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: 317 Published: 19 Nov 2007
TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHURCH: 2. THE POWER OF PERSECUTION continued
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!'Walking with Jesus' is not easy! I repeat. Truly walking with Jesus is not easy!
It is not meant to be! For Jesus called His followers to a way of life diametrically opposite to the world's ways. The world cannot understand a message, and behavior, that puts God and others, ahead of oneself.
''SelfISHness' was born of the fruit, disobediently eaten in the Garden of Eden. It remains the world's way today. The 'selfLESSness' of Jesus therefore, is a message the world does not want to hear.
So what does this have to do with persecution?
Everything!
For if we were truly preaching and living 'THE WAY' of Jesus, the world would become polarised towards the church. More would believe, while others would become increasingly antagonistic towards it. Persecution would inevitably increase.
Persecution reflects the reality of our faith. When our faith is 'wishy-washy', the world simply sees us as irrelevant, an anachronism of days past. However, when confronted and challenged by the transforming power of the true Gospel, people have to make a choice. Embrace it or hate it! There is no middle ground.
When we water down the Gospel, preaching universal love, ignoring the consequences of sin and judgment in order to become socially acceptable, we are alienating both God, and ironically, those we are seeking to attract.
The very last words of Jesus were not spoken at the time of His ascension, but later, in the book of Revelation, through the Apostle John.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. (Revelation 1:17-19)
His message to the seventh church of Laodicea, generally recognised as being a picture of today's church, was right to the point.
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. (Revelation 3:14-18)
Yes, these final words of Jesus warned us of the calamitous cost of compromise, of having one foot in God and the other in the world. Rejection from His kingdom!
Let us now stand up for Jesus! Show ourselves to be different to the world! Teach and live the full Gospel of Jesus!
Yes, we will be persecuted. But, on the other hand, we won't be spat out of His mouth! The cost of compromise is eternal!
Which alternative do you prefer?
To be continued next week.
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FROM THE WORD
ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN"I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.†I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,†dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:9-20)
TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA
"“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.†(Revelation 3:14-22)
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)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
GROWING IN GOD988. Growing pains happen in the spiritual as well as the natural.
989. To grow in our God we must first shrink in our self.
990. 'Going down' is the secret to 'growing up' in God.
991. Without life's valleys we wouldn't truly appreciate the mountain tops.
992. 'No gain without pain' is truly also the dictum of the race of life.
993. The race of life goes round many corners.
994. The race of life is held on a cross country course, not on a cinder track.
995. Growth in God is in spurts, same as in the body. They are normally both challenging and satisfying at the same time.
1000. It's in the valleys of life we develop the strength needed to scale the mountain tops.
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
15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch
out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the
Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:15-16)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
A REVELATION OF... GOD'S CALL TO HIS CHURCH concludes...as we look at two remaining barriers to the progress of the church.
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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." ***
660. ABBREVIATED
The Bible in 50 words...
God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.
659. HORSERADISH
A minister who was very fond of pure, hot horseradish always kept a bottle of it on his
dining room table. He offered some to a guest, who took a big spoonful.
When the guest finally was able to speak, he gasped, "I've heard many ministers preach hellfire, but you are the first one I've met who passed out a sample of it."
FREE DOWNLOAD: You can now download the book 'Laughing At Ourselves' in PDF format at LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: Who drew the original Mickey Mouse in his firstshort cartoon?
ANSWER: Not Walt Disney, as is commonly believed. All of the sketching
and animation was done by Ub Iwerks, Disney's chief animator in the
early days of Disney Studios. Walt Disney had largely abandoned
drawing animated characters to concentrate on the commercial side of
business. However Walt did come up with the idea for Mickey and
established his personality. He also supplied the voice. (And banked the
money!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What do cats, camels, and giraffes have in
common?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS612. UPSIDE DOWN?
The bubbles in Guiness Beer sink to the bottom, instead of floating to the top as in other beers. The reason for this is a mystery waiting to be solved. (Wouldn’t want to swim in it then!)
613. SENIOR MILITARY PRECISION
The average ear (cob) of corn has 800 kernels arranged in 16 rows. (How many Majors, Captains and Lieutenants?)
614. WON 'EM ALL
Rita Moreno was the first and only entertainer to have received all four of America’s top entertainment industry awards – The Oscar, The Emmy, The Tony and the Grammy. (Re-award-ing?)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
GENERA
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - JUDGES (You be the judge!)
6) Who sang the song of victory for Israel?A - Isaac and Rebekah
B - Moses and Aaron
C - Deborah and Barak
D - the angels
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! Whoever follows a crowd will never be followed by a crowd.
!!!!!! Wisdom whispers - foolishness shouts.
!!!!! "Islam is a religion in which their god requires you to send your son to die for him. Christianity is a faith in which God sent HIS Son to die for you." John Ashcroft (US Attorney General)
!!!! Creditors have better memory than debtors.
!!! Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.
!! Stupidity got us into this mess -- why can't it get us out?
! Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
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. How did God keep the oceans clean?
>
>
>
>
>
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A. With Tide.
Lots more riddles found at...
PETS RULE!
39. FAMOUS DOG QUOTES"I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult." Rita
Rudner
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to
the idea." Robert A. Heinlein
"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." Dereke Bruce
"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." Ben
Williams
"When a man's best friend is his dog, that dog has a problem." Edward Abbey
"Cat's motto: No matter what you've done wrong, always try to make it look like the
dog did it."
"Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail."
"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does."
Christopher Morley
"Man is a dog's idea of what God should be." Holbrook Jackson
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person." Andrew A. Rooney
"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I
am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts." John Steinbeck
40. EXPENDABLE
The newly-married husband came home from the office to find his young wife in floods of tears. "Darling, whatever is the matter?" he asked.
"Sweetheart," she sobbed, "the most terrible thing has happened! I cooked my very first Beef Bourguignon for you, and I got it out of the oven to season it, and the phone rang. When I came back from answering the phone," she sobbed again. "I found that the cat had eaten it!"
"Don't worry, darling," said her husband. "Don't cry. We can get a new cat tomorrow."
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BIBLE TRIVIA
A VISION OF PARADISE?Next to the desert, Canaan must have seemed like paradise with its vineyards and orchards of olives, figs, dates and pomegranates. Next to the grape, the fig was the most valued crop, providing a large part of their daily food. Like dates, they were eaten both fresh and dried. Fig fruits were also used medicinally, while the sheaths of date clusters provided a sap used to make a kind of wine as well as a syrup called 'honey' in the Bible.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
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PERSECUTION: WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007
Interview by Susan Wunderink | posted 11/09/2007 09:01AMCarl Moeller is president and CEO of Open Doors USA, which was founded in 1955 by Brother Andrew. The organization is involved in Bible and literature distribution, leadership training, Christian community development, and reporting about Christians in restrictive countries. Open Doors is one of the organizations participating in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (November 11) to remember especially what they call "secret believers"—Muslim converts to Christianity. Moeller spoke with CT about the religious rights of Christians throughout the world.
What qualifies as persecution?
We tend to think of persecution as a continuum. People can be ridiculed and mocked for their faith, but it ends on sort of a scale with martyrdom and torture.
What is the point of prayer and aid for people in persecuted countries?
We believe that the important role that the church has to play in every culture is to be a source of hope and healing. Jesus called it salt and light. If the church leaves because of persecution or pressure, if Christians flee, where will that salt and light come from? So our job is not to remove Christians from persecution, but it's to strengthen them. Christian support, love, commitment, prayer, physical and tangible resources so that they can remain where they are and ultimately that they can see the kingdom of God advance even in a situation as desperate as a persecution context.
Where are circumstances improving for Christians?
In a number of countries around the world, persecution is improving, but on a general scale persecution is increasing.
We have a number of places that have improved, like Vietnam. But it's still in the top 10 worst places in the world for persecution.
Afghanistan, the last few years, has improved, but as we've seen this year, there's a local persecution that's gaining.
In particular, I would say China has improved, although I would say it's seeing an uptick because of the Olympics.
We've had a lot of stability unfortunately at the top of our persecution index. The worst countries are pretty much the same countries year to year, with the exception of a few that have improved somewhat. It's hard to point to a dramatic improvement of persecution in any country.
How do you differentiate between persecution of Christians because of their beliefs and general oppression?
We resist the temptation to claim that everyone who's a Christian who's killed in a certain region is a martyr for Christ. We all know that ethnic, religious, political conflict produces casualties. That's not religious persecution per se; it's just people caught in the crossfire who happen to be Christians.
However, we also can very clearly see in places like North Korea the government targeting Christians particularly. Refugees who've been caught in China, repatriated back to North Korea, and escaped from North Korea again, on their return to North Korea, they are interrogated and they are asked specific questions about their contact with Christians. They're put into worse confines if they admit to having contact with Christians on their escape from North Korea.
Where are Christians dealing well with persecution or other violations of their religious rights?
There are of course Christians who don't respond as Jesus would when violence is inflicted on them. They respond as many people would, with violence as well. And of course, we don't support that, but we understand it.
Certainly in many parts of Indonesia there's been Muslim-on-Christian violence, churches being bombed, people being killed. The Christian community there in some ways has not been a good example of showing Christ's love for those who are persecuting them. However, I just became aware of a story of a family in Indonesia whose daughter was one of three girls who were attacked by Muslim extremists in 2004. Her face was horribly disfigured, and her friends were decapitated as they walked home from school. What was remarkable was the mothers have taken up a cause of demonstrating Christian forgiveness to the extremists in a very remarkable way. Their effort on behalf of the cause of Christ to forgive those who had done the most horrible things to their families and their daughters is a testimony of the way the Christians are called to respond.
Many times people neglect the fact that as martyrs they're witnesses for the reality of Jesus Christ. When people die in the name of Jesus Christ, it presents a strong testimony to the culture. And in each case, where we see that Christians are publicly persecuted and killed, the church is correspondingly growing. We see hope in the face of that kind of tragedy.
What are the current trends in religious rights? What do you expect to see over the next couple years?
Certainly in the next few years, Muslim extremism will continue to have a trajectory that's going to rise. Christians are going to be increasingly identified with a Western culture that extremist Muslims reject, even though they may be traditional members of their society. Christians will bear the brunt of a lot of that hatred of the West.
We're seeing China change in many ways. China continues to be one of the worst abusers of human rights, with Christians being the bellwether of those abuses. And in the run-up to the Olympics, we're seeing an increasing crackdown on house-church leaders and workers in urban areas of China.
On the other hand, China is also opening up more dramatically than any other country on our list in certain places. One of the trends in China is to be increasingly globally connected. That's going to present more opportunities for the advance of the gospel in China over the next 5 to 10 years. I guess I'd go back to the old adage, whatever you say about China is true somewhere in China.
"This article first appeared in (insert date) issue of Christianity Today. Used by permission of Christianity Today International, Carol Stream, IL 60188."
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
EAGLES FLY HIGH! Pastors, Teachers and Students VersionA revelatory, scripturally based study describing God's church - Past, Present and Future. Contains many insights into God's desires for His people in these end times. This overview will help you both better understand the direction of the church as a whole and the place of your ministry within the overall picture.
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WAXING LYRICAL
A similar theme to the first poem I wrote, eight years earlier, in another time of trouble. Hopefully though, this one expresses a more mature faith. You be the judge. I know I am coping with the problems more easily now, knowing for sure that God is on myside.
YOU’RE STILL THERE
There are times in life, when all seems lost,
A cork in stormy seas, I’m being tossed,
Battered about from head to toe,
Don’t know how or where to go.
Hurting in every sinew!
Impossible to continue!
Head does burn!
Nowhere to turn?
Run away?
Hey! Hey!
Stop!
Drop!
But surely, you’re still there!
Now really, life is unkind,
No, it’s not just in the mind.
What have I done, this fate to deserve?
For it’s you I’ve tried, always to serve.
It’s not on, Lord, such a fate to befall,
I’ve done my best, have given my all!
But surely, you’re still there!
My thoughts, they just churn away,
Never in one place, will they stay,
Drift in here, shoot out where?
Yes! No! - Lord - it’s not fair!
But surely, you’re still there!
My mind’s in turmoil,
My body in recoil.
But you’re still there.
(Continued next week)
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A DAVID MUSING
IT'S HOW YOU FINISH!On Saturday night, the New Zealand Netball team lost the final of the World Netball Championships to Australia. They fell behind early, caught up near the end, but blew their opportunities of taking the lead in the final few minutes. So they lost, ending a very bad year for New Zealand in world team sports, where we have had a knack of losing the big games.
Reminded me of our life in God. While many preach the 'once saved, always saved', easy Christianity theology, the Bible itself, tells a different story. In God, it is how we finish our walk that counts.
While getting to heaven is not a competition, as is sport, Australia showed the strength of character required to win the game.
What will our result be in the 'race of life'? Will we persevere to the end and win the prize we are called to?
For the netballers there is always 2011... unless the Lord returns first! God too, is a God of the second chance. May we appoint Him coach of our lives and go out and do what He says!
Then the victory will surely be ours.
Until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: ENRAGE
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION': Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:1-31)
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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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