Hi there!

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19

So how’s your summer going? Gary and I are now true Bramptonians as Friday night we attended Carabram. Even Macdonalds and Penny Spears have not been there and they’ve lived in Brampton for years! This year twelve pavillions with representation from many countries took part. Each displayed interesting information throughout the weekend about their cultures, countries of origin, food, crafts, dances etc. God has brought these nationalities to our doorstep and as we drive by new subdivision upon new subdivision in Brampton we realize that our job of reaching out to these people is huge. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will go before, that resistant hearts and minds will be opened and our church members will have opportunity to present the Gospel for them to become Jesus’ disciples.

Thank you Steve for all your work on our music slide presentations over the last two weeks when Sara Burton was away for her daughters’ baseball tournaments. Very inspiring.

We have been praying that William will be able to find some place in Myanmar that he can purchase LED lights. He recently shared this with his congregation and a lady, converted during his visit to Canada, told him that she works for a company that makes them. All he has to do is take Michael, his co-worker (this lady is his disciple) and meet up with the owner to see if they can buy the lights through him. This will happen next Saturday. Will this owner take interest in what William is trying to accomplish? Another matter of prayer! Gary needed to explain to William the different stages of retailing, wholesaling, distributing and manufacturing products to be sold to the public. Don’t forget to send an e-mail to say “hi” to William - william.myanmar2010@gmail.com.

I sent some money this past week to our contact lady in Singapore who will then send the money on to Richard’s orphanage. This is a new experiment to see if she can cash our Canadian cheque. If she can that will eliminate the $45 fee the bank charges no matter the amount being sent. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions as to how to send money internationally.

Home Group happens this Thursday at the Burton “manor” at 7:00 p.m. We are continuing to view Don Carson’s series on the Bible and praying together.

Please pray for Ron Burton as he soon heads to camp for a couple of weeks. Pray for employment for Howie Johnson. Please remember Frances’ sister-in-law, Sandy, who has just started chemo treatments for her cancer. Pray for the Nghiem family who are moving to Vaughan the end of this month where they hope to begin a new church in that community.

Take care,

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.

Opportunity Thoughts by Gary Carter: Someone has said that opportunity knocks but once. Do you believe that? Mae West, a Madonna like, outrageous actress years ago said, “Opportunity knocks for every man, but you have to give a woman a ring.” Opportunity requires things coming together at the same time.

The Bible often describes a cooperative set of events between God and people. He does some things for you and you do some things for yourself. Remember the New Testament story of Lazarus (John 11) who died? Mary and Martha dialed 911 for Jesus’ help but He delayed with the result Lazarus was already in the tomb 4 days when Jesus finally showed up. In verses 43-44 we read, “Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out…” Jesus did for these people what they could not do but the people had to take off his grave clothes and let him go free. Jesus knew they could do that.

Your challenge for this week is to write down three opportunities you are looking for – something out of the norm or something that you might create. One of Gary’s extra jobs is to phone an old friend. So he won’t forget he wrote himself a note to put with his wallet until he could put it on his computer task list. These moments of opportunity usually don’t take very long to accomplish even though too often we don’t feel like doing them but they are important. If we did that once a week in a year the end results in our lives would be quite outstanding. Sara Burton suggests in her book (From the Couch to the Stage)  that “Good is good enough. Do one good thing a day exceptionally and it will make a big difference in your life. The other tasks are good enough.” High marks in school are not as important as your integrity, overcoming laziness etc. Paul writes in I Corinthians 16:9, “… because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” The opposition wasn’t going to stop him.

Shave and a Hair Cut by Steve Macdonald: Summarizing Paul’s second journey which we have previously studied, he began in 49 AD leaving Jerusalem with Silas and Judas Barsabbas. He returned to Jerusalem three years later (Acts 18:22) having travelled roughly 2800 miles. The book of Acts chronicles Paul’s journeys covering three of his missionary trips that took place in 46-48AD (Acts 13:4-14:28 – although actually the first mission began in 41 AD in Antioch, Acts 11:25); the second 49-52 AD (Acts 15:39-18:22); and the third in 53-57/58AD (Acts 18:23-21:17).

What other journeys did Paul take in Acts? Paul takes his journey to Rome (Acts 27:1) that begins in 60 AD. After he has stayed the winter in Malta where he heals and witnesses to the islanders (Acts 28:10), Paul then travels from Malta to Syracuse, Rhegium & Puteoli, (Acts 28:12-13). He arrives in Rome in 61 AD and is placed in prison (house arrest) for two years.

While in prison Paul writes the following:Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. After his release from prison in 63 AD, what did Paul do? He travelled. Obviously from Philemon 1:22, Paul has Colossae on his travel itinerary. Between 63-67 AD, did Paul journey to a number of other places? Spain was in the plans before his arrest. Did he make it? An early document, written by Clement of Rome to the church in Corinth in 69 A.D. would indicate that Paul reached Spain. Clement states that “Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being thrown into jail seven times, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the Prefects.” The “extreme limit of the west” was commonly understood to be Hispania (modern day Spain). Cyril of Jerusalem wrote, “one, who from Jerusalem, and even unto Illyricum, fully preached the Gospel, and instructed even imperial Rome, and carried the earnestness of his preaching as far as Spain.” Chrysostom wrote about Paul stating, “For after he had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came thence again into these parts, we know not.” So the places Paul visited after his release from the Roman jail were Crete (Titus 1:5), Colossae, Ephesus I Timothy 1:3), Philippi, Nicopolis (Titus 3:12), Rome, Miletus (I Timothy 4:20), Troas (I Timothy 4:13), Corinth.
Taking everything into consideration, how many missionary journeys did Paul go on? From the evidence shown there were possibly 5. Actually, from Acts 9:5 on, Paul was on one missionary journey doing what he was chosen to do (Acts 9:15).

Ready … Reset (Nehemiah 1, 2) by Gary Carter: “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” (Henry Kissinger) “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) “To be able to lead others, a man must be willing to go forward alone.” (Harry Truman) These are all good quotes about leading. A leader can’t lead without people following; however, the apostle Paul probably would have accomplished his missionary journeys even if no one had gone with him. He died around age 67 which is roughly equivalent to our 87 years given the increased life span today.

In reviewing our Old Testament story about Jewish exiles coming back to Jerusalem after their captivity, Ezra was the one who had started putting the temple system back in place and some had returned to Godly living. Ezra kept serving as priest. Some time later Nehemiah then carried the process further. It was reported to him that the city walls were in disrepair. The walls were important for fighting off enemies. His first action step was to pray to God with whom he had a strong, warm relationship. His prayer was very intense as he asked God to forgive His people for their sins and reminded God of His past promise. His specific request was to give Nehemiah success with the king. Nehemiah had risen through the ranks to a significant role as cupbearer. The king trusted and respected him. Even though he was scared Nehemiah took charge when the opportunity was given by God. When the king noticed he was sad he spoke up frankly and asked if he could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. In thinking ahead and planning he also requested letters for safe passage as well as timbers for the citadel gates. Nehemiah 2:8 reads, “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my request.” He also provided army officers and cavalry even though it was not in the interest of the king to supply all this. When opposition showed up Nehemiah kept going. Opposition is not always an indicator that God isn’t in it. Be ready to act and God will move circumstances.

Some Quotes on Opportunity from Gary Carter (since Wendy mistakenly deleted Steve’s jokes for this week!):
Even when opportunity knocks, a man still has to get up off his seat and open the door.
Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.
If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door (Milton Berle).
Learn to listen. Opportunity could be knocking at your door very softly (Frank Tyger).