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: 2 Published: 28 Oct 2001
FEAR OR FAITH?
In New Zealand, a long 17 hours flying time from New York and Washington, our postal system has been semi-paralysed for most of the past week, as a result of up to seven hoax anthrax scares. While the mentality of the ‘hoaxers’ is a matter of question, much greater concerns have been the ‘flow on’ effects upon ordinary life, (I am still waiting for that promised cheque in the mail!) and more importantly, the logically irrational fears surfacing amongst many people.Why? I asked the Lord. Why should the very limited threat posed by anthrax, when compared to driving a car or crossing a road, bring about this unnaturally fearful reaction in otherwise rational people? He gave me two definitions , or ‘doodlings’ that helped me understand.
“FEAR is the inability to affect the unknown.”
When we drive a car or cross the road we feel, with misplaced confidence, that we have the ability to control the potential dangers we face. This of course, is definitely not the case with germ warfare. So fear grows.
As Christian leaders however, we have the opportunity to witness, through our lives, to our 'fearful friends', because our reaction is to be different to theirs. This is where our faith comes in. For…
“FAITH is the ability to prevent the unknown affecting you.”
Rationally, we are no more or less immune to the physical affects of germ warfare than anyone else, but we do have a future hope that others lack. One that should reflect in the way we face these potential biological threats.
Two more ‘doodlings’ may be of help.
“ULTIMATE FEAR is the uncertainty of future hope when death threatens.”
“ULTIMATE FAITH is the certain hope of life after death.”
This ‘ultimate faith’ is the assurance that has overcome fear for every Christian Martyr since the time of Jesus, and is still our true inheritance today. Let’s live it, shall we?
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FROM THE WORD
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.(1 Corinthians 2:12)Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time… (Titus 1:1-2)
DAVID’S DOODLINGS
“Present faith is built upon our past experiences of its results.”“Faith is like a baby – it needs to learn to crawl and to walk before it can run.”
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IF ONLY I’D THOUGHT OF IT!
From the ‘I’VE LEARNED’ series by Andy Rooney (If anyone knows this man, I would love to contact him. David)I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I've learned.... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
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FREE AUDIO 'TAPE OF THE WEEK'
In association with Inspirational Tapes Ministries (http://www.inspirational.org.nz) we are pleased to offer you this inspirational tape - absolutely free of charge!"FIVE KEYS TO ABIDING FAITH"
Jack Hayford
Jack is a leading author, teacher, hymn and song writer, (including ‘Majesty’) founder of Church On The Way in Van Nuys, California, and now a ‘Pastor to Pastors.’ A man whose faith has been proven to be real, and from whom we can all learn. Married to Anna, they have 4 children and 11 grandchildren.
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LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO CAN LAUGH AT THEMSELVES, FOR THEY WILL NEVER CEASE TO BE AMUSED***The Best Intentions of Ministers and Men…
The noted Evangelist arrived in the city to conduct a series of crusades. At his Press Conference the day before the first meeting, he asked the reporters not to report the examples he quoted to them, as he wished to use them in his meetings.
The next day’s paper came out with a fine story on the meetings to start that very day and concluded, “The Evangelist also told a number of stories that cannot be repeated!” (One way of ensuring a good attendance! David)
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEK"S QUESTION: “What is the hardest substance in the human body?Answer: Tooth enamel.
Teeth are composed of 4 areas/substances. The crown of the tooth is enamel, the root of the tooth is cementum, the root canal and the pulp chamber of the tooth contain the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth (the pulp) and the area beneath the crows is made of dentin.
The pulp is living soft tissue. Cementum and Dentin are both about the same hardness as bone. Tooth enamel is the hardest part of the tooth and the hardest substance in the body.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: “Which ‘King' in a pack of cards doesn’t have a moustache?
Answer next week.
THIS WEEK'S CHALLEENGE: Check it out – Longhand!
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = ?
Answer at the end of ‘A David Musing’
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IF YOU HAVE TIME TAKE A LOOK AT “YOU’RE STILL THERE”
Even when the going gets tough! A poem about my struggle of faith in a time of difficulty.WEB EVANGELISM BULLETIN
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for church pages, methods of promoting Christian websites, and much more. It certainly has helped me. To subscribe, send a blank email to:
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JUST JOKES
Mixed BlessingsA father gave his daughter an untrained puppy for her birthday.
An hour later, he found her in the kitchen, looking at a puddle in the centre of the floor. “Look Dad,” she said, “My pup runneth over!”
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A DAVID MUSING
To keep a few of the surplus inches away from the dreaded middle age spread, which all too commonly seems to afflict us, I do a little running. Only partially successful though! Until recently, our house has been in the country, on a busy main highway along which the traffic zooms by at 100kph. Most of my friends cannot understand how I found pleasure in running along the side of the road when the traffic roars past, so very close to me. Actually I was just used to it! I had a level of trust (and watchfulness) from experience, that the passing vehicles wouldn’t run me down.Lots like my walk in God really. To move to a new level of faith, of trust in my God, seems a scary option before I take it. Once I do though, He looks after me until my new level becomes normal. Then I wonder why I was worried in the first place! You too?
Returning home, I had to cross the busy road. This necessitated waiting for a gap in the traffic from both directions. I must admit that I prayed for a gap to open up. On days when the road was really busy and the gap opened - which it invariably did - I saw the space as an answer to prayer, for it was an unusual circumstance. On less busy days however, I either didn’t need to pray, or if I did, concluded that the gap would have opened up anyway, as there was little traffic around.
One day God showed me that this too, was like my walk in Him. When I attempt the difficult at His leading, He makes the way on my behalf. But when I don’t really need His help, because I can do the job comfortably in my own strength, my faith level doesn’t need to grow. In reality it deteriorates, through my old human trait of self-reliance, of resting within my comfort zone. Yes, as He proves His faithfulness to me, I learn to rest in Him and am encouraged to ‘give it a go’ when He stretches me.
Maybe your circumstances too, are difficult at the moment, but the reality is that this serves to give our God more scope to again confirm His belief in us. When the traffic of life is bearing down upon us from all directions, He surely opens the way to cross the road of our difficulty, if we trust Him and ask Him to. He’s really proving that to me at the moment!
His servant and yours
David Tait
Answer to Today's Challenge: 12,345,678,987,654,321 (What goes up, must come down!)
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LINKS
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ABOUT US
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. We are 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 www.wwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.Walking With Jesus Ministries
P O Box 5160
Mount Maunganui
New Zealand
Phone: (07) 575-7164 International (0064) 7575-7164
Fax: (07) 575-7124 International (0064) 7575-7124
Email: enquiries@wwj.org.nz
Web: www.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