VICTORY TO THE WEAK!

Since arriving in India I have developed a ‘one man’ skit of David And Goliath. (Well illustrates my split personality!) It seems to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It’s most interesting how adults enjoy seeing another adult making a fool of themselves!

Of course, everyone knows the story, or thinks they do, until checking it out in the Bible to get as many details right as possible! And it sets you thinking too. For it is more than just a good story. It illustrates, so beautifully, how the weak can overcome the strong, with God’s help. He helps us to think laterally, outside the square, to find totally unexpected solutions to our problems.

The worldly perspective, personified by King Saul, the ultimate ‘human’ thinker, in offering David his armour, was of course totally inappropriate to the situation with which David was faced. As well as being too heavy to be of any practical use, the principle of fighting might with might, was obviously doomed to failure from the beginning. This was obvious to all in the Israeli army, as not one was prepared to fight the giant on that basis. But David found a literal chink in the armour of Goliath, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Much of the time it is the same for us. We operate against seemingly impossible odds in this world, fighting battles that we cannot, in our human understanding, ever hope to win. We fight with the ‘human armor’ we readily have at our disposal….. persuasion, logic, power plays, money, time, influence, and many, many more. And generally, while we may have a certain measure of success if we are humanly talented, in God’s economy, we are doomed to long-term failure.

For the Lord uses the weak to overcome the strong, as is so beautifully illustrated in David’s encounter with the seemingly indestructible giant. Like it or not, if we really desire to succeed in God, we must go down before we can go up. We must humble ourselves before His throne, and usually before others too, before God will take us, now suitably moulded into His image, and use us mightily in the work of His Kingdom.

The more I push forward, the further back I go. The more I submit to my Saviour and Lord, the greater the opportunities He opens up for me. The more I seek answers from Him, rather than from within myself, the more success I have. For the glory then truly belongs to him, as King David acknowledged so often during his long and illustrious rule.

So, what started as a fun, kid’s story, ended up reinforcing one of life’s most powerful lessons about our relationship with God!

Amazing how our God works, isn’t it!

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FROM YOU – TO ME - TOYOU

Congratulations David on the 100th issue. I have been a subscriber for approx. 8 months and enjoy receiving it each week.
However have I been away that long?...........

When I left NZ for Ministry in the US, NZ had 3.3 million people and 65 million sheep [ from the then dept of statistics booklet]. What happened to the other 25 million sheep and has NZ had many power outages?

Keep PGIM coming.......and yes I encourage others around the world who are blessed each week like I am, to give a financial gift to your Ministry [as I will ] to keep the issues coming.

Regards in the Lord.
Roy L McGreevy

(Roy is a New Zealander, running a Christian TV Station in the US.)

Your comments to me or fellow readers are always welcomed at ... david@wwj.org.nz

AN INDIAN EXPERIENCE

Since being in Anakapalle I have seen a number of processions in which Hindus have been taking an idol in a rickshaw along the road towards the river. All accompanied by gaiety and fireworks. Upon enquiring as to what the procession means, I have been told that they are taking idols that have been defiled, or for some other reason are no longer worshipped, down to the river to be thrown off the bridge in order to be purified by the water. (Reminiscent of the Old Testament Law?)

When I went for a walk one morning, I passed over the bridge, looked down into the river, and there was this huge concrete idol of a god, forlornly lying on its back in the river, with its head broken off in the impact of the fall.

For the first time I really appreciated in the inner depths of my being the futility of worshipping other gods, whether they be of stone or wood, or money and success. For all earthly ‘gods’ are temporary and will pass away. But my God dwells inside of me and will remain with me for eternity. Hallelujah! (As they regularly shout in India)

A truly deep Indian spiritual experience.

FROM THE WORD

THE ‘LORD’ IN ROMANS (Part 4)
When Jesus is mentioned as ‘LORD’ (Capitals mine) in Romans, there is normally a special point being made. A sermon series here? Let’s have a look, shall we…

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is LORD,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same LORD is LORD of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” “ (Romans 10:12-13)

“But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:16-17)

DAVID’S DOODLINGS

TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE (Part 4 of 5)

One of life’s challenges is learning to discern the difference between knowledge and truth. This need for this differentiation arose when satan convinced Adam and Eve that having knowledge would make both him and them like God. The deception and missing link in his offer was that truth was not part of the package. For God is truth and God’s truth is often at considerable divergence to human knowledge. As God followers we have the challenge of discerning between the two.

Knowledge is to doubt as truth is to faith.

oooOooo

Knowledge is to be desired, faith to be sought.

oooOooo

All too often we place our faith in knowledge rather than acknowledging our true need for faith.

oooOooo

Knowledge is complex, faith and truth simple.

oooOooo

If I had full knowledge of everything, wouldn’t I be God? Fortunately I will never have to answer this question!

oooOooo

Knowledge is a golden sceptre, appearing to be so powerful and beautiful to behold, yet it can be quickly disfigured by even the smallest diamond of truth.

oooOooo

Faith grows through a conviction of the truth rather than in the understanding of knowledge.

oooOooo

Knowledge enhances a faith already secure in the truth.

oooOooo

God’s truth is constant, but knowledge is defined by our circumstances.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now more than 700 David sayings for you to view at ...

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LAUGHING AT OURSELVES

***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***

*** "Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others." ***

203. MORE BULLETIN BLOOPERS
Don't forget the annual Child Watch banquet next Tuesday. They've been serving children for 18 years.

We want to offer special prayers for the police officers in our congregation and all the officers on the force. Remember, Officer Wilson who was injured this week when his cruiser was hit by a car that then ran away.

One Sunday the first hymn listed on our song sheet was "Surley Goodness and Mercy!!" Those who weren't in a good mood when the service started immediately had a smile. - Amber in Lake Isabella, CA

Youth group please remember our kick-off for January 5 and 6 is a lock-in weekend that will be "Built to Last."

The morning service will be followed by holy communism.

Please join us for the Christmas concert and sinalong (Richard Lederer)

Don't forget the Community Rabies Vaccination Clinic under the church picnic pavilion starting at 9:00 a.m. Saturday. The Cost is only $10 and Senior citizens are free with proof of age.

For those parents who attend the progressive dinner Friday, you may pick up your youth after your stop at the pastor's house.

Providing adequate housing to area senior citizens has always been a concern. The staff and board of The Village see themselves as being in misery to the residents of the retirement community.

We are asking for donations of non-perishable food items to help the needy. Please help us refill our food panty.

Thank you Conference Volunteers for your time and energy, especially those who helped with stuffing pockets the Friday before conference.

Our bulletin has changed, take a pee inside. (D Lancon)

I would like to thank those who worked to make the regional annual meeting a success. Many of the delegates commented on the wonderful hostility they received from our local people.

Congratulations to Dawn Olson who recently graduated from booty camp at U.S. Navy's Great Lakes Recruit Training Center on Feb 22nd.

PLEASE NOTE: We would like to make a correction in the recent editon of the church cookbook. An inaccurate number of jalapeno peppers was given for Jeanette Crowley's Southwestern chicken salad recipe. The recipe should call for two, not 21, jalapeno peppers.

The marriage of Miss Freda VanAmburg and Willie Branton, which was announced in the newsletter a few weeks ago, was a mistake which we wish to correct.

It was incorrectly reported in last week's newsletter that this unday is T-shirt Appreciation Day. In fact, it is actually Teacher Appreciation Day.

It has come to our attention that there was a mistake in a newsletter item two weeks ago. It stated that Ed Burnham entertained our Men of Integrity Group at "crap shooting." It should have read "trap shooting."

There are two important corrections to the information in the last church newsletter on our Women's Deep Relaxation Exercise and Health Program. First, the program will include meditation, not medication. Second, it is experiential, not experimental.

Now one of the most comprehensive sources of Christian Humour on the Net with 550 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...

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FACTS FOR FUN

LAST WEEKS QUESTION: Is it true that we're taller in the morning?

ANSWER: It’s strange, but true. We are taller in the morning! At night, when we sleep, the soft disks between the bones of our spine expand slightly, making us taller when we get out of bed in the morning!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: How is it we can hear the ocean in a seashell?

Answer Next Week.

SOME FUN FACTS
894. HOT PENGUINS
While penguins live comfortably in the icy cold of the South Pole, they also live on the Galapagos Islands, on the equator. (Go there for their annual holiday in the sun?)

895. YOUR ICE CREAM IN A CONE
Came about by chance. At the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes. So he borrowed some waffles from the vendor next door and served the ice cream in those. Hey presto - the ice cream cone was created. (A great excuse for not doing the dishes.)

896. TIME FOR A SANDWICH
Sandwiches derive their name from John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. This English nobleman loved playing cards, but hated stopping to eat. So in a world changing inspiration, he had his servants put meat between slices of bread, creating a food that he could eat while playing. (Now we can all work and eat at the same time! ‘Earl-y’ John has a lot to answer for!)


A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Wear
Long

Answer at the end of A David Musing

You can download a 250 item sample Trivia Book at Truly Trifling Trivia

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WAXING LYRICAL

My very first attempt at ‘waxing lyrical’, written during a really hard period in my life. For we had lost our business and I was fighting desperately, ultimately unsuccessfully, to stave off bankruptcy. Written in the days before I became a Christian, (it took bankruptcy to do that – some of us are slow learners!) but I was starting to look at what really are the important things in life. Something to remind me of my Kathy, while I am away here in India.

You can share with me at ...

http://www.wwj.org.nz/waxing.php?poemId=00016

DO PETS RULE YOUR HOUSE?

POLITICALLY CORRECT TERMS FOR CAT OWNERS
- My cat does not barf hairballs, he is a floor/rug redecorator.

- My cat does not break things, she helps gravity do its job.

- My cat does not fear dogs, they are merely sprint practice tools.

- My cat does not gobble, she eats with alacrity.

- My cat does not scratch, he is a furniture/rug/skin ventilator.

- My cat is not a "shedding machine", she is a hair relocation stylist.

- My cat is not a "treat-seeking missile", she enjoys the proximity of food

- My cat is not a chatterbox, she is advising me on what to do next.

- My cat is not a dope addict, she is catnip appreciative.

- My cat is not a ruthless hunter, she is a wildlife control expert.

- My cat is not evil, she is badness enhanced.

- My cat is not fat, he is mass enhanced.

- My cat is not hydrophobic, she has an inability to appreciate moisture.

- My cat is not underfoot, she is shepherding me to my next destination (which should always be the food dish).

If it’s not the pets in charge, it’s likely to be the kids! Highly unscriptural! More pet truths at ...

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ANOTHER INDIAN EXPERIENCE

One of the ‘thrills’ of being in Anapapalle, is the experience of riding as pillion passenger on our Indian Representative, Asher “Michael Schumaker” Peri’s, motorbike!

For Indian roads are an experience not to be missed for the programmed Western mind, where road rules are to be strictly observed at the pain of hefty fines and potential accidents. It is not until you come to India that you realize how trusting we are in the West that our fellow road users will obey the rules, so enabling us to travel fast and generally safely to our destination.

However, here the true ‘law of the jungle’ reigns! Might is right! Trucks and buses have the absolute right of way, followed by cars, auto rickshaws and motorbikes, then pedal rickshaws, pushbikes and finally pedestrians. Here the challenge is to avoid the perils of those larger than you while at the same time, intimidating those poor unfortunates below you in the pecking order. The main weapon of the larger predators is the ‘horn’! A constant barrage assaults the eardrums from the time you set forth until you finally (amazingly!) arrive at your destination.

Many of the roads have a median strip down the center to reduce accidents. However this does not mean that everyone drives on the correct side of the road! Rather than going down to the next turning point, then driving back along the correct side of the road in the direction you really want to go, you simply drive against the traffic until you can find a gap in which to cross over to the right (actually left in India) side!

Our Asher, alias “Michael”, demonstrates the power of his beloved new 150cc machine by alternatively ‘gunning’ the throttle, then standing upon the brakes! Of course, needless to say, he doesn’t view this comment from my perspective – powerless on the back seat! However, as a former racing car driver, I do admire and enjoy his ‘kill’ - sorry ‘skill’ – nearly all the time!

Of course, the saving grace of the situation is that speeds are so low, contributed to both by traffic volumes and confusion, that corrections can generally be made within human reaction times, and so there are relatively few accidents. But a lot more heart attacks, I’m sure!

A truly ‘interesting’ Indian experience!

BE INSPIRED WITH A MESSAGE FROM INSPIRATIONAL TAPES

This amazing New Zealand resource has over 4,000 messages ranging from old classics to the latest revelation and teaching. A number of free MP3 downloads are available or you can order tapes and CD’s from the site for worldwide delivery at a most reasonable cost. Our free weekly MP3 download selections will be available again from mid-October.

Visit the library now at ...

http://www.inspirational.org.nz

A DAVID MUSING

As I have traveled around India, it has been very noticeable that the message of unity and discipleship, the preparedness to make the 100% sacrifice required to become the pure, righteous ‘Bride of Christ’ clothed in white for whom Jesus is to return, is much more readily embraced by the younger generation.

Quite simply, most of us more ‘mature’ types, (age wise that is!) if we are strictly honest, are relatively happy with the status quo. A divided but comfortable church, clothed in varying shades of gray, in which we are prepared to continue living out our lives as we have done throughout our lives. In which the whiteness of purity is soiled by the acceptance of ‘tolerable’ sin, both in our own lives and in others.

Some too, think that holiness is simply living a good life, conformed to a set of rules, much like the law of the Old Testament. Of course, we know that no one has ever managed to keep the law – either then or now. No! True holiness is the submission of ones self, ones aspirations, comforts and desires, to those of our Lord. To submit our will to His. To live our life 100% for Him.

And sadly, but also hopefully, it is generally the younger generation who is prepared to rise to the challenge, who are becoming truly committed to ‘walking with Jesus’. Call it the idealism of youth. Or see it as a new generation, one prepared to make the sacrifice necessary to usher in the Kingdom of God.

But it is not too late for all of us to change our ways, even though it may be more difficult for us than them. Yes, the Lord is calling out a people today who are fully sold out to Him. Shall we be a part of it – or will the Lord have to wait for the next generation? The choice is ours.

His servant and yours

David Tait

Today’s Word Puzzle Answer: Long underwear.

REPRODUCTION OF NEWSLETTER CONTENT

Most weeks we get enquiries about reproducing, in electronic or print form, articles contained in 'PGIM!' We welcome and encourage you to utilize this material. Freely received, freely given. We would ask though, that the source be acknowledged as an encouragement to others to subscribe to this newsletter also.

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DONATIONS

Each month, because of the size and nature of our web site and maintenance of our sophisticated emailing system, it costs over $200 in provider fees to bring this ministry to you. If you are able to help us meet this expense your credit card donation would be very much welcomed at Make Donations Here as a live connection or at https://www.macnet.co.nz/wwjesus/pay.php if you prefer to paste the address into your browser. Thanks.

CHANGING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS - OR IF THE NEWSLETTER STOPS COMING

Each week we can lose up to 1% of our readers when they change email addresses without letting us know. If you are about to change your address, please advise us of both your old and new addresses here at
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Please also keep our address in your address book, as sometimes servers will automatically delete your address if there is even a one off problem in delivery. If your newsletter doesn't arrive, please let us know and we will reinstate you.

LINKS

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ABOUT US

WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. A ministry dedicated to developing discipleship, fostering unity amongst God’s people to achieve the Great Commission, and in doing so, preparing for Christ’s return. It is securely based upon the foundational principles of the Apostles Creed while recognising the wide and rich diversity of beliefs amongst Christians in other areas. In accordance with the Lord’s direction, materials produced by the ministry are available, free of charge, to genuine enquirers upon request. The ministry is solely funded by donations, as the Lord provides. A list of materials available (plus some fun!) is obtainable and freely downloadable from our website
wwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.

Walking With Jesus Ministries
3 Hetley Crescent
Taradale
Napier 4001
New Zealand

Phone: (06) 8449-377 International (+64) 8449-377
Email: enquiries@wwj.org.nz
Web: wwj.org.nz

Our role is to bless and encourage those in ministry while promoting co-operation and unity of direction amongst the body of Christ, as emphasised 3 times by Jesus in His longest prayer, immediately prior to His arrest and crucifixion. "… so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:12, 21, 23-4) Our website is currently being developed to encourage your participation one with another, to share resources, and to enable you to promote events and items of interest to the body as a whole – and have a smile while doing it!

For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz