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: 253 Published: 28 Aug 2006
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP - YET MORE FAITH!
Several months ago the Lord asked me to trust Him by giving away the remaining small 'nest egg' we had put aside for a 'time of trouble', or 'a trip to Africa', and instead, to fully rely upon Him for my supply.In our materialistic Western Society it is very difficult to give away personal financial security in order to follow God's will. Friends smile indulgently. Others think I/we are stark raving mad! I have been a millionaire twice - and bankrupt twice. Those who know me well, being aware of my natural business nature and resilience, cannot really understand why I haven't done it all again - the millionaire part, that is!
But through my life since my personal experience of Jesus, I have learned that there is both a good way and a best way. It is good to be a believer but it is best to be a disciple. Discipleship though, comes at a cost. The cost of putting aside my own abilities and desires in order to be truly obedient to His best will for my life. For me (but not necessarily you) God has requested that I lay down my natural ability to make money in order to do the work He has allocated me. Which, put simply, is to help build His end time church. After struggling alone for many years, wondering if I had it right or wrong, the Lord finally put me in touch with others to whom a similar vision had been given. How wonderful that day was!
Kathy and I have lived, day by day, on Kathy's wages as a Theatre Nurse at our local hospital. Thank you so much sweetheart for your ongoing sacrifice. Obviously we have had to tailor our lifestyle to our reduced income but that generally hasn't been too much of a problem, as I certainly don't seem to be getting any thinner!
Yes, discipleship has a cost, whether it is financial as in our case, or in one or more of many other areas.
I am sure you will understand from your own experience that actions have consequences. Too, that God is always requiring 'a little more' from us as He slowly moulds us more closely into the character of Jesus. And so, He desires us always to walk in greater faith.
For me, this trip to Africa next month is a huge step. In the past the Lord has provided for my travel. But I have always known that I have had a back up, a reserve, available to use should things not quite work out according to plan. But this time, it isn't the case. If I don't have the airfare, I don't go! And I still need half my fare - which has to be paid by Friday! What a step up in faith it is for the 'self-reliant' David, to finally have to be fully reliant upon the Lord's provision! I admit it - it's a struggle! But even I can see, it's an essential step in further developing my 'walk with Jesus'. In my humanity and pride, I just know that if I have insufficient funds and can't go, there will be those nodding sagely, "He's too idealistic. Knew it would never happen."
Surely mine isn't the only mind that has doubts and struggles with pride, is it? Actually, when you think about it, if we had no doubts, we would have no need of faith! And of the need to develop yet more faith as we step further into the unknown beyond our prior experience and life mindsets.
Instead of doing the sensible thing and waiting for next week to tell you about the Lord's wonderful provision for my trip (or ignoring it all if the money doesn't come through!) I am sharing my faith and fears with you today to encourage you too, to walk in the steps of faith to which the Lord is calling you. For unless we are prepared to step out in greater faith, as and when the Lord calls us, we will simply stagnate spiritually. The choice to 'grow or slow' is ours.
"But Lord, if the money doesn't come through, I will look such a fool to all these people!!!" "Trust me, my son." "Okay Lord, I will."
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FROM THE WORD
THE COST OF BEING A DISCIPLE"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.â€" (Luke 14:25-35)
THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS
"As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.†Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.†He said to another man, “Follow me.†But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.†Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.†Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.†Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.â€" (Luke 9:57-62)
THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION
"When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.†So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.†When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.†Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. (Luke 7:1-10)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
BELIEVERS v DISCIPLES236. A believer praises the Lord in good times, the disciple at all times.
237. The Holy Spirit resides in the believer but shines through the disciple.
238. A believer loves God with heart and mind while a disciple commits the will.
239. A believer loves God and others, but they are the disciple's life.
240. A believer lives in hope, but for the disciple, God's hope is certain.
241. A believer seeks forgiveness for sin but the disciple also determines not to walk that path again.
242. A believer has faith in God but the disciple's faith is tempered in the fire of testing.
243. A believer loves the Lord, but the disciple's love is unconditional.
244. The believer serves the Lord in strength, but the disciple is made perfect through weakness.
245. God is part of the believer's life, but the central focus of the disciple.
246. A believer forgives, but the disciple also forgets.
247. A believer communicates with God at their own convenience, but the disciple's heart is open to the Lord at all times.
430. A believer knows, but the disciple does.
1077. Believing is free, discipleship costs your life.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now over 1270 David sayings for you to view at ...
LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED VIDEO CAMERA OPERATOR TO COME TO AFRICA
Would you, or someone you know, be willing and able to come to (or already be in) Africa for 7 weeks in October and November (or for part of the time) to film the trip for a series of TV programmes, 'Journey Through Africa'?For the right person, with a ministry heart, one able to cope with heat and simple conditions, it would be the trip of a lifetime!
As at the present time, the trip would need to be self-funded.
This is an opportunity to experience African life and see and record the power of the Holy Spirit in action.
Any ideas? Please email me at this address:
david@wwj.org.nz
Many thanks, David
CRANWELL'S CARTOON
13 On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in. (Genesis 7:13-17)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
A REVELATION OF....... THE SEVEN REVELATIONS OF 'THE LAMB' Part 2LAMB OF OBEDIENCE
Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac
The Bible is the ongoing story of both obedience and disobedience to God, and the resulting consequences for the participants, both good and bad.
Abraham is a classic example of both! Fortunately, he is primarily remembered for his obedience in his willingness to sacrifice his most precious son Isaac, if that was his God's will.
Let's see what Abraham's actions are saying to us today.
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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." ***
526. WORKING____
Our parish priest was making a visit to my nephew's home. He knocked on the door, and the little 4-year-old boy went to the door and way the priest. He called to his dad, "Hey, Dad! That guy that works for God is here!"
525. TOP TEN THINGS PEOPLE WONT SAY
Top Ten Things People Won't Say When They See the Christian Bumper Sticker or the more Subtle Fish Symbol On Your Car:
10. "Look! Let's stop that car and ask those folks how we can become Christians."
9. "Don't worry, Billy, those people are Christians - they must have a good reason for driving 90 miles an hour."
8. "What a joy to be sharing the highway with another car of Spirit-filled brothers and sisters."
7. "Isn't it wonderful how God blessed that Christian couple with a brand-new BMW?"
6. "Dad, how come people who drive like that don't get thrown in jail?" "Dad, can we get a bumper sticker like that, too?"
5. "Stay clear of those folks, Martha. If they get raptured, that car's gonna be all over the road!"
4. "Oh, look! That Christian woman is getting a chance to share Jesus with a police officer."
3. "No, that's not garbage coming out of their windows, Bert - it's probably gospel tracts for the road workers."
2. "Oh, boy, we're in trouble now! We just rear-ended one of God's cars."
1. "Quick, Alice, honk the horn or they won't know that we love Jesus!"
FREE DOWNLOAD: You can now 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 768 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...
FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: Throughout the years, many Popes have been assassinated or have been the targets of assassinations. Who was the first Pope to be murdered? John Paul II, Leo X, John V, John VIII or Luke IV.ANSWER: John VIII (died 882) was the first Pope to be murdered. He was poisoned and then clubbed to death. (Double jeorpardy?)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: a. What exactly defines a planet? b. Which is the only planet to have an orbit that crosses that of another planet?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS466. LUCKY TO SPEAK ENGLISH
There are over 40,000 characters in Chinese script. (Memorising 1 per day, it would take 110 years to learn them all!)
467. MODERN TECHNOLOGY
'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer', written by Mark Twain, was the first novel ever to be written on a typewriter. (Handwriting started to deteriorate from that point – my excuse anyway!)
468. EVERLASTING - NEARLY!
Some Persian rugs last as long as 500 years before wearing out. (What happens when everyone has one?)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
CANCELER
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - THE EXODUS
More often than not, Jesus put his lessons in the form of parables - short stories that illustrate some moral or spiritual truth. In the Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:1-9, Jesus tells of a farmer planting his seed. We can visualize a farmer with a seed bag over his shoulder, grabbing handfuls of seed and casting it out over the land. Some of the seed fell on fertile ground, but other seed fell in places where it could not grow well.What did the seed that fell on rocky or stony areas represent?
a. Those people who hear the message of the kingdom of God, but do not understand it.
b. Those people who hear the message of the kingdom of God, understand it, and put it into action.
c. Those people who receive the message of the kingdom of God with joy, but do not have the courage to persevere through trouble, peer pressure or persecution.
d. Those people who hear the message of the kingdom of God, but who let the worries of life and the lure of wealth become more important in their lives.
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 Hatfull Of Spare Thots!"
!!!!!!! 8. Laughter is liquid sunshine.
!!!!!! 9. Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.
!!!!! 10. It's important for parents to live the same things they teach.
!!!! 11. If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.
!!! 12. Happy memories never wear out.. Relive them as often as you want.
!! 13. Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.
! 14. The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
LIFE'S A LAUGH!
DOBBED INWhen conductor Leonard Bernstein took the New York Philharmonic on tour, he found this
note under his hotel room door one night: "I think you should know that the fellow in your
band who plays the instrument that pulls in and out only bothered playing during the odd moments you were looking straight at him."
TOUCHE!
When I managed a chemical plant, I instituted a rule that there would be no playing games on our computers. So I wouldn't be a hypocrite, I had an information technologist get rid of the games on my laptop. Therefore I was surprised to find my grandson playing solitaire on it one weekend. I asked if he had loaded the game...
"No," he answered, "it was already there. It was just hidden - taken off the main menu."
On Monday I chided our information technologist for not getting rid of the game.
"But," he explained, "I thought I just had to keep it away from *you* - not from a nine-year-old!"
NEW VIRUS
Our local newspaper ran several stories about a study that tied male obesity to a virus.
One evening my brother came home exhausted from a long day at work.
"Did you read the paper?" he asked.
"I'm not going in to work tomorrow. I'm calling in fat."
Laugh at real life situations here...
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN BIBLICAL LANDS
FOOD: SACREDNESS OF BREADThe universal Eastern custom is to break bread, not cut it. To cut bread would be thought of as cutting life itself. Because Jesus broke bread when He instituted Communion, the expression "breaking of bread" has come to refer to this practice.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
Lots more 'God Facts' are found at...
***NEW*** 'PSALM OF THE WEEK' FREE AUDIO DOWNLOAD ***NEW***
PSALM 8Each week, be encouraged, comforted and inspired by listening to a track from our Psalms CD, 'The Mighty Lord Reigns'.
Melanie Yoeman is shown playing her flute in the old wooden church in which the flute backing was recorded.
My thanks to Keith Duncan, in Scotland, for making this possible.
You may download your audio recording here...
http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~kmduncan/wwj/mp3/track_02.mp3
TOP RELIGIOUS PERSECUTORS
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has released its 2006 report naming the world's most severe persecutors of religious followers. The U.S. State Department uses the panel's recommendations to establish "countries of particular concern" (CPCs) in the area of religious freedom. Retained from last year's list of CPCs are Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Vietnam. Additionally, the panel repeated recommendation that Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan be designated CPCs, despite Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's refusal to include those countries in a State Department report. A "watch list" of additional religious persecutors included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria. The panel continues to analyze reports from India, Russia and Sri Lanka as well. [BAPTIST PRESS, HCJB 06] (Via World Mission Global News)Many more God Facts can be found at...
DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
THE TWO MARATHONERSA thought provoking and entertaining allegory about our journey through life.
How will we run our race?
19 pages from The 'Walking with Jesus' Course.
Check it out and download your free PDF File now at...
WAXING LYRICAL
YOU’RE STILL THERE (Part 2 of 2)But you seem so far away right now,
For I need you Lord, show me how
To get back in contact, to talk with you,
You’ve always been, so faithful and true.
Yes, you’re still there!
"Be at peace David. Stop. Then you will hear,
Gentle words of comfort, to your inner ear.
For now that your life is all at sea,
It’s time to come, on bended knee.
So when on me, you do totally rely,
Together, we can reach for the sky."
Lord, you’re still there!
"I’m always here for you, my son,
Into my arms, you can surely run.
At times in life,
All get in strife.
But I have not been the cause of your pain,
Instead, using circumstances for our gain,
More about me to learn,
You to me, then to turn."
Yes Lord, you’re still there!
Into the fiery furnace I am bound to go,
If the best of my Lord, I’m to get to know.
This is the precious price to be paid,
If more like Him, I wish to be made.
While hating this place, being no masochist,
Of my great need for it, I am a realist!
Yet even while suffering the searing, white heat of the flame,
I will still stand strong in Him, calling upon His precious name.
Yes, my Lord, you’re still there!
More of David's poems at...
A DAVID MUSING
During the week we have had a 5 day break at our friends' home away from home at beautiful Kinloch, on the shores of Lake Taupo in the centre of New Zealand's North Island. Thank you Noel and Rezea for allowing Kathy and I to enjoy your place.Lake Taupo itself, is a crater lake formed by the largest recorded volcanic eruption in recorded history, being observed as far away as China where the volcanic ash darkened the sky. Fortunately, at that time, there was no human settlement in New Zealand. Had there been it would have been entirely wiped out.
Kathy and I have lived our lives in areas of our country where it doesn't snow. We have only been in the snow a couple of times in our lives. So we took the opportunity to visit one of New Zealand's major ski fields, not too far from Taupo, the day after a snowfall. As we drove up Mount Ruapehu to Turoa we passed through a magnificent picture postcard scene of snow covered trees. It was truly beautiful. Simply magnificent! And a highlight amongst the many places of great beauty we have been blessed to experience.
On the ski field itself we hired a sled (toboggan) and I in particular, had great fun racing down the course and crashing out into the snow on the fast corners! The 'boy' in me is alive and well!
After a fantastic break, reality now hits, as I have to continue preparing the best part of 100 ezines in advance before going to Africa at the end of next month. Ah well, life can't be one long holiday, can it? After all, what would we then do for a holiday!
So until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: CLARENCE
TODAY'S 'DO YOU KNOW?' ANSWER: c. Those people who receive the message of the kingdom of God with joy, but do not have the courage to persevere through trouble, peer pressure or persecution. Matthew 13:18-23. Jesus explained most of His parables in plain language to his disciples. We are fortunate that some of the explanations, like this explanation of the Parable of the Sower, have been preserved in the Gospels.
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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