WHOSE FAULT IS IT ANYWAY?

QUESTION: Who has the world's broadest shoulders?

ANSWER 1: Atlas, condemned by Zeus to carry the world upon his shoulders? (Pictured)
ANSWER 2: Charles Atlas, supposedly the world's most perfectly developed man?
ANSWER 3: George Bush, who does seem to be carrying the world's weight on his shoulders at the present time?

While all 3 are contenders, each misses out by a large margin to the true claimant!

ANSWER: GOD!

Yes, we like to blame God for everything that is wrong with the world - and our lives!

In fact, major physical events are described, and often written in law, as 'acts of God'. Every earthquake, flood and famine is God's fault - or so it seems. Whether these are caused by forces beyond our control such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, or by mankind's stupidity and arrogance in stretching the boundaries of nature too far, so reaping the consequences of our foolishness, God takes the blame. The question though, of whether any, or all, of the world's natural disasters is God's judgement upon us is a vexed one, not to be entered into here.

As I write this on a Sunday afternoon here in New Zealand, my wife Kathy and I have just returned from taking my mother to a 'Survivors Afternoon Tea', remembering the 75th Anniversary of the Napier Earthquake, at 10:46:46 on 3 February 1931. It is still New Zealand's largest natural disaster, in which 258 people lost there lives in a 7.9 rated earthquake. The shake and subsequent fire wiped out much of Napier and the sister city of Hastings where we now live, surrounding areas, and even toppled chimneys hundreds of kilometres away.

Yet 7,000 acres of land was lifted 2 metres out of the sea, so allowing Napier to expand and grow into a thriving city. Looking back over the 75 years, the earthquake made the city, albeit at a tragic cost of life. This included my Aunty, my mother's younger sister, on her first school day of the year. But, out of disaster, came new life, the regeneration of the city.

What riles me though, (righteously, of course!) is people who blame God for the things that goes wrong in their lives. Now, I know that is not you or me! Or is it?

It is so easy to blame God, when really, we should be looking to our own motivations and actions as the cause of our troubles. God does not cause the problems of our lives. It is true though, He does use the situations we get ourselves into to train us in His ways. If we care to learn! We mustn't confuse the two.

Blaming God for our troubles is, to use an old phrase, 'a copout'! It is true also that our reactions can be affected by other's actions. But ultimately, we must take personal responsibility for the things we do.

This afternoon, I talked to people who lived through horrendous tragedy and experiences during the earthquake here. They received no crisis counselling, no professional support. They just got on with job of rebuilding the city. Only one businessman had Earthquake Insurance, for it was during the Great Depression. Yet, two and a half years later the city was rebuilt and a Thanksgiving Service to God held. Imagine that today! We would still be waiting for resource consents!

Today I simply want to encourage us to be honest with ourselves, to take responsibility for our mistakes, to deal with them, and get on with life in a new, Jesus way, looking to our future hope in Him. Life was not meant to be easy. Yes, life is life, is life. It comes both good and bad. The answer then, is not to be found in blame, but in our reaction to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. It is in our response, both we, and others, can measure the extent of the Jesus in us.

But God, it's your fault I kicked the cat when I was angry with the wife! Uuummmm - maybe not! Sorry God, sorry wife, VERY sorry cat!

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FROM THE WORD

"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. “Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:1-12)

"“Yet your countrymen say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so. Yet, O house of Israel, you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his own ways.”" (Ezekiel 33:17-20)

A CALL TO PERSEVERE

"But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude 17-23)

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DAVID'S DOODLINGS

THE AGE OF GRACE

35. The biggest impediment for many in delaying a decision for Christ is the mistaken belief that the present ‘Age of Grace’ will never end.

36. God’s nature is finely balanced between love and judgement. As His love has predominated for the past 2000 years, how fearsome then must be the single Day of Judgement that is to come.

37. We know in life, that all good things come to an end. How is it then, that we continue to believe that the current age of God’s grace and mercy will go on forever?

38. Why is it that I continue to walk round and round the mountain when I know when the path to the top goes up?

178. God's gracious gift of grace is the reason to walk in truth, not an excuse to continue in sin.

317. God's graciously given grace gift gallantly galvanises garrulous, grateful gentiles!

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CRANWELL'S CARTOON

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! (Joshua 6:15-16)













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TUESDAY TEACHINGS

GIVING TO GOD -
TITHES AND GIFTS

The question of tithes and gifts is most challenging, both in the church and our individual lives. It's truly where 'the rubber meets the road'!

There are as many views as there are people. So this week you will simply get one man's view.

May you seek the Lord to discover His heart for you as you give your heart to Him!

Previous teachings on this subject, the First Miracle of Jesus, the Book of Ruth, God's Character and Servanthood and Leadership, the Parable of the Sower, The Two Marathoners, The 3 Rivers of God The Spring Feasts, The Power of 3 in God & the Church, A Layman's History of the Times of the Feasts, The Autumn Feats, Revelation 12:11, The Way of Holiness, the 3 Miraculous Conceptions and Up the Mountain can be viewed at...

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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." ***

462. PASTOR/THIEF?
A local newspaper article announcing the arrival of a new pastor and apparently "part time thief" read: "A lifelong commitment to ministry has brought Brother Carter to us. Carter will take the pulpit next Sunday."

461.0000
461. WHAT KIND OF CLASS?
Back in the middle 1980's our pastor wanted to recognize a ladies class for a recent accomplishment. He quickly found out he was between a rock and a hard spot. You can't mention that this is the ladies class aged 55 and above. The next thought he had was that this was the ladies class with the highest number enrolled of any class in the church.

Much to his embarrassment the statement came out "the large ladies class". The congregation erupted in laughter as our red faced pastor sat down.

460. WHAT KIND OF OFFERING?
Someone had a great idea. We'd sell stock in our mission trip to help cover the cost. However, the promotional announcement in the bulletin that was suppose to promote our Initial Public Offering said something different. On the front page of our Church weekly
newsletter was this heading to our message from our pastor: Initial PUBIC Offering. It erased any doubt about the newsletter readership.

FREE DOWNLOAD: You can now download the book 'Laughing At Ourselves' in PDF format at LAUGHING AT OURSELVES

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FACTS FOR FUN

LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What is a group of flamingos called?

ANSWER: A pat. (Got that down pat!)

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: How many sweat glands do we have in our body?

Answer Next Week.

SOME FUN FACTS

548. HAIRY LEFTIES
All Polar bears are both left-handed and are the only mammals with hair on the soles of their feet. (Does one cause the other? Let me look at my feet! Phew! No!)

549. HARD ROCK WORK
A scientific study has shown that Hard Rock music makes termites chew through wood at twice their normal speed. (To get away from it all?)

550. SACRIFICIAL LOVE
A female ferret will die if it goes on heat and can’t find a mate. (Reproduction is literally a life and death matter here.)

A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU

Make another word from this word using all the letters.

ALUMNA

Answer at the end of A David Musing

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BIBLE QUESTION - THE GOSPELS

5) Which two books tell the story of Jesus' birth?

Matthew and Mark
Matthew and Luke
Mark and Luke
Luke and John

Answer at the end of A DAVID MUSING.

Source: "TwoPaths Bible Study, www.twopaths.com"

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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!

"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""

!!!!!!! Having a spirit of non-forgiveness is like drinking poison - and waiting for the other person to die!

!!!!!! In answer to the question of why it happened, I offer the modest proposal that our Universe is simply one of those things which happen from time to time." - Edward P. Tryon

!!!!! If I keep saving at the present rate, by the time I die I will owe $21, 473,249.13 - Lawrence Brotherton

!!!! I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown. - Woody Allen

!!! In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move. - Douglas Adams

!! I've Learned. . .
that 5,000,000 people have read "I've Learned" and passed it on to 15,000,000 who read it and passed it on to 45,000,000, and everyone of them is sending it to me.-Lawrence Brotherton

! First National Bank of Dad. Sorry, Closed.

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BIBLE RIDDLE

Q. The ark was built in 3 stories, and the top story had a window to let light in, but how did they get light to the bottom 2 stories?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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A. They used floodlights.

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'TILL DEATH DO US PART!

STATIC
"Watch out," the wife cautioned her husband, who was driving. "Don't you see that car is braking?" Then she snapped, "Don't pass that truck - his tire is wobbling."

The husband turned on his CB and informed the trucker about his loose wheel. The wife, in a nasty mood because of a headache, was irritated by the incessant squealing of the CB. "Why do you always get so much static?" she asked.

"Because," her long-suffering husband replied, "I'm married."

THE PERFECT SHOT
A guy stood over his tee shot for what seemed an eternity; looking up, looking down, measuring the distance, figuring the wind direction and speed. Driving his partner nuts. Finally his exasperated partner says, "What's taking so long? Hit the blasted ball!"

The guy answers, "My wife is up there watching me from the clubhouse. I want to make this a perfect shot."

"Forget it, man! You don't stand a chance of hitting her from here!"

MAKING MATTERS WORSE
"So, what's the matter? I thought you just got back from a nice relaxing fishing trip with your husband."

"Oh, everything went wrong: First he said I talked so loud I would scare the fish. Then he said I was using the wrong bait; and then that I was reeling in too soon.

"All that might have been all right; but then, to make matters worse, I ended up catching the most fish!"

IN WITH DAD
When the Jones family moved into their new house, a visiting relative asked five-year-old Sammy how he liked the new place.

"It's terrific," he said. "I have my own room, Mike has his own room, and Jamie has her own room. But poor mum is still in with dad."

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MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN BIBLICAL LANDS

SHARING HOSPITALITY

Hospitality was an integral part of Eastern life. Israelite men believed guests were God sent. Providing hospitality was a sacred duty. Abraham's enthusiastic entertaining of the 3 visitors who turned out to be angels (Genesis 18:2-7)is an example.

We think of guests as friends or acquaintances. In the East visitors are regarded as friends, strangers or enemies.

Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys

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UK: IRANIAN CHURCH GROWS TENFOLD

Converts from Islam are swelling the growing number of Iranian Christians in the UK, Idea reports. While Iran's new president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sought to position Iran as the centre for Islamic resistance to westernisation in the Middle East, the number of Iranians joining UK Christian groups has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Iranian Christian Fellowship in Chiswick is the "hub" of this growth and baptised 34 people last summer. Other fellowships are operating in a string of other UK cities. One 43-year-old man said "In my Muslim religion, I was living by religion. But now I'm living with hope and love."

[IDEA, Jan-Feb'06]

Many more God Facts at...

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EYEOPENERS - A MINISTRY OF SIGHT!

I would urge you to visit the website of my friend, Dr Kumar, an Eye Surgeon dedicated to improving the eyesight, general and spiritual health of the poor people in the villages surrounding Payakaraopeta in India.

I have personally attened one of his clinics and can attest to the amazing work this highly qualified but humble man does to help his people.

Truly a ministry worthy of your support.

Visit Dr Kumar and see his work at...

http://www.eyeopenersministry.info

DAVID'S DOWNLOAD

VICTORY
A poetic version of my spiritual journey.

One I’ve started but am yet to complete! A challenge and goal for me and maybe you too! -10 pages from 'Eagles Fly High!'

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A DAVID MUSING

Having spent time this past weekend with my mother at the 75th Jubilee of the Napier (or Hawkes Bay) Earthquake, one grasps a sense of history and the sacrifices others have made so that we can live in the way we have become accustomed to today.

We live in an easy time compared to that of our forefathers, who really had to struggle, overcome huge obstacles and make sacrifices so that following generations would have an easier life than them. Which we have! And for the most part, do not appreciate.

Let us just take a moment to thank our forebears, in person if possible, in our heart if not, for the sacrifices they have made for us. For we owe them a tremendous debt. May we never forget.

So until next week...

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.

His servant and yours

David Tait

Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: MANUAL

TODAY'S 'DO YOU KNOW?' ANSWER: : Matthew and Luke: Mark and John do not tell any events of Jesus' life before the start of His public ministry.

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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
290 Flaxmere Avenue
Flaxmere
Hastings
New Zealand

Phone: (06) 8799 911 International (+64) 6 8799 911
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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