Sunday, March 31, 2013

HAPPY EASTER!




Happy Easter! Ben suggested on Wednesday night that we should all take the time to read about Jesus' death and resurrection this Easter. It was such a fantastic idea that I decided that I should remind us! Here is were you can read about Jesus' death and resurrection.

Matthew chapters 26-28
Mark chapters 14-16
Luke chapters 22-24
John chapters 18-21

Read one or read all four, just take time to remember what Jesus did for you!

1 Timothy 1:15a Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.


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Friday, March 29, 2013

BTLN UPDATE

 
 
 


Congrats Luke! This is Luke's second Helmet of the 2012/13 Btln season! Max and Austin had a glorious chance to pull ahead of GeRRald this week. Even with GeRRald out of town they were unable to win the much coveted fourth Helmet! Luke kept his Winston hopes alive with his win! Congrats Luke!

The new Btln Hoodies were ready this week and they look amazing! Ben, Jason and Bruce made us another Btln Classic! I think there might be a few left! Get in touch with Ben or Jason if you are interested!

The night started with Fumble, it is a game that looks intimidating at first, but once you realize that most of us have terrible aim the fear of being hit quickly disappears. Although, it is surprising how few fumbles there are when the guys are worried about making a mistake! Most of the guys were loving Fumble, it is a game we will have to play more in the future!

Now that we are nearing the end of the year and have played most of the games many times we decided to mix things up a little. This week we played the Btln Trifecta but this time the three games were Soccer(with two balls), Handball(also with two balls) and Extreme Bulldog! I wasn't sure how the soccer would turn out but it was actually alot of fun! Ben's team winning 3-1. (It was very obvious that I am not a Soccer goalie!) Next we played Handball but this time it was my team winning 3-1! With the Trifecta tied 1-1 it was time to move onto Extreme Bulldog! John Van started in the middle for my team and Parker Steadman started in the middle for Ben's team! (That's not a typo, it really was Parker!) My team usually doesn't win Extreme Bulldog (Or the Trifecta.) but this week John was a beast! John got smacked in the mouth and kept on battling! John lead my team to victory in Extreme Bulldog giving us the 2-1 win in the Btln Trifecta!

Our theme in Bible Study this year has been "The History of the World" or "His Story". This week with Ben leading us we moved into the New Testament and onto the Easter story. ( Matthew 26:47-56, Matthew 27:11-66, Matthew 28:1-10)

Matthew 26:50-54  Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

Sometimes we need to be reminded that God doesn't need our help! Jesus didn't want or need Peter(The one with the sword) or twelve legions of angels to help him. Jesus was and is the only one who totally understands God's plans that are written for us in the Scriptures. Jesus was the only one that knew that he would have to die for our sins!

Matthew 27:12-14  When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

Why didn't Jesus respond to the false charges? The truth is, Jesus was taking our place and because of this he was taking our guilt!

Matthew 27:22-24  “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

Pilate's response is the same as most. He didn't realize that Jesus was going to the cross to pay for his (Pilate's) sins! We were all guilty before God. This is why Jesus had to die! 

Matthew 27:38-44  Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Jesus was dying for those that mocked him! It is hard to imagine!

Luke 23:44-46  It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Jesus looked like he had been defeated! Did he need those angels after all? Three days later Jesus rose from the grave in victory!

Colossians 2:13-15  When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.


Next week is "Pop N Dogs" and Football (touch) at the high school field! Meet at the school at 6:30!


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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

BTLN PREVIEW




We're baaaaack!!! This is our last night at the gym before Last Night!
(Does that make sense?)

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Friday, March 15, 2013

BTLN UPDATE




Congrats Dart! This is Dart's second Helmet of the 2012/13 Btln Season! Jordan and Dart both battled hard but it was Dart that walked away with Helmet and the Yorkie!

For only the third time in the second half we played Murderball! I miss those days when we used to play Murderball every other week! I love the new games that we play at Btln but also wish that it were possible to play Murderball more often! After the first game of murderball we had to move Nathan onto my team.(Teams were uneven.) After that we had some of the best Murderball we have played all year! My team won the second game, lost the third, won the fourth and then when it really counted we lost the fifth to Bent's team to lose the night 3-2! The last four games were all very close, it was a lot of fun!

In Bible study we looked at two stories. One from the book of Ezra and one from the book of Nehemiah in our continuing series "The History of the World" or "His Story". (Ezra 1:1-7, Nehemiah 2:1-9)

Through the prophet Jeremiah God promised the nation Israel that after seventy years they would be allowed to move back to the land he had promised to Abraham.(Jeremiah 25:11)

How was God going to do this? Most of the Israelites were exiles in Persia.

Ezra 1:1-3  In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.

Nehemiah 2:1-8  In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.

"the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia"

"And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests."

God was able to use two different kings to complete his plans! What seemed impossible was actually very easy for God!

Luke 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible.

We also noticed that before God punished the people of Israel (By sending them into exile.) for disobeying him he already had a plan to bring them back to the promised land.

God has done the same for us! Even though God knew the mistakes we were going to make he created us anyways and also had a plan to reconcile us back to him! 

Revelation 13:8b  The Lamb (Jesus) who was slain from the creation of the world.

2 Timothy 1:9-10  He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

How exciting! Before the beginning of time God had already planned to die for our sins!

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.


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Monday, March 11, 2013

WINSTON STANDINGS




With only six weeks to go in the 2012/13 Btln 3739 Season we have a three way tie for first with three other guys only one Helmet behind! Jeremy and I worked out all of the tiebreakers this week. We have never ended the season in a tie but it looks more and more like we will this year! Good luck to all!
 
WINSTON STANDINGS
 
GERRALD NICHOLSON - 3 Helmets and 1 Major
AUSTIN SCOW - 3 Helmets and 1 Major
MAXWELL NICHOLSON - 3 Helmets and 1 Major
JAKOB BOSCHMANN - 2 Helmets and 1 Major
JOHN VAN - 2 Helmets
NATE KLASSEN - 2 Helmets
DARTAGNAN BUTCHER - 1 Helmet
JORDAN HAMMETT - 1 Helmet
CODY HARP - 1 Helmet
TRISTAN HARVEY - 1 Helmet
SPENCER HENDERSON - 1 Helmet
LUKE BOSCHMANN - 1 Helmet
NOAH MAKORTOFF - 1 Helmet
LUKE MARTENS - 1 Helmet

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Sunday, March 10, 2013

BTLN BIRTHDAYS - MARCH




Btln Birthday time! It is never a chore for me to look through old pictures. I love reminiscing! (All by myself sometimes! Ya I know kinda weird.) It always amazes me when I look back at how time has flown by! Anyways, Happy Birthday and may God bless you again this year!
 
 
Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
 
 
David Barney - March 4
Tyler Francis - March 8
Josh Ridsdale - March 14
Zach Coupland - March 20
Evan Podovinikoff - March 28
 
 
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Thursday, March 07, 2013

BTLN UPDATE




Congrats John! This is John's second Helmet of the 2012/13 Btln Season! At the end it was Austin and John battling it out for the Helmet. Austin is tied for first in the race for Winston so he had everyone gunning for him! Austin fought hard but in the end it was John pulling out the big win!

We haven't played Handball in over a month so it was time to pull out the nets! This week the teams were totally uneven. Not sure what happened but Ben's team had most of the big guys. My team was down 5-0 early and we were chasing the rest of the game. We restarted the game and decided to play to five. Ben's team worked us over again winning 5-1!

This week in Bible study we looked at Jonah in our continuing series "The History of the World" or "His Story". (The book of Jonah)
The story of Jonah actually took place before Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So we are doing things a little out of order but no big deal right?

Jonah 1:1-6  The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai:  “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

Jonah disobeys God and is found sleeping! You would think that his conscience would be bothering him. And how could a prophet of God think that he could run away from God? Where was Jonah going to go to get away from God? Jonah should have listened to David!

Psalm 139:7-10  Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Jonah 1:11-12  The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Isn't it sad that Jonah would rather die than deliver God's message to the people of Nineveh? If Jonah had prayed to God and asked for forgiveness I am sure that God would have calmed the sea but Jonah was not ready to listen to God!

Jonah 2:1  From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.

Jonah 2:7  “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

Why do we wait until we have hit rock bottom before we turn to God? Jonah's life was ebbing away before he called to God for help!

Jonah 3:1-5  Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Jonah 3:10  When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah should have been excited to see that God was going to save the people of Nineveh but instead he was disappointed!

Jonah 4:1-2   But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

We need to have compassion for those that haven't accepted Jesus! It took Jonah a long time to figure this out! The Lord God is a God of second chances for the unsaved and for the saved! How many mistakes did Jonah make and God was still willing to use him! We can all be thankful that God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love!

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Monday, March 04, 2013

BTLN UPDATE - BTLN NIGHT 2013




Congrats to Jake Boschman, the 2013 Btln 3739 Ping Pong Champion! Jake jumped out to an early lead in the first game and Austin never recovered. Jake won three games in a row to take the 18th annual Btln Ping Pong Championship! Jake is the youngest Btln Member to ever win a Btln Major! Calvin Peters won four Ping Pong Tourneys in a row starting in grade nine and Parker Steadman won his first Ping Pong Tourney in grade eight and then won two more (grade eleven and twelve) for a total of three in his Btln career! Jake could beat Calvin's record! (Most Ping Pong Tourney's in a Btln Career.) Congrats to Jake and Austin, both played well!

Earlier in the night some of the boys recited Memory Work on the stage in church!

GeRRald Nicholson - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Maxwell Nicholson - Ephesians - 1:3-14
Jake Hachey - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Jonathan Fojt - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Ben Nicolson - Hebrews 1:3-12
Luke Boschman - 2 Corinthians 5:7
Luke Martens - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Congrats to all! So proud of all of these guys! It takes a lot of nerve to get on the stage in front of everyone and recite a passage!

Ben Jepsen did the Btln Top Ten again this year, it is always good and this year was no exception!

Top Ten things you WON'T hear at Btln!

10 - I'm so bored!
9 - What's a Bible?
8 - I'm hungry!
7 - Where are the girls?
6 - This should be pain free!
5 - I'm not afraid of Ben Jepsen!
4 - I'd rather be making cupcakes!
3 - Please throw that ball as hard as you can at my face!
2 - Will there be a vegetarian option tonight?
1 - I wish I was on Lance's team!



Again, Congrats to Jake, winner of the 18th annual Btln 3739 Ping Pong Tourney!


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Sunday, March 03, 2013

BTLN NIGHT TONIGHT!




Who will win the 18th Btln Ping Pong Tourney? Will it be Austin or Jake? What about the Top Ten? Top Ten things never heard at Btln? (You know the Top Ten will be good!) Can't wait to watch the guys that will be reciting God's Word! And yes there will be food!
 
Check out the pics from last years Ping Pong Final!
 
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