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: 27 Published: 29 Apr 2002
LEAVING THE FOLD
On Saturday evening, Kathy and I went to a double birthday party for some friends of ours. We had an excellent time as the couple were honoured by all present for the things they had done for their family and friends during the 60 years since they had become more than a glint in their mothers' eyes.What made this function different for me though, was the number of guests who had at some time in the past, been members of the church Kathy and I attend. These were those who had dropped out, for one reason or another, along the way. While one or two were walking with the Lord elsewhere, sadly, the large majority had now lost their previous enthusiasm and commitment for the Lord. Now while they would deny this, it was obvious in their demeanour and conversation, that the interests of the world had overtaken their commitment to their God. My spirit grieved for them.
Our church is no different to most others in this regard, for there has been a huge increase in the number of disaffected backsliders who inhabit the highways and byways, but not the churches, of New Zealand. And likely, in your country too, if you live in the Western world.
When I asked the Lord about this sad state of affairs, He told me not to worry about it. For it is promised as one of the signs of the end of the age - along with wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, hatred of the church, betrayal, false prophets, deception, wickedness, and others. "But he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:4-13) We need not be disheartened, although we do grieve in the natural, but to be encouraged in our faith, for the time of the return of our Lord is coming closer.
Our responsibility is to preach the gospel to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14) We are not to unnecessarily blame ourselves for the decisions of others that choose either to leave the church or to reject the gospel message. Our job simply is to spread The Word. The recipients are responsible for their reaction to it. This is a hard message to accept, particularly for those with a pastoral heart, but it is an essential lesson to learn if we are to function effectively in these difficult, end time days.
So, my party friends, I am sorry to see you walk away, and would dearly love to see you return. But I must get on with the task the Lord has given me, (and us all) that of taking the gospel to the entire world. The world that is my home, my street, my community, my country, and to all the nations. Then the end will come.
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MORE MOST UNBELIEVED WORDS FROM 'THE WORD'
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." (2Peter 3:10)"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had." (Acts 4:32)
"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." (Isaiah 26:4)
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
*** Many mean to 'find the way', but few seek 'The Way' to find life's answers.*** The only stride in the race of life that we can instantly change, is the one we are now taking.
*** Wisdom is easily read, takes time to acquire, but needs to be applied over a lifetime.
There are over 250 David Doodling's at...
TAPE (MP3) OF THE WEEK
In association with Inspirational Tapes Ministriesinspirational.org.nz
We are pleased to offer you this inspirational tape or MP3 download - absolutely free of charge!
LIFE AFTER DEATH - PART 1
By Betty Malz
In July of 1959, in Terre Haute, Indiana, when Betty Malz was twenty-seven years old, she was pronounced dead and a sheet was pulled over her head. Betty describes her experience on the other side and how she returned to her body to the stunned amazement of her grieving father and hospital personnel. This is the story of how God dealt with a proud, materialistic, controlling woman who had to die to learn how to live.
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INTERESTING COMMENTS ON THE DISCIPLES
Comment on the 'tradition' that all the disciples except John were martyred."Tradition may state this ... but history? Nothing is known about Matthew except his name and the fact that he was an apostle (unless one accepts the identification of Matthew with the tax collector Levi - in which case there's still no hard information on the manner of his death). Practically all scholars agree that Mark was not the John Mark of Acts, and that nothing is known about him - Marcus was one of the five or six commonest names in the Roman Empire! Even if Luke was the physician of Paul's writings, which most modern Bible history scholars deny, his later life is a blank......
And for all we know, the author of the Revelation (almost certainly not the same John who wrote the gospel and the epistles, see Eusebius' Church History for details) may have been martyred, in Patmos or elsewhere. There's also a tradition, for what it's worth, that the gospel writer John was martyred along with James (AD 52-53), and that the works bearing his name were collected and edited into their present form at a much later date (AD 90-110) by one or more of his followers.
The fact is, of course, that there are practically no traces of the death - or even the existence - of anybody of that period save for some of the governing class, some writers, and a few other folks such as athletes who had statues or plaques erected in their honor..... Jesus and James are two of the exceptions, and the entire more or less contemporary non-Biblical documentation consists of a couple of paragraphs in the works of Flavius Josephus in the 80s - a notoriously self-serving "historian" whose writings aren't even consistent with one another."
Grace, peace - Phil Anthony.
Thanks for your contribution, Phil.
FACTS FOR FUN - INCLUDING INTERESTING BIBLE FACTS
LAST WEEK'S QUESTION: Why isn't Puerto Rico on the list of countries?ANSWER: Supplied by Mike Wacht - More interesting tham mine - Thanks Mike!
Puerto Rico is not a nation because it is a commonwealth associated with the United States. Techincally it's an American territory (kinda like Guam), not an independent nation.
Interestingly enough, while the Puerto Rican people have rejected independence 1967 and 1993, the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico became independent of the United Methodist Church almost 10 years ago. It is no longer the Puerto Rican conference of the United Methodist Church, but the Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico (Methodist Church of Puerto Rico). The Puerto Rican Methodist Church turned 100 years old in 2000. You can read
more about it at http://umns.umc.org/00/june/295.htm
THIS WEEKS QUESTION: Which three of the United States are not states? Why?
Answer next week.
SOME QUICK BIBLE FACTS (KJV)
Some (Possibly!?) Modern Inventions in Bible Prophecy
1. AUTOMOBILE
-- Nahum 2:4
2. ATOMIC ENERGY
-- Genesis 19:24-28
-- Isaiah 24:20
-- Micah 1;4
-- 2 Peter 3:10-12
3. AIRPLANE
-- Isaiah 31;5
-- Isaiah 60:8
-- Jeremiah 48:40
-- Ezekiel 1:9
4. RADIO
-- Job 38:34-35
-- Psalms 19:3-4
-- Romans 10:18
A CHALLENGE FOR YOU!
On a conventional clock, how many times does the minute hand pass the hour hand between noon and midnight?
Answer at the end of ‘A David Musing’
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JUST JOKES
THE 'CHRISTIAN' THING TO DO!Dave is in bed with his wife when there is a loud knock on the door. He rolls over, sees the time is 3 o’clock, and thinks to himself, “I’m not getting out of bed at this hour.”
An even louder knock followed! “Aren’t you going to answer that?” says his wife.
So he takes his wife’s advice and goes down and opens the door. The man standing there was obviously drunk. “Hi there,” said the stranger, “can you give me a push?”
“Get lost! It’s 3am! I was in bed!” Dave said as he slammed the door shut.
He goes back and tells his wife what had happened. “Dave, that wasn’t very nice of you. Remember the night we broke down in the pouring rain, on the way to pick up the kids from the babysitter, and you had to knock on that man’s door to get us started again? What would have happened if he had told us to get lost?”
“But this guy was drunk,” said Dave.
“It doesn’t matter says the wife. “He needs our help and it would be the Christian thing to do to help him.”
So Dave wearily gets out of bed again, gets dressed and goes downstairs. He opens the door and not easily being able to see the stranger anywhere, he shouts, “Hey, do you still want a push?”
He hears a voice cry out from some distance away, “Yes please.”
Being unable to see the stranger, Dave shouts out, “Where are you?”
The stranger replies, “I’m over here on your swing!”
Many more good clean jokes on...
THE VIEW FROM THE BACK PEW!
An excellent site of mainly Christian related cartoons produced daily by Jeff Larson. Register for his daily email to brighten up your day. Amazes me how he continually comes up with new ideas!Visit Jeff's site at...
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.***IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
There was a little old lady who was nearly blind and she had three jealous sons who each wanted to prove that they were the best son to her.
The first son bought her a 15 room mansion, thinking it would be the best any of then could offer.
The second son bought her a beautiful Mercedes with a chauffeur, thinking this would certainly win her approval.
The third son had to do even better, so he bought her a trained parrot, that had been in training for 15 years to memorise the entire Bible. You could ask him any verse of the Bible, and the parrot could quote it word for word. That certainly would be the best gift of all!
Well, the lady went to the first son and said, "Son, the house is beautiful, but it's just too big for me. I only live in one room, and it's just too hard to clean and take care of the rest. Thank you anyway."
Then to the second son she said, "The car was gorgeous, but I really don't go out much, and it's such a waste. Besides, the driver is pretty irritating and I really don't like him that well. I appreciate your effort, but could you please return the car?"
Then she spoke to the third son. "Son, I'd like to thank you for the most thoughtful gift of all! That chicken was delicious."
More gems of Christian humour at ...
A DAVID MUSING
After 2 weeks of sensational (for me, that is!) running, so full of promise for a spiritual fulfilment in our African trip which is now only 3 weeks away, last week I became a very expensive pin cushion! Why a pin cushion? Because I started having vaccinations against the potential African diseases my weak New Zealand body does not have any natural resistance to. Why expensive? Because single-handedly, I seem to be keeping the world's medical companies in profit for the year!Fortunately though, I had no obvious reactions to the injection I received - except when I went for a run. For during the past week, my times have been very slow.
Struck me as being a little like life really. Yes, there are some things that happen to us that we seem to cope with very well, often even better than we might have expected. Then suddenly, under stress, the problem we have thought was all settled, rears up and kicks us where and when we least expect it! And our reaction is likely to be bad!
Oh dear - we have not reached perfection yet! For now we have to apologise, repent and start again. But then of course, it is only me that this happens to - not you!
Just a facetious thought - if we were all perfect, then Jesus would have gone through the agony of the cross, all for nothing! I have to admit that I justify His sacrifice, from time to time! What I’m trying, with His help, to do is increase the time between the times! Aren't we fortunate that He is so patient with us!
His servant and yours
David Tait
TODAY'S CHALLENGE ANSWER: 10 Times
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. 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.nzor 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: 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