THE POWER OF THE CALL (continued)

As we saw last week, a call has responsibilities as well as blessings. In the spiritual, it is a personal call to righteousness and holiness.

However, it is more than this. For it is a call for the individual believer to do the work of the Lord. This is a prime difference between the 'church view' and 'kingdom understanding'.

In reality, in spite of what is preached, under the church system we employ 'professionals' to do the work on our behalf. Pastors, priests, social workers, office staff, the list goes on. As people, we pay our tithe or offering to them to do the work of evangelism and provide the social services to which the whole body of Christ is called.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. (John 13:29)

The effectiveness of the church system in achieving these goals needs to be questioned.

Who Gives Two Cents for Missions? We Do, to Our Shame
Gene Edward Veith. World Magazine, October 22, 2005.

Of every dollar given to a U.S. Protestant church, the average amount that goes to overseas missions is two cents. In 1920 the church gave 10 percent of the total offering to missions, compared to today’s 2 percent. The church’s current spending practice seems to indicate an increased emphasis on internal operations and programs over the broader mission of the church.

So what is the answer?

Ironically, in the verses most used to justify the system of fulltime professional leadership, is the truth of what the leadership role truly is.

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12)

The work is to be done by the people, not professionals.

The reality of human nature in the division of work oriented society in which we live is that, as long as there are professionals to do the work, they will be given the responsibility to do it by those who pay them. No amount of preaching to the contrary will change this perception and reality.

Please do not get me wrong. I understand and appreciate the dedication and committment of multitudes of pastors and leaders worldwide who are deeply committed to their churches and their people. I also understand your need to 'pay the bills' of day to day life. I understand that many of you could earn more money elsewhere, although for others, this is not the case.

Unfortunately though, the system is not working. In spite of the billions being poured into it, biblical goals are not being achieved. To the contrary, the major growth is happening in areas eg. China, where traditional systems do not exist.

From my understanding of church history, in broad principle, I have seen that God has raised groups of people operating in the Holy Spirit power, who have worked together to achieve the goals Jesus set out. Eventually however, each one has become formalised, paid professionals have been appointed, enthusiasm has waned, and another denomination formed. God then seeks another group who are prepared to be fully sold out to Him.

The key to fulfilling God's plan is a leadership and people that are one, so that all do the work.

Next week we will look at ways of getting people more involved in doing the work.

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FROM THE WORD

The Great Commission

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”" (Matthew 28:16-20)

Unity in the Body of Christ

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (Ephesians 4:1-16)

"As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." (Galatians 2:6-10)

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DAVID'S DOODLINGS

TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE

434. Knowledge is subject to change, while truth stands firm.

435. Man seeks truth. God is truth. Shouldn’t then, man seek truth through God?

436. The one who claims to have all the answers cannot have been asked all the questions.

437. Truth is perceived through our ‘life filters.’ Unfortunately no two filters are the same!

438. The greater the truth revealed, the more room for human error to be concealed.

439. Since God is the sole source of absolute truth, shouldn’t we seek the mind of God?

440. The more of God in us, the greater our potential to reveal His truth.

441. Knowledge is too often confused with truth.

442. Yesterday the world was flat, today it is round, but God’s truth is the same forever.

443. Knowledge is fleeting, truth eternal.

444. If I knew everything in the world, I would be most confused!

445. The pursuit of knowledge is excellent, the pursuit of truth, unsurpassable.

446. The more I learn, the less I know, so to my God I’d rather go.

447. Truth is like tightening a nut. There is only a small difference between maximum effectiveness and stripping the thread.

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 ...

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CRANWELL'S CARTOON

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (Jonah 1:1-3)










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TUESDAY TEACHINGS

GOD AND MAN continues...

...as we look at the penultimate steps in attaining our inheritance.

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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." ***

788. THE GATE OF HEAVEN
Inscribed in stone over the great front doors of an old church being restored was: “This is the Gate of Heaven.”

Just below it someone had placed a small cardboard sign that read: “Use Other Entrance.”

2. SUNDAY SAVINGS
Johnny (It’s okay all you Johnny’s – don’t be offended - John is my second name too!) came skipping into the house with a big ‘all day sucker’ in his mouth. "Where did you get it? his mother asked."

"I bought it with the dollar you gave me."

"But the dollar I gave you was for Sunday School!"

"I know mum, but the minister met me at the door and let me in for free!"

1. MODERN DAY RELIGION
A teacher asked her students to draw a picture of their favourite Old Testament story. Moving around the class she saw many beautiful and moving drawings. Then she came to Johnny (why is it always Johnny?) and saw his picture of a man driving an old car.

"It’s a lovely picture Johnny, but what is the story?"

It’s simple, Miss, "Doesn’t it say in the Bible that God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden!"

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: What or who is the Cardinal Bird named after?

ANSWER: The bright red bird, much beloved in the United States, owes
its name to the equally bright red-robed officials of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Cardinals got their name from the adjective ‘cardinal’ which
means ‘important’ or ‘that on which something depends,’ from the Latin
‘cardo,’ or ‘hinge.’ They started wearing these distinctive red robes in the
thirteenth century, not to be self important, but when Pope Innocent IV
proposed they wear red cloaks and red hats as a symbol of their
willingness to shed blood for their faith. (Would they – and we - still?)

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What is a ‘red dog’?

Answer Next Week.

SOME FUN FACTS

434. NOT THE REAL THING
Twenty-four-carat gold is not pure gold as there is a small amount of copper in it to harden it. Absolutely pure gold is so soft that it can be moulded with the hands. (Seems rather to slip through the fingers!)

435. STRIKING A CORD
Ten cords of wood (a pile stacked 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 80 feet long) have the same heating potential as 1,400 gallons of oil. (Winter ‘woodn’t’ be welcome without warmth.)

436. MIXED MESSAGES
There are two radios for every man, woman, and child in the United States. (Absolute confusion or simple stereo with one to each ear - on the same station.)

A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU

Make another word from this word using all the letters.

This is a new, clever and amusing series I came across recently. The answers relate to the original word.

ELECTION RESULTS (Three word answer.)

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 - HILLS AND MOUNTAINS

6) Which of the following notable events happened at Mount Sinai? (Pictured)

A - Jesus crucified
B - Jesus ascended
C - Joshua defeats Moab
D - Ten commandments received

Source: www.biblequizzes.com

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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!

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

GOD SAID

!!!!!!! If you never had a problem, how would you know that I can solve them?

!!!!!! If you never had any suffering, then how would you know what Jesus went through?

!!!!! If you never went through the fire, then how would you become pure?

!!!! If I gave you all things, how would you appreciate them?

!!! If I never corrected you, how would you know that I love you?

!! If you had all power, then how would you learn to depend on me?

! If your life was perfect, then what would you need Me for?

100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...

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WHY? Some of Life’s Most Puzzling Questions

118. Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?

119. Why isn't "palindrome" spelled the same way backwards?

120. Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it's called cargo?

121. You know that little indestructible black box that is used on planes, why can't they make the whole plane out of the same substance?

122. Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?

123. If you have your finger touching the rearview mirror that says - "objects in mirror are closer than they appear", how can that be possible?

124. Why is it so hard to remember how to spell MNEMONIC?

125. If someone invented instant water, what would they mix it with?

126. Why is it called a TV "set" when you only get one?

127. Why does your nose run and your feet smell?

128. Why does an alarm clock "go off" when it begins ringing?

129. If pro is the opposite of con, is progress the opposite of congress?

130. Why does "cleave" mean both split apart and stick together?

131. Why is it, whether you sit up or sit down, the result is the same?

132. Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?

133. If you keep trying to prove Murphy's Law, will something keep going wrong?

134. Why does flammable and inflammable mean the same thing?

135. How can someone "draw a blank"?

136. Shouldn't there be a shorter word for "monosyllabic"?

137. Why is the word "abbreviate" so long?

138. Why doesn't "onomatopoeia" sound like what it is?

139. Why do tourists go to the tops of tall buildings and then put money into telescopes so they can see things on the ground close-up?

140. Why is there only ONE Monopolies Commission?

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BIBLE TRIVIA

WHEN GOD STAYS ABRAHAM'S HAND...

.....the passage says Abraham 'fears God'. The 'fear of God' is a common expression today. The Hebrew verb for 'fear' can be understood in 2 ways. Occasionally it meant being afraid, but most often biblical fear meant awe or reverence for someone of exalted position. Abraham was not necessarily 'afraid' of God but held Him in profound respect as the one to be obeyed.

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

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Making Dry Church Services Come To Life

Why is it that in some churches, meeting with the creator of the universe is often a boring showcase for bad music, inept preaching and poor taste? Listed are 4 of 9 perspectives that can enhance the effectiveness of your services.

1. Put yourself in the congregation’s shoes. Pastor, how long has it been since you just sat in the congregation? How often do you really try to identify with the needs, hopes and dreams of those in your congregation?

2. Tell stories. Storytelling was Jesus’ primary method of teaching. He put the most profound concepts into simple and compelling stores that captivated people and changed their lives. Never telling a story is a prescription for putting people to sleep.

3. Question everything. Why do you take up the offering the same way each week? Why do you always sing the same hymn of invitation?

4. Find some fresh jokes-or don’t use any. How many of you would rather be here in church than in the finest hospital in town? Please discard your moth-eaten jokes. Otherwise your congregation will start laughing out of pity, not humor.

> Read the entire article here
http://www.preachit.org/newsletter.cfm?record=131&mode=49

PreachIt newsletter, Resources by ministers for ministers

Via: The Outreach Files: December 08. beautifulfeettaskforce.injesus.com

Many more Godfacts at...

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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD

A REVELATION OF... THE BOOK OF RUTH

In one of the oldest books of the Bible, God reveals His plan for the Church in these end times. Unbelievable! No! For God's plan has been there from the beginning of time. He is now revealing more of it to us. Wondered about the Church and Israel?

Download your free PDF File here.....

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WAXING LYRICAL

This tale was written over a 'period of waiting', while seeking premises for a store we wished to open for 'africa arise'. Go through all the emotions before giving it all to God!

WAITING

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.'

The days pass.
Am at peace.
Nothings fast,
With a lease!

(Wait ends next week!)

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A DAVID MUSING

As we enter the new year, it is the natural time that sales start to improve in second hand clothing businesses in New Zealand. The best months are March to June. When sales improve you feel good about work. As our turnover increases, so we will be able to do more to help the people of Africa.

In life, success does make us happy! In worldly terms success is measured in material terms. Sales, wealth, influence, etc.

In God though, success is measured in relationship, primarily with Him. As in the natural, we all have good and less good seasons in God. There are times when we are closer to Him than others. Ironically, life has shown me that the times I am closest to Him are generally the times when I am the least successful by worldly standards!

Spiritual 'happiness' and worldly happiness, while not always mutually exclusive, do not often coincide. For worldly success brings self reliance, while spiritual success is based upon brokenness.

A dilemna for both me and you?

Until next week...

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.

His servant and yours

David Tait

Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: IS NO AMITY

TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION': D - Ten commandments received (Exodus 31:18)

REPRODUCTION OF NEWSLETTER CONTENT

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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
7 Bull Street
Ahuriri
Napier
New Zealand

Phone: (06) 835 0567 International (+64) 6 835 0567

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