THE POWER OF SUFFERING

Around the world, wherever the Gospel is free to be preached, the message is similar, albeit with differing degrees of emphasis.

The basic message is, "Come to God, do things His way, and your life will improve."

Whether the emphasis is on faith, prosperity, character development, or even social work, the promise given is that things will go better with you, if you believe in Jesus.

But is this truly Biblical? Is it actually New Covenant Christianity? Was it really the experience of 1st century New Testament leaders and believers?

Let's look firstly at the apostles. History shows us that of the 11 left after the departure of Judas, 10 were martyred for their faith while John was reputedly boiled in oil, yet survived, being banished to the prison island of Patmos. Not a holiday home!

Hmmmm! No lives of worldly happiness and success for these guys!

Then we look at the 'true' 12th apostle, Paul. He talked of himself, saying

23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands. (2 Corinthians 11:23-33)

One would be forced to conclude that his life, after meeting Jesus, was not one of great human happiness and worldly success! Indeed, it finally resulted in martyrdom in Rome around 66/67AD.

This would not have been a surprise to him, as he would have been told by Ananias, what the Lord had said;

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)

The question is then, "Is Paul (or the other 11 for that matter) different, a 'special' person, or should we expect similar experiences in our life?"

Jesus Himself, experienced suffering, as was prophesied by Isaiah about 700 years earlier;

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)

And confirmed in the New Testament;

10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

Of course, we know that after the suffering of His death Jesus rose in victory in His resurrection body, having crushed the power of satan. This is the eternal promise that we share in also.

In the meantime however, we share in His sufferings and He shares in ours, for we are called to be like Jesus.

It is not by chance that Christianity today is expanding in countries like China, where believers suffer persecution for their faith. Yes, for true believers, suffering brings us closer to God!

In the Western world, you don't need to be a prophet to see that, step by step, 'the church' is coming under greater ridicule and rejection by mainstream society. This will eventually lead to persecution as satan tries to 'finish off' his job (Excuse the pun - think about it!). The result however will be the opposite of which he, and we, in our humanness, would expect! For the true church grows and is far more powerful and effective under rejection and persecution than when accepted as part of mainstream society!

Personally, I am no masochist, but I do desire to see the return of Jesus. If it requires me to suffer more, that is the price to be paid. For as Paul himself said;

10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

"Lord, give me the strength I need, when called upon to suffer for you."

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FROM THE WORD

"Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1:2-12)

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (2 Timothy 1:7-12)

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12)

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DAVID'S DOODLINGS

PERSEVERANCE
685. Perseverance perseveres!

686. Perseverance is keeping running the race with feet blistered by the problems of life.

687. Perseverance is wading through the mire of life, confident of reaching our eternal heavenly home.

688. Perseverance is walking through the valleys before ascending to the mountaintops

689. Perseverance is retaining hope when all seems hopeless.

690. Perseverance is …

… forgiving one more time

… one more prayer.

… going on when others are giving up.

… picking yourself up once again.

… loving that little bit extra.

… just one more step.

… serving one more time.

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CRANWELL'S CARTOON

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. 2 Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky. 3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. (Genesis 8:1-12)

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TUESDAY TEACHINGS

12 LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM ‘DIVIDING THE WATERS’ (Continues)

We move into the final 2 weeks of our study, looking at 'Winning the War'.

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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." ***

630. BESTSELLERS
In line at the bookstore, I couldn't help noticing the two bestsellers the person in front of me was prepared to purchase:

"CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD" and "HOW TO ARGUE AND WIN EVERY TIME."

629. THE MODERN CHURCH
The parish not only has an Internet web site, the parish council has discussed petitioning the bishop to change the parish name to "All Saints Domain"

Everyone in the parish assumes everyone knows what "domain" means

People without email addresses are known as "the needy" An April Fool's Day joke on the pastor, several of the teenagers hid their pagers around his office, then called them all
simultaneously.Apparently it did not startle him. He said he felt like he was at Sunday liturgy.

During coffee and doughnuts after services, people are overheard wondering if confession by email would be 'licit". Someone thinks 'licit" is the name of a new software company.

A petition is circulation to partition the prayer room, creating a 'beepers-on' section.

To quiet fussy 2-year-olds, handing them pagers on 'vibrate' is more common than handing them Cheerios.

Five-year-olds actually do say "deliver us some email" during the Our Father rather than "deliver us from evil".

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FACTS FOR FUN

LAST WEEKS QUESTION: In terms of chemical composition, what substance does human blood most closely resemble?

ANSWER: The substance chemically closest to blood is seawater. In fact, the saline solution which is used in intravenous injections, ‘normal saline’, is 0.9% salt to water, the same salinity as seawater. It's also the salinity of amniotic fluid, the liquid that surrounded all of us in utero, before we were born. Of course, seawater contains lots of other ‘trace minerals’, which are mostly also present in blood. Yes, human plasma closely resembles seawater. (So sailors really do have the blood of the sea coursing through their veins?)

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Which Roman emperor succumbed to smallpox?

Answer Next Week.

SOME FUN FACTS

314. MIXED UP
‘Synesthesia’ is a rare condition in which the senses are combined. Synesthetes see words, taste colours and shapes, and feel flavours. (Until we all get to the stage where we can’t see words without glasses, taste anything and feel nothing but pain!)

315. SELF-SUPPORTING
The great cathedral of St. Cophia at Constantinople (Istanbul) in Turkey, has sustained for 1,600 years what was, until very recent times, the largest self-supporting dome ever constructed. Moreover, it has done so in an active seismic region. (Not upheld by worshippers though, as Turkey, the home of many of the early New Testament churches now has one of the least proportions of Christians in the world.)

316. ONLY FROM AMERICA
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco was named one of the "Seven Wonders of the Modern World" by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994, along with the Hoover Dam, Interstate Highway System, Kennedy Space Centre, Panama Canal, Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and World Trade Centre. (Could they be just a teeny-weeny bit biased?)

A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU

Make another word from this word using all the letters.

UNLOADED

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 - PAUL

12) As a result of meeting Jesus he was:

A - Blinded
B - Promoted
C - Bruised
D - Sick

Source: www.biblequizzes.com

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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!

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

!!!!!!! Never tell a bald man a hair-raising story.

!!!!!! The lottery is the best kind of tax ever conceived. It only taxes the willing.

!!!!! breakfast.com halted. Cereal port not responding.

!!!! Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.- John Steinbeck

!!! In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him.-- Derek Bruce

!! Are part-time band leaders semi-conductors?

! If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."

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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.com

Q. What Bible character may have only been a foot tall?
>
>
>
>
>
>A. Nicodemus - he was a ruler.

Lots more riddles found at...

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LIFE'S A LAUGH

225. GENTLE SUGGESTION
I was having trouble with something I couldn't readily identify myself, so I took my car into the shop.

The mechanic looked at it a couple of minutes and said, "What you really need is the radiator cap solution."

"Oh?" I said, trying not to sound too confused. "Do you mean the radiator cap isn't holding enough pressure?"

"That's part of the problem" he said. "You need to lift the radiator cap and drive another car under it. Then the next day you can replace the radiator cap, and it should solve your problem."

226. WORLD FAMOUS
An American tourist in Tel Aviv was about to enter the impressive Mann Auditorium to take in a concert by the Israel Philharmonic. He was admiring the unique architecture, the sweeping lines of the entrance, and the modern decor throughout the building. Finally he turned to his escort and asked if the building was named for Thomas Mann, the world-famous author.

"No," his friend said, "it's named for Fredric Mann, from Philadelphia."

"Really? I never heard of him. What did he write?"

"A check."

227. SHOPPING
I was checking out at the local Foodland with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those "Dividers" that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed.

After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the "Divider" looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code she said to me "Do you know how much this is?"

I said to her "I've changed my mind, I don't think I'll buy that today."

She said "OK" and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened.....

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BIBLE TRIVIA

OAK TREES.......
were used as burial places. (Genesis 35:8, 1 Chronicles 10:12) Three species of oaks are grown in Palestine. It is likely that the Tabor Oak is the one referred to.

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

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MOTIVATION FOR AFRICA

By Rolland and Heidi Baker
Iris Ministries, Inc.
Pemba, Mozambique
6 July 2007

A little over four years ago Heidi and I, along with Surpresa Sithole, our Mozambican international director, flew to Nairobi in our little Cessna for a leadership conference. On the way back we stopped in Pemba in Mozambique's far northern province of Cabo Delgado, and for the first time attempted ministry among a people considered unreached and unreachable by missiologists.

We took a short bus ride into town near the airport, stepped off, and found a group of fourteen or so young men standing nearby. Heidi immediately used her Portuguese to witness to them right there where they stood, and in a few minutes all fourteen were saved and wanted a pastor. On our next trip we got a small plot of land on a hill among a sea of huts, and built a Pemba-style church building out of reeds and stones. It was filled mostly by children, but pastored by our extremely fervent, Spirit-filled Pastor Jos�, still one of our key leaders in Pemba. This last week Pastor Jos� testified at our annual staff retreat that now we have over seven hundred Iris churches in Cabo Delgado Province, a figure we could not have imagined on that first trip.

Our four years in Pemba have been tumultuous, intense, filled with demonic attacks, violence, threats, opposition from the government, discouragement, theft, loss, disappointments, failures, staff turnover, and the constant, unrelenting demands of extreme poverty and disease all around us. It almost always seemed that our capabilities and resources were no match for the challenges we faced every day, resulting in a level of chaos and stress that literally threatened our health and lives. Intense witchcraft and a lack of exposure to familiar standards of right and wrong made our work in this very remote part of the world seem all the more impossible. Heidi and I remember many times when we did not know how we could continue, often wondering if we really had good, lasting fruit that was worth the sacrifice.

We are often asked what the overcoming key to our ministry and growth is. We don't think in terms of keys or secrets, but in the simplest truths of the Gospel. We have learned by experience that there is no way forward when pressed to our extremities but to sacrifice ourselves at every turn for His sake, knowing nothing but Jesus and Him crucified. We must die to live. It is better to give than to receive, and better to love than to be loved. We cannot lose, because we have a perfect Savior who is able to finish what He began in us, if we do not give up and throw away our faith.

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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD

A REVELATION OF... SERVANTHOOD & LEADERSHIP
A timely reminder of what our calling as 'Jesus Followers' and particularly as leaders is really all about. Essential reading, especially for anyone involved, or wanting to become involved, in Christian leadership. You might well change your mind!

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WAXING LYRICAL

The inspiration for the first two parts of this poem came from a cross-island trek Kathy
and 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 13)

RIDING THE RIVER OF LIFE

Struggling against the flow to take a look around,
The voice said, “Don’t David, you’ll run aground,
Just rest in me, only I know the way to take you in,
Your own effort now, would merely end up as sin.”

So lying back, enjoying the current’s flow,
For the Holy Spirit, he knows where to go.
The goal of my life is now about to be achieved
With the Spirit’s help; ’tis what I’ve perceived.

One last bend, the river runs through the gate,
To a life full of gladness, no bitterness, no hate.
Entering the city, to be completely surrounded by gold,
More magnificent even, than the stories I’ve been told.

The river, from the very throne of God does flow,
Yes, I am in his will, that much I certainly know.
For the river flows through the main street of the city,
Its gurgling waters bubbling, bouncing - oh so pretty.

Looking to the left, then to the right,
The trees of life there, what a sight!
Twelve crops of fruit each year they bear,
An abundance of goodness for all to share.

To be concluded next week.

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A DAVID MUSING

Possibilities come, possibilities go! But I will trust in the Lord, whatever the circumstances!

After the frustrations of the early part of the week we have seen a building for africa arise which may well bear positive fruit this week.

It is somewhat easy to write about patience and perseverance, but it is a different thing to put them into practise! The Lord continues to work on me and mould me a little more into His image. Plenty of rough corners to be sandpapered off yet though! And the harsh friction of rough sand on brain hurts!

Until next week...

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.

His servant and yours

David Tait

Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: DUODENAL

TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION': Blinded (Acts 9)

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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!

For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz