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: 1159 Published: 19 Feb 2024
MY APOLOGIES FOR THE MISSING ISSUES!!!!!!
AFTER MORE THAN 22 YEARS AND 1150+ ISSUES OF PGIM, WITHOUT MISSING A WEEK WE HAVE HAD A 2 MONTH BREAK!
NOT OF MY CHOOSING, FOR SURE!
OUR INTERNET SUPPLIER CHANGED TO A LARGER SYSTEM WHICH COULDN'T COPE WITH OUR EZINES. MANY PROMISES WERE MADE, BUT THE DELAYS CONTINUED. FINALLY ALL IS RESOLVED.
SO NOW WE ARE NOW UP AND GOING AGAIN!
THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO WROTE, NOT KNOWING WHAT HAD HAPPENED. MUCH APPRECIATED.
A REVELATION OF....... HOLINESS
THE DREAM -
HOLINESS AND FRUIT
Prior to a visit to Africa, many years ago now, the Lord gave me a dream. Must have been an old man! (Now I am!)
It has remained clearly in my mind, probably because it has been used so often, with moving and profound affect upon the hearers. Please just remember though, that it is only a dream, not theology
THE DREAM
Two people died and went up to heaven. Upon arrival they knocked at the Pearly Gates. (Definitely not theological!) Saint (servant!) Peter came out and asked, "Why should I let you in?"
The first person was a beautifully dressed pastor, as pastors are wont to be. He said to Peter, "I have led the largest church in town for 20 years. I've seen 10,000 people saved and 20,000 healed. My people loved me and looked up to me as being next to God. I have done so much for God I should be let in."
The second of the two was a cleaning lady. She was dressed in a dirty, blue, shapeless smock. Very shy, she said quietly to Peter when asked why she should be let in, "I haven't done much for God, I'm afraid. Not like the pastor over there. For I haven't had spiritual gifts, like him. But I have cleaned out the church each week - and cleaned the toilets too, for no one else would do them. And, when my neighbour was sick, I would look after her children and take her some meals. Really Peter, I haven't done much for the Lord. But please, please let me in."
Then Peter said a most unusual thing! "Take your clothes off!"
"Pardon?" said the pastor, his sensibilities most offended!
"If you wish," replied the cleaning lady.
"But why?" queried the pastor. "It's simple," stated Peter. "Your clothes represent the Spiritual Gifts given to you for the time you were on earth. Now that you have died, they must be returned to God."
The pastor was very sad about this, for his clothes, his gifts, were very beautiful and precious to him. They were the image he had portrayed to his people over all those 20 years. But reluctantly, he went along with it.
As he took his clothes off, he was found to be fat and flabby underneath. (When travelling, it is amazing how often you can pick out who the pastor is by the size of their stomach!) For the pastor had been relying upon his spiritual gifts to do his work.
Once upon a time he had had a good relationship with Jesus. But as the years went on, he got busier and busier with his people, and would say, "Oh God, I have had such a busy day today. I am too tired to spend time with you. You will understand God, for I work for you all day." God cried. And as time went on, he didn't even bother speaking to God at all, except occasionally, when crying out in a desperate situation. But with his gifts, he was able to resolve the problem without God's intervention.
Because the pastor had the pastoral gift of caring for his flock, he still looked like the perfect 'Christian' to his people. Yet the inside was not at all like the outward appearance.
The cleaning lady on the other hand, was delighted to dispose of her dirty, blue, shapeless smock. For, to her, it was a symbol of being looked down upon by others.
And when she took it off, underneath she had a beautiful, firm and shapely body, for she had been working out in the gymnasium of the Fruit of the Spirit all her life. The dream ended.
A CONFIRMATION
The second country visited, out of nine, was Botswana, in southern Africa. There I stayed with a pastor, Henry by name, and his family. They had a servant lady dressed in a blue smock, just as I had seen in my dream. I spoke to her and she was quite shy. However, when it was time for her to leave for the day, she took off the smock, and underneath she had on a tight fitting top and blue jeans. She was a beautiful young lady!
A wonderful example of the natural, confirming the spiritual!
APPLICATION
The primary application is found in the theme that is so difficult for us, in our humanness, to understand.
30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Mathew 19:30)
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
And in the case of the pastor, it helps explain another difficult passage of scripture.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
SUMMARY:
True holiness comes, not through the law, but by growing the 'Fruit of the Spirit' in our lives. Developing into the image of Jesus.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24)
(Continued next week)
FROM THE WORD
THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF JESUS
The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30)
Asked Jesus what is good to obtain eternal life
“Why do you ask me what is good?” “There’s only one who is good. But if you want to have eternal life, then keep the commandments.”
“Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony, honor you father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself,”
These he had done.
“If you want to be perfect, then go and sell your possessions, give the money to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
This was too hard to accept.
“I tell you the truth,” “rich people find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. I also tell you this: It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
The Disciples ask how it ispossible then
The disciples asked about their reward.
“I tell you the truth: when everything is remade and the Son of man sits on his glorious throne you who’ve followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. All those who because of me have left their homes, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, and fields, will receive back a hundred times more, and will receive eternal life. For many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."
The First Shall be Last Discourse (Matthew 20:1-16)
A parable of workers in a vineyard.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay the workers one denarius for the day, and sent them to work in his vineyard. Around 9 a.m. he went out and saw others without work standing in the marketplace.
“‘Go and work in the vineyard too, and I’ll pay you what’s right,’ he told them. So they went to work. Around noon and 3 p.m. he went out and did the same thing. At 5 p.m. he went out and found others standing there. ‘Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?’ he asked them. ‘Because nobody’s hired us,’ they replied. ‘Go and work in the vineyard too,’ he told them.
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard told his manager, ‘Call the workers in, and pay them their wages. Begin with the workers hired last and then on to those hired first.’ When those who were hired at 5 p.m. came in, they each received one denarius. So when those who were hired first came in, they thought they would get more, but they also received one denarius. When they received their pay, they complained about the owner. ‘Those who were hired last only worked for an hour, and you’ve paid them the same as us who worked the whole day in the burning heat,’ they grumbled.
“The owner answered one of them, ‘My friend, I haven’t treated you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for one denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to pay those who were hired last the same as I paid you. Can’t I choose to do what I want with my own money? Why should you give me evil looks because I want to do good?’ In this way the last shall be first and the first shall be last.”
Jesus Predicts His death to the Disciples (Matthew 20:17-19, Mark10:32-4, Luke 18:31-4)
On the road to Jerusalem.
“We’re going to Jerusalem,” he told them, “and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and religious teachers. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to the foreigners. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. But three days later he will rise again.”
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*DAVID"S DOODLINGS
Enjoy some of David's sayings here, plus 1300 more on the website at.....
'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
711. When 'to be or not to be' is the question, 'to be and to do' is the answer.
712. True 'being' results in 'doing'.
713. 'Being' without 'doing' is like a motor without a car. Makes plenty of noise but takes you nowhere!
714. 'To be' is the salt, 'to do' the light. We are called to be both.
1220. Our walk with Jesus is to start off with applying the 'don'ts' of the Law and to end up doing the 'do's' of His will.
1221. The sign of maturity in Jesus is when we live not only the 'dont's of the Law' but live the 'do's of righteousness, submission and obedience to God's will' in our lives.
1222. The 'don'ts of the Law' form firm foundations, but walls and roofs of a godly house are built of submission to God's will.
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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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'LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
Another laugh or three for you today
Many more on our website below. Also many, may, many more under these categories on our website, wwj,org,nz Look under the heading MAINLY LAUGHS. Choose from.....
THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TEACHING.....
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF... DIVIDING THE WATERS (part 6)
The transition in leadership from Moses to Joshua symbolizes a number of different things, but in this context we are looking at Moses, the type of Jesus, passing the inheritance on to Joshua, a type of us – that’s you and me.
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***
446. Who Was Jesus?
There were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Black:
1. He called everyone "brother"
2. He liked Gospel
3. He couldn't get a fair trial
But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went into his father's business
2. He lived at home until he was 33
3. He was sure his mother was a virgin and his mother was sure he was God.
But then there were three equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with his hands
2. He had wine with every meal
3. He used olive oil
But then there were three equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut his hair
2. He walked around bare foot all of the time
3. He started a new religion
But then there were three equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married
2. He was always telling stories3. He loved green pastures
But the most compelling evidence of all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
1. He had to feed a crowd at a moments notice when there was no food
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it
3. Even when he was dead, he had to get up because there was more work for him to do.
QWIK QWIP: “Criticism is like dynamite. It has its place but should be handled only by experts.”
447. Being Prudent
A little boy walked down the beach, and as he did, he spied a woman sitting under a beach umbrella on the sand.
He walked up to her and asked, "Are you a Christian?" She said, "Yes."
"Do you read your Bible every day?" She nodded her head, "Yes."
Do you pray often?" the boy asked next, and again she answered, "Yes."
With that he asked his final question,"Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?"
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A DAVID MUSING
WOW! Such a long time since I have been able to write to you.
The world has not improved! It continues to deteriorate in so many ways. As Jesus promised us it would in end times.
I am not an alarmist, but we need to adapt our behaviour to the circumstances we now face.
The most important thing is to get rid of all the rubbish in our lives and learn to live more for Jesus every day.
Persecution is growing in many countries as followers of Jesus are being regarded as outside the new moral compass of the world view.
However, we have Jesus to help us through the tough times we are starting to face now.
Praise His holy name!
May we open to letting the Lord change our lives to become more like Him.
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