A Weekly World Wide Word of Encouragement to those in the Ministry
PRAISE GOD IT’S MONDAY!
A WEEKLY ‘WWW (world-wide word) OF ENCOURAGEMENT’
TO THOSE IN MINISTRY
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Issue No: 1041 Published: 27 Sep 2021
A WALK THROUGH THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES
ENTERING THE HOLY PLACE - THE REALM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE STORY SO FAR
A farmer who has sinned has come to the Tabernacle of Moses, to seek forgiveness of his sin by bringing the best lamb of his flock. He has entered the gate (of SALVATION0 of the Tabernacle. He has made his SIN SACRIFICE upon the Brazan Altar and is now ready to learn about the front part of the TENT OF THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…… Continued
The priest sees your distress and gently places his hand on your shoulder. “You have done well, my friend. The Lord is pleased with you. For you only see the horror of sin and sacrifice, but He shows me His glory too. Let me tell you about it.
See the tent over here. Not that big is it, only 30 cubits long by 10 wide and 10 high, (approx.15x5x5 metres or yards)but inside the glory of God is revealed. Come with me. See these layers of covering on the outside of the tent? Like everything else in this place, each has a special meaning. There are actually 4 layers, but you can only see 2 from here. Here on the outside – you can touch that one if you like – the cover is made of sea cow skins. Note the ‘bluey’ colour. The oil in the skins keeps the tent dry when it rains. The oil and the blue colouring remind us of the Spirit of God (Later revealed as the Holy Spirit) who covers all our lives. Underneath is another cover of ram skins died red, a reminder of the blood sacrifice required for sin, which saddened you so much earlier. (Jesus – but He hadn’t been born yet!) Look up here. This black cover, protruding over the entrance, is woven from goats’ hair. That of course represents our sins of omission, of not doing the things God desires of us, rather than our known although unintentional sins, which are sacrificed on the Altar outside. You remember the sacrificial goat and scapegoat sacrificed for our sins on the Day of Atonement? Of course you do, for I have seen you there.
I am sorry that you can’t come inside the tent with me, for it is just so glorious in there. But we believe that one day it will be possible for all to enter, although we don’t know how. (We do now! – through the death of Jesus on the cross) But it is only from the inside that you can see the fourth cover of glorious pure white linen, with cherubim signifying God’s presence emblazened in purple, red and blue. (Colours of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). You may remember your mother and the other women embroidering them in the desert all those many years ago, when you were just a kid.
But I digress. You know, the strange thing about this cover is that you can only see part of it, the piece that crosses the roof. For at the sides of the tent are two glowing gold walls that both support and hide most of it. They are absolutely stupendous! Just has to be the glory of God. I have never quite been able to work out what all this means though.
See this magnificent curtain here that forms the entrance to the tent. Embroidered again in purple, red and blue. God is everywhere in this place! What you can’t see though, is the curtain inside. That one separates the back third, the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwells, from the Holy Place in front, where we, the priests, attend to the daily duties the Lord has us do for Him.
For we have three jobs to do twice daily. But I am getting ahead of myself. For before I go in to the tent, into the Holy Place, I must first wash my feet in the washing basin, as I did before making the sacrifice for you. It will literally cost my life if I forget! But once I have been purified in God’s eyes, I can go in and carry out my tasks.
My first job is to attend to the Table of Showbread. This simple, yet exquisite oblong gold table, is adorned with gold mouldings, both around the edge and on the handbreadth wide gold rim that surrounds the top. Every Saturday, our Jewish Sabbath of course, I place on the table 12 loaves of bread, representing our 12 tribes, but more importantly symbolising the perfect, never ending word of God. You know, we get to eat this bread after we take it off the table at the end of the week. Remarkably, it is as fresh then as the day we put it on!
Twice daily I have to burn frankincense, set out in lines beside the 2 rows of 6 loaves. What a sweet fragrance it has. Helps keep God’s word of life at the forefront of my mind. I normally do this in the early morning and again at twilight while I am attending to the rest of my duties inside.
For I am required to light the Golden Lampstand each evening, having first filled the cups with oil and trimmed the wicks. Some people call it a golden candlestick because of its design, but it really is a lamp, not a candle, even though it may look like one. It is so important that the oil is pure. If there is any possibility that the lamp may malfunction because of poor oil or wicks, I have to stay here all night to make sure it doesn’t go out! But fortunately our oil and wick makers are most diligent, working as they are for the Lord. In the morning, as the sun comes up, I have to get out of bed and come down here to snuff the flame out. I don’t mind though, as it pleases God and gives me a good, early start to the day too!
Sorry, I have got ahead of myself and not told you what the Lampstand looks like. I don’t know how I forgot, as the Lampstand is simply the most intricate, breathtaking, solid gold creation I have ever seen. I don’t know how Bezalel did it - the work is so fine. The seven lamps are borne on 7 branches; each branch topped with a cup in the shape of an almond flower, delicately decorated with incredible, lifelike buds and blossoms down the stem. A grand total of 66 masterpieces in all, including the cups, beaten out of a single piece of pure gold. You should see the delightful dancing images of the flames’ shimmering lights reflecting from the golden walls as darkness falls. Incredible! Yes, the light of the oil of the Spirit brings divine illumination on the bread of God’s word. It certainly is an encouragement to research the scriptures more deeply.
Having set up or extinguished the lamps, depending on the time of day, I then move slowly to the Incense Altar. Placed as it is, near the entrance of the Holy of Holies, so my mind increasingly focuses on the glory of the Lord. In some ways this altar looks like a miniature version of the Bronze Altar over here, on which your lamb was sacrificed. However it sits on a gold plated stand with a solid gold moulding around the top. The altar itself is coated with gold, not bronze, as indeed, is all the furniture in the tent.
Fortunately the temperatures required for burning incense are not as great either, so the fire can be smaller too. When I come in to the Holy Place, I bring some hot coals from the Bronze Altar, which I then use to burn the special incense the Lord has provided us with the recipe for. We aren’t allowed to use this incense for anything else. It is a real pity because the fragrance is simply ‘heavenly’, the only word I can find to adequately describe the spiritual effect it has on me. As the fragrance permeates the air, I just have to pray out loud to my God and worship Him with all my being. It is an amazing experience to feel so close to God. I just look forward to it so much all day. It would be just wonderful if everyone could share my experience! (Now we can!)
But great though the Incense Altar experience is, it is surpassed by the sheer awesomeness of the Day of Atonement, the day I truly meet with God. This is the one day of the year that I, as High Priest, can visit Him in His Holy of Holies. I do wish I could do it more often, for there is nothing else in life to compare with it! The presence of God just envelops me. It is impossible to explain really. His awesomeness, power and majesty is overwhelming, yet you can sense His love and caring at the same time. There is just nothing else like it. I break down and cry, yet worship Him at the same time! Inexplicable!
(To be continued)
Inside the Tent
FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
May we hear what the Lord is saying to us.....
SERMON ON THE MOUNT CONTINUES
Eye for an Eye (Matthew 5:38-42)
“You’ve heard that the law said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist someone who is evil. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to them as well. 40If someone wants to sue you in court and takes your shirt, give them your coat too. If someone demands that you go one mile, go with them two. Give to those who ask you, and don’t turn away those who want to borrow from you.
Love for Your Enemies (Matthew 5:43-8, Luke 6:27-36)
“You’ve heard that the law said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so you may become children of your heavenly Father. For his sun shines on both the good and the bad; and he makes the rain fall on both those who do right and those who do wrong. For if you only love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax-collectors do that? If you only speak kindly to your family, what more are you doing than anyone else? Even the heathen do that! Grow up and become completely trustworthy, just as your heavenly Father is trustworthy.
When Giving to the Needy (Matthew 6:1-4)
“Make sure not to do your good deeds in front of people, just so they can be seen. Otherwise you won’t have any reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to the poor, don’t be like the hypocrites who blow their own trumpets to announce what they’re doing in the synagogues and in the streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth: they already have their reward. When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand’s doing. That way what you give will be in secret, and your Father who sees what happens in secret will reward you.
(Continues next week)
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OUR AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
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THE GENERATOR IS HEAVY!
Around 2 weeks ago, we had an electrician in to correct our wiring.
Unfortunately, he made an error and wired the power from the generator back into it with disastrous results! The wire on the alternator melted and there was considerable further damage.
Try as hard as we may, we couldn't fix it on site, so away she went!
One of our visiting ladies helped with the lifting!
OFF SHE GOES
When will she be back?
When we pay the KES120,000 bill! Oh dear!
The total cost will be KES200,000. Sounds big, is big for us! But we will have a fully reconditioned generator that should last another 5 years without maintenance.
In the meantime we pray for no power cuts! Mostly successfully! PTL!
WE LOVE STUDENTS!
Students are great business for us.
Here the girls and boys of St Matthews, a leading, large private school, are posing with Kathy on the steps of our CBM provided Clinic.
BOOK OF THE WEEK
WHOSE CHURCH IS IT ANYWAY?
THE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE ONES WHO ARE OBEDIENT TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO DO THE WILL ON THE FATHER, IN THEIR LIVES.
INTRODUCTION
When asking the Lord what He wanted me to write about next, He has led me to look at HIS CHURCH, not in the way of standard church history, but from His viewpoint. I will try my best to be obedient to His wishes. But any errors will be mine! As you will soon see, the history of His church revolves around the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit's activity upon the earth, rather than what we consider the church to be. Before I start I must give you a little personal testimony. I hope my testimony will show you that what is to come has to be of God, for it is outside my personal nature, experience and inheritance.
I was brought up in a traditional Baptist church in the 1950's and 60's. (Yes I am that old! On the outside but not the inside! Well.....) My grandparents on both sides of the family were traditional churchgoers, as were my parents, as is my sister, and most have been active in church leadership. I was brought up to believe, yes, it was ingrained deep within me, that one had it all, when you gave your heart to Jesus and were water baptized (on the Baptist side) or attended church (on the Presbyterian side). I tried giving my heart to Jesus. Nothing happened. My (younger than me) sister was getting water baptized, so I decided to as well. Nothing happened. I attended church until I was 30ish, and to all, including my wife Kathy, was a reasonable Christian. In fact, a pastor of mine suggested I should go to Baptist College and train for the ministry! If only he had known what was inside of me!
During my time at university, I went with some friends to an AOG Pentecostal meeting, hated it, and vowed and declared I would never go back! I didn't.
After a disagreement with the church, I left and went into the world, where I remained until I was 42, when we went bankrupt. At that time I was truly 5 desperate, not being able to look after my family, so truly gave my heart to Jesus when waiting in the queue to register for the dole (Unemployment Benefit) at the Social Welfare Office in Takapuna, Auckland, where we were living at the time.
Over my time away from the church, Kathy got involved with the things of the Spirit. Didn't like it, but couldn't really complain, could I? After my true conversion, we went back to a traditional Baptist church. Kathy did a Holy Spirit course at another church also. I could not understand the notes and ridiculed them. Not a good move! For the next year the Lord told me to go and do the course! Had to eat humble pie! Over that year of doing the 'Word of Life' course, I came into the things of the Holy Spirit, which changed my life. We eventually joined the Abundant Life Church, where we remained until the Lord took us away from Tauranga to the city of Napier. Now we live in Kenya, In Tauranga, while working in the fields attending to the flowers on our flower farm, the Lord, in an audible voice, called me to set up Walking With Jesus Ministries, to be based on Revelation 12:11, one of the results of which you are reading now. 11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Revelation 12:11) (Emphasis added, as the Lord gave it to me.)
I do not want to go into now all the things the Lord has done. I just want to say that I now do my best to follow the leading of the Lord, through His precious Holy Spirit residing in me. (And in you too, if you truly believe.) What follows will be a real test of this, for as you can see from the above, it is far outside my natural nature and inheritance, to understand the ways of the Spirit. May the Lord help me as I endeavour to bring His revelation to you.
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'THE WORDS OF JESUS' REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR PDF DOWNLOAD
Join the many who have downloaded the 'The Words of Jesus'. I am sure you will be blessed by it, as I have been.
One key element here is the setting out in chronological order (as far as it is possible to do so) our Lord's words drawn from all the Gospels, and the elimination of repetition between Gospels.
You may be surprised by the different perspective this presentation gives you both in understanding of His life and ministry, and in achieving a closer relationship with Him.
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
592. Trials are a real trial!
593. Trials build character, character Godliness.
594. A test done, a test won, while not much fun, it pleases the Son.
595. Tests require change. Little change requires greater tests.
596. If we were already perfect, we would no longer need trials and testings. Life tells me I have not yet got there!
597. A trial a day keeps the devil away.
598. Heat draws out dross. In gold, silver and me!
599. Failing a test means I need to take it again!
600. The unbearable becomes bearable through God's grace.
601. Trials are for life's winners!
602. The ladder of testing is best climbed one step at a time.
603. The best fruit grows on pruned trees.
604. An unpruned tree produces little fruit.
605. Heated and treated gold glistens. It's the same with us!
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
NEXT WEEK: LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE continues
We start looking at the individual kingdom parables of Jesus.
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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. ***
106. Science v God!
A group of scientists decided that mankind had advanced far enough that they no longer needed God. So they drew straws, and the loser went to find God. When he found Him, he dithered a bit, made some small talk about the weather, and finally came out with it.
"OK, look God," he said, "We've mastered space exploration, we can cure any disease, we can talk instantaneously with people around the world, we can clone human beings; basically, we don't need you any more."
God listened patiently. Finally He spoke.
"Tell you what," He said. "We'll settle this with a man-making contest. Each of us will make a man, and the first one to finish wins."
"Sure," said the man, who headed off to consult with his colleagues.
"Wait a minute," called God.
The man turned.
"We're going to do this the real way; the way I did it in the beginning."
"No problem," responds the man, bending down to grab a handful of clay.
"No, no, no," says God. "You make your own dirt."
QWIK QWIP: “It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.”
107. Kid Wisdom
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I am drawing God."
The teacher paused and said, "but no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
108. More Kid Wisdom
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her 5 and 6 year-olds. After explaining the commandment "Honour thy Father and thy Mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and ssters?"
One little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
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A DAVID MUSING
Sickness has been a challenge for us last week and this.
Firstly Kathy had a mild case of malaria, her first in the over 4 years we have been here.
She is fine now.
This week I have had a mild case of Pneumonia!
These challenges happen to us before a something good. Satan tries to put us off serving our Lord. But it has happened so many times, in different ways, that we understand what is happening.
Bring on this week!
His servant and yours
David Tait
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ABOUT US
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Hastings, 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
P O Box 2
Webuye 50205
Kenya
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!
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david@wwj.org.nz