BTLN UPDATE

Congrats Josh! Josh Martens has tied the record for the most Helmets in a single Btln year! Josh has seven weeks to set a new record, and at this point it looks like he is going to obliterate the old record!

This week we played Murderball at Btln. In the past we used to play Murderball every second or third week, now we will play Murderball three times in second half of the Btln year. This time around we had three epic games that all lasted a long time, and were very competitive! Jason's team won the first game, but my team battled back to win the last two games, winning the series 2-1!


Our Bible study topic was "Treasures on Earth and Treasures in Heaven".


Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We all know from experience, that the treasures of this world do not last or give lasting satisfaction. The treasures that are in heaven are eternal and are beyond what we can ask for or imagine! 

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

When we share what God has provided for our enjoyment, then we will be laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven. We will also be happier here on earth because our hearts will be focused on other people and on God rather than on ourselves.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Having nice things is not a problem, it is when we fall in love with the treasures of this earth that we will fall into temptation.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Jesus left all the treasures of heaven to die for us, so that he could give us all the treasures of heaven!

THE CAPTAIN

BTLN UPDATE

Congrats Danny! This is Danny's second Helmet of the Btln Season! All of a sudden Danny has two Helmets in the last four weeks! Bryce has been close the last two weeks, also trying for his second Helmet of the Btln Season! Keep up the good work Bryce!

This week we played "Dog and Bone" for the first time in years at Btln! Dog and Bone has become a regular game at Stockade and now has transitioned back to Btln. Dog and Bone is a lights on version of Mike. Instead of four teams like Mike, Dog and Bone is a two team game. I was actually planning to make Dog and Bone part of the new Btln Trifecta, but it was going so well that we kept on playing. The game ended in a tie, with a Rock-Paper-Scissors tie breaker!

Dog and Bone Final Scores
Luke's Team - 10
Coady's Team - 9

It was so good to have Alumni at Btln! John Van and Dylan Warwaruk both made an appearance!



In the Bible Study this week our topic was "Repentance".


Psalm 38:4   My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

Psalm 38:18   I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

Proverbs 28:13   Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Psalm 32:1-5   Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

The guilt of our sin will trouble and burden us. The only way to deal with our sin is to confess our sin to God and repent. God knows the mistakes we have made anyway. If we ask, we will always be forgiven!

2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

1 John 1:8-9   If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

We will never regret confessing our sins to God! If we hold onto our sin, it will eat away at us and make us miserable.

2 Peter 3:9   The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God wants everyone to come to repentance! God is patiently waiting for us to confess our sin and accept his forgiveness!

THE CAPTAIN

BTLN UPDATE

Congrats Alexei! Alexei has his first Btln Helmet! Alexei has been close in the past, now he has his first! The look of disbelief on his face was memorable. Bryce and Mathijs were there at the end with Alexei, making it a hat trick of grade nines at the end.

This week there was a request for Handball, and if the guys make a request we usually follow through. Handball is a Btln classic. It is always a good game, but sometimes it works better than others. This week it was awesome! The game was very close and competitive. Ben's team winning 10-8!

The Grand Forks food bank gave Btln Goldfish crackers. I wasn't sure of the response of the guys to the crackers was going to be. Ben went full Hype Man handing out the crackers, it was hilarious! So good! It was one of those unscripted moments that you could never duplicate!


This week our Bible study was about "Joy".


1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:12   Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

James 1:2-3   Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

When we look at these passages, it looks like we should always be trying to be joyful. These passages do not tell us that it will be easy.

Romans 8:18   I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

I think the key to joy is, looking past the bad things that we have to endure on this earth. We need to focus on the glory that will be revealed in us in eternity! We need to rejoice in the Lord, and in what he has done for us, not in our circumstances good or bad.

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

When it comes to joy, Jesus set the example for us! Jesus joyfully endured the cross because he knew what he was going to accomplish through his death! Jesus saved us and will bring us to glory through his death and resurrection! Knowing this should bring us joy!

THE CAPTAIN

BTLN UPDATE

Congrats Josh! This is Josh's seventh Helmet! Josh is only one Helmet away from tying the record for most Helmets in one Btln Year! Zach Gobbett's eight Helmets in the 2011/12 Btln Season is the current Btln record.

This week our game of the week was Mike 23! Mike 23 is quite different from the other games that we play at Btln. We play six or seven mini games. The scores rise and fall every round. The lead changes almost every round. The team with the lead one round gets picked on the next.

Mike 23 Final Scores

Coady's Team - 23

Jason's Team - 21

Ben's Team - 18

Luke's Team - 17

The Bible Study topic this week was "Victory in Christ".

1 Corinthians 15:54-56   When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


On our own we were beaten, but through Jesus we have victory over death! This does not mean that we will not die, it means that we have inherited eternal life through Jesus' death and will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus!

1 Timothy 1:18-19   Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.

1 Timothy 6:11-12   But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Even though Jesus has secured the victory, that does not mean that life is not going to be a battle! Twice Paul tells Timothy that he needs to fight the good fight! Fortunately we are not fighting alone! Jesus is on our side!

Ephesians 6:10-17   Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

God has equipped us for the battle! He has given us Truth, Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation and the Word of God!

THE CAPTAIN

BTLN UPDATE

Congrats Danny! This is Danny's first Helmet of the year and his second Helmet ever in Btln! At the end it was Josh and Danny battling it out for Bulldog supremacy. There were several rounds with just Danny and Josh, before Danny finally won! It is never easy to win the Helmet!

This week we played Stickball for the first time in the second half of the Btln year. This time around we had the closest finish we have ever had in Stickball. When the game is close then the mistakes that are made are more critical. The guys understand the rules, now we need to learn the strategy involved. This time when ended in a three way tie, setting up a Rock-Paper-Scissors overtime! Josh winning with Paper over Rock on both competitors!


Stickball Final Scores
Josh's Team - 10 -
Luke's Team - 10
Jason's Team - 10
Coady's Team - 8


Our topic for the Bible Study this week was "Life is Precious".


Genesis 1:26-27   Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

All life was created by God and humans were created in God's image! Three times in this one passage we are told that we were made in God's image!

Genesis 2:4-7   This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

God formed Adam's body from the dust of the earth and then breathed into him the breathe of life! We were not an accident, we were formed by the God of the universe!

Psalm 139:13-16   For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Psalm 39:4-5   “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

Life is precious because we were created by God! Life is also precious because it is so short. We do not know how many days will have on this earth. Even if we are blessed with a long life, it is still short and fleeting, like a breath! We need to make the most of life by living for God who gave us life and wants to give us eternal life!

THE CAPTAIN