time with God.  That is one reason that we have our devotions be it this one, or in a book, or in the side bar of our Bible, or listening to some preacher on the web.  We do this to draw closer to God.  We do this so we can hear His voice.  We do this so we can fulfill His will for us in our lives.

 I mentioned last time about Joshua being a leader appointed by God, and how we were like Joshua–leaders.  We talked about how God believed that Joshua was capable of leading.  And it’s all true.  But here is an interesting fact that we can pick out from the scripture that we read:

 See Joshua didn’t become a leader, and then seek God.
 Joshua sought God, and then God used Him.

 Now maybe you haven’t been like Joshua and sought the Lord first.  Although that is the best method, it’s not the only one.  God loves us, and wants to change us to reflect His glory, and He wants to use us.  God sees and knows the heart, and as long as we continue to try and seek His face, we are moving in the right direction.

 So let’s do our best to become hungry for God.  Let us seek God.  Let’s stay in the tent just a bit longer……….  Let’s do it right now.