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: 296 Published: 25 Jun 2007
NO-ONE BUT THE LORD
Both the world and the 'church world' offer huge volumes of 'expert advice'.Take the advice of Dr X, Pastor Y, and all will be well with you and your life.
Unfortunately, in spite of the growth of 'expertism' to coin a word, our world today seems more confused than in the past. Unfortunately, the mushrooming plethora of experts, whether outside or within the church, cannot agree amongst themselves on the answers to the world's ills. They propose an overwhelming range of options that often serve to confuse rather than enlighten. For they are primarily based on human understanding, learning and experience, all of which vary markedly from one person to another.
Let's face it, we are all unique, experts and public alike, and a solution for one person cannot automatically be assumed to be appropriate for another.
Of course, many experts are helpful to us, but the reality is that no one person in either the world or the church has all the answers to the challenges of your or my life.
This is as true of the church as it is in the world. No single pastor, teacher or adviser has all the answers. Unfortunately, many in leadership encourage 'their followers' to rely upon 'their advice' as to how to live life. Many will be beguiled, temporarily at least, into doing this, for most of us look for the easy way out when it comes to life solutions.
The result is that we have re-established, whether by design or default, the Old Testament principle of a 'priesthood' being placed between man and God. Experience has shown me that this is not always the fault of leadership, but often the desire of lazy followers who don't wish to do the 'hard yards' necessary to seek out answers from the Lord for themselves.
My friend, I know the problem, for I spent years following the advice of those in supposed 'spiritual authority' over me. Yes, I too relied upon the acceptable teaching of the day.
Yet, it basically failed me. So, getting more and more into the Lord and deeper into His Word, particularly that of the New Covenant or Testament, I started to see that the accepted 'church way' is not truly 'God's way'.
For my God knows me better than I know myself! Certainly, hugely better than any man or woman could ever do. He loves me. He desires my company and intimacy.
Unfortunately, while most believers understand this in theory, we are generally too lazy to pay the costs of time, intensity and submission to His will that this approach demands. It really is so much like a marriage. We are all into romance. Just look at our TV screens. But this is only the beginning of a relationship. A truly successful marriage takes years of learning, often painful, about each other, and requires dedication and commitment to make it really work. This 'real life' aspect rarely features on celluloid!
Yet Jesus is yearning for His people, for you and me, to become intimate with Him. Just as in marriage, it is impossible to become truly intimate through a third person, so it is with Jesus. He paid the ultimate price, His life, on that horrible cross, to make this direct, personal relationship possible. No longer is a human, priestly intermediary required.
Let us then, show our appreciation to Jesus for His sacrifice by spending time with Him, listening to the will of the Father for our lives though the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
If you are a pastor or leader, encourage your people with every fibre in your body, to seek the Lord for themselves. Do it yourself. Then model your submission to Jesus to your people. You will find the Lord will move in your life and theirs.
This message is not an easy one to accept, for it challenges many of the perceptions and understandings we have of the role of the church. But it truly is what the Lord desires, indeed requires.
Don't take my word for it. Spend more and more time reading God's Word with an open mind, more time in communication with Him, and He will reveal it to you for yourself. That is my heart desire for both of us today.
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FROM THE WORD
THE HIGH PRIEST OF A NEW COVENANT"The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.†But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.†By calling this covenant “new,†he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear." (Hebrews 8:1-13)
"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?†“The most important one,†answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.†“Well said, teacher,†the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.†When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.†And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
KNOWING GOD351. The more I discover about God the more I realise there is to know.
352. The closer I get to God, the more I realise how big He is and how small I am.
353. While God graciously accepts me as I am, His desire is for me to become more like Him.
354. When God moves, the results are beyond our imagination. Why then do we try and do His work ourselves?
811. Sanctification is 'the means', holiness 'the end'.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now over 1300 David sayings for you to view at ...
CRANWELL'S CARTOON
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.†And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.â€
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:24-27)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
NEXT WEEK ELISHA’S MINISTRY AS A PATTERN FOR THE CHURCH TODAYThe final 6 applications of the ministry of Elisha as a pattern to the church today. Amazing stuff!
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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." ***
616. GET THEE BEHIND ME
A little boy always went next door to play even though his mom had warned him against doing so. This worried his mom so badly that she asked him why he was so disobedient.
He replied that satan tempted him so bad and he did not know what to do.
His mom then advised him to say 'get behind me Satan' whenever he was tempted. She then built a fence around the house.
This worked for a week, then one sunny afternoon his mom looked out the window and there was her son playing on the neighbors lawn having cut a hole in the fence.
"Johnny", she yelled, "come here!" She then said "did I not tell you to say 'get behind me satan' whenever he tempted you?"
"Yes", the boy replied, "I said, 'get behind me satan', then he went behind me and pushed me through the hole in the fence."
615. POWER TO FORGIVE
Every Sunday the title of the lesson is listed in the church bulletin with the name of the Pastor printed directly underneath.
Last week's lesson title appeared as follows:
Who Has the Power to Forgive Sins?
Rev. Coco Ramos
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 769 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...
FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What is a Welsh rabbit?ANSWER: Welsh rabbit (also called Welsh rarebit) isn’t an animal at all. It's melted cheese on toast or crackers. It was called this so peasants could imagine themselves eating real rabbit -- or at least make fun of the fact that they couldn't afford it. The name originated in an era when only the Welsh nobility could hunt rabbits. The poor peasants had to melt cheese on toast and simply call it ‘rabbit’. (Unable to acquire the habit of eating rabbit.)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Where did the term ‘private eye’ originate?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS334. IT'S ALL RUBBISH
Public sanitation was definitely at an all-time low during the Middle Ages. Garbage was piled up so high outside the city of Paris during the 1400's that it interfered with the city's defences. (An ‘offence’ to the nose of attackers though.)
335. CUTTING COSTS
In Hollywood's early movie-making days, even the stars supplied their own wardrobe for contemporary films. Period clothes were supplied from stock, or by the Western Costume Company, established in 1912. Anyone with a dress suit could earn extra money and higher status in films of the 1920s. (Did they claim a clothing allowance?)
336. DOG SWEAT
Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not sweat by salivating. They sweat through the pads of their feet. (Walk on water?)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
FIENDISH
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - PAUL
4) Where did Paul's nephew live?A - Tarsus
B - Crete
C - Jerusalem
D - Jericho
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! If the cookies are too high up, how will the children reach them.
!!!!!! Joy is not the absence of suffering, but rather the presence of God.
!!!!! We claim the Victory because there's no sound of retreat.
!!!! Some Roosters believe the Sun has come up to listen to it crow.
!!! Christians are like automobiles; they start missing before they quit.
!! To realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the storm.
! No cloud comes into your life but that God has put a rainbow in it.
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MORE BIBLE RIDDLES
Thought we had done all possible Bible riddles in our last, very popular series. However, I have now found some more for you to enjoy, courtesy of Frank Schaefer of javacasa.comQ. What was the first thing Noah said when he got off the ark?
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A. Should have killed them darn mosquitos when I had the chance.
Lots more riddles found at...
43. THE BOSSA man goes into a pet shop to buy a parrot. The shop owner points to three identical looking parrots on a perch and says: "The parrot to the left costs 500 dollars".
"Why does the parrot cost so much?" the customer asks. The owner says, "Well, it knows how to use a computer."
The customer asks about the next parrot and is told "That one costs 1,000 dollars because it can do everything the other parrot can do plus it knows how to use the UNIX operating system."
Naturally, the increasingly startled man asks about the third parrot and is told "That one costs 2,000 dollars." Needless to say this begs the question "What can IT do?"
To which the owner replies "To be honest I have never seen it do a thing but the other two call him boss!"
44. AT THE AUCTION
One day a man went to an auction. While there, he bid on a parrot. He really wanted this bird, so he got caught up in the bidding. He kept on bidding, but kept getting outbid, so he bid higher and higher and higher. Finally, after he bid way more than he intended, he won the bid - the parrot was his at last!
As he was paying for the parrot, he said to the Auctioneer, "I sure hope this parrot can talk. I would hate to have paid this much for it, only to find out that he can't talk!"
"Don't worry." said the Auctioneer, "He can talk. Who do you think it was who kept bidding against you?"
45. WESTERN UNION
A German shepherd went to a Western Union office, took out a blank form and wrote, "Woof..woof..woof..woof..woof..woof..woof..woof...woof."
The clerk examined the paper and told the dog, "There are only nine words here. You could send another 'woof' for the same price."
"But," the dog replied, "it would make no sense at all."
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BIBLE TRIVIA
CEDAR TREES, grown in Lebanon were highly prized for height, strength, and the durability of their wood. Of course, they were used in the construction of the temple/s. While also mentioned in cleaning rituals, it is now thought that the tree referred to there was Phoenician Juniper.Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
Lots more 'God Facts' are found at...
THEOLOGIAN WITNESSES EXPLOSIAN OF CHRISTIANITY IN NEPAL
"...when they hear that Jesus forgives all sin in one stroke, that something called karma has no power over them, that they can have a relationship with Christ and with an all-loving Father, that they and this relationship will last forever, they are thunderstruck. They want God, a loving, eternal, gracious, God. For these reasons, and for many more, there is an explosion of the Gospel in Nepal." Robert Sanders Ph.D./TN (Mar 11th, 2007)In a Virtue Online report, Dr. Robert Sanders writes that in February of 2007 he, among a team of four, went to Nepal under the leadership of the Rev. Norman Beale.
Says Sanders: "In the 1950s there were no Christians in Nepal. By the 1960s there were a handful of Christians, but in the 70s and 80s, there was explosive growth. At the present moment, the number of Christians in Nepal is unknown, but is probably somewhere around 800,000. How did this explosive growth occur? Norman had told me that this growth occurred exactly the way it did as narrated in the book of Acts or in the Gospels. As the New Testament makes clear in repeated statements, He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and further, His aching love was clearly revealed on the cross. None of the gods, goddess es, spirits, or powers known, avoided, feared, or worshipped by the Hindus or Buddhists can withstand or compare to the mighty Name of Jesus."
"Furthermore," notes Sanders, "for many, when they see others suffering, such as orphans, the crippled, or the discarded, they feel it is their duty to leave them in their suffering. To interfere would rob them of their opportunity to atone for karma. Regardless of what is taught in the West about these religions, this is how it works out in practice on the ground. For these reasons, when they hear that Jesus forgives all sin in one stroke, that something called karma has no power over them, that they can have a relationship with Christ and with an all-loving Father, that they and this relationship will last forever, they are thunderstruck. They want God, a loving, eternal, gracious, God. For these reasons, and for many more, there is an explosion of the gospel in Nepal."
"The Gospel did not primarily come to Nepal carried by missionaries and accepted as part of a "superior" external culture. The Gospel came," he concludes, "as in the beginning, by the risen Jesus doing what He always does, healing the sick, casting out demons, forgiving sinners, reconciling families, and giving the hope of eternal life. These are all His works as Savior. It must be said, however, that the deepest joys are given to those who, over a lifetime, follow Him as Lord. They know the meaning of the words from John's Gospel, "Having loved His own He loved them to the end."
To read the inspiring testimonies of Nepalese converted to Christ, click on the following link.
Source: Virtue Online via The Outreach Files June 07
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
WALKING THE ROAD WITH JESUSAn illumination of Gods desire for our Christian walk as revealed in Revelations 12:11 Both a challenge and a hope - 22 pages from 'Eagles Fly High!'
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WAXING LYRICAL
The inspiration for the first two parts of this poem came from a cross-island trek Kathyand I went on when we were staying on the beautiful Island of Rarotonga, in the Cook
Islands. For those who don’t know, The Cooks are situated around the Tropic of Capricorn
in the Pacific Ocean. A great place to visit! The last part is based loosely on the book
of Revelation, Chapters 21 and 22, the biblical promise of what is to come. Hope it is
both enjoyable and challenging to you. Of course it is just verse, so is not all strictly
theologically accurate! Called poetic licence! My longest poem too, so will print it in small bits!
VICTORY! (Part 6)
UNDER THE WATERFALL
Looking back to the water I hear, “David come inâ€
A voice from somewhere - seemingly from within!
Now that is impossible, I think to myself with ‘logicality’,
“Pull yourself together, clear your head, get back to reality!â€
Coming to, I turn again towards Jesus, only to find,
He’s gone to the bus, leaving some of us behind.
For you see, others did not want to go on into the pool,
Would rather go back to the hotel, to enjoy their cool.
As Jesus hops in the bus, ready for the drive,
He waves back at me, motioning me to dive,
Lovingly now too, he points down by my side,
He’d left me his guidebook, to take on my ride.
Opening the cover, not knowing what I’ll see,
A personal note there, one from him to me.
“Trust in me, my son, I will never lead you astray,
My Spirit’s with you, always to show the way.â€
Sitting down on the rock, a tear in my eye,
“Can’t ever repay him,†I think with a sigh,
For the book of life, he’s so generously given me,
With it beside me, I’ll always enjoy his company.
To be continued over the weeks ahead.
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A DAVID MUSING
This week my Mum (Lilian) has not been well. Kathy, my nurse wife, has been brilliant with her. At times like these it is a real advantage to be married to a nurse! Thank you doll.One of the advantages of 'opposites attracting' is that between you, you have a much wider range of skills available to apply to many different situations. If we were just like our spouse, we would be more limited in what we could do as a couple.
There are still a few things we would like to change in each other though! But perfection isn't achieved quickly! Not even in 37 years of marriage! Maybe it will come in the next 37 years!
Until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: FINISHED
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION': Jerusalem (Acts 21:17,23:16)
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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!
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david@wwj.org.nz