Happy Valentine’s Day!

“Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” I Peter 4:8-10

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.

Richard’s Property by Gary Carter: Richard sent us some more pictures this week on the progress of rebuilding their campus. At least they no longer have any debt on this property and they are able to rebuild with the bricks they have already made on the part of the land that used to be their garden. Unfortunately the previous owner wants them to vacate the portion he has taken back by the end of February instead of in March. This transitional period is hard for them all along with their manual labour (many working in bare feet with their “longyis”!). Pray for God’s wisdom as they consider the next best step – to build staffing accommodations. They are still lacking financial resources to finish this huge task; however, once they get over this hurdle they should be able to sustain themselves.

Conversations with Jesus – The Coming of the Kingdom – Are You Ready? (Luke 17:20-27) by Chris Burton: Jesus answers the Pharisees’ question in this passage about when the Kingdom of God would come. We have seen many doomsday prophets and cults throughout the years come and go with their various predictions Chris listed the top 10: Halley’s Comet, 1910; Doug Clark, 1976; Marion Gordon Pat Robertson, 1982; Vladimir Solovyev, 1990; “Hyoo Go” (Rapture), October 28, 1992; Heaven’s Gate, 1997; Michel de Nostrdame, July 1999; Y2K, January 1, 2000; Ronald Weinland, 2008; Harold Camping, May 21, 2011.

But do you know about the Doomsday 2012? One of the main theories driving this prophecy is that the Mayan calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012. The Mayans studied our sun and made their prophecies based on the cycles of the sun. With their observations, the Mayans predicted that from the initial date of the start of their civilization, 3113 B.C., one cycle being completed would be 5,125 years in their future, Dec. 21, 2012. The sun, having received a powerful ray of synchronizing light from the centre of the galaxy, would change its polarity which would produce a great cosmic event that would propel human kind to be ready to cross into a new era, “The Golden Age.” Chris created his own doomsday prophecy with calculations predicting that in the year 2788 the world will end! How crazy is that.

Some key verses in this passage are, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation (verse 20).”; “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it (verse 22).”; ‘Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it (verse 33)”. Whatever speculations come along we do know that the world will end, we will be judged and it won’t be nice for those that seek to save their own lives. Are you ready?

Revelation (Part 16 – Revelation 8:1-2) by Steve Macdonald: The seventh seal is opened and then there is complete silence in heaven for about one half hour which is very different when the other six seals were opened to earthquakes and stars falling from the sky (Habakkuk 2:20; Zechariah 2:13). Some have tried to determine if that is a half hour or something else but does it really matter how long the silence lasted (2 Peter 3:8)? There is silence - a silence of fearful apprehension, a transitional silence, a silence to introduce a new series of symbols (the trumpets), a silence to begin a new series of visions, the trumpets or a silence as heaven breathlessly awaits the final act of divine judgment.

And after the deafening silence, the seven angels before God receive trumpets. Another angel with a censer who stands at an altar is given incense to burn and to offer the prayers of all the saints. Incense is used to symbolize our prayers before God. Is it time for the souls of the martyrs (6:9-11) under the altar to receive the answer to their pleas? Is their blood about to be avenged? As soon as the smoke and prayers of the saints go up before God, the role of the eighth angel changes dramatically. The angel goes from presenting the prayers on behalf of the saints to that of an executioner of God’s wrath. The altar, a place of God’s mercy, becomes a place of God’s judgment. Heaven a place where countless people have been worshiping, where silence has been deafening, suddenly is being filled with an indescribable energy. The stage is now set, the censer is filled with fire and thrown to earth. The results are thunder, lightning, and another earthquake. But remember this is not localized - this is global. The entire earth is being shaken; the sky over all the earth is filled with peals of thunder and streaks of lightning. Is there anything to fear? There is no wind, no sound. There are global earthquakes, thunder filling the sky, lightening everywhere, yet there is no Light in the world at all.
Is there a reason to be afraid? Not if you are on the right side (I John 4:16-18).

The Fisherman - The Life of One with Genuine Faith according to Peter(I Peter 1:13-25) by Gary Carter: Peter’s life was transformed from an ordinary fisherman to a deep, profound, intense man of God. Somethings radically changed in him. He played a real role in the foundation of the early church. The expression “gird up the loins of your mind” conveys the idea of getting down to work. We’ve got to get down to business as there is no time to float. Peter’s transformation took place by a genuine faith which happened from the inside out over time.
Four Transformations:
1.From Hope to Holy (verse 13): Without the hope any attempt to be holy is futile. Be patient with yourself and others. It doesn’t all happen at once.  Be set apart as God is and aim for perfection.  Develop and commit to the hope of the Gospel in life or else you will just have a world of heavy rules that can become tedious. You will have deep feelings of obligation which you don’t want.
2.From Desire to Destiny (verses 14 – 21): As an experiment in church Carleigh (3 years old) was offered the choice of a nickel or a dime. She knew both were money and had value but she chose what came naturally for her age. She chose the nickel. That is a metaphor for how people live. The opportunities for now look bigger but life is really about eternity, not time. The world comes to an end for everyone. The 11 Peruvian men working in Ontario who died last week when their van hit a transport truck were all going to die eventually - just maybe not all at once. Our anxiety of fear is cast out through Christ; but with a reverent fear we take life more seriously. One does not go near Steve Macdonald’s TTC third track rail with its 600 volts; it must be treated with respect. Eternity requires even more respect. We can be redeemed from an empty life. When did Peter figure all this out? Was it on his fishing boat when Jesus said to toss the net on the other side and he caught a multitude of fish? If there has not been this change from normal desires to concern for destiny your life will be a world of endless (priority) conflicts and deep flaring anger because your ideas are being blocked.
3. Obedience to Love (verse 22): Love starts to grow sincerely as a follow up to the commitment to obey the truth. Over time, as you grow, you will learn to make choices for what the other person needs. That’s what love does. Without love that extends itself to others regardless of their response back you will face a world of empty yearning and feel a deep sense of lack of affection and appreciation.
4. Perishable to Imperishable (verses 23 – 25): The words “born again” are strong for they tell of an absolute change in personality as you interact with God’s Word. Many encounter a world of squandered opportunity like Whitney Houston with her beautiful voice who died tragically Saturday at the age of 48. She had sung in church as a child  but chose the nickels instead of the dimes later on in life. If you don’t see the end of moving from perishable to impersishable you will have deep questions about the meaning of life.

Pun with Book Titles by Steve Macdonald:
Gangway! by Hedda Steam
Bugs Begone! by I. X. Terminate
Someone’s Out There  by Will B. Watchinu
Star Spangled Burrito by Jose Canusee
Swimming in the Arctic by I. C. Waters
French Cooking  by Sue Flay
The German Bank Robbery  by Hans Zupp
The Sweat Shop  by Hiram Cheap
You Can’t Be Both! By Wong N. Wight