FIRST IN THE SPIRITUAL, THEN IN THE NATURAL?!

How often do we parrot the phrase, "first in the natural, then in the spiritual" Frequently I suspect, for most of us.

But haven't we got the cart before the horse? Because we can experience the natural most easily, it's so easy to then draw comparisons with the spiritual. But does the natural world proceed and influence the spiritual, or is it the other way round? Which is more important - the natural or the spiritual?

Of course, we know that our natural body precedes our spiritual one, and that the 'natural' Adam preceded the 'spiritual' Adam, who was Jesus. So from our perspective, it is very easy to assume that the natural rates more highly in our lives than the spiritual. Of course, non-believers almost invariably believe this. For this at its most basic was the sin of Adam and Eve. The serpent seduced them into believing that by eating of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, they would become 'like God'. And so, the thought that we are in control of our destiny remains ingrained in us today.

But are we really in charge? Are we really independent of the spiritual?

In spite of the lie of the serpent, the reality is that the ‘spirit’ within us determines everything we do. Our mind, our emotions and our will, the three components that together make up our 'soul' or personality, are in fact 'programmed' by our spirit. Whether it is the 'human spirit' we have all inherited from Adam and Eve, or the precious 'Holy Spirit', received upon our reconciliation with God, through belief in Jesus.

Even as a Christian, I used to be arrogant enough to believe that I largely controlled my own decision-making. But it is now slowly dawning upon me that my thoughts, feelings and actions are really determined by the spirit that rules my life. When I am exhibiting the 'fruit of the Spirit', the Holy Spirit is in ascendance, at other times my old human nature, my human spirit, seeks to take me back under control.

So I am learning not to look to myself to try and change my behaviour, for I have found that to be futile. Resulting in one disappointment following another, for my self will, my 'New Years Resolutions', even though so well intentioned, let me down. And I am learning, painfully at times, to submit to the authority of the Holy Spirit, and let Him work His changes in me. What a relief that is! For I no longer have to strive to change, but simply surrender. Yes, I can finally comprehend that it really is the spiritual that determines what happens in the natural. For that is how God planned it. And it will remain so for eternity, long after the natural has passed away.

"Thank you Lord for rescuing me from the tyranny of the natural that seeks to control my life. Please help me to understand this and apply it to my life today."

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FROM THE WORD

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:2-5)

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

"We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

DAVID'S DOODLINGS

KNOWING GOD
351. The more I discover about God the more I realise there is to know.

352. The closer I get to God, the more I realise how big He is and how small I am.

353. While God graciously accepts me as I am, His desire is for me to become more like Him.

354. When God moves, the results are beyond our imagination. Why then do we try and do His work ourselves?

There are 700+ David sayings for you to view at ...

http://www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php

A MESSAGE FROM ROY

Although this PGIM! e-letter is sent free, some readers have decided to support this Ministry one or more times a year by sponsoring a week's PGIM! @ USD $50.00. Can I ask you to consider sponsoring a specified week/s? You will get an acknowledgement on your particular week/s of sponsorship (unless you do not want it). If you are interested to help this very informative & helpful newsletter, please email me, Roy McGreevy, as it is God who authored this idea through me in the USA. roy@kscbtv.com. I look forward to hearing from you... thanks. Roy

FROM YOU - TO ME -TO YOU

Dear David,
I have been reading your document for several years, as I work as an Administrative Assistant in a very busy Anglican Parish in the City of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. I enjoy all of it, and look forward especially to the word challenges - they are great fun.

I have enjoyed this newsletter even more, since my son traveled to New Zealand in mid October, for a year of travel and work, under the "Students Work Abroad Program" with our local university. He is a graduate in Civil Engineering, and hopes to get work in this field during the year. His email last night informed me of the defeat of your All Blacks - a game he watched in a local bar. Peter is loving your country, and he is hiking, bungee jumping (from the Auckland Harbour Bridge), and his latest thrill was sky diving. This latter activity pleases his grandfather no end, as my father was a paratrooper in WWII with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion! Even a badly sprained ankle requiring a helicopter ride to a hospital in Hamilton from a park has not dampened his enthusiasm. And of course, there is Speight's ale - our family name!

I look forward each Monday to reading your newsletter. Please keep up the good work.
Jeanne Kaye Speight

Hello David,

I think there's every chance I can promote your newsletter within our membership. I
have already forwarded it to various people. We have a New Zealander who works in
our building who finds it most helpful. His grandfather was called Tait, so he's
wondering if he's a relative of yours!

I also used last week's newsletter on 'Who is noble?' together with the Bible passages
in my church home group as we are currently looking at how churches grow. It seems
that your newsletter is always relevant - thanks.

God bless,

David Wright
UK

Please help us promote the newsletter by recommending it to your friends. Also feel free to use the materials in your ministries. Freely received, freely given. David

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

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." ***


216. LETTERS TO THE PASTOR
Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister.
Yours sincerely, Arnold, Age 8, Nashville.

Dear Pastor, Please say in your sermon that Peter Peterson has been a good boy all week. I am Peter Peterson.
Sincerely, Pete, Age 9, Phoenix.

Dear Pastor, My father should be a minister. Every day he gives us a sermon about something.
Robert Anderson, Age 11, Miami.

Dear Pastor, I'm sorry I can't leave more money in the plate, but my father didn't give me a raise in my allowance. Could you have a sermon about a raise in my allowance?
Love, Patty, Age 10, New Haven.

Dear Pastor, My mother is very religious. She goes to play bingo at church every week even if she has a cold.
Yours truly, Annette, Age 9, Albany.

Dear Pastor, I would like to go to heaven someday because I know my brother won't be there.
Stephen, Age 8, Chicago.

Dear Pastor, I think a lot more people would come to your church if you moved it to Disneyland.
Loreen, Age 9, Tacoma.

Dear Pastor, I liked your sermon where you said that good health is more important than money but I still want a raise in my allowance.
Sincerely, Eleanor, Age 12, Sarasota.

Dear Pastor, Please pray for all the airline pilots. I am flying to California tomorrow.
Laurie, Age 10, New York City.

Dear Pastor, I hope to go to heaven some day but later than sooner.
Love, Ellen, Age 9, Athens.

Dear Pastor, Please say a prayer for our Little League team. We need God's help or a new pitcher.
Thank you, Alexander, Age 10, Raleigh.

Dear Pastor, My father says I should learn the Ten Commandments. But I don't think I want to because we have enough rules already in my house.
Joshua, Age 10, South Pasadena.

Dear Pastor, Who does God pray to? Is there a God for God?
Sincerely, Christopher, Age 9, Titusville.

Dear Pastor, Are there any devils on earth? I think there may be one in my class.
Carla, Age 10, Salina.

Dear Pastor, I liked your sermon on Sunday. Especially when it was finished.
Ralph, Age 11, Akron.

Dear Pastor, How does God know the good people from the bad people? Do you tell Him or does He read about it in the newspapers?
Sincerely, Marie, Age 9, Lewiston.

Now one of the most comprehensive sources of Christian Humour on the Net with 600 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...

http://www.wwj.org.nz/laugh.php

FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK

In association with Inspirational Tapes Ministries
inspirational.org.nz
we are pleased to offer you this inspirational MP3 download - absolutely free of charge!

BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

By: Bill Subritzky

New Zealand's best known evangelist for decades, Bill was a lawyer and extremely successful businessman, who has become well known internationally as an evangelist with a particular Holy Spirit anointing. Well worth listening to and learning from.

Download your free MP3 today at ...

http://www.wwj.org.nz/tape.php

FACTS FOR FUN

LAST WEEKS QUESTION: When did neatly manicured lawns become fashionable?

ANSWER: Nowadays, if you don't mow your lawn, your neighbours will most likely become upset. But it wasn't always that way. A neatly trimmed lawn is pretty much a modern invention and one formerly considered pretentious. Early American front lawns were full of tall grass, clover, dandelions, weeds, and nettles. Early American authors, such as Walt Whitman and Nathaniel Hawthorne, lauded the beauty of these "natural" look lawns and criticized the "new" vogue in England for neatly clipped lawns as being artificial.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: How many times can an elephant grow a new set of teeth?

Answer Next Week.

SOME FUN FACTS
873. SEX CHANGE - AGAIN AND AGAIN
An oyster changes its sex several times during its life. (If only I were……)

874. THE GREATEST GLUTTON
The Ribbon Worm can eat 95% of its own body weight at a sitting, and still live. (Many of us try to emulate him.)

875. GENEROUS
John D. Rockefeller gave away over $US500,000,000 in his lifetime. ( Billions, inflation adjusted.)

A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU

T
E
S

Answer at the end of A David Musing

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

Or view all 1200 online at...

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WHAT IS DayStar?

Since its launch in April 2001, DayStar has become New Zealand's leading church-based, evangelical monthly newsmagazine. DayStar was founded to meet the reading interests of evangelical Christians in the Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist churches, including the Wesleyan Methodists. Today, however, subscribers also include Baptists, Brethren, Churches of Christ, Congregational churches, Salvation Army, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic and some independent churches. The Vision Network of New Zealand (A unity and Christian information organisation) has made DayStar its official voice.

DayStar aims to tell what God is doing in New Zealand to change lives, renew local congregations and give a message of hope to all. Especially popular are the regular columns - counselling by John and Agnes Sturt, Loose Canon by Gerald Hadlow, DeepSight by Brian Smith, Bible studies by Ian Kemp, MumSense by Johanna Whittaker, and book and movie reviews. Articles on nation-wide, interdenominational events and theological reflections on current church and society issues have been well received.

An individual subscription hotline is available for New Zealanders on 0900 DAYSTAR (0900 329 7827) Overseas readers may check out the DayStar website for details at...

http://www.daystar.org.nz

WHY?

There are some questions in life which are even more difficult to answer than proving the existence of God. We have gathered 217 of these for your earnest consideration, including:

135. How can someone "draw a blank"?

136. Shouldn't there be a shorter word for "monosyllabic"?

137. Why is the word "abbreviate" so long?

138. Why doesn't "onomatopoeia" sound like what it is?

139. Why do tourists go to the tops of tall buildings and then put money into telescopes so they can see things on the ground close-up?

140. Why is there only ONE Monopolies Commission?

The remaining 211 can be found at...

http://www.wwj.org.nz/why.php

A MINUTE IS A LONG TIME IN GOD (AND ON THE RUGBY FIELD!)

Saturday night saw the climax of the world's biggest sporting event for 2003 - the final of the Rugby World Cup between England and Australia. (No New Zealand - boo hoo!) The Australians found out that a minute was a long time when they were defeated in the last minute of extra time, after a scintillating game. This was the first major teams sporting trophy that England has won since the Soccer World Cup of 1966 (If the world is really that old!) while the Aussies win them every other week, or so they tell us. So the result wasn't all bad!

A minute can be a long time in God too, as the poem says. Australia, there is always 2007 - but no - that year is reserved for New Zealand!

Check out one long minute in God at...

http://www.wwj.org.nz/waxing.php?poemId=00025

A DAVID MUSING

As I come to write this, I have no idea what to write! This doesn't worry me now, as I have learned that my God is the 'God of the last minute'. For God and I have seem to have this in common! The pressure of a deadline is a great motivator for me - and maybe you too? But I'm sure this is not the reason God chooses to do things that way.

He uses these situations to build our faith, to test the strength of our trust in Him. Then as we do trust, often with fear, doubt and trembling, He once again comes through with the goods, just as we despair of having missed the mark. And so our faith increases a level - which of course is itself tested, at a later time!

"Thank you God for your faithfulness, but please, a little earlier would be easier on my heart!"

"Don't worry my son, I take care of your heart too."

"Okay God, I give in. You know best."

And now, amazingly, yet another David Musing is written! His ways indeed are so much greater than ours!

His servant and yours

David Tait

Today's Word Puzzle Answer: Upset

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.

Subscription opportunities are available here Subscribe Here

at the bottom of each newsletter or at...
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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

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
enquiries@wwj.org.nz and we will happily change our records to ensure ongoing delivery. Thanks.

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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links@wwj.org.nz

DID THIS EMAIL HAVE A BLUE BACKGROUND AND RED HEADINGS?

YES - Great!
NO - Your web browser needs to be set to 'Rich Text'. If you have an older 'Text Only' browser, this email may also be viewed on our web site at ...

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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