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: 1164 Published: 25 Mar 2024
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW
WRITING STYLE
Greek (Western)
We think in abstract ideas, using logic, definitions, bullet points etc., to explain our ideas. Prose is our favoured median of writing. We are fact based. For example, let’s look at Paul's outline of the qualifications for eldership.
5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 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. 7 Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:5-9)
We love doctrine ahead of love itself! We kill each other, formerly literally, now mainly verbally, over it! Doctrine has become more important than Jesus in defining our relationship to other believers!
Eastern (Hebrew)
Hebrew thinkers express truth in a concrete fashion, building word pictures and telling stories. Poetry is their favourite form of expression. Imagery and symbolism are used extensively to explain their ideas. eg. Book of Revelation - written by Jesus through John.
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. 5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” (Revelation 6:3-6)
Jesus taught in parables, in word pictures, making spiritual applications out of every day activities. The most famous is the Parable of the Sower.
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:3-8)
And we are all familiar with the beauty and powerful poetry of the Psalms, particularly those of David. What an amazing word picture of God's comfort and love in times of trouble is found in the 23rd Psalm.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4)
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. Jesus is not about theology as such, of which there will always be differences, but relationship with Him and leading a godly life, of us representing Him in the world. He is interested in character, as expressed through the parables, rather than theological knowledge. (Ask the Pharisees!)
2. Be careful not to translate imagery and symbolism literally, looking instead for the spiritual principles that undergird it.
3. Grasp hold of the emotions expressed in the Psalms, Lamentations and other spiritual songs, for the feelings expressed, the problems experienced and overcome, are as applicable now as they were when they were written.
4. Following Jesus is relational and experiential in the Hebrew, not theoretical, philosophical or theological as in the Greek.
(Continued next week)
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FROM THE WORD
THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF JESUS
Jesus’ Authority Questioned in the Temple (Matthew 21:23-7, Mark 11: 20-26, Luke 20:1-8)
By the priests, teachers and elders.
“I too will ask you a question,” “If you give me the answer, I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Where did the baptism of John come from? Was it from heaven, or was it from people?
No reply is given.
“Then I won’t tell you by what authority I’m doing these things,”
Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)
Spoken to the Pharisees.
“But what do you think about this illustration? Once there was a man who had two sons. He went to the first son, and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘I won’t,’ but afterwards he was sorry for what he said and he did go. The man went to the second son, and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘I’ll go,’ but he didn’t. Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”
The first.
“I tell you the truth: tax-collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you,” “John came to show you the way to live right with God, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax-collectors and prostitutes did believe him. Later, when you saw what happened, you still didn’t repent and believe him.”
Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-18)
A parable spoken against the chief priests and Pharisees.
“Here’s another illustration. There once was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard. He put a fence
around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. He rented it to some tenant farmers, and then left to go to a different country. At harvest time, he sent his servants to the farmers to collect the fruit that belonged to him. But the farmers attacked his servants They beat one, killed another, and stoned another. So he sent more servants, but the farmers did the same things to them. So then he sent his son. ‘They will respect my son,’ he told himself. But the farmers, when they saw the son, said to each other, ‘Here’s the heir! Come on! Let’s kill him so we can take his inheritance!’ They grabbed him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When the vineyard owner returns, what will he do to those farmers?”
Kill them and give the farm to others, the Pharisees replied.
“So haven’t you read the Scriptures?” “‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is wonderful in our eyes.’ That’s why I’m telling you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to a people who produce the right kind of fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken, but it will completely crush anyone it falls upon.”
(Continued next week)
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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.
Download the free PDF here.....
Available on Amazon at $1 at Author name - David Tait
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
... His love is infinitely greater than my hurts, and His grace, than my sins.
... I can't hide anything from Him, even though I try.
... while we currently live in the Age of Grace, one day it will come to an end.
... His grace can only be activated through our repentance.
... our part is to present the Truth. Other's responsibility is to accept or reject it.
... unity comes from the Spirit, not the soul.
... happiness and joyfulness are not the same.
... without Him, we will never fulfil our potential.
... the more I get into Him, the more He gets into me.
... the more time I spend with Him, the more time He has to make changes in me.
Many more at.....
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
Visit the Toon Fever website for more cartoon fun..... http://www.toonfever.com
Check it out at...
'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 -ELISHA TO ELISHAH
We will look at the individual ministries of these two great prophets and begin to see how they apply to us today.
We have an amazing God!
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***
462. Devil's Beatitudes
Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church ~ they are my best workers.
Blessed are those who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked ~ I can use them in my business.
Blessed are those who are touchy. Soon they will stop going to church ~ verily, they shall be my missionaries.
Blessed are those who sow gossip and trouble ~ they are my beloved children.
Blessed are those who have no time to pray ~ for they MY prey.
Blessed are those who gossip ~ for they are my secret agents.
Blessed are you when you read this and think it has everything to do with other people, and nothing to do with you. ~ I've got room for YOU at my inn.
463. 7 Reasons Why The Average Christian Can't Play Baseball
### Doesn't practice all week, but expects to start on game day.
### Gets upset when every ball that's hit doesn't come directly to him.
### Never swings at a pitch because, "This pitcher doesn't throw like the last pitcher. The game's just not the same since he left."
### Wants to run home before going to first base.
### Chatters in order to keep his own teammates from hitting the ball.
### Doesn't come to the game unless the coach personally calls him on the phone, each week, and invites him to show up.
### Worries the game will last so long, that the concession stand will be closed before it's over.
464. Dial - a ?
They have Dial-a-Prayer for atheists now. You can call up and it rings and rings but nobody answers.
465. Misplaced Advertising
A little church in the suburbs had suddenly stopped buying from its regular office supply dealer. So, the dealer telephoned Deacon Brown to ask why.
"I'll tell you why," shouted Deacon Brown. "Our church ordered some pencils from you to be used in the pews for visitors to register."
"Well, interrupted the dealer, "didn't you receive them yet?"
"Oh, we received them all right," replied Deacon Brown. "However, you sent us some golf pencils...each stamped with the words, 'Play Golf Next Sunday.' "
QWIK QWIP: “Life is better when you open meals with a prayer instead of a can opener.”
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
Over the, too long time, we have spent in New Zealand, waiting for a visa to get back into Kenya, we have stayed with a number of kindly people. We are very grateful to them all for having us to stay,
While you know people as friends or acquaintances, you really have to live with them on a day to day basis, to get to know how they really are as people.
It is the same for us with God. He knows us intimately. There is nothing we can hide from Him. He knows what we are like both inside and out.
We can get dressed up and be nice to each other at church on Sundays, but God can see right through our facade!
Let us never forget this truth. May we ask Him continually to change the things in our lives that are not like the example Jesus set us.
Worth trying? For we can't fool God!
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!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz