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: 231 Published: 27 Mar 2006
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Thanks
David
GOD'S CALLING HIS CHURCH 4: FROM KINGSHIP TO SERVANTHOOD
In Christian circles there is much talk about kingship, taking the land, ruling and reigning, and much more victorious analogy."We will take the land for Jesus!" Unfortunately, it rarely seems to happen - does it? The emphasis on victorious kingship, in a worldly sense, which most of us interpret it in, neither rings true, nor is a reality in the church today.
We teach excellence, we teach vision, we teach success principles, and much more in a similar vein. We look for perfect pastors (an oxymoron) who are as handsome and worldly-wise as was King Saul. Successful men, and women too, to lead us powerfully into the promised land of milk and honey.
Just like Jesus was! Conquering the Romans! Leading the people to retake the Promised Land! Taking the kingdom by physical force...! I don't think so. In fact, He died a pauper, on a cross, a criminal's fate, battered and bruised, suffering an agonising death for you and for me. And we are called to become like Him! Oh dear - not a pleasant thought!
In one of the most amazing pieces of New Testament Scripture, Philippians 2, we learn that Jesus, God, came in humility, not seeking recognition, but as a servant. Obedient to the Father, he suffered and died on the cross. It was then, and only then, that Jesus was exalted to the highest place and proclaimed Lord of all!
You see, my friend, we have things all the wrong way round. We look for the glory without first paying the price necessary to attain it. We seek glory now, rather than building treasures in the heavenly kingdom, those that will last for eternity.
In God, down is up! It's no good seeking promotion in the kingdom without being prepared first to sacrifice our life spiritually, as Jesus did physically, on the cross. To serve others. To feel the pain of rejection by the world, often those helped, as Jesus did. Even rejection by fellow Christians, that which hurts most of all. Then, continuing to serve, no matter what the cost to pride, ego, comfort, to our very life.
But finally, when we do, we can look forward to hearing those wonderful words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’(Matthew 25:21)
PRINCIPLE 4: God is calling out to Himself a servant church, one prepared to sacrifice everything for Him, as did His Son, Jesus.
"But God, it would be nice to be appreciated - sometimes!" "You are by me all the time, my son." "Thank you God!"
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FROM THE WORD
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:1-11)"Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:22-34)
"Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.†Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church." (1 Corinthians 4:6-17)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
RELIGION, REVELATION AND GOD'S KINGDOM: 31042. Religion resists change while revelation requires it!
1043. Revelation formalised soon becomes religion institutionalised.
1044. God's kingdom breeds revelation, religion, rules.
1045. Religion is man's adaptation of God's revelation.
1046. When religion fails you, turn to God.
1047. So often the church attempts to compete with God's kingdom rather than promoting it.
1048. God's vision is our mission.
1049. Religion is the eager repository of yesterday's revelation.
1050. Revelation is eternal truth meeting today's circumstances.
1051. Revelation is from God's heart, religion, a product of the heart of man.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now over 1200 David sayings for you to view at ...
FROM YOU - TO ME - TO YOU
-------------------------------------------------------------Your comments to me or fellow readers are always welcomed at... david@wwj.org.nz
This is an opportunity for you to express your views, which may not be my views. But none of us have a mortgage on all the truth - except for Jesus!
CRANWELL'S CARTOON
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.†30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.†31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.†32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.†(Numbers 13:26:33)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
A REVELATION OF....... THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES - PART 2 (2)We are going to have a brief look at the establishment, growth, decline of the initial church, the Dark Ages, its restoration beginning with the Reformation until today, with a glimpse of what is to come.
This study will help you to understand your place in the God's church and hopefully, stimulate you towards to the place He desires you to be in Him. It's not about a particular church or denomination, but an offer to inherit His kingdom now.
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, Up the Mountain and Giving to God 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." ***
479. WHY DADDY?
A preacher's young daughter noticed that her father always bowed his head and closed his eyes for a few seconds before he went to the pulpit to preach. When she asks him why he did that, he explained, "I'm asking God to help me preach a good sermon."
His daughter thought about it for a minute and said, "Well daddy, Why doesn't he do it?"
478. THE THANK YOU NOTE
There was a Catholic priest, Jewish rabbi and Baptist minister. One day the priest went to get a hair cut. After the barber cut his hair the priest wanted to pay him. The barber said, "Oh no, I will not accept any money from a man of God." So the next day when the barber went to open his shop he saw a loaf of bread with a thank you note.
Well the rabbi came for a hair cut. Again the barber said, "Oh no, I will not accept any money from a man of God." So the next day the barber went to open his shop and found a bottle of wine and a thank you note.
Well, the Baptist minister came for his hair cut. Again the barber said, "Oh no, I will not accept any money from a man of God."
Well, the next day when the barber went to open his shop, he found 10 other Baptist ministers with a thank you note.
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: How do black and white stripes camouflage zebras?ANSWER: It doesn't seem to make sense. For there isn't any black and white shrubbery in Africa for zebras to hide in! So how does being striped help them to avoid being someone else's dinner? The answer is in what scientists call ‘disruptive coloration’. The alternating stripes break up and obscure the outline of the zebra, making it difficult for predators to focus on the animal, particularly when many zebras are running together at once. Instead of a solid shape, the predator sees a jumble of apparently unrelated forms. Some experts think the stripes may serve another purpose - avoiding the tsetse fly. These biting flies prefer to snack on large, dark, moving animals. The zebra's stripes may well make it difficult for the biting bugs to find a single dark region to alight on. (What about the ‘Stars and Stripes’?)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What is an egg tooth?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS530. INTERNAL CONSUMPTION
Some ribbon worms will eat themselves if they can’t find any other food! (I wonder what I would taste like?)
531. UNSEEN
In the United States over 10,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows! (Glass Cleaner has a lot to answer for!)
532. IT'S THE SAME PLACE
Until 1796, there was a state in the United States called Franklin. Now it's known as Tennessee! (I see!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
DETRAINS
Answer at the end of A David Musing
FREE DOWNLOAD: You can download the full version of our Trivia Book at TRULY TRIFFLING TRIVIA
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BIBLE QUESTION - THE GOSPELS
What do Christians believe about the Bible?a. It tells the history of God's salvation of His people.
b. It tells the history of the angels.
c. It tells the origins of God.
d. It tells why God created the universe.
Answer at the end of A DAVID MUSING.
Source: "TwoPaths Bible Study, www.twopaths.com"
Heaps more fun and serious 'God Facts' are found at...
IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! A pessimist mourns the future.
!!!!!! A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
!!!!! Economy means spending your money without getting any fun from it.
!!!! Definitions would be a good thing if only we did not need words in making them.
!!! Life is seldom as unendurable as it logically ought to be.
!! Diplomats strive to avert situations that would never occur if there were no diplomats.
! In democracies people profess to believe that other people are as good as they say they are.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
BIBLE RIDDLE
Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?>
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A. The area around the Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.
Find out more Bible Facts at...
SOME OF LIFE'S MOST PUZZLING QUESTIONS
Can You Provide the Answers?1. Why is the time of day when the traffic is slowest called the ‘rush hour’?
2. Why isn’t ‘phonetics’ spelt the way it sounds?
3. Why are homes called apartments when they are all stuck together?
4. Why do we drive in parks and park in drives?
5. Why don’t sheep shrink in the rain?
6. If nothing sticks to teflon, how do they make it stick to the pan?
7. Why is it for each and every action, there is an equal and greater criticism?
8. If fire fighters fight fires and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?
9. If a service station never closes, why do they still have locks on the door?
10. Do vegetarians eat animal biscuits?
11. How come an iron has a setting for ‘permanent press’?
12. If Barbie (the doll of course) is so popular, why do you need to buy her friends?
13. What’s another word for ‘Thesaurus’?
14. If you had everything in the world, where would you put it?
15. After they make styrofoam, what do they ship it in?
16. When you see a microwave, do you wave back?
17. Why is experience something you don’t get until just after you need it?
18. Why is the severity of an itch inversely proportional to your ability to reach it?
19. Why is change inevitable, except from vending machines?
20. Why do bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of cheques?
There are over 200 more of these challenging questions at...
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN BIBLICAL LANDS
A DRINK OF WATEROne of the first beverages a guest is offered is a drink of water, signifying him as a person worthy of peaceful reception and to pledge friendship. Jesus illustrated this custom in Mark 9:41.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
Lots more 'God Facts' are found at...
FAITH REVOLUTIONARIES STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD: Part 3
March 6, 2006(Ventura, CA) – The controversy fueled by George Barna’s current best-seller, Revolution, has raised many questions about the nature of the people the California-based researcher labels “revolutionaries.†Defined as born again people who have made their faith in God the highest priority in their life, who believe that their faith has greatly transformed their life, and who often express and experience their faith through alternative forms the Church, Barna this week released additional data about the beliefs, practices and lifestyle of revolutionaries in comparison to those who fit a more tame spiritual profile.
Revolutionaries possess some attributes that fail to distinguish them from other born again Christians. For instance, they are just as likely to embrace new technology, view movies just as often, a similar proportion of them are overweight, and equivalent percentages of the two groups consider themselves to live a simple life, to feel at peace, and to be in control of their life. Even in the spiritual realm, they have identical profiles when it comes to the frequency of fasting and how often they talk to non-believers about faith matters.
However, Barna also outlined four areas in which revolutionaries are substantially different than other born again adults, and vastly different from adults who are not born again.
Regarding Faith Focus
Whereas revolutionaries are partially identified by placing their faith in God as the single, highest priority in their life, such a commitment is common to less than one out of every ten born again adults who is not a revolutionary (8%).
Perceiving oneself to be fully committed to God helps explain why 91% of revolutionaries view themselves as a “full-time servant of God†compared to only 72% among non-revolutionary born again adults.
The research also discovered that revolutionaries more frequently make use of Christian media on a daily basis as they strive to stay focused on God and their faith. Overall, a majority (54%) listens to Christian radio everyday; 42% of revolutionaries listen to teaching tapes or CDs on a daily basis; and one-fifth (20%) watch Christian television programming each day. In comparison, less than half as many non-revolutionary born again people tune in to Christian radio daily (25%), far fewer listen to teaching tapes or CDs each day (25%), and just 9% are exposed to Christian TV every day.
Revolutionaries were also more than twice as likely as non-revolutionary born again individuals to visit faith-related websites in a given day, and more than twice as likely to read a Christian magazine on a daily basis. (To be continued)
The Barna Group, Ltd. (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) is a privately held, for-profit corporation that conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, weekly update on the latest research findings from The Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website www.barna.org
© The Barna Group, Ltd, 2006.
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
A REVELATION OF... THE BOOK OF RUTHIn one of the oldest books of the Bible, God reveals His plan for the Church in these end times. Unbelievable! No! For God's plan has been there from the beginning of time. He is now revealing more of it to us. Wondered about the Church and Israel? Read on...
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GRUTS
A little fun about a real ‘mans’ problem!‘GRUTS’
A man’s underwear is a most sensitive subject,
Not normally approached in a manner so direct!
But is a most important part of a man’s life you see,
A topic worth exploring, just between you and me.
For a mans ‘gruts’ have new psychological implications,
Likely to be the cause of an outbreak of bad relations,
In an otherwise, very happy marriage you see,
As a man’s underwear, reflects his personality.
Now this hasn’t always been the case,
For in earlier days of the human race,
There was only one kind available to the Kiwi male,
White ‘Jockeys’ with ‘Y’ fronts, in which to set sail.
I readily admit now, to a phobia of my young life,
For their lack of support, would see me in strife.
To a grown man, a real problem they must have been,
To me as a growing lad, in my thinking, it did seem.
But the ‘Jockeys’ did have one advantage,
To Grandmothers, who never seemed to age,
The right size was all they ever needed to know,
When Christmas shopping, they decided to go!
Read on here to see how it all worked out...
A DAVID MUSING
Greetings from Christchurch, here in the South Island of New Zealand. It is the city from which the US, New Zealand and other bases in Antartica, are serviced - and the temperature here today feels Antarctic-like too!Our good friends, Beyl and Roger, live near the beach and ,in spite of the temperature, it was wonderful to be able to go for a long beach walk today. (Sunday) For the sea is where I best see the magnificence of God, His creation, and His mighty power.
I am sure going to enjoy many beach walks over the next fortnight. (2 weeks to you Americans!) Will try and get a photo or two.
So,until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: STRAINED
TODAY'S 'DO YOU KNOW?' ANSWER: a. It tells the history of God's salvation of His people. The Old and New Testaments are unified by the continuing story of God's acts of salvation for His people. From God's call of Abraham 4000 years ago, the Old Testament prophets, Jesus' life, death and resurrection, the kingdom of God, and finally to Jesus' promise to return and put an end to all suffering and death, the Bible tells of God's plan of salvation for mankind.
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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 websitewwj.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!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz