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: 448 Published: 24 May 2010
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MUSINGS ON THE KINGDOM - PAST, FUTURE AND PRESENT
KINGDOM PRESENT - THE KINGDOM PARABLESThe Parable of the Wedding Banquet
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.†(Matthew 22:1-14)
This parable was spoken in the Temple, just 2 or 3 days before Jesus was crucified. Jesus had been rejected by the Jews, in particular, the religious leaders. Because of their disobedience to God, being too enamored with traditional religious form rather than the present substance of Jesus, they would miss out on the kingdom. As we have seen elsewhere, they would have understood, but again ignored the message.
Surely this contains a warning to us today as well? Are we letting our precious denominational beliefs and paradigms get in the way of entering the kingdom?
Jesus started His ministry with a wedding, at Cana in Galilee, (see http://www.wwj.org.nz/pdf/wwj17p56.pdf) and the final act of the age will also be a wedding, between Jesus and His church.
For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
The wedding guests, that is the church, are to be dressed in fine the linen of righteousness.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.†(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) (Revelation 19:8)
Unfortunately, within the church, there are those who are not clothed in the wedding dress of righteousness. Sadly, there are many in this situation who will be thrown out to live in eternal darkness at judgment time. Jesus made the point here that there will be many who reject His saving grace, both outside and within the church.
This truth is taught in other parables also, such as the tares and the wheat and the wide and narrow roads.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (Matthew 13:40KJV)
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)
Which road are you walking on?
(Continued next week)
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FROM THE WORD
Jesus Changes Water to Wine"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.†“Dear woman, why do you involve me?†Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.†His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.†Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with waterâ€; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.†They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.†This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. (John 2:1-11)
Hallelujah!
"After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.†And again they shouted:
“Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.†The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!†Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!†Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.†(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’†And he added, “These are the true words of God.†At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.â€
The Rider on the White Horse
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.†He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.†Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." (Revelation 19:1-21)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
PERSEVERANCE685. Perseverance perseveres!
686. Perseverance is keeping running the race with feet blistered by the problems of life.
687. Perseverance is wading through the mire of life, confident of reaching our eternal heavenly home.
688. Perseverance is walking through the valleys before ascending to the mountaintops
689. Perseverance is retaining hope when all seems hopeless.
690. Perseverance is …
… forgiving one more time
… one more prayer.
… going on when others are giving up.
… picking yourself up once again.
… loving that little bit extra.
… just one more step.
… serving one more time.
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
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. 2 Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky. 3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark 7 and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. (Genesis 8:1-12)TO READ THIS CARTOON AND SEE THE OTHER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF... THE THREE PRIESTHOODS continues.......... as we continue and conclude our look at the priesthood of Melchizedec.
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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." ***
192. 'HUSHERS'
Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had had enough.
"You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."
"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door? They're 'hushers'."
191. THE BEST LIE
A pastor was walking down the street when he came upon a group of about a dozen boys, all of them between 10 and 12 years of age. The group surrounded a dog. Concerned lest the boys were hurting the dog, he went over and asked, "What are you boys doing with that dog?"
One of the boys replied, "This dog is just an old neighborhood stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So we've decided that whichever one of us can tell the biggest lie will get to keep the dog."
Of course the pastor was scandalized. "You boys shouldn't be having a contest telling lies!" he exclaimed. He then launched into a ten-minute sermon against lying, beginning, "Don't you boys know it's a sin to lie," and ending with, "Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie."
There was dead silence for about a minute. Just as the pastor began to think he'd really gotten through to them, the smallest boy gave a deep sigh and said, "All right, give him the dog."
190. THE TIMID WAITRESS
After being appointed to the church's evangelism and outreach committee, one particular member was quite nervous at having to make evangelistic visits. His Pastor comforted him by suggesting that he pray. "If you spend a few minutes talking with God prior to visiting someone, it should help."
When the committee met again, the nervous parishioner approached the Pastor and said, "Thank-you so much for suggesting prayer. I tried it before I went on my visit and it really worked!"
"I'm so pleased to hear that," the Pastor answered. "Why don't you share your experience with the rest of the committee so others may know of the power of prayer?"
"Well," he replied, "I prayed that the people wouldn't be home, and they weren't."
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What did Chester Greenwood invent in 1873?ANSWER: Chester Greenwood invented the earmuffs in 1878. He lived
in Farmington Maine, USA and every year they hold a parade and winter
carnival called ‘Chester Greenwood Day’. Everyone shows off his or her
varied and colourful (and often silly) earmuffs. (Can make as much noise
as they wish without suffering hearing loss!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Is it possible that a caterpillar could have
more than 1,000 muscles?
Answer Next Week.
223. THE WEAKEST LINK
At greatest risk of injury to a professional football player's anatomy is the knee, which is involved in 58 percent of all major football injuries. (Definitely not ‘kneeded’.)
224. A LOT FROM A LITTLE
A standard garden hose can pour out as much as 20 gallons of water per minute. So a hose left on by mistake can waste as much as 28,000 gallons (126,000 litres) in just 24 hours. (‘Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink’.)
225. MOVING MOUNTAINS
The process of mountain formation or upheaval is ‘orogeny’. (An official name for ‘making a mountain out of a molehill’.)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
NEBULA
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - MOUNTAINS
16) What is remembered at hill Mizar?A - A successful Battle
B - God
C - Happiness
D - Joy
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!!!! It's harder to talk your way out of a problem than it is to behave yourself into one.
!!!!!!!! I was taught to respect my elders. It's just getting harder to find any.
!!!!!!! The two most common elements in the world are hydrogen and stupidity.
!!!!!! A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be somewhere else.
!!!!! God, if I can’t have what I want, then please help me want what I have.
!!!! If you love someone, and you tell them -- you are a fool for five minutes. If you love someone, and you don’t tell them -- you are a fool forever.
!!! Anybody can win (unless there happens to be a second entry).
!! You can't have everything.... where would you put it?
! If you wish to live wisely, ignore pithy sayings.... including this one.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
JUST JOKES
342. FULL SERVICE STOPA guy comes into a coffee shop and places his order: "I want 3 flat tires & a pair of headlights".
The waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, goes to the kitchen & asks the cook, "This guy out there just ordered 3 flat tires & a pair of headlights. What does he think, this is an auto parts store?!"
"No," the cook says, "3 flat tires means 3 pancakes & a pair of headlights is 2 eggs sunny side up."
"Oh," says the waitress. She thinks about this and then she spoons up a bowl of beans and gives it to the customer.
The guy says "What are the beans for?"
The waitress replies "I thought that, while you're waiting for the flat tires & headlights, you might want to gas up."
341. THE TRAIN TICKET
Three women and three men are traveling by train to the Super Bowl.
At the station, the three men each buy a ticket and watch as the three women buy just one ticket.
"How are the three of you going to travel on only one ticket?" asks one of the men.
"Watch and learn," answers one of the women.
They all board the train. The three men take their respective seats but all three women cram into a toilet together and close the door.
Shortly after the train has departed, the conductor comes around collecting tickets. He knocks on the toilet door and says, "Ticket, please."
The door opens just a crack, and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand.
The conductor takes it and moves on.
The men see this happen and agree it was quite a clever idea; so, after the game, they decide to do the same thing on the return trip and save some money.
When they get to the station they buy a single ticket for the return trip but see, to their astonishment, that the three women don't buy any ticket at all!!
"How are you going to travel without a ticket?" says one perplexed man.
"Watch and learn," answer the women.
When they board the train, the three men cram themselves into a toilet, and the three women cram into another toilet just down the way.
Shortly after the train is on its way, one of the women leaves her toilet and walks over to the toilet in which the men are hiding.
The woman knocks on their door and says, "Ticket, please."
340. PARDON!
John: I got this great new hearing aid the other day.
Mary: Are you wearing it now?
John: Yup. Cost me four thousand dollars, but it's top of the line.
Mary: What kind is it?
John: Twelve-thirty.
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BIBLE TRIVIA (Manners and Customs - Clothing and Accessories)
THE MANNER OF DRESS IN EASTERN COUNTRIES......is largely the same as it was centuries ago. The prevailing view is that it is morally wrong to change anything that is ancient.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
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Man Takes Up Cross and Follows Christ Across the Country
ROGERS, AR - One Arkansas man's journey half-way across country is turning heads in every state he enters.The reason isn't just because Joshua Sarhan is walking. He's also carrying a massive 40-pound cross on his shoulder.
Sarhan said the Lord burdened his heart to start walking across the country, shouldering the cross, telling people about the good news of the Gospel. After months of wrestling with the idea, he literally took up a cross and started walking.
He began his trek from his home church in Rogers, Arkansas, on February 17th, and has so far traveled through eight states. He plans to continue up the East coast, across the mid-west to Seattle, then down the West Coast before he heads back for home. He estimates his journey will take about 12 months.
The 33 year-old said it's been amazing to see how God works and provides, even joking that he's actually gained about 10 pounds since he started. While some days have been physically tasking, he said he hasn't had to suffer even one blister on his foot so far.
"The Lord just provides what I need everyday," he said, whether it be clothes, food, shelter, even camping gear.
The ex-Marine, who admits he battled addictions of every kind before experiencing God's mercy, says he is an unlikely candidate to be doing what he is doing. He understands what it means to wrestle with the Lord's call, especially when it might appear outrageous or crazy.
But in the end, he says denying the Lord never works for the believer.
"I would say give in to it. God is faithful." he said.
After refusing for several months to carry this cross, Sarhan himself eventually couldn't escape the burden to obey.
"The Lord always wins," he said. "No matter what, he always wins."
Source: CBNnews.com
via OpenHeaven.com
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
A REVELATION OF... THE FIRST MIRACLE OF JESUSI have never been happy with the explanations I have heard of the meaning of the changing of the water into wine. So I asked Jesus! And He told me! Find out what He said through the Holy Spirit.
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WAXING LYRICAL
Before Adam and Eve sinned, there was no need for time, for they had eternity. The tyranny of time is one of the costs of man's fall.A MATTER OF TIME
Isn’t time such a wonderful thing,
Seems as long as a piece of string.
Not knowing where it begins, or is likely to end,
With so much of it, you can give some to a friend.
In the bright sparkle of youth,
It’s never ending, ’tis the truth!
So much to do, but with all the time in the world,
No hurry to use it! In bed we lie, snugly curled.
Then comes along the responsibilities of life,
Now it’s time to settle down with the wife.
Still the time ahead, it seems so great,
To be lovingly shared, now with a mate.
But soon comes along the patter of little feet,
And suddenly, time is no longer in surfeit!
For now there just are too few hours in the day,
To do all your work, no longer time to play.
The family grows up,
With a cat and a pup.
Then all of a sudden they are leaving home,
For now it’s their turn, the world to roam.
Where did all the years dash?
Disappeared now in a flash!
Yes, time it truly does you con,
Once so much, now all gone.
Then it’s time to do all the things we desire,
As time passes, from our work we may now retire.
But while the mind is willing, the body’s now weak,
For old man time, havoc on our person does wreak.
So the moral of the story, both for woman and man,
Is to use every minute in the best way we can.
For all too soon, time comes to an end,
Then to heaven or hell, it does us send.
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A DAVID MUSING
Last Thursday our first international Seekers shop opened in the town of Luganville on the island of Santos in Vanuatu, a Pacific nation between Fiji and Australia.The people there are almost 100% Christian. Everyone is friendly and you feel safe, both day and night.
In this modern world of need and greed it is most interesting to go into a situation where the people, in spite of generally living in very poor conditions, have a godly and positive outlook on life in general.
It certainly gives cause to thought as to why we in the Western world who have so much are generally so dissatisfied with our lot. Worth thinking about?
Incidentally, our shop is doing hugely well, far better than expected. The photo shows where we are located - between the gym and the fish shop - before we shifted in.
Until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: UNABLE
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' ANSWER: 16) B - God (Psalms 42:6)
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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!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz