Heartland News & Prayer

January 16, 2011 by Wendy Carter.

Greetings!

Wendy
wendy.carter@kainos.org
This blog is a summary of our 9:00 Sunday morning services held at 7777 Churchville Rd., Brampton, ON L6Y 0H3, 905-230-8116.  It can always be found at www.blog.heartlandfellowship.ca.

Where’s Waldo by Gary Carter:  When you think of Waldo (Wally to the rest of the world) you see in your mind a cartoon character with a goofy smile, glasses, a red striped shirt and hat.  Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17 remind us that we are to fish for people.  We are looking for “Waldo”.  We can’t make him – we must find a Waldo who is already searching with his glasses.  People don’t come to Jesus without a problem recognition.  This is a difficult task as we are surrounded with people don’t appear to be interested.  Christians belong to a Waldo convention as we are all sinners and our lives have been interrupted by someone else who has explained Jesus’ plan of salvation.  Paul, the Apostle, described himself as the chief sinner or “greatest Waldo”.  The next Waldo is out there go find him!

Triple Play – Romans 16:12 - by Steve Macdonald: Tryphena and Tryphosa are two women that Paul also greeted in this passage.  Their Greek names mean luxurious and delicate.  They were probably sisters, partly based on the fact of them being mentioned together as well as the similarity in their names.  How different were these ladies from the babies born to flesh and blood (see John 3:5-8)? Obviously their parents had hopes of a good life for them since the meaning of their names may give us an idea how they grew up. Did they have servants? Were they educated?  Were they raised to be Roman noble ladies? Paul says they worked hard in the Lord.  Then how did they get from the easy life to being recognized as labourers in the Lord?  See John 3:6 again which says, “… the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”

The third woman in this verse is Persis whose Greek name means Persian woman.  Being a dear friend of Paul’s, she likely traveled with him on one of his missions and he recognizes her for working very hard in the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58; Matthew 9:37-38).

Francis Rous by Chris Burton: Since William is aspiring to become a songwriter, using Biblical passages set to music, Chris decided to check out Francis Rous (Rouse) who was born at Halton, Cornwall in 1579 and educated at Oxford.  He practiced law and was elected to Parliament during the reigns of James and Charles I. He was appointed a member of the Westminster Assembly of the High Commission; and of the Triers for examining and licensing candidates for the ministry. He also held other appointments under Cromwell including that of Provost of Eton College. He died at Acton, Jan. 7th. 1659 and was buried in the chapel of Eton College.
Scottish Bibles in the Seventeenth century often had psalms in meter printed (very graphic in design) after the book of Revelation.  These (known as a psalter) were sung daily in Scottish homes and often people became more familiar with these tunes then the actual text itself in the Psalms.  The version of Psalm 23 put to meter by Rous came about because he was dissatisfied with the accuracy of some of the other translations – mainly ones sung by the Puritans.  Listen to The Lord is My Shepherd – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JN1uLkwc_0.

Blessings!  When the Going Gets Tough (Matthew 5: 11-12; Luke 6:22; Matthew 11:6) by Gary Carter: According to Dr. Kara Powell (Executive Director of Fuller Youth Institute and teacher at Fuller Theological Seminary in the US) 50 % of high school graduates will drop out of church after 18 months due to temptations, new freedoms etc.  Christian teens don’t get going; but if they have strong relationships with five adults within the church this will help solidify them.

Jesus predicted mistreatment.  The promise of “easy” is every where.  The promise of “easy” attracts a crowd.  “Easy” is hard to find – there are less than 100 years of miracles in the Bible.  The promise of the NFL (no friends left) club is not attractive.  The promise of mistreatment is not just in the fine print.  The cause of this mistreatment is because of righteousness (Matthew 5:10) and because of Jesus, the Son of Man (Matthew 5:11; 11:6; Luke 6:22).  This is not the mistreatment of being a jerk, being stupid or mishandling an issue.  The actions involved are persecution (Matthew 5:10), insults (Matthew 5:11), falsely saying all kinds of evil (Matthew 5:11), hatred (Luke 6:22), exclusion (Luke 6:22) and rejecting your name as evil (Luke 6:22).  The result of this mistreatment is blessing unless you don’t live it out or if you fall away.  Do you remember the chorus, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus?  Current blessing provides an opportunity for example setting, for adjustments, and creativity (finding a way to go over, under or through a problem).  Stored up blessing is for later in the age to come.  This is your retirement plan.  Another chorus you might know says, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, all sorrows will erase, when we see Him.”  Let’s go for the blessings in the middle of the messing!

Communion:  It is a blessing to partake together in the Lord’s Supper from month to month.  This act of worship, based on I Corinthians 11, can help build one’s spiritual life unknowingly throughout the years.  Dr. Powell reported that a high school drop out complained about the purpose of going to church as few sermons were ever remembered.  One answer came back, “I have been eating three meals a day every day and I am pretty sure I would have starved without them.”

What’s in a Name (or company names gone wrong)? by Steve Macdonald:
Get your car tuned up at … Adie Miles & Auer
Loans While You Wait at … Bank, Rupp & Baroque
Tax Law specialist … Dewey, Cheatam & Howe
Drainage System specialists … Muddy, Waters & Soeurs
Undertakers … Ketchum & Killum
Surgeons … Doctors Hakim & Stitch
Driving School lessons at … Rex Carr’s
Chartered Accountants … Cook, Books & Hyde

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