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: 403 Published: 13 Jul 2009
SERMON ON THE MOUNT - THE KINGDOM WAY
Treasures in Heaven19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matthew 6:19-24)
EXPOSITION: We have a choice of where our 'treasure' is built, on earth or in heaven. We cannot build treasure in both places, for we are not capable of serving more than one 'god'.
TESTIMONY: I am a natural, born businessman, an entrepreneur, a risk taker. My life has been a series of ups and downs, financially. Have been a millionaire twice and bankrupt twice! So I know about having money, and also, not having money.
Firstly, I had money without knowing God in a personal way. Then I went bankrupt and found Jesus.
Then, I had money again, tried to provide for myself to go into ministry and went bankrupt again. When bankrupt, I got closer to Jesus.
I think you can see from this brief testimony the truth in my life of what Jesus was saying! With money, our life, time and energy is pulled in two different, incompatible directions.
This is so much against the understanding of both the worldly world and the doctrine of much of the church.
The course I have taken, as a result of my experiences, is to take what Jesus said literally. While this may be easy in places where people have nothing, or very little, in a modern Western economy such as New Zealand, it is actually a very difficult thing to do! It is tough on my wife too, for women do like the security that possessions bring.
We now own just a few household possessions that are necessary (and a few that are not!) to live life in our society. We also live on a minimum income, earned by Kathy, that allows us to meet our daily needs, but not to save money.
I am accused of being foolish and irresponsible for not owning a home, nor having money set aside for retirement. And I certainly am from a human perspective.
Over the past 2 1/2 years we have, unexpectedly to me, built up what is becoming a large (in New Zealand terms) second hand clothing business. But this time I don't own it - and I work in it for no personal income. The business is owned by a Charitable Trust, the primary objective of which is to send money and clothing to Africa.
Yes, I am still using the business skills the Lord has given me, but this time, for His benefit, not my own.
After our first bankruptcy, when I had become a Christian, our mail order business of the time prospered. We were able to provide generously financially both to the church and other causes. We distributed a discipleship course free of charge to many thousands of people, for which the Lord provided the funds through the profits of the business. We did lots of good things for God and others. We were a Christian success story. Yet in the end I, (not Kathy) became reliant upon myself, not God.
For when I was called into 'fulltime' ministry (not a term I like using for we are all in fulltime ministry, but you will know what I mean) I tried, worthily in a human sense, to provide funds so that we would not be reliant upon others for support.
It all went 'pear shaped' as the saying goes, and I was bankrupted again.
But you see, that was where Jesus, where God, wanted me. Dependant upon Him. I had nowhere else to turn. He gave me a depth of relationship and revelation that He could not have done before. No money to help others or build church buildings. But no matter. Most of all He wanted, not my money, but me, and He wants you too - all of you.
I am now back in a difficult situation - for life is never easy! Seekers can become all consuming. I could, and do from time to time, fall back into a situation of self dependency. In spite of not receiving financial rewards, my heart can so easily turn towards doing good works rather than to maintaining and growing my relationship with my Lord.
"Lord, protect me from myself, I pray!"
You may not understand what I have been saying. That is okay. And I am not saying you have necessarily to walk the same path. That is okay too. But I would ask that you meditate and pray upon this Scripture and listen to what God says to you personally. And then, of course, apply it. You may learn about the real you - where your heart truly lies. For money and possessions truly do sort us out!
Where is your heart today?
(To be continued next week.)
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FROM THE WORD
Love of Money"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:3-10)
Jesus Clears the Temple
"After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”" (John 2:12-17)
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
"“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 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. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night." (John 13:18-30)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
SUCCESS104. ‘Earthly Success’ is based upon achievement, ‘Godly Success’ upon relationship.
105. ‘To be, not to do, that is the answer.’ (with apologies to Shakespeare)
106. God desires our ‘being’ much more than our ‘doing’.
107. God prefers ‘ones self’ to ‘ones works’.
108. In God’s order ‘works’ should proceed, not precede, relationship.
109. On earth favours lead to friendship, while with God, friendship leads to blessings.
110. Money is slippery – hard to grasp and even harder to hold on to.
111. Earthly achievement’s are fleeting, a heavenly investment eternal.
112. Being a Christian is both to give and to for-give.
113. Nothing is less conspicuous than a famous man’s grave.
114. Having control over ones self is of much greater worth than having control over others.
115. You must clamber over the rocks of failure in order to ascend the mountain of success.
116. It takes the Holy Spirit to transform a ‘churchian’ into a ‘Christian’.
117. The world will meander, as long as men philander.
118. Sleep refreshes body, mind and spirit, but you have to wake up to experience the benefits.
119. Failure is often the first rung on the ladder of success.
120. 100% success is unattainable, but 100% effort is available to all.
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
"Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” (Genesis 30:20-23)
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHURCH: 3. FROM KINGS TO KINGDOM continues...... with personal testimony about the difficulty of living like Jesus.
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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." ***
69. A DIRECT LINE TO GOD
Rick volunteers with prison ministries, and in his work has become friends with a pastor of a store front church. The pastor's church is called Almighty God Tabernacle.
On a Saturday night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.
When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer."
The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.'
At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was too afraid to answer!!
68. DOGGIE RELIGION
A client brought a litter of golden retriever puppies to my veterinary clinic for inoculations and worming. As the look-alike pups squirmed over and under one another in their box, I realized it would be difficult to tell the treated ones from the rest. So, I turned on the water faucet, wet my fingers, and moistened each dog's head when I had finished.
After the fourth puppy, I noticed my talkative client had grown silent. As I sprinkled the last pup's head, the woman leaned forward and whispered, "I didn't know they had to be baptized, too."
67. QUICK QUIPS
!!!!! "If absence makes the heart grow fonder," said the preacher, "a lot of folks must love our church."
!!!!! Did you hear about the dead angel? He died of harp failure.
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: Which Roman emperor succumbed to smallpox?ANSWER: Emperor Marcus Aurelius succumbed to the ‘Plague of
Antonine’, a smallpox epidemic that killed something between 3.5 and 7
million people in the Roman Empire in 180 AD. (A ‘Big’ man, but small to
the pox!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: How long was the world's longest prayer
meeting?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS358. ASTHMA ATTACK
One ragweed (ragwort) plant can release as many as one billion grains of pollen! (What’s good for bees is not always good for us.)
359. FASTER UP THAN DOWN?
Seemingly defying gravity, forest fires move faster uphill than downhill! (Sadly, people frequently can’t outrun them - up nor down.)
360. TURN IT OFF
A car uses 1.6 ounces of gas when idling for one minute, while less than one third as much, or only half an ounce, is needed to restart it. (Then you can relax while you wait for the wife!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
WASTES
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - WATER WATER EVERYWHERE!
11) Due to the flood, Noah was in the ark approximately:A - 1 month
B - 40 days
C - 6 months
D - 12 months
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""RANDOM THOUGHTS
!!!!!!! Never leave your wife's anniversary present in a Wal-Mart bag.
!!!!!! Definition of a will: It's a dead giveaway.
!!!!! I don't need beauty sleep, I need a coma.
!!!! When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire.
!!! A skeptic is a person who when he sees the handwriting on the wall claims it's a forgery.
!! It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill - just add a little dirt.
! You'll notice that a turtle only makes progress when it sticks out its neck...
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
JUST JOKES
64. IT'S IN THE BAGOld Dr. Carver still made house calls. One afternoon he was called to the Tuttle house. Mrs. Tuttle was in terrible pain.
The doctor came out of the bedroom a minute after he'd gone in and asked Mr. Tuttle, "Do you have a hammer?"
A puzzled Mr. Tuttle went to the garage, and returned with a hammer. The doctor thanked him and went back into the bedroom.
A moment later, he came out and asked, "Do you have a chisel?"
Mr. Tuttle complied with the request.
In the next ten minutes, Dr. Carver asked for and received a pair of pliers a screwdriver and a hacksaw. The last request got to Mr. Tuttle. He asked, "What are you doing to my wife?"
"Not a thing," replied old Doc Carver. "I can't get my instrument bag open."
65. MORTIFIED
I was self-conscious about going to the gym because I thought the pounds I had put on would make me stand out among the spandex-clad regulars. I chose a treadmill in the corner so that I'd be inconspicuous.
However, as I exercised, my worst fears came true. At least a dozen people turned to stare at me periodically. I thought it might be my imagination, but then one woman even squinted to get a better look. Mortified, I stepped off the machine to leave. When I turned around, I realized that the gym's only wall clock was hung only inches above where my head had been.
66. NOT A GOOD START
During a murder trial in Texas the first words of the assistant district attorney's address to the jury were as follows: "Ladies and gentlemen, have any of you ever been the victim of a homicide?"
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BIBLE TRIVIA
MUHAMMED ED DIB....... was tending goats in 1947, when the British controlled Palestine. In the arid hills surrounding the northern Dead Sea, he dropped a stone in a cave and heard it hit something. Investigating, he found ancient clay pots filled with scrolls and scraps of old leather covered in mysterious writing - the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
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Medical needs open doors for outreach in Haiti
Haiti (MNN) The story of Haiti is heavy and depressing, particularly in Grand Bassin. Seeing the needs there opens many doors for ministry.Roger Thomas with AMG International says, "It's a very poor community of about 20,000." The community has no electricity or power lines. Jobs are scarce. There is no water piped into homes. An education is a precious commodity. The closest hospital is 18 miles away."
Thomas continues, "They have one clinic in town, but the doctor there is just not capable of seeing more than 10 patients. Also, they have to pay up front. If they can't pay, they get no treatment."
The average wage is under $3 a day, and that makes medical care costs exorbitant. It would be easy to look at Grand Bassin and feel hopeless, but Thomas says God is working through partners there who are responding.
"We have a school of about 800 children," he explains, where AMG donors sponsor children. The sponsorships help pay for schooling, supplies, uniform, and a daily meal. Students range from pre-school to 7th grade.
However, not all the students had sponsors, and that's when a local Tennessee church stepped in. They are subsidising the feeding program to ensure that the children get fed.
When a pastor noticed that many of the students and teachers at school were sick, the AMG team built a clinic. It opened three months ago.
"The clinic is brand new, and we need to furnish it. We're getting by, but we need equipment for it, and we need national worker support for the medical staff, the nurse, and the medical lab technician." The goal is for Haitian medical staff to keep the clinic open year round.
Even more importantly, Thomas says, "People have come to know the Lord because the message of the Gospel is explained every day to the patients as they wait to see the medical staff."
Pray that many Haitians will hear and believe the Gospel through the ministry of AMG.
Source: Mission Network News
and via OpenHeaven.com
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
A REVELATION OF……. 3 KINGDOM AGES OF GODAn excellent tool to help better understand Bible history and God's plan for mankind throughout the ages. Kingdom ages, that is! And to get a glimpse of the kingdom yet to come and how we can participate in it.
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WAXING LYRICAL
Many expect life to be easy once they come to Jesus. But His life was not easy - and we are meant to be like Him!LIFE'S ROSES AND THORNS
Life may be short,
It could be long.
Will we be caught?
Or end up strong?
Money comes,
Money goes.
We do our sums,
But no-one knows.
Healthy one day,
Sick the next.
For wellness we pray,
When ill - now vexed.
All's under control,
Now it falls apart!
We're first on a roll,
Then back to the start!
In God too, we must face this place,
For all's not smooth, in life's race.
Him we are called, ever to revere,
And in daily life, to persevere.
He hasn't promised a fine bed of roses,
Nor simple solutions, to all life poses.
For roses were created with thorns you see,
Representing life problems, for you and me.
Yet when we see the rose in triumphant bloom,
Its shining beauty overwhelming the gloom,
The thorns' pricks and scratches are all worthwhile,
Put aside, forgotten, when with pleasure we smile.
For there cannot be a rose, without the thorns,
So with trial and testing, we do lock horns.
In order to become the rose God wants us to be,
We must overcome the thorns of life, you see.
Then He will pick us, now His richest bloom,
Taking pride of place in His heavenly room.
Eternal blooms, never ever to fade,
For by His hand, we have been made.
When locking horns with our latest thorn,
Remember the rose - no, it does not mourn.
From glory to glory, we are being made,
The price of the Cross, now fully paid.
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A DAVID MUSING
This week I have spent a lot of time driving a truck. Several days in fact.Our old truck doesn't have a radio, so one has a lot of time in which to think while driving.
The larger rental truck which we sometimes use, has a radio which I tend to listen to as I drive.
Yet, after a few hours of driving and listening, I finally turn it off so that I can think again.
Our life with Jesus needs us to take time out from the busyness and distractions of our daily busy lives. We need to put aside a 'quiet time' in order to communicate with Him without the distractions of life getting in the way.
So driving our old truck without power steering not only builds muscles but also my relationship with Jesus. How about you?
NOTE: God has a sense of humour! As I am very busy at present, I wrote this article last Friday. On Saturday, driving the truck on yet another journey, I had a blowout in two of my rear tyres! Waiting for the repair truck to come, I had a long wait in pure peace and quiet. A real, enforced opportunity to spend time with the Lord!
Until next week...
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: SWEATS
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' ANSWER: 11) D - 12 months (Genesis 7:11,8:13-14)
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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
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!
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