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: 38 Published: 15 Jul 2002
LIVING "IN FAITH" OR "BY FAITH"?
It is a truism that 'you can't live by faith until you have nothing else to live on.' A new David's Doodling!As you receive this, I will be on my final flight back to New Zealand, having spent the last 4 days at my nephew's wedding in Melbourne, Australia. My wife Kathy has come across from New Zealand and we have had a much awaited reunion of body, soul and spirit after 7 long weeks apart.
Having now been back in the Western World for a fortnight, the differences in faith levels between those who really do have to rely on God for everything and those who think they do, are becoming more apparent all the time. For while we in the West generally (and there are exceptions) talk about relying upon God for our provision, the reality is that in most cases, we don't actually have to. In Africa and many other parts of the world however, many of the people really have to, most of the time.
This is not a call to a vow of poverty, for poverty is an insidious curse that kills the ability of people to fulfill their God given potential in life. For money in itself is not evil, but rather our attitude towards that is the problem. So much so, that Jesus teaches more about this subject than any other.
What we need to recognise however, is that there is a big difference in living IN faith for what we desire, whether for ourselves or for God, and living BY faith for the provision of our next meal, or a roof over our head tonight.
For I Iive IN faith, not BY faith. I live in faith for God's provision of money to enable us to return to Africa in 5 weeks time to minister in Uganda. But I don't have to live by faith for my next meal, or for my accomodation.
So I am going to be more careful about how I use those words in the future. For the worst that can happen to me is that I lose face by not being able to make the trip. Not to starve! Yes, I surely live in faith, but not truly by faith. It is important to recognise and acknowlege the difference.
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FROM THE WORD
“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.†“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?†The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.†(1 Corinthians 15:54-58)“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.†(1 John 5:1-5)
DAVID’S DOODLINGS
### Nothing is less conspicuous than a famous man’s grave.### Having control over ones self is of much greater worth than having control over others.
### You must clamber over the rocks of failure in order to ascend the mountain of success
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LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***THANK YOU JESUS
Faith, 3, went to Good Friday services. That night she prayed, "Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the Cross. And thank You we didn't have to watch!"
HEAVENLY INSPIRATION
The temporary Sunday School teacher was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cabinet.
She had been told the combination, but couldn't quite remember it. Finally she went to the pastor's study and asked for help.
The pastor came into the room and began to turn the dial. After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment. Finally he looked serenely heavenward and his lips moved silently.
Then he looked back at the lock, and quickly turned to the final number, and opened the lock.
The teacher was amazed. "I'm in awe at your faith, pastor," she said.
"It's really nothing," he answered.
"The number is on a piece of tape on the ceiling."
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TAPE (MP3) OF THE WEEK
In association with Inspirational Tapes Ministries www.inspirational.org.nz we are pleased to offer you this inspirational tape - absolutely free of charge!This week we continue to offer exclusively for Walking With Jesus subscrbers first - "yes first" copies of a 4 part "yes 4 part" series on "Spiritual Warfare"
Speaker Cecil Peasley who is a South African International Speaker and who travels extensively around the world. He has a worldwide ministry of reaching, preaching and teaching. Born of missionary stock in the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Cecil trusted Christ as Saviour while still a teenager, following the trauma of a snake bite experience. In 1969 Cecil graduated from the Baptist Theological College of South Africa. For eleven years he pastored churches in the cities of Durban & Johannesburg. In 1980 he responded to the call of World Evangelism and has taken the Gospel to countires including, Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Western & Eastern Europe, Latvia, New Zealand, Paraquay, The Philipines, Russia, UK and just this year China
Sorry, not currently available in MP3 format, Tape Only.
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FACTS FOR FUN
THE ULTIMATE MOTHERLY SACRIFICEThe cecidomyian gall midge, a fly, can reproduce either by laying eggs or by parthenogenesis (reproduction without a male). In the latter method, the female's offspring develop within her tissues and when the time for their birth arrives, they eat the mother from inside. The male still comes in handy!
FAVOURITE COOKIES
Since its first appearance in 1912, OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies have reigned supreme as being the number one selling cookie in America. The basic design of the cookie has not changed for more than 50 years. Today's version is a neat 1 3/4 inches across - that's one, two or three bites - depending on how big your bite is!
SPIDER POWER
If you suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders), beware the countryside. An average of 50,000 spiders roam an acre of land. Spiders reduce the number of other insects, annually killing a hundred times their number. A web of intrigue.
A CHALLENGE FOR YOU!
What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and grey when you throw it away?
Answer at the end of ‘A David Musing’
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LIFE’S A LAUGH
CONSIDERATION?When workmen came to demolish our old porch and build a new one, they had a number of power tools that needed to be plugged into the outlet in our house. Each morning we'd open the door for them to slip an extension cord through the mail slot, and later in the day they would unplug it. Early one afternoon they knocked on the door to say they had to rent a piece of equipment that was available only at 7 a.m. the next morning.
"Ma'am, if you don't mind," said one of the men, "we'd like to leave this cord through the mail slot tonight so we won't have to wake you up when we plug in the jackhammer in the morning."
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IF ONLY I’D THOUGHT OF IT!
!!!Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side.!!! I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.
!!! Lead your life so you won't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.
!!! People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross.
!!! Life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how you respond to it.
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A VALUABLE RESOURCE ...
HELP FOR CHRISTIANS - UNITED KINGDOMThis free resource web-site contains a wide range of written material for your guidance and use. Many of the articles have sold in there thousands as pamphlets published by 'Renewal Servicing'. This new site replaces the printed pamphlets and makes their teaching and guidance even more widely available around the world, for no charge.
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A DAVID MUSING
How often we don't appreciate the value of something until we no longer have it! It is true of that favourite chair we love to sit and relax in, and it is true of our families. For as we live life from day to day, comfortable in or complaining about our circumstances, we don't really appreciate what we have. Often it takes separation to truly value the important things in our lives.Kathy and I have been married for 32 years. Over this time our longest separation has been 2-3 weeks and that, only once. So a 7 1/2 week separation after 32 years has been a real change for us. While we have coped well, both being fairly independent types, it was a very special time when Kathy walked through the exit from Australian Customs and we were able to be together again after our time apart. Hugs and kisses abounded!
It is often true that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.' In some cases of course, it can do the opposite! But for us, to be together again has made us appreciate afresh how much we mean to each other. I am just so pleased that, next time, Kathy will be coming with me, for I just want her to be able to directly experience what the Lord is doing at this time.
To get home and catch up with my 2 remaining 'New Zealand sons' (2 are in Scotland) will be great too. And from what I hear, they are looking forward to seeing me too! Miracles never cease!
Separation is hard but the excitement of the reunion compensates - well almost!
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today’s Challenge Answer: Charcoal
LINKS
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ABOUT US
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. A ministry dedicated to developing discipleship, fostering unity amongst God’s people to achieve the Great Commission, and in doing so, preparing for Christ’s return. It is securely based upon the foundational principles of the Apostles Creed while recognising the wide and rich diversity of beliefs amongst Christians in other areas. In accordance with the Lord’s direction, materials produced by the ministry are available, free of charge, to genuine enquirers upon request. The ministry is solely funded by donations, as the Lord provides. A list of materials available (plus some fun!) is obtainable and freely downloadable from our website wwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.Walking With Jesus Ministries
P O Box 5160
Mount Maunganui
New Zealand
Phone: (07) 575-7164 International (0064) 7575-7164
Fax: (07) 575-7124 International (0064) 7575-7124
Email: enquiries@wwj.org.nz
Web: wwj.org.nz
Our role is to bless and encourage those in ministry while promoting co-operation and unity of direction amongst the body of Christ, as emphasised 3 times by Jesus in His longest prayer, immediately prior to His arrest and crucifixion. "… so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:12, 21, 23-4) Our website is currently being developed to encourage your participation one with another, to share resources, and to enable you to promote events and items of interest to the body as a whole – and have a smile while doing it!
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david@wwj.org.nz