Hello there!

“Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” Psalm 119:33-35

Do you like working on jigsaw puzzles? They have been around since the mid-1700s. My grandmother and mother were great puzzlers and so apparently I inherited their addiction. Periodically I set up a jigsaw puzzle in our church cafe room where we hold our Sunday morning services. It is interesting to see how much our teenaged Heather Macdonald and a recent newcomer Susan Kerr enjoy these puzzles. I think every church should have a puzzle center in their foyer to provide the opportunity for all ages to work together so they can get to know each other better. It also gives a newcomer something to do for a few minutes when they don’t exactly feel at home. You can purchase some really beautiful church scenes, often with a Bible verse. All our lives are like jigsaw puzzles for we can’t foreknow which piece to choose next or how it is supposed to fit in the whole scheme of life. The above prayer by the psalmist is really encouraging.

Pastor Jake Stewart along with William and his father, John, arrive tomorrow in Anisiken, the location of Richard’s orphanage and Bible school. They will begin determining the initial steps in starting a brick-making business. This is exciting. Please pray for wisdom and understanding as they think through this vital, sensitive process together. The potential is huge to eventually help with 1% of Myanmar children who would otherwise be possibly kidnapped for prostitution in Thailand or taken into the army at age 12 to kill. Jake spoke at a seminar for 100 pastors in Yangon this past week and will again be speaking at the Bible School graduation as well. Richard has invited 200 pastors for lunch at this event. We are also excited because we saw yesterday that Hillary Clinton will be visiting Myanmar in early December. This is huge for this country’s leadership and people.

The Burton family sold their house once more with all conditions met. Please pray for a smooth move in January. Remember Steve Macdonald with his heavy responsibilities at the TTC. Some of his colleagues are off sick which is adding to his workload and causing a decline in his own state of health. Thank you Steve for all your work on the music presentations you prepared for this morning’s service. Susan Kerr is flying to England today to visit with her aunt who is suffering with cancer. Please pray for her safety and opportunity for spiritual discussion.

Home Group happens this Thursday at the Burtons’ house at 7:00 p.m. when we will be reviewing the videos on Islam we have been watching for the past several months.

Just to let you know that the financial records for Kainos International Ministries for years 2009 and 2010 have been recently audited by Brad Sanders of Cambridge, ON. All is well. Our church, Heartland Fellowship Baptist, is under the umbrella of Kainos.

If you did not get a notification of last week’s blog please be sure to check for that issue at www.blog.heartlandfellowship.ca.

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.

Changing Logos by Gary Carter: Did you know that the Toronto Maple Leafs have changed their hockey logo six times since 1927? The original was green. The present logo was changed in 1971. The Blue Jays have also changed their log several times since 1977 and have agreed to change it one more time next year. Some prefer a change; others do not. Is it more advantageous in selling merchandise to make the change? General Electric is a company that has not changed its logo. A logo is a picture or image that summarizes one’s identity. Christianity has used these kinds of pictures of symbols in its history e.g. the fish symbol with its Greek ICTHUS lettering meaning Jesus Christ God’s Son Saviour. This summary statement cannot be fiddled with or changed. Some wear an empty cross to signify Christ’s death on the cross. He was our sin-bearer. Some others leave a dying Christ on the cross or crucifix. If you wore a symbol on your forehead about yourself, what would it be? What are you known for? A good Christian man or woman?

Revelation (part 7 – Revelations 5:1-5) by Steve Macdonald: Continuing on with John’s description of what he saw in heaven, he reports, “… in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” A scroll is a roll, as of parchment or papyrus, used especially for writing a document; an ancient book or volume written on such a roll; a list or schedule of names; an ornament or ornamental design that resembles a partially rolled scroll of paper, as the volute in Ionic and Corinthian capitals; music- the curved head on an instrument of the violin family; or heraldry - a ribbon inscribed with a motto.

What is this particular scroll? Is it the Old Testament or the Old and New Testaments together? Unlikely since at this point John is in the Spirit looking forward speaking about things that are to come. To bring the Old and New Testaments or fulfilled prophecy which are looking back out at this time serves no purpose. Is it God’s claim of divorce against Israel? Is it God’s sentence against the enemies of the Church? Is it the title deed to planet earth? Is it the book of Life? What can we learn about the scroll? Are there any clues we can follow? Read Daniel 12:4-9 and Ezekiel 2:9-10 who both spoke about a scroll in their visions. Daniel speaks of astonishing things; Ezekiel indicates the words are full of lament, mourning and woe. These descriptions should exclude the scroll being the Book of Life, but you never know.

How does Daniel’s experience compare to John’s in regards to what they see? They both provide similar descriptions of the people and surroundings involving a scroll - one in the future, one in the now. It is clear from John’s description that Daniel is about to get questions from his vision answered. Is it God’s “will”, his final settlement of the affairs of the universe? Roman law required a will to be sealed seven times as illustrated in the wills left by Augustus and Vespasian for their successors. Does God have a book in which the history of the universe is already written? Has He written the history of the world in advance? We know that whatever the scroll contained was so important, so vital, so long anticipated that John wept and wept uncontrollably when no one was able to open it. A mighty angel proclaimed, “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” Is this mighty angel Satan (I John 5:19)? Is he challenging the opening of the Book of Life, not wanting anyone to escape from him? Who else would have a reason to challenge the opening of this scroll?

But it really isn’t about the scroll itself that we need to focus on (nor the will, Book of Life, deed to earth etc.) It is the “Who.” Who is worthy? It’s not who is strong enough, not who can overpower the seals and open the scroll. John turns to see, ”the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” The conquering Messiah obviously will be able to open the seals. What he expects to see is strength, power, might but instead he sees a Lamb standing as though it had been slain - not conquering through military might, crushing enemies to rule supreme, but by enduring hostility and dying as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Victory has been achieved, not by the sword, not by power and strength, but by sacrifice. Jesus is the conqueror but His victory was won on the cross (Matthew 16:24-25). Jesus took up His cross and gave His life for all those who choose to believe. Are we strong enough? Are we worthy enough? Are we nice enough? Are we rich enough? Perfect enough? Honest enough? Good enough? Quiet enough? John 14: 6 says, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Do you see Jesus in everything you do? Do people see Jesus in you? Revelation is a book of wonderment. The mystery is intended. Revelation 22:7 says, “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” The blessing doesn’t come from understanding it.

Obstructed View – Why Can’t They See? by Gary Carter: People have fun with optical illusions. Some can see an obscure picture in them; others can’t. There are 400 different names of Jesus in the Bible depending on one’s perspective about Him e.g. Rose of Sharon, Lion of Judah.

Last week Gary listed 12 dangerous coping mechanisms that people use. The third one is the avoidance of situations or thoughts that cause discomfort. Many rely on the avoidance of such a question as, “Where will I spend eternity?” They may assume that when they die they will go to heaven. But judgment is real and it is coming. Hebrews 9:27-28 reads, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” According to Matthew 7:13-14 most people will fail in the judgment, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” In verses 21-24 in that same chapter we learn that most people who call themselves Christians will fail in the judgment.
Gary showed a video of a girl being beaten by some boys. Onlookers, including three security guards, stood by and did nothing to help her. Could you stand there and watch? Then why don’t you do more? If the bridge in Churchville was out Gary and Wendy would want to warn the drivers coming down the hill to try and stop them from crashing into the Credit river and drowning. If they ignore the warning that would not be the Carters’ responsibility. What do you really believe about the lostness of people and the coming judgment? How much intensity is in your soul? Do “they” have an obstructed view because you are standing in the way of them seeing Jesus? What if every Christian did what you do? Discover why “they” avoid those most important questions.

Communion: The normal pattern in the New Testament was belief, baptism and the Lord’s Supper or Communion which we observe on the third Sunday of each month. The symbols of the bread and wine remind us of Jesus’ very messy death. He was so badly beaten that He was bloodied all over. Even His disciples didn’t know how bad it was going to get for Him. He couldn’t even carry His own cross. This activity gives us an opportunity to be thankful and remind ourselves that He is coming back.

Frankly, Dees are Punny! by Steve Macdonald:
French Overpopulation by Francis Crowded
Hot Dog! by Frank Furter
To be Honest by Frank Lee
I Say So! by Frank O. Pinion
Make Up Your Mind by Dee Side
The Twelfth Month by Dee Sember
The Realm of the Dead by Dee Seized
Racketeering by Dennis Court
Sun Tanned Legs by Denise R Brown