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: 309 Published: 24 Sep 2007
SETTING THE SCENE
As we proceed through the next few weeks, some are going to be challenged, and others offended.I simply ask that if this is you, place what is said 'on the shelf' and leave it for another day. For the Lord reveals truth to us one step at a time. What we do not understand today, we may well be ready to receive later. Our walk with Jesus is very much a journey of discovery, not a single event.
Everything we discuss has the ultimate aim of bringing both our congregations (if applicable) and ourselves closer to Jesus.
Nearly everybody agrees, in theory, that this is a good thing. Indeed, more than that, it is the real role of ministry. Unfortunately however, much of what we do in church, in reality, is not oriented towards this goal. Sometimes this is deliberate, but very often, we follow traditions or create new ones, that serve to draw us away from God towards man, or structures, or..... The list goes on.
We all too easily become 'Old Testament' 'Christians', two things which are actually mutually exclusive. We cannot be the believers Jesus intended us to be, finding fullness in Him, if we go back to Old Testament ways. For Jesus came to bring a new way.
"6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." (Romans 7:6)
The 'new way of the Spirit' is actually very hard to follow, for it involves training, testing, and waiting upon His timing, which invariably, is longer than our own.
Some of you may have been reading the poem in 'A David Musing' called 'Waiting'. It is the story of our wait for a building to lease in order to open a large store for africa arise, our project to help in a practical way the poor of Africa. (See our website africaarise.org.nz for more details) A greater ability to rest from my own endeavours, learning to relax in Him, will I hope show as a progression through the poem, as each week I record that week's happenings and my reactions, as honestly as I can. I know that He is teaching me and building my faith through this. I trust it comes through to you too.
It is my prayer that as we share over the weeks ahead we will all learn together what the Lord desires of us as His people, in today's world.
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FROM THE WORD
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)AN ILLUSTRATION FROM MARRIAGE
"Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:1-6)
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.†13 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)
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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'.
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CRANWELL'S CARTOON
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they loveto pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be
seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward
in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door
and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees
what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do
not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard
because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your
Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is
how you should pray: â€â€˜Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive men when
they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not
forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:5-15)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
A VISION OF THE TABERNACLE CHURCHA CHURCH OF VICTORY
Reflecting God’s Glory upon the Earth.
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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." ***
643. GOD'S FAVORITE
What's God's favorite dessert?
Angel food cake!
642. THE NEW CREATION
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was activated in Dec. 1970 with William Ruckelshaus as its director. The Agency had been established earlier in July by executive order of President Nixon.
THE BEGINNING In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He was immediately slapped with a class-action suit for failing to file an environmental impact statement with the EPA. God was granted a temporary permit for the project but was stymied with the cease-and-desist order for the earthly part.
At the hearing, God said, "Let there be light." Immediately, the officials demanded to know how the light would be made. Would there be strip mining? What about thermal pollution?
God explained that the light would come from a huge ball of fire. He was granted provisional permission to make light, assuming that no smoke would result from the ball of fire, that he would obtain a building permit and that, to conserve energy, he would turn the light off half the time.
God agreed and said he would call the light "day" and the darkness "night". Officials replied that they were not interested in semantics.
God said, "Let the earth bring forth green herbs and bear much seed." The EPA agreed, as long as native seed was used.
Then God said, "Let waters bring forth creeping creatures begetting life; and the fowl that may fly over the earth." Officials pointed out this would require approval from the Department of Game coordinated with the Heavenly Wildlife Federation and the Audubongelic Society.
Everything went smoothly until God said He wanted to complete the project in six days. Officials said it would take at lease 200 days to review the application and impact statement. After that there would be a public hearing. Then there would be a 10 to 12 month approval period before....
At that point, God created Hell.
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What controversy involving Pluto occurred in1999?
ANSWER: In January 1999, misleading reports appeared in the media
that suggested Pluto was about to lose its status as a planet and be
reclassified as a minor planet or even an asteroid. The furore was caused
by a suggestion to include Pluto in a specialised listing of ‘Trans-
Neptunian Objects’, a group of smaller objects that have been discovered
in the outer solar system beyond Neptune's orbit. These objects are
similar to Pluto, though drastically smaller. Astronomers did not intend to
imply that Pluto was not a planet by suggesting its inclusion on the list,
but the assumption that Pluto was being ‘demoted’ caused an uproar
anyway and the International Astronomical Union had to issue a
statement confirming that Pluto remained our ninth planet. (Mickey and
Donald were so pleased not to lose their good friend!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: : Where and when was the first underground
train line opened?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS296. ARM SIZE
The size of your foot is approximately the same as the size of your forearm. (Forearmed and ‘foot warned’!)
297. A LIVING MUSEUM
Many of the Vatican’s museums were never intended to be museums at all, but were designed instead as unique apartments or residences. As a result, visitors must work their way through the numerous blind passages and bottlenecks that contain many of the most beautiful works housed there. (Were the residents museum pieces also?)
298. DREAMS IN THE SKY
A beautiful mirage called the Fata Morgana appears in the Straits of Messina, between Sicily and Italy. It is an image of a town in the sky, but seems more like a fairy landscape than a real town. It is most likely to be a mirage of a fishing village situated along the coast. (Like catching fish. Now you see it, now you don’t!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
COCAINE
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - PAUL
18) His first visit to Jerusalem after his conversion was to visit:A - John
B - Peter
C - Mary
D - James
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! Most people don't make the same mistake twice, they make it three or four times.
!!!!!! If it is ironic, it's possibly true.
!!!!! Any bad habit is easier than the corresponding good habit.
!!!! Problems that go away by themselves usually come back by themselves.
!!! A pessimist mourns the future.
!! A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
! Definitions would be a good thing if only we did not need words in making them.
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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. During what season did Eve eat the forbidden fruit?
>
>
>
>
>
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A. Early in the fall.
(Picture: Isaiah as seen in the Cistine Chapel.
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JUST JOKES!
160. I'M SORRY"I'm sorry," said the clerk in flower shop, "we don't have potted geraniums. Could you use African violets instead?"
Replied the customer sadly, "No, it was geraniums my wife told me to water while she was gone."
159.OUT OF THIS WORLD
A flying saucer was low on fuel, so it landed near a local gas station. On its side were the letters "UFO."
The gas station attendant was stunned, but his curiosity got the best of him.
"Does that stand for Unidentified Flying Object?" he asked.
"No," one of the other-worldly travelers responds. "It stands for "Unleaded Fuel Only."
158. LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE
A sloth named Herman is walking through the forest one day. A gang of snails approach him and beat him up. He is left at the bottom of a tree with several cuts and bruises.
Several hours later he gathers up enough strength to go to a local police station. Herman walks into the Sergeant's office. "What happened to you? the officer asks.
"A gang of snails beat me up," Herman replied.
"Can you describe what they looked like?"
"I don't know," the sloth says. "It all happened so fast."
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BIBLE TRIVIA
THE CITY OF ASHKELON.......was famed for its fruit and vegetables. One example was the onion or 'scallion' for which the city became famous in Roman times.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
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WOLFGANG SIMSON FORECASTS INDIA WILL SOON HAVE CHRISTIAN MAJORITY
09/10/2007Joel News Service
Every year Professor David Barrett, editor of the World Christian Encyclopaedia, and Todd Johnson of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, publish their Status of Global Mission. Through incorporating secular as well as church-based sources this is probably one of the most comprehensive databases in the world. The Status of Global Mission shows changes in the global population and the 'market share' of the world's leading religions.
German missions strategist Wolfgang Simson compared the status reports of consecutive years, and observes some major shifts in the making, that don't yet show up in the global statistics. "The growth of both Islam and Hinduism is slowing down," he says.
"Officially, in the current number of Hindus many are counted in who would not consider themselves Hindus any more. Amongst them are many millions of Dalits (Low Cast or Outcast people groups) in India that are getting ready to leave organized Hinduism forever. Some of their own political leaders are rallying a massive religious change, which will lead to a seismic landslide in the set-up of India. In this case, India will cease to be a majority-Hindu nation, and in all probability become a majority-Christian nation, the largest Christian democracy in the world."
"During the last few years, the greatest number of converts from Islam to Christianity has been reported since history. This steady and even growing stream of Christians seems to spread across most Muslim nations in the world today, starting amongst those that are considered Soft-Islam (where the Islamic Sharia law is not implemented) to those that are considered Hard-Islam. Underground/Housechurch-based Christianity is the main ecclesiastical vessel that carries this development."
Barrett and Johnson's Status of Global Mission shows that the number of 'Great Commission Christians' is growing, as well as the giving to Christian causes. On the downside however, in terms of volume, ecclesiastical crime is still ahead of global missions. Currently, 24 billion US dollar is embezzled every year and stolen out of the pocket of the church by its own staff. This is two billion more than the entire world's giving for global mission. If this process goes ahead unchecked, theft within the church by the church, will reach 65 billion by AD 2025.
Also, looking at the costs per baptism (currently 349,000 US dollars), the church isn't handling her resources in the most cost-effective way. Denominationalism is also on the rise: in the year 1900, only 1,900 denominations were counted worldwide. Currently their number has risen to 39,000, and is expected to rise even more to 55,000 denominations by AD 2025.
More facts on evangelism are found at...
DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
A REVELATION OF……. GIVING TO GODIn Christianity, we hear an awful lot about what God has done for us, but much less of what He desires from us in return!
There is a saying that 'salvation is a free gift, but discipleship costs us everything!' For as Jesus sacrificed His life for us on Calvary's grim hill, so we, in turn, are to model Him, and sacrifice our life for God and for others.
In this study we are going to look at the ways in which we are to offer God the sacrifices He so much desires from us - Praise and Worship, Prayer and Fasting and Tithes and Gifts.
My God sacrificed His son Jesus, for me! Surely, the first thing I can do for Him is to offer back the sacrifices He desires of me. Is that too much to ask?
In theory we would probably agree, but the practice of our lives often tends to fall short of our good intentions!
I trust that this study will encourage you, as it has me, to give back to God what He desires of each one of us.
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WAXING LYRICAL
Another lesson God gave me on Bowentown Beach.THE PATH
The path looked easy, so happily, off I went,
Keen to get home, my energy almost spent.
I’m on the way, the pathway must be right,
How could I doubt it, for I’ve seen the light!
But as I walked, a niggle started to grow,
Is this truly, the way I really want to go?
The scenery’s nice, the way appears easy,
But the rubbish there, that’s a bit sleazy!
By now I knew the path was the wrong one,
But what the heck, I am having lots of fun,
Many new experiences to check out in life,
This small deviation won’t get me in strife.
So I went on with a new spring in my stride
My pathway mistake, I knew I could hide.
For all paths end up at the same place,
I will surely get there, to see His face.
Then suddenly, I found my way blocked
By sewage ponds, what had I done?
The door to progress, now firmly locked,
Where can I go, where can I run?
(To be completed next week.)
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A DAVID MUSING
WAITING (Continues this week - again!)Wait for a time,
Then a little more,
Seeking a rhyme,
What's it all for!
I want it now!
Not next week!
You do know how!
To me now speak!
God, all is in your power,
Don't let my life go sour!
I already know what is the best!
No need to put me to the test!
Still nothing happens this week!
"Just wait for Me my son,
Rest in Me, let Me to you speak,
One day, all will be done."
Tuesday comes around,
A new deal awaits.
Found common ground,
With Christian mates.
Full of promise,
Full of hope.
Surely can't miss!
Nope! Nope! Nope!
Wednesday now,
Sign a deal!
We know how!
It's a steal!
Then get a call,
Deal does fall!
Lord I give up!
Hand You the cup.
Agony is inside,
It I can't hide.
What now can I do?
But give it to you.
It's Friday afternoon,
Speak to another man,
Another deal soon?
Yes God, you can!
Wait, wait; wait, wait,
No more, bull at a gate.
God, your will be done,
I'm at peace - your son.
Another deal done,
Contract written.
End of the fun.
End of the mission.
Given to his lawyer,
We're nearly there!
Need go no further,
No need to despair.
The lawyer says no,
No place now to go!
It has fallen over,
Home again Rover!
This time peace does reign,
Getting upset is no gain.
It's in the Lord's hands now,
Just needs to show us how!
Monday comes, another deal.
Great rent, it's a steal!
At last, something now, to us to show,
But is it the best, must wait to know.
Two weeks more,
Before we hear,
A deal in store,
Or a bum steer?
But now peace reigns,
God makes the gains.
It's all up to Him,
The battle to win.
-------------------
Nothing to do but only wait.
Easier now for David Tait.
As I trust Him even more,
For what He has in store.
Wednesday, a call out of the blue,
Sounds too good, to be true.
New on the market that very day.
Maybe for this, has been the delay.
An offer on Friday,
Now wait some more,
Hear on Tuesday,
If not before.
'Just rest in me, my son,
In my time, it is done.
Trust me more and more,
I will open the door.
(To be continued next week.)
Until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: OCEANIC
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION': Peter (Galatians 1:18)
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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