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
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Issue No: 563 Published: 30 Jul 2012
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW? continues
We are looking at the differences between the Jewish (Eastern) and Greek (Western) ways of thinking, so that we can better understand the ways and teachings of Jesus. (See the last 27 weeks issues of PGIM!)WHO DOES IT?
Greek (Western) In the Western church the leadership pronounce, while the people, simply receive.
The pastor prepares, preaches and teaches, prayers come from the front (often a mini sermon couched in prayer type language) to which the people are encouraged to agree. Very often too, worship teams dominate praise and worship.
We are a leadership driven church. We pay the pastor to 'do the religious stuff of life' on our behalf! And usually, lot's more beside! Ask any pastor! Or pastor's wife! As people, so busy living life in an increasingly frantic world, we separate the 'spiritual' from our everyday life and delegate our responsibility to paid staff. Then we turn up on Sunday for an hour or so to hear how the pastor has been looking after us during the week! If we are not happy that they have done enough, we move to another church! (OK, maybe a slight exaggeration, but I trust it makes a point!)
Eastern (Hebrew) In the Eastern way of thinking, spirituality is an all embracing part of the life of both the individual and the community.
The Jewish (and Muslim) emphasis is on personal prayer in a collective situation. The reason for praying at a number of specified times during the day reminds people to pray often, as an integral part of day to day activities, and to get all the community praying together as one. Prayers are both short and frequent.
This community principle is seen in the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray, which today, we call the Lord's Prayer.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: â€â€˜Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (Matthew 6:9)
As you can see, we are taught to pray the plural 'our' rather than the singular 'my', which would be more appropriate in a Western context.
This communal principle is reiterated many times throughout both the Old Testament and the New.
In the Old.....
16 But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. (Isaiah 63:16)
..... and in the New. Paul, in his introduction to the Roman church, took this communal approach also.....
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
A further prayer difference in Eastern culture, is the time spent in thanksgiving for what the Lord has done for the community, in doing so, encouraging all that His presence will be with them now. For instance, when the army was going out to war.....
When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. (Deuteronomy 20:1)
The goodness of God to the community is seen as an encouragement of faith to the individual.
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. We must learn that our spiritual and daily lives are one and cannot be divided.
2. We must stop delegating responsibility for our spiritual lives to others, paid or unpaid, professional or otherwise. We are responsible for our own ongoing salvation.
3. Understand that we are a part of a broader community of believers.
4. Learn to pray frequently as part of a community.
5. Learn to put the needs of our family in God above our own.
(To be continued next week.)
Acknowledgements: http://www.followtherabbi.com and http://hethathasanear.com and http://www.wildbranch.org
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FROM THE WORD
Praise and Prayer"I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to meâ€; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people— where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, who sent his glorious arm of power
to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown, 13 who led them through the depths? Like a horse in open country,
they did not stumble; like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest by the Spirit of the LORD. This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name. Look down from heaven and see from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us. But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name." (Isaiah 63:7-16)
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 1:1-7)
Going to War
"When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.â€" (Deuteronomy 20:1-4)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE434. 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!
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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: BEYOND THE VEIL – 1 continuesREVELATION FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT PRINCIPLES OF ATONEMENT
B. ATONEMENT PRINCIPLES ‘POSITIONALLY’ FULFILLED BY JESUS
(To be Experientially fulfilled, that is Embraced, by the Church)
continues with the next 2 points.
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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." ***
521. EVER MORE BULLETIN PLOOPERS - OOPS! BLOOPERS!
!!! Christmas Fayre. A good chance to get rid of anything unwanted. Bring your husbands.
!!! Hymn 2376 I heard the voice of Jesus say "The collection is taken during this hymn"
!!! Next Week's Sunday Services - Sunday 7th November 5.30pm Service Evensnog.
!!! Our next song is "Angels We Have Heard Get High".
!!! Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
!!! For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
!!! Jean will be leading a weight-management series Wednesday nights. She's used the program herself and has been growing like crazy!
!!! This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
!!! The service will close with Little Drops of Water. One of the ladies will start quietly and the rest of the congregation will join in.
!!! Next Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the carpet should come forward and do so.
!!! The 1991 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.
!!! Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.
!!! Please join us as we show our support for Amy and Alan in preparing for the girth of their first child.
!!! Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It is a good chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
!!! Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
!!! The peace-making meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
520. GOOD FOR NOTHING
As I approached the church entrance a friend stepped aside and held the door for me.
"Thank you, Bill," I said as I walked through.
"Is there a tip involved?"
"Oh, no, Mary Catherine," he answered. "My mother taught me never to be good for money, but always to be good for nothing."
519. THE MINISTER AND THE PAINT
A Minister had a group of trustees over to paint the parsonage. It was getting late and it looked like they were going to run out of paint, but by that time the paint store was closed. The pastor looked and noted that it was water based paint, so they added water to thin the paint and finished the job.
That night it rained cats and dogs. The pastor worried that the paint which wasn't dry would be washed from the house. Sure enough, in the morning all the paint to which they had added water was washed from the house. At that moment the clouds parted and the pastor heard a voice from above. It said "Repaint and thin no more."
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: When Sesame Street's Big Bird has a birthday, he luckily always remains the same age. How old is he?ANSWER: 6 years old. (Lucky bird!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Is a raven and a crow the same bird?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS994. HOW TIMES CHANGE
In England in 1880s, the description "pants" was considered to be a dirty word. (Maybe they were more polite?)
995. MIGHT IS WHITE!
An average iceberg weighs 20,000,000 tonnes, 90% below the water. (An irresistible force?)
996. WHEN THE BELL TOLLS
Big Ben is actually the name of the largest bell inside the London clock tower, not of the clock itself. (Presumably accompanied by ‘Little Bens.’)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
RENEGED
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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66 BOOKS... 66 QUESTIONS
10: 2 Samuel: Who was the mother of Solomon?a. Michal
b. Bathsheba
c. Abigail
d. Ahinoam
Source: http://biblequizzes.org.uk
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""1] Prayer is not a “spare wheel†that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a “steering wheel†that directs the right path throughout.
2] So a Car’s Wind Shield is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small ? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.
3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.
4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don’t worry, they can’t last long either.
5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don’t forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!
6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, “Relax, sweetheart, it’s just a bend, not the end!
7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn’t solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.
8] A blind person asked God : “Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?†He replied: “Yes, losing your vision!â€
9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.
10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow’s TROUBLES, it takes away today’s PEACE.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
GREAT GROANERS
104. TOOTHLESSMy ten-year-old son informed us that part of his tooth had come out. We checked and, sure enough, a piece had broken off.
Trying to lighten the moment, I asked my husband, "What do you suppose the tooth fairy gives for half a tooth?"
"Nothing," he replied,
"She wants the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth."
105. WOOLY HUMOUR
Fleece on earth, good wool to ewe.
106. CHRISTMAS TIME
Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.
107. REFERENCES
Read a fascinating book I just got from the Discovery Channel. "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Centipedes".
It's good reading, but about 60% of the book is footnotes.
108. JUAN
Police are investigating the murder of Juan Gonzales.
"It looks as if he was killed with a golf gun," one detective observes.
"A golf gun?" asks his partner. "What in the world is a golf gun?"
"I don't know," the detective answers, "but it surely made a hole in Juan."
109. MANNERS
The conservative businessman got on the elevator and curtly asked the bellboy to take him to the 18th floor.
When he arrived the young operator said, "Here you are, son!"
"How dare you call me son!?!" exclaimed the outraged man.
"Well," replied the boy, . . . "I brought you up, didn't I?"
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BIBLE TRIVIA (The Bible Lands)
THE BIBLE LANDS CEASED TO THE FOCAL POINT FOR THE ANCIENT WORLD.......... in the 5 centuries between the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem and the birth of Jesus. New empires arose, this time in Europe. Firstly the Greeks, then the Romans, overran the Bible lands, pillaging them for trees and precious metals. Forests that survived were cut down. Wilderness was replaced by fields, and wild animals, largely by domesticated ones.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
Battle Lines Drawn in Chick-fil-A Gay Marriage Flap
CBNnews.comChick-fil-A President Dan Cathy has never made it a secret that his company, Chick-fil-A, is based on biblical values.
Last week, Cathy publicly voiced his support of traditional marriage.
"I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say 'we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage," he said.
His comments put Chick-fil-A at the center of a public debate, and battle lines are being drawn nationwide.
Public officials in both Boston and Chicago say new Chick-fil-A stores are not welcome in their cities.
Join the #ISupportChickfilA Twitter campaign. Tweet us @CBNNews your reason for supporting Chick-fil-A.
"Chick-fil-A 's values are not Chicago values," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel declared. "They're not respectful of our residents, neighbors and family members, and if you're going to be part of the Chicago community you should reflect the Chicago values."
"I don't believe a company that speaks out against gay rights in our country today should have the opportunity to operate in the city of Boston," Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said.
Other city leaders, like Chicago's 24th Ward Ald. Michael Chandler, disagree with keeping a company out simply because of its owner's religious beliefs.
"Yes, if it produced jobs," Chandler said. "And then if there were another business that they believe in gay marriage and wanted to locate in my Ward, I'd put them right next door to them."
Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A customers are more interested in rewarding their taste buds than punishing Chick-fil-A.
Chicago radio station, WBEZ 91.5, recently asked its listeners how Cathy's comments would affect their eating habits.
"Everybody is entitled to their opinion and my opinion is I like Chick-fil-A food," one listener said. "Now whatever...he wants to do with his life and how he wants to feel, that's on him. But I do appreciate him coming up with chicken."
In a statement to ABC News, Chick-fil-A said it treats "every person with honor, dignity and respect-regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."
Supporters of the fast food chain, like former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, are organizing a "Chick-fil-A Day." Everyone is encouraged to go eat at one of the restaurants on Aug. 1 in a massive show of support for the company.
"I have been incensed at the vitriolic assaults on the Chick fil-A company because the CEO [sic], Dan Cathy, made comments recently in which he affirmed his view that the biblical view of marriage should be upheld," Huckabee said.
"The Cathy family, led by Chick fil-A founder Truett Cathy, are a wonderful Christian family who are committed to operating the company with biblical principles and whose story is the true American success story," he said.
Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum are also backing Chick-fil-A through Facebook and Twitter.
Via: OpenHeaven.com
DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
TABERNACLE TO TABERNACLESHow the pattern of the first Church, The Tabernacle of Moses, has applied to the Church through the ages and predicts the Church to come.
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WAXING LYRICAL
Sometimes it is easier to wait than at others. It may be forced on us!CAN YOU WAIT?
Nothing now to write,
With brain do fight.
How sad,
Too bad,
Next week I might!
Patience is a virtue,
Both for me and you.
We don't know?
Let's let go.
For it's so true.
Can you wait?
Am so late!
Will do.
You too?
You're a mate!
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A DAVID MUSING
LIFE IS FUNLife is fun.
On the run.
Plenty to do.
How about you?
Time dragging?
Morale sagging?
Go help some others.
Orphans and mothers.
Takes mind off yourself,
You're not on the shelf.
It's something you can do,
Yes, a word, so very true.
Serving others, it gives you a lift,
Depression off you, it does shift.
You get to help someone in need,
While bringing you up to speed!
A win, win action for all,
It keeps you on the ball.
While those who so need the hand,
Will smile, all around the land.
Jesus came to show us the way,
A servant to all, was His play.
If we care to follow His chosen path,
Will brighten the day, make us laugh.
When you are down, but want to be up,
Remember Jesus, drink from His cup.
For His ways are greater than ours,
Serving others will fill the hours.
Jesus to others we will become,
Widows, orphans and solo mum.
God's kingdom will be built here on earth,
And you will have assisted in its birth.
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done"'
Is not to be religious, it can be fun.
You too can shine as a light so bright,
Reflecting Jesus' love, day and night.
JUST DO IT!
Until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: GREENED
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' ANSWER: b. Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:24)
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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