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: 50 Published: 14 Oct 2002
"FOLLOWING PROSPERITY INSTEAD OF IT FOLLOWING US"
In 50 issues, this is the first keynote article written by someone else. By our host in Uganda, Andrew Edwards. I was tempted to edit out the nice bits about ourselves, but rather feel to present it in its entirety, to let this important point be made as it was written.Hello Brothers
All these years I have been thinking, what has happened to the church? Churches are falling, believers are falling what is wrong? As I was still in prayer God answered me by sending his servant David and Kathy Tait. Today the gospel has turned a different course.
We ministers teach what people want to hear (prosperity). In Africa where poverty is at its peak every believer would love to hear a prosperity preacher. Hundreds of people would turn up if you would preach prosperity. Who wouldn’t like to be rich any way? I remember our church had invited a preacher from America whom we thought would bring revival to our church. To our great surprise he turned us down the reason being that we are too poor to afford his fee. He told me that he is capable of making people reach out their wallets. Since our church is so poor financially he has no business with us. That left me wondering if really today’s modern day preachers are serious in obeying the Lords command. Don’t get me wrong I do preach prosperity too. My point is that churches today have left the whole truth and are teaching some truth. This gospel of prosperity only, was imported from developed countries. And has a lot of market in Africa and you know why. Today in Africa a pastor will be considered anointed if he has wealthy. E.g. cars, houses and how many times he has travelled to U.S.A I felt ashamed when I took David to meet some pastors, to my surprise all of them had gone to either Britain or U.S.A. What does the bible say about the whole issue of prosperity? Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matthew 16:26: "for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
Today we are following prosperity instead of it following us. The gospel of holiness is nowhere to be heard.
David’s teaching about the tabernacle and relating it to the modern day church has been a blessing to us. We really need to clean our selves before we reach the Lords presence. There is no way the church will reach the Holy of Holies except through purification in the blood of Jesus Christ. We had taken long without hearing such a wonderful message. I believe the Book EAGLES FLY HIGH! is a blessing to us. We are seeing the results in the Church. And we are ready to be a hundred fold Christians Thank you for the wonderful ministry.
Andrew Edwards
Founder: Salvation and Evangelical Mission
Find out more about us on...
FROM THE WORD
“This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on." (Leviticus 16:3-4)"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.)" (Revelation 19:6-8)
"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.†" (1 Peter 1:15-16)
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
*** Hope is expressed through faith. Faith is expressed through love.*** For God so loved the world that He gave... us grace and faith.
*** Faith and doubt are constant companions. For it is only in accomplished faith that we see the devil's defeat.
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***Three for the price of one!
BC!
Adam and Eve lived thousands of years BC - Before Clothing.
DOT COM PRAYERS
When my brother said, "Amen" after grace one night, one of his children asked what "amen" meant. Before he or his wife could answer, their five-year-old responded, "It means "send."
PERFECTION
An evangelist had a great revival camp going. One night he was up in front of a large audience, speaking on imperfection. He asked his audience towards the end, "Has anyone ever known anyone who has come CLOSE to the perfection of our lord, Jesus Christ?" Nobody, of course raised their hand. So he issued the question again. "Anybody! Has ANYONE ever known that kind of perfection?"
Finally a guy in the back raised his hand, so of course he was asked to stand up. "Tell us. Tell us who you knew who was so close to perfection."
The man responded, "My wife's first husband."
125 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...
TAPE (MP3) OF THE WEEK
In association with Inspirational Tapes Ministriesinspirational.org.nz we are pleased to offer you this inspirational tape - absolutely free of charge!
THE GOD WHO ACQUITS CRIMINALS - Radio Broadcast 16/6/02
By Ian Coker
A copy (with permission) of a radio broadcast, from Toowoomba Australia. The radio programme is "The 11th Hour" and is presented by local Pastor and Christian Apologetic Ian Coker as he presents "A Critical Approach to the Bible". The title speaks for itself. Excellently presented. His talks have always proved most popular with readers.
Order your free tape or run the MP3 today at ...
FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: Where and when was the first underground train line opened?ANSWER: The City and South London Railway opened the world's first deep-level electric railway on December 18th, 1890, from King William Street in the City of London under the River Thames to Stockwell.
MORE "TUBE" FACTS
!!! A HUMAN CARGO: Today, the London Underground Limited (LUL) is a major business with 2.5 million passenger journeys a day, nearly 500 trains, serving over 260 stations, around 16,000 staff and vast engineering assets.
!!! SLOW BUT SURE - MOSTLY! Average scheduled train speed (including station stops) 20.5 mph (33 kph).
!!! NOT MUCH TO SEE: Maximum tunnel depth below mean sea level is 70ft (21.3m) Maximum tunnel depth below ground level is 221ft (67.4m)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Are birds born with the ability to sing?
Answer Next Week.
A CHALLENGE FOR YOU!
Thanks to Donna Parton.
Q. What three manmade items are in heaven?
Answer at the end of ‘A David Musing’
Find 150 fun facts and trivial trivia at ...
LIFE'S A LAUGH
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGEThe passengers were leaving the plane after landing, and one smiling, satisfied passenger paused to congratulate the flight attendant.
"Stewardess," he said happily, "I want to compliment you and the crew and especially the captain for getting here right on time. It's not often that an airline gets to where it's going exactly when they claim it will. I'm going to call your home office and let them know how pleased I am."
"Why, thank you, sir," the flight attendant answered, "but I think you should know--this is yesterday's flight."
A QUICK NAP
Friends took their first-grader on a car trip to Canada. To help pass the time, the boy practised his new reading skills by calling out road signs.
He fell asleep just before they entered Quebec. When he awoke he saw the French highway signs and said in a worried tone. "I think I forgot how to read while I was asleep."
Many more true, humorous anecdotes to exercise your smile at...
IF YOU HAVE TIME YOU MIGHT LIKE TO READ... (A PDF File Download)
"EAGLES FLY HIGH!"The book mentioned by Andrew Edwards in the keynote article. Freely available as a 3 part PDF download, it takes a while to read but not nearly as long as the one whole year of my life it took to write!
Can be found at...
A MOST USEFUL INFORMATION SOURCE FOR EVANGELISM
WEB EVANGELISM BULLETINThis twice-monthly email Bulletin, compiled by Tony Whittaker, is an essential read for anyone wishing to share the Gospel online. It covers issues of strategy and communication, ideas for church pages, methods of promoting Christian websites, and much more.
To subscribe, send a blank email to:
web-evangelism-subscribe@lists.gospelcom.net
You can also visit Tony's web site at...
A DAVID MUSING
Life has its ups and downs, doesn't it? One moment you can be riding high, or more often, gratefully on a steady keel, the next to be thrown into the depths of despair. In God this is called mountain and valley experiences. I don't like the valleys, but I know I have to go through them to better climb the mountains, to grow in God. Such has been my week - mountains and valleys.I find a sense of humour though, a great help in times of 'valley experience'. Particularly when I can laugh at myself! I am sure satan hates it when we learn not to take our knocks and setbacks as seriously as he would like us to. For he is the master of illusion and will always paint our mind picture bleaker than it, in reality, is! I feel better already!
Brings another thought to mind. A David Doodling. "Its taking me so long to go round the mountain, that others are racing by on their second lap!" Think about it!
His servant and yours
David Tait
CHALLENGE ANSWER: The scar in Jesus' side as well as the nail-print scars in each of his hands.
LINKS
If you would like to link your web links@wsite to ours, and ours to yours, please advise us on links@wwj.org.nzDID THIS EMAIL HAVE A BLUE BACKGROUND AND RED HEADINGS?
YES - Great!NO - Your web browser needs to be set to 'Rich Text'. If you have an older 'Text Only' browser, this email may also be viewed on our web site at ...
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 websitewwj.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!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz