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: 1119 Published: 27 Mar 2023
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW
MALE AND FEMALE
In a way, this is the most difficult subject we have looked at so far, as relational challenges between the sexes affect us all. The saying, 'men are from Mars, women from Venus', while unscriptural, does make the very valid point, that men and women are different!
But this is how God planned it! I will simply attempt to briefly summarise the Western and original Hebrew views.
Greek (Western) In Western thought, from early Greek times until the present day, the role of women has vacillated between subservience and sexual equality.
In essence it would be fair to say that in agricultural orientated societies women have been considered inferior to men, but where city living, both in Greek times, and now, became more popular, unisex attitudes have become more prominent. This has resulted, both then and now, in the breakdown of the traditional family unit and the growth of same sex relationships. The state has also assumed a greater role in the bringing up of children. Looking at past civilizations, these family breakdown developments helped bring about former empires eventual downfall, and are likely to do the same to ours.
Eastern (Hebrew) In original Hebrew thought, based upon firstly a nomadic, then an agrarian society, the traditional family unit was the basis of society.
From the very beginning, man and woman were made to be 'one flesh', to operate as a team, utilizing differing physical, emotional, and way of thinking giftings to work the land, run the household, procreate, and raise families, to 'inhabit the earth'.....
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. (Genesis 2:20b-24)
Without each other, a man and women are less than we are created to be. In the original nomadic and agrarian societies, men and women had different but equal roles within the family. The man tended the animals and worked the fields, while the woman tended to the home. The responsibility for bringing up and educating the children was a joint, and hugely important, one. Motherhood was regarded as the most important function in the family unit, and contrary to later erroneous teaching, no God-fearing Hebrew man considered women to be inferior in any way.
Women dressed differently to men and gathered socially, separately to the men. This is illustrated in the wedding at Canna in Galilee. The men were in a room, sitting round celebrating the marriage. Mary, perhaps the chief caterer, was in a separate room with the other women. The unthinkable happened. After several days’ celebration, they had run out of wine! Mary asked Jesus to help.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:3-5)
We know the rest of the story. Check out the amazing detail and revelation it contains at A REVELATION OF... THE FIRST MIRACLE OF JESUS’ found on the Walking With Jesus Ministries website (www.wwj.org.nz)
As the Jews had become more involved with the people around them, they had become influenced by their neighbours' lifestyles. Paul summed this up in his epistle to the Romans. God had made His ways known.....
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
but the people were led astray.....
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. (Romans 1:21-7)
In New Testament times too, the original principle of a man and woman working together as one to raise a God-fearing family, was illustrated in the Biblical qualifications for eldership.....
6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. (Titus 1:6)
Today, the pattern continues. God's people are being overtly influenced by the world around us. To be sure, the consequences will be the same as in the past, if we do not mend our ways.
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. Marriage for life is God's desired way. While, for many, that is not their situation today, God is able to forgive and give a new start.
2. We need to be diligent to avoid being caught up in modern humanist thinking promoting a wider, increasingly ungodly, range of family lifestyles.
3. Being disciples of Jesus in today's world is becoming increasingly difficult and will inevitably result in persecution, if it has not already.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
(Continued next week)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
Sermon on the Mount(Matthew 5:1-7:29, Luke 6:17-49)
The primary ‘life teachings’ of Jesus.
Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15)
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people can see them. I promise you, they have already got their reward. But you, when you pray, go indoors and close the door, and pray to your Father in private, and your Father who sees what happens in private will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on meaninglessly like the foreigners do, who think they will be heard because of all the words they repeat. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows what you need even before you ask him. So pray like this:
“Our heavenly Father, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come! May your will be carried out in earth as it is in heaven. Please give to us today the food we need. Forgive our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Don’t let us be tempted to do wrong, and save us from the Evil One.
“For if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive those who sin against you, then your heavenly Father won’t forgive your sins.
Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)
“When you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites who put on sad faces and make themselves look terrible so that everyone can see they’re fasting. Instead, when you fast, wash your face and look smart, so that people won’t see you’re fasting, and your unseen Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.
Seek Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-24)
“Don’t pile up wealth here on earth where moths and rust ruin it, and where thieves break in and steal it. Instead, you should pile up your wealth in heaven, where moths and rust don’t ruin it, and where thieves don’t break in and steal it. For wherever you pile up your wealth, that’s where your heart will be too.
“The eye is like a lamp that lights the body. So if your eye is healthy, then your whole body will have light. But if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be in the dark. If the light in you is darkness, how dark is that! No one can serve two masters. Either you’ll hate one and love the other, or you’ll be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Money.
(Continued next week)
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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
SUCCESS
209. On God's 'Order of Merit' a Z+ far exceeds an A- as effort outranks ability every time.
361. Earthly success is an aphrodisiac, while heavenly success requires fertilisation, labour pains and new birth.
362. We live in an instant society where sadly, momentary success is preferred to eternal glory.
363. Earthly success is like instant coffee. Quick and easy to make but lacking the aroma, taste and satisfaction of the real thing.
364. Earthly success is elusive and fleeting, heavenly glory, certain and everlasting.
365. Success in life after death has more appeal than success in life, for tombstones tell me it is longer lasting!
366. Death is the greatest leveller of human achievement.
367. Inevitably, human success results in - death!
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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TEACHING.....
A REVELATION OF... REVELATION 12:11WALKING WITH JESUS continues
as we are going to look at further aspects of the role of the Holy Spirit.
And finish off with some 'word plays' that are of significance when looking at His role in our life.
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***
327. Church-o-logical Definitions
AMEN - the part of a prayer that everyone understands.
BULLETIN - a claim check to show your Mom you went to church.
CHOIR - a group of people whose singing allows the rest of the congregation to lip-sync.
HYMN - a song of praise sung three octaves higher than an operatic soprano can reach.
CLOSING HYMN - the last song in the service, usually sung softly so as not to awaken the children.
JESUITS - an order of priests known for their ability to establish colleges with good basketball teams.
JUSTICE - when your kids have kids of their own.
MANGER - where Mary gave birth because Joseph didn't have MediCare.
OFFERATORY PROCESSION - when the ushers come forward to receive the offering, followed by late visitors looking for seats.
PEW - seating designed to punish you for your sins.
328. Touche!
Melba was a Christian lady who did a lot of travelling for her business. Flying made her nervous so she always took her Bible along, because reading it relaxed her.
One time Melba was sitting next to a man. When he saw Melba reading her Bible he chuckled and said, "You don't really believe all that stuff in there do you?"
Melba replied "Of course I do. It is the word of God."
"Well what about that guy who was swallowed by that whale? You don't believe that, do you?" the man asked.
Melba smiled. "You mean Jonah? Of course I believe it. God doesn't tell fairy tales."
The fellow snorted and asked "Well, how do you suppose he survived all that time inside the whale?"
Melba said "Well I don't really know. I guess when I get to heaven I will ask Jonah."
"What if Jonah isn't in heaven?" the man asked sarcastically.
"Then you can ask him." Melba replied quietly.
QWIK QWIP: “If you feel far away from God, guess who moved?”
329. 'Heblish'
Old Simpson, a stubborn opponent of changing anything, was a constant thorn in the side of the Parent-Teachers Association. For one thing, he was loudly against the introduction of foreign languages in the town's junior high school curriculum.
Waving his Bible high in the air, he shouted, "If English was good enough for the prophets and the apostles, it's plenty good enough for me."
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
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A DAVID MUSING
Faith is like climbing a ladder. You have to go up a step at a time. Many try to jump to the top rung, and what happens? The ladder falls over, of course! And we get hurt!
I remember painting our first house. I came to the last stroke, just out of reach. You can huess what happened ! I fell off the ladder! Oh dear! Fortunately i didnt get hurt that much. The joy of youth!
But I have never forgotten.
Likewise, in a race, there is no prize unless you finish.
Paul talked about that. The race of life. The medal was given to those who finish.
I understand that as I used to run marathons. Fall a metre short and the medal is not given.
Faith should start small, and as you prove God's faithfulness in small things, you will take bigger steps knowing He will be with you when you do.
To run the race of believers, we need to start. Takes effort. Then there will be trials and testings on the way. But as we trust in our God, taking greater steps of faith as He leads us higher as we trust Him more. We will get to the finish line, and collect the prize of eternal life.
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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