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
A FREE service, currently connecting with Christian leaders from 3,000 denominations and ministries, in 70 countries.
Issue No: 1097 Published: 24 Oct 2022
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW
TRUTH OVER TIME
Greek (Western)
Greek thinkers see truth as static and unchanging. With our scientific approach, we believe that, although we may not fully understand all truth, it is out there, just waiting to be discovered.
Eastern (Hebrew)
Hebrew thinkers see truth as unfolding. Truth is revealed layer upon layer, over time.
3 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. (Psalm 43:3)
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)
A classic example of this difference in thinking is found in the different cultures attitudes towards prophecy. We look at prophecy as having a single fulfilment while in Jewish culture prophecy has ongoing applications through the ages.
The most important failure of Greek, or Western, thought in the area of unfolding truth is in our understanding of the kingdom of God.
Similarly, we view the kingdom as being in one place, which is found in heaven, up in the sky, once we die. What we fail to understand is that this is only one aspect of the truth. For the kingdom of God is multi-dimensional. If it were not so, how could we pray in the 'Lord's Prayer'.....
10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10b)
The truth that the Lord is revealing today is that His kingdom is indeed here, on earth, as well as there, in heaven! As Greek thinkers, we have great difficulty in getting our heads around this concept. Also, it is 'inconvenient', for the excuse for living a less than holy life here on the 'devil's earth', suddenly disappears!
The reality is, as disciples, we are in the kingdom, and are to live a kingdom lifestyle from the moment in time we commit ourselves to Jesus.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
We need to understand that this reality of the kingdom is for us in the here and now.
The Coming of the Kingdom of God
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
It is firstly spiritual.....
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (Romans 14:17)
but is to become physical in the way we live our lives.....
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:1-5)
We are to be the light of the kingdom in the world.....
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.(Matthew 5:14-17)
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. We are God's kingdom in the world.
2. Is His kingdom light shining out of us?
3. A kingdom lifestyle is required of all true followers of Jesus.
FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
Jesus Prays (John:17:1-26)
For Himself
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you. For you gave him authority over all people so that he might give eternal life to all those you have given to him. Eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. I have brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the beginning of the world.
For his Disciples
“I have revealed your character to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you; you gave them to me; and they have done what you said. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. I have given them the message that you gave me. They accepted it, completely convinced that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I’m praying for them—not for the world, but for those you gave me, for they belong to you. All who belong to me are yours, and those who belong to you are mine, and I have been glorified through them.
“I am leaving the world, but they will remain in the world; I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name, the name that you gave to me, so that they may be one, just as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you gave to me. I watched over them so that no one was lost except the ‘son of the lost,’ so Scripture was fulfilled.
“Now I’m coming to you, and I say these things while I am still here in the world so they may share completely in my joy. I gave them your message, and the world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I’m not of the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but for you to protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I’m not of the world. 17Make them holy by the truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19I dedicated myself for them so that they may also be truly holy.
For all believers.
“I’m not only praying for them, I’m also praying for those who trust in me because of their message. I pray that they all may be one, just as you, Father, live in me, and I live in you, so that they too may live in us so that the world will believe you did send me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one, just as we are one. I live in them, and you live in me. May they be completely one, so the whole world will know that you did send me, and that you love them, just as you love me.
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so they can see the glory which you gave to me—for you loved me before the world was created. Good Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these here with me know that you sent me. I have revealed your character to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have for me will be in them, and I will live in them.”
At Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:30-46, John 18:1)
Jesus speaks to His Disciples
“Sit down here while I go over there and pray.”
“I am so overwhelmed with sadness that it’s killing me. Wait here and keep watch with me.”
“My Father, please, if it’s possible, let this cup of suffering be taken from me,” Jesus asked. “Even so, may it not be what I want but what you want.”
“What, you couldn’t stay awake with me for just one hour? Stay awake and pray, so that you don’t fall into temptation. Yes, the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
“My Father, if this cup cannot be taken from me without me drinking from it, then your will be done,”
“How can you still be sleeping and resting? Look, the time has come. The Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners! Get up, let’s go! See, the one who’s betraying me has arrived.”
(Continued next week)
OUR AFRICAN EXPERIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND
Still cold!!!!!!! Wishful thinking last week!
Sorry, nothing to report this week.
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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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PHOTO: Possible look of Jesus in society of the time
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
GODLINESS
1240. Wisdom is much admired upon the earth, while godliness reaches out to the very heart of God.
1241. The godly one keeps short accounts with both God and people, while seeking to do God's will with every fibre of their being.
1242. Godliness is not human perfection but the way of discipleship, lived by the blood of the Lamb, through the word of our testimony, and by 'dying' to self. (Revelation 12:11)
1243. Godliness is a partnership. God's offers the blood of Jesus and we are to offer our life in return.
1244. As worldliness goes, godliness grows.
1245. My desire is that God says about me, "David is a man after my own heart."
1246. Wisdom impresses the world, but godliness makes an impression on God's heart.
1247. The godly one has God's heart for others.
1248. God witnesses to others through His godliness as developed in us.
1248. God gives us many gifts. Godliness is the gift He most desires in return from us.
1249. To be 'good' is great, but being 'God' to others, is godly. The difference is 'o' for 'obedience'.
1250. 'Godliness' and 'self' are mutually exclusive.
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: THE PURGING OF THE CHURCH Parts 13
INTRODUCTION
The Lord has led me to go back to a sermon/prophecy I received in a group mailing, and filed, some time ago. It is by David Wilkerson.
David was the Founding Pastor of Times Square Church in New York City. He was called to New York in 1958 to minister to gang members and drug addicts, as told in the best-selling book, The Cross and the Switchblade.
After the introduction, he gave 11 bullet points about THE GLORIOUS FUTURE JUST AHEAD. As the Lord leads, I will expand on these challenging but inspiring aspects
Let us begin…..
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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. ***
260. God Will Provide
A young woman brings home her fiancee to meet her parents. After dinner, her mother tells her father to find out about the young man. The father invites the fiancee to his study.
"So what are your plans?" the father asks the young man.
"I am a Bible scholar," he replies.
"A Bible scholar. Hmmm," the father says. "Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in, as she's accustomed to?"
"I will study," the young man replies, "and God will provide for us."
"And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring, such as she deserves?" asks the father."I will concentrate on my studies," the young man replies, "God will provide for us."
"And children?" asks the father. "How will you support children?"
"Don't worry, sir, God will provide," replies the fiancée.
The conversation proceeds like this, and each time the father questions, the young idealist insists that God will provide.
Later, the mother asks, "How did it go, Honey?"
The father answers, "He has no job and no plans, but the good news is he thinks I'm God."
QWIK QWIP: “Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you have to say. Best friends listen to what you don't say!”
261. Zeal and the Graduate
A boy was sitting on a park bench with one hand resting on an open Bible. He was loudly exclaiming his praise to God. "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God is great!" he yelled without worrying whether anyone heard him or not.
Shortly after, along came a man who had recently completed some studies at a local university. Feeling himself very enlightened in the ways of truth and very eager to show this enlightenment, he asked the boy about the source of his joy.
"Hey," asked the boy in return, "don't you have any idea what God is able to do? I just read that God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle."
The enlightened man laughed lightly, sat down next to the boy and began to try to open his eyes to the "realities" of the miracles of the Bible. "That can all be very easily explained. Modern scholarship has shown that the Red Sea in that area was only 10 inches deep at that time. It was no problem for the Israelites to wade across."
The boy was stumped. His eyes wandered from the man back to the Bible laying open on his lap. The man, content that he had enlightened a poor, naive young person to the finer points of scientific insight, turned to go.
Scarcely had he taken two steps when the boy began to rejoice and praise louder than before. The man turned to ask the reason for this resumed jubilation.
"Wow!" exclaimed the boy happily, "God is greater than I thought! Not only did He lead the whole nation of Israel through the Red Sea, He topped it off by drowning the whole Egyptian army in 10 inches of water!"
QWIK QWIP: “Look for opportunities...not guarantees.”
262. Water to Wine
A Lutheran minister is driving down to New York and gets stopped for speeding in Connecticut.
The state trooper smells alcohol on the minister's breath and then sees an empty wine bottle on the floor of the car. He says, "Sir, have you been drinking?"
"Just water," says the minister.
The trooper says, "Then why do I smell wine?"
The minister looks at the bottle and says, "Good Lord! He's done it again!"
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A DAVID MUSING
How do you pray?
Is it 'you are a wonderful Lord Please give me.................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................Amen'
Or do you worship the Lord for all He has done?
For most of us the best way to do this is in song. For example.....
Too marvelous for words
Too wonderful for comprehension
Like nothing ever seen or heard
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom
Who can fathom the depths of Your love
You are beautiful beyond description
Majesty, enthroned above
I stand, I stand in awe of You
Holy God to whom all praise is due
I stand in awe of You
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
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Walking With Jesus Ministries
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Webuye 50205
Kenya
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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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