Greetings from Churchville!

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:7

Wow, are you enjoying these almost winterless days? Pretty soon it will be time for spring cleaning. A comment made by Rev. Charles Swindoll struck me the other day. He reported, “Medical professionals tell us that blood is the finest of all detergents. More than any other ingredient, blood does the greatest work of cleansing our bodies from the inside out, keeping us alive and free from contamination.” I had not considered blood as a detergent. As we continue to study and learn it is interesting how verses like the above take on new meaning through the work of the Holy Spirit in our thinking - wouldn’t you agree? Hmmm, there goes the street cleaner.

Please remember to pray for our friends in Myanmar – William & Richard and their cohorts plus their orphans. See Gary’s update below on Richard’s activities over the last couple of weeks.

Also remember Penny Spears who is suffering with some back and leg problems. Her son Brandon still needs that part-time job.

Home Group happens again this Thursday at the Burtons’ home at 7:00 p.m. Come study the Bible and pray with us.

Have a good week.

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.

Myanmar Update by Gary Carter: A rooster commented to his hen the first time he saw an ostrich egg, “I am not complaining about what you are doing but I do want you to see they are doing in other places! Just sayin’” That is how we feel in building a new washroom for Ron Burton in Burtons’ new home versus the building that is occurring on Richard’s campus for his orphans and staff. His lender repossessed the front half of his property a couple of weeks ago which apparently didn’t slow them down. There has been a flurry of activity to build a brick wall between these two properties plus constructing some new buildings (one 50 feet long) to replace the old with their own brick. These buildings are much more durable than the wood frame with masonite. It is easier to build there since it never freezes being so close to the equator and a foundation is not necessary. They sold 35,000 bricks for about $5700 US and have another order for 50,000 (about $8200 US). We have invested about $15,000 in this project since last November which includes the purchase of a truck - a huge asset for them. They continue to face hardships e.g. the internet cafe is about 4 miles away and is not always working which makes our understanding of their real situation difficult. They still need about $10,000 to finish the construction but can’t afford to borrow with such high interest rates. Please continue to pray for all their needs, the courage to keep going and ability to face new obstacles that arise day by day.

Conversations with Jesus – Ten Men with Leprosy but Only One Said, “ThankYou!” (Luke 17:15-18) by Chris Burton: Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, and passing near Samaria, He came to a village. Outside the village were ten leprous men. They didn’t come further as they didn’t want to be stoned. They recognized Jesus and called to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus saw them, and simply said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they left to carry out what Jesus told them to do, they were completely cleansed of their leprosy. What does that look like? Did they see their fingers growing back or were they healed but the fingers still missing? They needed to go to the priests to become ceremoniously cleaned and allowed back into their village. Only one of the men, when he saw that he was healed, turned around and came back to Jesus. With a loud voice he praised God and fell down on his face, prostrated at Jesus’ feet giving Him thanks - this man was a Samaritan.

What happened to the other nine, presumably Jews? “…Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Jesus uses the situation to ask a rhetorical question (with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek!) - another opportunity to teach a lesson to the disciples. Nine of God’s own “chosen people” took the blessing without so much as a thank you, as if it were owed to them. But one Samaritan, considered a half-Jew and despised by the Israelites, received the blessing with great humility and heart-felt gratitude. He left the others and came back to Jesus to offer his thanks and praise to God. The other nine were healed and that didn’t change even though they didn’t respond. Did they not notice that this man returned or were they just following the rules?

The Samaritan’s thankfulness brought him a wholeness that the other nine did not receive. “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” or “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.” (the Message) Is Jesus using a little “foreshadowing” to illustrate to the disciples what they can come to expect in the coming days? Or is it more importantly what to expect during their ministries after Jesus returns to “The Father” and for us as we share our beliefs with others? Some people just don’t know how to say thanks as if it were all just an expectation. Others are not sure where to place the thanks so it just gets tossed out there or lumped in with the universe. Others would rather suffer than accept the gift; they wish to owe nothing to nobody but themselves. Yet the gifts, the miracles, the blessings are given freely to believers and non-believers alike because if only 1 of the 10 returns the effort is still worth it!

Revelation (Part 15 – Revelation 7:2, 9-17) by Steve Macdonald: Steve returned to the second verse of this chapter which reads, “Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God.” The direction the angel comes from is significant. The tabernacle in the wilderness faces east (Numbers 3:38). The temple in Jerusalem faces east (Chronicles 5:11-12). Peter and John healed the lame man at the eastern gate of the temple, “the temple gate called Beautiful” (Acts 3:2). The Son of Man will come from the east (Matthew 24:27; Ezekiel 43:1-5)). It would appear that John is trying to get a message across - something big is on the horizon!

The angel from the east and co-workers place God’s seal on the forehead of the 144,000. Does this seal mean they get protection from what is coming? Seals are used in the Bible for a number of things: to secure something against tampering; to demonstrate authority; to seal a letter; to seal a covenant; to delegate authority; to seal documents. (Jeremiah 32:10; Matthew 27:66; 1 Kings 21:8; John 6:27; 1 Cor. 9:2; Nehemiah 9:38; Esther 8:8; Isaiah 8:16; Revelation. 5:1) Are the 144,000 protected from what is coming? Maybe not protected from what is coming, but they are secure from the tampering of Satan. They are part of a covenant with God. They have their name on a deed of ownership. They are now under the authority of the King of Kings.

Reading Revelations 7:9-17 we clearly see there are more that 144,000 in heaven. We just saw the seal placed on the 144,000 on earth and now John is before such a large crowd that no one can determine the number. They are from all parts of the earth, every race, creed, colour, nationality, not just from the tribes of Israel. And they are assembled before God, standing before the throne and the Lamb - a universal gathering, there to serve. Could they be the martyrs from Revelation 6:9? Unlikely - the martyrs were given white robes, had souls (spirits) and are crying out for justice for their blood to be avenged. The multitude have robes, bodies and are celebrating. So the multitude are? Apparently this question was also on John’s mind and the elder knew it. He provides us with the answer by asking John a question - an ice breaker of sorts. Once the elder has John’s attention we get the answer. They are from the great tribulation. This is not the rapture nor a partial rapture; this isn’t a test run to make sure all systems are working. We are being given a clear picture that the persecution will be far and wide; yet good news is in this image. Despite the trials and tribulation, countless people will be saved by believing in Jesus during this time and will be in heaven to serve. Not to be judged but to serve. The certainty in this cannot be disputed; “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple.” Mercy Me (Christian singers) says it this way:
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

Can you imagine it? As this multitude serves and worships unceasingly, what do they get? God’s presence will be among them. He spreads his tent (temple). Ezekiel 43:5
says, “Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.” He is everywhere, including us, covering us within His temple. They are surrounded by God’s presence, God’s glory. They will want for nothing, never hungry, never thirsty, never hot from the sun, never lost. Jesus, the Lamb will guide the multitude; He has taken away all physical, environmental discomforts (John 4:10-14). How will the multitudes get an opportunity to never want again? CNN?
Twitter? Facebook? It is by you and me (Matthew 28 :18-20). We must take every opportunity to follow the Shepherd - follow, listen, obey. The clock is ticking, whether in our life time or not. We cannot take the chance that people know. We need to carry out the commission before it is too late. Amos 8:11-12 reads, “The days are coming,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.” He will be the Shepherd, leading the multitude to the springs of living water. He will give the glorified people abundant life. There will be no more needs. God will wipe away every tear. There will be no more emotional discomforts, no pain or suffering. I can only imagine.

The Fisherman by Gary Carter: Gary started a new series on the life of the well-known fisherman, Peter, who was an independent, tough, resistant man when Jesus called Him to follow Him. It is interesting to study what happened to him over time. When did Peter truly come to faith in Christ? Was he given an elongated first chance? Did it occur when Jesus healed his mother-in-law? At the end of his life after over 25 years on the road his genuine faith in Christ had indeed expanded, deepened and intensified. Peter changed from being a fisherman to a fisher of people as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
1.One-of-a Kind Selection and Destiny (I Peter 1:1-2): Peter was chosen as an apostle or sent one by Jesus Christ to fish for people in Mark 3. Was he born again that day? His identity changed. When did this switch flip or was it a series of switches for him to become a true child of faith and not the fisherman from Bethsaida? Peter understood that he was called to speak to God’s elect or ones God chose who had been scattered mostly due to persecution. Many want to make their own choices. They don’t want God to be God. They want to be “God” themselves. We are exiles who no longer fit in this world but through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit we are set aside for a particular purpose like dishes used on special occasions or tools needed for a particular task. We are selected for a unique destiny similar to Queen Elizabeth or now Prince William who is in waiting. They didn’t get to choose their job. They were born into it.
2.One-of-a- Kind Hope and Inheritance: (I Peter 1:3-5): We have a distinct hope which is entirely different from anyone else’s hope. We have a living hope that energizes us. There are no if’s, and’s or but’s in our Christian lives even though it is hard. Our inheritance is not here on this earth. Many are worried about here. They want security and try to hoard to gain some sense of value out of tangible things. Our inheritance is set aside in heaven. We don’t know what it will look like as yet but it will be really good. We were saved but are also continually being saved each day until all fulness is revealed.
3.One-of-a-Kind Salvation and Delay (I Peter 1:6-12): Our salvation is a mystery still with all kinds of trials. These trials are important for us to test our spiritual muscle so that we don’t fade away. It is a process of receiving the end result of our faith. Even the prophets in the Old Testament couldn’t understand it fully. They were looking through an opaque or dirty window. Our window is cleaner to look through today because of the Scriptures.
It was amazing how far Peter went. He was given an important position and an incredible future. Like Peter even though we have some stuff to go through and it isn’t always understandable we are really on to something. Others see that we respond to trials differently.

Punny Books by Steve Macdonald:
Employment Handbook by Erna Living
Errors and Accidents by Miss Takes & Miss Haps
Irish Plants by Phil O’Dendron
Dull Razor by Drew Blood
Free Willy by Freda Wale
How to Annoy by Aunt Agonize
How to Cut Grass by Lon Moore
I Love Crowds by Morris Merrier
I’m Fine by Anna Howard Yu