“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

“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

“… for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.” Ecclesiastes 7:2

I often say when sending out a sympathy card after someone’s loved one has passed away that death is a very unwelcome visitor. This past Thursday my neighbour greeted me from her side of the road as we were entering our houses at the same time. Ten minutes later she was at my door to say that it wasn’t looking good. The fire engine, three ambulances and three police cars on our street confirmed a crisis. She had found her husband lying on the floor near his bed and she couldn’t wake him up. An hour later she was told after much work by the paramedics that they could not resuscitate him and that he had died. No last minute words of farewell; he was just gone. Death is so final and those without hope their grief is agonizing. Please pray for my neighbour, her daughter and granddaughter who will terribly miss their “poppa.”

Good news – Richard and his gang in Myanmar were able to sell almost $6000 or 35,000 bricks this past week. Bad news – his lender on his property decided to reneg on the loan as promised and took half of their property. There is no protection in this society for such action. The debt is now paid but next step to house 50 children plus staff plus brick-making business is the question. Maybe they can rent/purchase land from their neighbour.

Happy birthday to Steve Macdonald who is celebrating this Tuesday. Thanks so much for all your study on Revelations to our benefit. Lots of figuring out being done by our whole church.

Pray for Heather Macdonald as she considers various options for life after high school. Brandon Spears continues to look for part-time work while going to school.

Home Group happens again this Thursday at the Burtons’ new home at 7:00 p.m.

Apologies to those who checked out Sara Burton’s book From the Couch to the Stage (www.tothestage.info) and inherited a virus. Gary will work on his websites this week to get rid of those nasty bugs.

Happy Ground Hog Day on Thursday!

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.

Renovations by Gary Carter: Gary has been installing a new shower stall in the Burton house for Ron Burton and has had to correct his thinking several times particularly when he has only measured once and then cut once coming up short. He should have measured at least twice before cutting copper piping/a 2×4/whatever. Can you think of any Bible verses to remind you to measure properly? How about Jesus’ parable about building a tower and counting the cost or building on a solid rock foundation versus sand? We are all prone to make mistakes without second chances or do-overs like the movie, Groundhog Day. Someone has suggested to figure out 6 major issues you want to see accomplished in your life this year. Maintenance is necessary but if you clear away these items faster you can get to the other, maybe more important items. Figure out the cost, live by it and count every day special.

Conversations with Jesus – Peace Applied Correctly (Luke 12:49-53; Matthew 10:34-36) by Chris Burton: Jesus and His disciples have been on the road for a while and there have been harsh discussions with the Pharisees e.g. “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). He didn’t come to make peace but division. He probably felt the constraint on His life knowing that He had the power within to wipe everything clean but couldn’t until He did what God had assigned Him to do.

But what about all the Christmas songs, hymns, Christian literature that talks about His “kind and peaceful nature” (Matthew 9:49-50; Luke 2:13-15; 7:49-50; John 20:20-22; Acts 10:36)? Which is true? How do these passages link with, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He did come so that we might have peace for in the Gospel of John He says: “I have come so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” He is not giving out two different messages. There may be moments of “peace on earth”. We may be “at peace” and “content” most of the time. But while here on earth it won’t last while Satan is in charge. As long as we live in this broken world where Satan and human sinfulness exists, we will see division and conflict.

We see it everywhere. The Christian message, although loving and peaceful, receives attacks from this world (particularly in Myanmar!). This conflict will continue until Jesus comes again and reigns over a new heaven and a new earth.

Knowing our belief in Christ will bring about division, what should we do? We stay on the narrow path! We remain loving and peaceful no matter how we are treated. We let the light of Christ’s love shine through us for the world to see the difference/ contrast. We don’t do as our neighbour / enemies do. We are called to love our enemies, go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, love and forgive others as Jesus has. “But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!” In our own way we have our own “Baptism” to undergo. We may not be constrained but we need to show restraint when dealing with those around us. Perhaps that is where the “peace” comes in.

Revelation (Part 14 – Revelation 7:3-8) by Steve Macdonald: In this passage we learn about the 144,000 from the various tribes of Israel that were sealed. So who are the 144,000?  Are they Jehovah Witnesses?  Are they converted Jews?  Is it a literal number?  Is it Jew and Gentile? John gives us every detail necessary to identify this group. Since he says, “from every tribe of the sons of Israel“, there should be no question about the identity of these people. “Every tribe of the sons of Israel”, in relation to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Old Testament occurs over 50 times. John is writing to the 7 churches; there is no need to use symbolism. John is giving a depiction of God’s mercy to a divinely chosen remnant of Israel. Or is he?

When we compare the tribes listed by John to those listed by Moses what is happening?
Where’s Dan (Judges 18:30-31)? Are none of Dan’s descendents bound for heaven because of their idolatry? Why should Reuben be exempt after his behaviour (Genesis 35:22)? Each of these sons at times were equally as lacking in character as these two. Who’s Manasseh (Genesis 41:50-52)? How could John mess up the list so badly?

Are there other reasons why the 144,000 cannot be considered as literally tribes of Israel (2 Kings 17:6). The Israelites sinned, worshiped idols, got in union with the Assyrians. What are the possibilities that there are any pure line, pure blood sons of Israel today? What is John trying to reveal to us through his vision and what he has been told? If not a literal meaning for sons of Israel, if not Jehovah Witnesses, if not converted Jews and Gentiles, is John trying to give us a spiritual message? Is this a picture of what has happened and what will be occurring through references to the Old Testament (Genesis 29:31-33)? By adding a few words to the meaning of the names of the Israel sons, John is telling us that, “I will praise the Lord (Judah) for He has looked on me (Reuben) and granted good fortune (Gad). Happy am I (Asher) because my wrestling (Naphtali). (God) is making me to forget (Manasseh). God hears me (Simeon) (and is) joined to me (Levi). (He has) purchased me (Issachar) a dwelling (Zebulun). God will add to me (Joseph) (the) Son of His right hand (Benjamin).”

Is it literally sons of Israel or a special message to all who believe? How about the reassurance we are given in knowing that despite the terrible things that will be unleashed, the damage to the earth, sea and trees, our God is still in control. He controls the winds. He can make sure nothing happens until the right time - His time. Everything will be in order; every person He has called will be protected. God is protecting His chosen people by placing His mark on them - His seal (Exodus 12:23).

So you can get all caught up in who the 144,000 are or what they symbolize. You can lose yourself in deciphering secret messages according to a name’s placement. You can decide that there is only enough room for 144,000 saints in heaven. Or you can read the Gospel, listen to what Jesus tells us and believe that He is telling us the Truth (John 10:1-16). He protects us now and in the future. He is in complete control of everything -
the weather, the land, the sea, the heavens, the angels, the demons. Is He in control of your life? Have you received the seal of approval?

Me, Myself & I by Gary Carter: Life is not about believing in God; it’s about your relationship with Him and His Son He sent. Even the devils believe in God and tremble. Here are three questions for you with Biblical answers:

1. In what ways is Jesus Lord?

Jesus is God: “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” 1 Corinthians 8:6
Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1
Jesus receives worship: “Let all the angels of God worship Him” Hebrews 1:6
Jesus is Our Owner: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” Romans 14:9
Jesus is Our Judge: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” Romans 14:10
Jesus is the Victor: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
Jesus is Our Master: “For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.” 1 Corinthians 7:22-23

2. What if I don’t believe Jesus is Lord?

Judgment is coming:

“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.” Hebrews 9:27-28

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. … and each person was judged according to what they had done.” Revelation 20:12-13

Hell is sure:

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:40
“Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’” Ezekiel 33:11

3. What if I don’t live with Jesus as Lord?

Rebellion Is Serious:

“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-2

Rewards will not be granted: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Loss of being fully rewarded:

“Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.” 1 John 2:8
Rewards can be burned up:

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

Do the best you can with what God has given you. He has given us His son Who is all that He said He would be. He is our Balm in Gilead, our Rose of Sharon, our Lion of Judah, our Saviour. Little things don’t matter but we won’t have any second chances.

Punny or Not, Here They Are! by Steve Macdonald:
Greeting Sheep Strangers  by Hugh R. Ewe
Hertz, Don’t It? by Lisa Carr
Hopelessly Lost  by Werz D. Eggzit
I Need Insurance  by Justin Case
I Was A Teenage Werewolf  by Harry Boddy
In The Trenches  by Helmut Wearer
Interior Decorating b Curt Enrod
Jaws  by Tay Kabite
Late for Work Dr. Wages

“Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” I Peter 1:17-19

Whew! The Burton family is now in their new home. Since Chris and Sara did not get the key to their house until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, it was a real struggle to get their U-Haul truck unloaded and loaded 3 times that evening. Bedtime for most of us was 3:00 a.m. A big thank you to everyone that helped. So many details, so many decisions! Now onto renovations and painting. Maybe I’ll just let my children carry me out in a pine box from our Churchville village home. But I guess that’s not going to happen so my other solution is to keep getting rid of stuff. No more gifts, please; however gift certificates/cash always comes in handy!

Please continue to pray for William and Richard’s ministries in Myanmar. William is hoping to get a business license so that he can send nannies to Singapore for himself and for others who do not have this license. Richard is needing to sell the bricks that have been made so he can make more and pay his lender monthly for his property.

Also please continue to pray for Brandon Spears who is still looking for part-time work while going to school.

Home Group happens this Thursday at the Burtons’ new castle, 41 Castlehill Rd, Brampton, ON L6X 4C9 at 7:00 p.m.

2011 tax receipts were given out today. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to check with me. Thank you so much for all your faithful giving throughout the year.

Sara Burton’s new book From the Couch to the Stage (52 Workable Strategies to Get Off your Duff and Go from Viewing to Doing) is now available for purchase at www.tothestage.info. It would make a great gift for someone.

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.

Moving Day (Part 2) by Gary Carter: Most of our church family members were involved in the Burton move this past Friday which was super. This huge challenge was the making of long-lasting memories as friends. Not too much barn-raising going on these days. Fortunately we did not have any major catastrophe as sometimes pictured on television/the internet with a moving van in an accident and one’s belongings thrown all over the highway. Most just came up with sore muscles and bruises and Debbie Macdonald did fall on a slippery floor. These mini disasters become funny later, but not so much in the moment. We often say in a move, “I don’t know why I’ve got this stuff!” It is always hard to choose A or B, particularly if you think something might be useful in the future. It was hard for Gary and Debbie to move the stuff in the last two feet of the truck for the third time.

In reality nothing is important and we need to trim down since according to I Peter 1:17-21 (see above) as God’s children we are “strangers” or foreigners who are redeemed beyond all the stuff. Too often we see a house for sale in a new subdivision after one year because of speculation but more probably because of breakdown of a marriage. The couple have put their hope in perishables and cannot live with a mortgage that is maxed out or other difficulties that don’t go away in the nice new home. Burtons have to contend with mold under the kitchen sink; whereas in Myanmar there is mold everywhere all the time and yet the Christians there seem very happy. We have to live in the world in which we find ourselves and not seek after earthly desires. Many don’t give or care but want to hoard. Let us pray for the Burtons to fulfill their objective of living good lives in their new community among their neighbours. And to bond even more they won’t be running out of castle projects any time soon.

Revelation (Part 13 – Revelation 7:1-3) by Steve Macdonald: Steve moved onto his revelations of Revelation 7. In the first verse John sees “four angels at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth…” Are these the four points of the compass? This is not isolated to a specific area; this is a global event. So why hold back the winds? What are the winds? Could they be four horsemen (Zechariah 1:8-10), four spirits of heaven (Zechariah 6:1-6), a scriptural symbol for the strife, warfare and chaos stirred up by Satan to find opportunity to attack God’s people (Daniel 7:1-3), the four judgments of God (Deuteronomy 32:24; Ezekial 14:21) or weather (John is actually talking about the climate.)? If it is weather, there would be smog, no seed distribution, no weather fronts or changes. There is no point talking further on this point as God is unveiling His plan to John and causing smog days over Toronto is not worthy of His wrath.

In the last chapter, John spoke of earthquakes, great disasters on earth and in the heavens, stars falling like figs off the trees due to strong winds. With the image of the angels holding back the winds, the magnitude of these disasters are given even greater impact.
Yet the angel from the east indicates that there will be damage to earth and sea and trees.
If a strong breeze is used together with falling stars, what type of disasters are coming? If earthquakes have kings and princes hiding to avoid facing His judgment, what fear will be on man’s heart when the winds begin to blow (Luke 21:25-26)? If you reject Jesus (Romans 2:5-8), there is a storm brewing – the wrath of God. The consequences are unimaginable when the rules change. Just ask the Carnival captain who ran his ship on the rocky shore of Italy. If you accept Jesus (John 11:40; 14:26), you have the peace and glory of God.

Me, Myself & I – What Should I do with Myself in 2012? by Gary Carter: What is my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? Do I really understand the consequences of accepting Him in my life? Some don’t go to church because of the inconvenience and if that is the symbol of the relationship then they are in trouble.

Are these sorts of statements possible representations of truth?
“Christ has been my Savior since I was [in grade 6] and now I want to make Him Lord of my life.”
“I am willing to believe in Jesus but I am not going to surrender everything about my life to Him.”
“I know my son/daughter has chosen a sinful life style and has absolutely no regard for the things of Christ. But I know they were saved. I remember the time they made their decision.”

What are your life expectations or how you think it is supposed to turn out regarding marriage/family, health/longevity, occupation/income, personal uses of time/money/ freedom of expression? Where did you get those ideas? When you make a transaction with God things change. You are protected, covered and cared for by the Lord Jesus Christ. He will take the bad things and turn them into good. The blood of the martyrs becomes the seed of the church. But you cannot expect to be free to do what you want to do. Retirement is not a permanent vacation. At some point you will get blind-sided by something like the loss of a family member or a natural disaster. You might say, “I know I am supposed to … BUT … I don’t get it; I can’t do it; I won’t do it.” Where did you get the idea that you have to “get it” before you “live it”?

The Lord is “first” (Matthew 6:33-34; Colossians 1:15-23). Don’t worry about your life - what you will eat, drink, wear or how long you will live. Be a shining light in the middle of the darkness of trouble. Look at the birds that God cares for and the beautiful flowers He has made. Maybe you need to take a litmus test on your faith to see if it is too low. Invisible electricity which Jesus created and allowed to be discovered about 100 years ago really matters to us today. Imagine what we will be able to do in years to come. Jesus is the power that holds atoms together but more important He is the Head of the church. He is #1. Take the whole package; it is not a smorgasbord. Accept Him as Lord of all and firmly imbed your faith.

Here are some questions to ask yourself: How did what I do today demonstrate that He is first because my faith and hope are firmly placed in Him? How will I order my time tomorrow so that the responsibilities and appointments of my day live out my glad submission to Him? If someone were to examine the transactions in my bank account would they clearly see that Jesus comes first?

Gettable Puns by Steve Macdonald:
Dental Care by  Pearl E. White
You’re My Everything  by Trudy Light
Winter Hikes by I.C. Toes
Vegas Divorces by Marion Hayste
The Miracle Drug by Penny Cillin
The Big Wave by Sue Nami
The Fortune Teller by Reid Palms
Stop Arguing  by Xavier Breath
Shakespeare in the Desert by Cam L. Otte