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: 1098 Published: 31 Oct 2022
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW
BORN AGAIN
3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3)
Greek (Western)
Greek thinkers consider the so-called 'Sinners Prayer' as the requirement for non-believers to be 'born again'. Salvation is related primarily to a decision of the mind, requiring minimal evidence of changed behaviour.
This position is justified primarily through Galatians 5:1...
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
Unfortunately the verses later in the same passage are ignored.....
13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13-15)
Eastern (Hebrew)
Hebrew thinkers understand being 'born again' as a complete lifestyle change. This involves a full commitment of mind, emotions and will, which will be reflected in behavioural change and obedience to God's will.
Words have different meanings, or nuances of meaning, in different cultures. Nicodemus, who asked the original question of Jesus as to the requirement for salvation, made the same mistake we do, in relating being born again to a physical experience.
4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4)
However, the word 'born' in the Hebrew of the time of Jesus was 'yalad', meaning 'bring forth'. So Jesus was not talking about a physical birthing experience, but rather, 'bringing forth a choice of action' by the hearer. The results of the two alternative behavioural decisions are clearly set out in John 3:16-21. It is particularly clear in the Amplified Version.
Firstly, making the behavioural decision to follow Jesus.....
16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([d]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. 17For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. 18He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation--he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.] (John 3:16-18 AMP)
….. or the alternative, not to change our lifestyle.....
19The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. 20For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. (John 3:19-20 AMP)
And the result for the true follower of Christ.....
21But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are--wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God's help, in dependence upon Him]. (John 3:21 AMP)
This change in lifestyle is also proclaimed by Paul in Romans. It is through holiness that eternal life is obtained.....
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:22-3)
The 'gift of God' most often refers to the Holy Spirit, and it is through Him that our life is to be transformed. The Bible confirms, in the final chapter of Revelation, the free gift of salvation, resulting in the life changing work of the Holy Spirit, leads to holiness, and the inheritance of eternal life. The words of Jesus, followed by the Spirit and the bride, through John, say.....
12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of (eternal) life." (Revelation 22:12-16)
SUMMARY
The church today views salvation as a decision of the mind, but Jesus taught the necessity of a total life transformation.
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. The church must move from the 'easy Christianity' teaching of the sufficiency of the (unbiblical) 'sinners prayer' to a call for true repentance, resulting in a changed life.
2. Discipleship, to help the new believer deal with the huge upheaval of leaving the old for the transformed new life in Jesus, must truly become a prime role of the church.
3. To witness effectively to Jews and Muslims, our actions and lives must reflect the words we speak.
4. Finally, from a father of the faith.....
“Christ will be master of the heart, and sin must be mortified. If your life is unholy, then your heart is unchanged, and you are an unsaved person. The Savior will sanctify His people, renew them, give them a hatred of sin, and a love of holiness. The grace that does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves His people, not IN their sins, but FROM their sins. Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.” (C.H. Spurgeon)
FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
Jesus is Arrested (Matthew 26:48-56, Mark 14:44-52, Luke 22:47-54, John 18:4-12)
Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss.
“My friend, do what you came to do,”
Jesus answers the mob.
“Who are you looking for?”
“I am,”
“I already told you I am,” . “So if it’s me you’re looking for, let these others go.”
Peter severs Malchus’ ear.
“Put your sword away. Everyone who fights with a sword will die by the sword. Don’t you think I could ask my Father, and he’d immediately send more than twelve legions of angels? But then how could the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must be like this?”
To the mob.
“Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I was some kind of dangerous criminal? Every day I sat in the temple teaching and you didn’t arrest me then. But all this is happening to fulfill what the prophets wrote.”
Jesus heals the ear of Malchus.
“Stop! No more of this!”
Annas Questions Jesus (John:18:19-24)
“I’ve spoken openly to everyone,” “I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple where all the Jewish people meet. I haven’t said anything in secret. So why are you questioning me? Ask the people who hear me what I told them. They know what I said.”
When slapped by the guard for supposedly criticizing the High Priest.
“If I said something wrong, tell everyone what was wrong with it. But if what I said was right, why did you hit me?”
Caiaphas Condemns Jesus (Matthew 26:62-6, Mark 14:60-64, Luke 22:66-71)
For saying he is the Messiah.
“You said it,” “And I also tell you that in the future you’ll see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
(Continued next week)
OUR AFRICAN EXPERIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND
The temperatures are starting to get a little warmer, for which we are extremely grateful.
Another week of staying with friends, until yesterday. We moved into a beautiful, elegant old homestead on 10 acres. So peaceful!
The property, Titoki Health Centre, runs healing courses in another part, and has this house free of charge for respite for returning missionaries. We don't like the word missionaries, and look at ourselves more as international citizens!
It is raining today, so I will put in some photos next week.
At Kingdom, the theatre construction is finished, and we are waiting for the equipment to arrive. Things generally, are going well.
***NOW***NINE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!!!
9 BOOKS are now available on Amazon (Kindle)!
All are available worldwide for electronic download on Amazon (Kindle) for $US0.99c . Unfortunately there has to be a charge in order to list.
Your support would be appreciated and they could well change your life!
Many more online at https://www.wwj.org.nz/more-free-downloads
They are all found at this link.....
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=david+tait+books/
***DAILY EZINE!*** 'DAVID'S DAILY DOODLINGS' Subscribe Today
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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.
Download the free PDF here.....
PHOTO: Possible look of Jesus in society of the time
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
THE RESSURECTION
1284. The resurrection proves the power of the cross.
1285. Progress Report: The cross. Satan super-confident. Next 3 days. Jesus fights back. The resurrection. Jesus emerges victorious!
1286. Without the resurrection, the cross would have been worthless.
1287. The resurrection proves the power of the blood.
1288. Through the resurrection, victory is plucked from the jaws of defeat.
1289. The resurrection is God's witness of the reality of eternal life.
1290. The cross redeems my past, the resurrection offers me future hope.
1292. The power of the cross is proven in the reality of the resurrection.
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
Visit the Toon Fever website for more cartoon fun..... http://www.toonfever.com
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
Wait and see!
*** ANOTHER DAILY EZINE FROM WWJ!*** 'LAUGHING AT OURSELVES' Subscribe Today
As Christians, if we can't laugh at ourselves, others will! A fun way to start your day. To register today, go down to the bottom of the page link below, click on the subscribe link lao--on@wwj.org.nz (or paste the address in an email yourself and send) Then it's done!
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. ***
263. Sermons
The congregation liked their new clergyman, but were somewhat puzzled by his speaking style. His first sermon ran only 8 minutes; the second Sunday he spoke for 45 minutes; the third week he rattled on for an hour-and-a-half. That was enough for the Board to summon him for a little chat.
To their relief, Wilkerson had a ready explanation. "The Saturday before the first sermon, I had my teeth pulled and my mouth was still terribly sore. But, by the time a week had gone by, I'd gotten used to my new dentures." Here the minister paused, and blushed deeply. "And as for last Sunday . . . well, I'm afraid that I picked up my wife's set of teeth by mistake!"
QWIK QWIP: “People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross.”
264. The Lesson of Lot's Wife
In a Sunday school classroom, a teacher was telling the story of Sodom and Gomorrah to her children. She explained that Lot was told to take his wife and flee, but then Lot's wife looked back and was turned to a pillar of salt.
A boy in the class asked, "What happened to the flea?"
265. No Excuse Sunday
To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday":
!!! Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."
!!! There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard.
!!! Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night.
!!! We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in if I ever came to church."
!!! Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.
!!! Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.
!!! Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go to church and cook dinner, too.
!!! We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money.
!!! One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.
!!! Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.
!!! The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.
!!! We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher and cotton balls for those who think he's too loud.
Hope to see you there!
Download the book 'Laughing At Ourselves' in PDF format at LAUGHING AT OURSELVES One of the most comprehensive sources of Christian Humour on the Net with 800 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ..... https://www.wwj.org.nz/content/wwj18p47.pdf
Or read even more online at.....
A DAVID MUSING
In our busy lives, it is so easy to forget what rest is all about.
That was certainly my situation - until today!
For we have 3 weeks rest and recovery, in the country, in a beautiful old mansion, provided free, for returning missionaries to do just that.
I can tell you it is amazing!
From go, go , go to doing what we please - except for my ezines and Facebook postings and messages for sure. But I ca take me time in doing them.
Now I am finished I eill go and lie on my bed and read a book, at 430pm! Unbelievable!
Until next time
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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