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: 600 Published: 15 Apr 2013
TRANSITION FROM 'THE CHURCH' TO 'THE KINGDOM'
A new series, looking at the some of the changes we need to make to move from a 'church' to a 'kingdom' mindset. (See the last 20 weeks of PGIM)FROM “ORGANIZED†TO “ORGANIC†(Continued)
We saw 5 weeks ago.......
"under the Old Covenant there was a separation between the Priests and the people, something which re-entered the Christian church through the Roman Catholics and despite attempts to get rid of it through the Reformation, effectively is still with us today, in so many ways."
Then 4 weeks ago.......
At the time of the death of Jesus, a miracle took place (the curtain in the Temple torn from top to bottom opening up, once again, direct access for us to the Father) signifying the change from the Old Covenant to the New. For it was the direct result of, and response to, what happened when Jesus died on the cross.
So what then, are the implications of this change in Covenants?
Over the past 3 weeks.....
1. WE NOW HAVE A PERMANENT SACRIFICE MADE ON OUR BEHALF
2. SALVATION HAS BECOME A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
3. THE KINGDOM IS FOUND WITHIN US
This week.....
4. IMPLICATIONS OF THE KINGDOM WITHIN
The question to be asked is, 'who represents the kingdom of God now?'
Is it the Pope as the head of the Roman Catholic church?
Is it the head of any other denomination or grouping?
It it the pastor, or elders, of your church?
Is it a cathedral, or any church building?
Is it an evangelist or television ministry?
These would be some of the answers of the Pharisees of Jesus' time, if they were being asked this question today, for they were looking for physical manifestations of the kingdom. Jesus replied.....
The Coming of the Kingdom of God
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.†(Luke 17:20-21)
The kingdom is spiritual and it resides in you and in me, when we are genuine followers of Jesus!
This is a radical change from the past where the kingdom was centered upon the Tabernacle, then the Temple, and in the Pharisees eyes, to be finally fulfilled in the nation state of Israel.
It is easy to understand the Pharisees confusion, but the terrible part is, we have not learned, and are still of the same way of thinking today! We continue to look to some physical object, or person, to represent God and His kingdom!
But we are not alone. It has always been the way since early New Testament days. Listen to Paul.....
12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paulâ€; another, “I follow Apollosâ€; another, “I follow Cephasâ€; still another, “I follow Christ.†13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (1 Corinthians 1:12-15)
Following an object or a person leads to division in the church, both then and now.....
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5)
I CAN UNEQUIVICALLY SAY THAT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO THE GROWTH OF GOD'S KINGDOM UPON THE EARTH IS MANKIND'S CONTINUED 'OLD COVENANT-LIKE' ATTEMPTS TO 'HUMANIZE' IT.
Jesus came with a radical new approach of a spiritual kingdom, that sadly, we fail to understand - or live.....
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.†(John 18:36)
We cannot look to a building
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (Mark 3:24-5)
.....or a man.....
23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. (Matthew 24:23-5)
We have now moved from the physical to the spiritual.....
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. (John 16:13-15)
The manifestation of the Holy Spirit is to be reflected in our behaviour.....
The Beatitudes
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12)
It is a kingdom based on personal holiness and righteousness.....
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)
Unless we display spiritual fruit in our lives eg. Galatians 5 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.) we will not be a part of the kingdom!
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Matthew 21:43)
I constantly get requests to join WWJ Ministries organisation. You can't! For there is not one! I relate to people on a personal and spiritual kingdom basis, for we are all individual members of the kingdom. I can learn something from what God is doing in your life, just as well as you can hopefully learn from what God has revealed to me. As sold out disciples of Christ, the kingdom resides in the both of us.
Kingdom membership is determined by our willingness to obey God's will for our lives.....
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-3)
.....not by following a man or attending a church. It is inherited by those willing to walk a godly lifestyle....
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:32-4)
The presence of the kingdom within is to be reflected in our personal day to day actions and reactions. Is the kingdom truly found within you - and me? A sobering question, isn't it!
(This theme to be continued next week)
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FROM THE WORD
"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.†For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among y ourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.†Again, it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.†And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.†And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.†May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:1-13)Jesus and Beelzebub
"Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.†And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.†So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.†He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.â€" (Mark 3:20-30)
The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy
"Some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?†They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.†Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.†Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.†“You believe at last!†Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.â€" (John 16:17-33)
Read the NIV Bible online at.....
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Receive one of David's sayings in your mailbox each day to inspire, challenge or maybe, amuse. To register today, simply click here on@wwj.org.nz>ddd-on@wwj.org.nz and press send. Then it's done! If you have an Irish heritage, you will love the background coloring! Should you wish, check out current and back issues (where you can also subscribe) at...DAVID'S DOODLINGS
GODLINESS1240. Wisdom is much admired upon the earth, while godliness reaches out to the very heart of God.
1241. The godly one keeps short accounts with both God and people, while seeking to do God's will with every fibre of their being.
1242. Godliness is not human perfection but the way of discipleship, lived by the blood of the Lamb, through the word of our testimony, and by 'dying' to self. (Revelation 12:11)
1243. Godliness is a partnership. God's offers the blood of Jesus and we are to offer our life in return.
1244. As worldliness goes, godliness grows.
1245. My desire is that God says about me, "David is a man after my own heart."
1246. Wisdom impresses the world, but godliness makes an impression on God's heart.
1247. The godly one has God's heart for others.
1248. God witnesses to others through His godliness as developed in us.
1248. God gives us many gifts. Godliness is the gift He most desires in return from us.
1249. To be 'good' is great, but being 'God' to others, is godly. The difference is 'o' for 'obedience'.
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 ...
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
Visit the Toon Fever website for more cartoon fun..... http://www.toonfever.com TO READ THIS CARTOON AND SEE THE OTHER PICTURES IN THIS EMAIL YOU NEED TO BE ONLINE. Check it out at...TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF.......THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES - ESTABLISHING GOD’S PATTERN FOR THE CHURCHAPPLICATION TO TODAY’S CHURCH
We will conclude our study on Moses Tabernacle by looking at its application to our lives and church today.
Together, let's see what the future holds for us!
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As Christians, if we can't laugh at ourselves, others will! A fun way to start your day. To register today, simply click here lao-on@wwj.org.nz and press send. Then it's done! Should you wish, check out early issues (where you can also subscribe) at...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. ***
625. WHY GOD?
God greets Mother Teresa at the Pearly Gates. "Thou art hungry, Mother Teresa?" asks God.
"I could eat," Mother Teresa replies. So God opens a can of tuna and reaches for a chunk of rye bread, and they share it.
While eating this humble meal, Mother Teresa looks down into Hell and sees the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, lobsters, pheasants, pastries and fine wines. Curious, but deeply trusting, Mother Teresa remains quiet.
The next day God again invites Mother Teresa to join him for a meal. Again, it is tuna and rye bread. Once again looking down, Mother Teresa can see the denizens of Hell enjoying caviar, champagne, lamb, truffles and chocolates. Still Mother Teresa says nothing.
The following day, mealtime arrives, and another can of tuna is opened. Mother Teresa can contain herself no longer. Meekly, she says: "God, I am grateful to be in heaven with you as a reward for the pious, obedient life I led. But here in Heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread and in the Other Place they eat like emperors and kings! Forgive me, O God, but I just don't understand..."
God sighs. "Oy, let's be honest, Mother Teresa," God says. "For just two people, does it pay to cook?"
624. UPDATES
Our assistant pastor, an avid football fan, had to hear confessions on Saturday during an important Nebraska - Notre Dame game.
When one man had finished his confession, the Father asked him, "Are you by any chance going to be around the church for awhile?" "Yes, Father," answered the man, "I'm painting the church, and I'll be here all afternoon." "Would you mind, then," the priest asked, "coming back in now and then and keeping me posted on the game?" "Sure thing." Later, the priest slid open the confessional grille and heard, "Father my last confession was fifteen minutes ago. Since then I ain't done nothing and neither has Notre Dame."
623. THE STOLEN TURKEY
Ducking into confession with a turkey in his arms, Brian said, "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I stole this turkey to feed my family. Would you take it and settle my
guilt?"
"Certainly not," said the Priest. "As penance, you must return it to the one from whom you stole it."
"I tried," Brian sobbed, "but he refused. Oh, Father, what should I do?"
"If what you say is true, then it is all right for you to keep it for your family."
Thanking the Priest, Brian hurried off.
When confession was over, the Priest returned to his residence. When he walked into the kitchen, he found that someone had stolen his turkey.
" FREE DOWNLOAD: You can now download the book 'Laughing At Ourselves' in PDF format at LAUGHING AT OURSELVES One of the most comprehensive sources of Christian Humour on the Net with 800 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...
FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What is the only bone in the body that does not connect to other bones?ANSWER: The hyoid bone, in the throat, is the only bone in the human body that does not connect to other bones. Its particular job is to support the tongue and its muscles. (Gets a greater workout from one sex than the other! See No. 780!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Is there really such a thing as a flea circus?
Answer Next Week.
885. LIGHTENING STRIKES TWICE
Lightning often strikes the same place twice, and more, as it follows the path of least resistance. Certain tall trees or tall buildings may be struck repeatedly. Certain people have also been struck by lightning more than once - in separate incidents. (An ‘electric’ personality?)
886. LIBERTY GREEN
The American Statue of Liberty is made of thin copper sheets. As copper turns a bluish-green when it rusts, Liberty is not only a little green around the ears, but indeed, all over. (The price of liberty!)
887. MARTHA JANE CANARY
Better known as Calamity Jane, was a famous sharp shooter, gambler, stage driver, and scout from the Old West of the United States. She often rode with Wild Bill Hickok. (Ended up as one of life’s calamities too.)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
AILMENTS
Answer at the end of A David Musing
FREE DOWNLOAD: You can download the full version of our Trivia Book at TRULY TRIFFLING TRIVIA Or view all 1232 online at...
66 BOOKS... 66 QUESTIONS
47: 2 Corinthians: Who should we not be unequally yoked with?a. Unbelievers
b. Hypocrites
c. Blasphemers
d. Sinners
Source: http://biblequizzes.org.uk
Heaps more fun and serious 'God Facts' are found at...
IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! Anger is a condition in which the tongue, works faster than the mind.
!!!!!! You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.
!!!!! Love ......and you shall be loved.
!!!! All people smile in the same language.
!!! A hug is a great gift, one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.
!! Everyone needs to be loved, especially when they do not deserve it.
! The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
PET's RULE
69. NO MOUSE!Our local humane society had an overabundance of cats, and to deal with the surplus they posted a notice: "Laptops Available. Mouse not included."
70. TRUSTING TORTISES
Three tortoises, Mick, Andy and Roy, decide to go on a picnic.
So Mick packs the picnic basket with beer and sandwiches. The trouble is the picnic site is ten miles away so it takes them ten days to get there. When they get there Mick unpacks the food and beer. "Ok Roy give me the bottle opener."
"I didn"t bring it" says Roy. "I thought you packed it".
Mick gets worried, He turns to Andy, "Did you bring the bottle opener?"
Naturally Andy didn"t bring it. So they"re stuck ten miles from home without a bottle opener. Mick and Andy beg Roy to go back for it. But he refuses as he says they will eat all the sandwiches while he's gone.
After two hours, and after they have sworn on their tortoise lives that they will not eat the sandwiches, he finally agrees. So Roy sets off down the road at a steady pace.
Twenty days pass and he still isn"t back and Mick and Andy are starving, but a promise is a promise.
Another five days and he still isn't back, but a promise is a promise.
Finally they can't take it any longer so they take out a sandwich each, and just as they are about to eat it, Roy pops up from behind a rock and shouts, "SEE! I KNEW IT! I'M NOT GOING!"
71. KITTENS
During the midst of rush hour traffic, a bus driver pulled over to the next stop just in time to pick up a boy carrying a strange looking box.
Curious, the bus driver looked into the box and saw four tiny little kittens - so young that their eyes hadn't yet opened.
"I haven't seen kittens that young for a long time," the bus driver said, "What are you going to do with them?"
The boy, looking a bit puzzled, replied, "They're not kittens, they're athiests and I am taking them to church". The bus driver decided to leave that one alone and continued on his rounds.
A few days later the boy got on the same bus with the same bus driver. The bus driver recognized the boy carrying the curious box and said, "I see that you brought your athiests with you again, are you going back to church?"
The boy replied with a grin, "They're not athiests any longer, they're Christians - their eyes have been opened!"
72. PET SURPRISE
In an upscale pet-supply store, a customer wanted to buy a red sweater for her dog. The clerk suggested that she bring her dog in for a proper fit.
"Oh, no, I can't do that!" the lady said. "See, the sweater is going to be a surprise!"
More 'pet'ty humour here.....
BIBLE TRIVIA (About The Bible)
THE BIBLEAs Christians we believe the Bible to be the true Word of God. From the historical account of Genesis to the end-time visions of Revelation, from the story of Israel to Jesus' ministry and the formation and growth of the church, it is the source for what Christians believe and how they try to live.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
Quit Trying to Be Big … and Just Be Faithful
Our culture says bigger is better. But in the kingdom of God, less is often more.There’s nothing more disheartening to a preacher than to see empty seats in a church service. I’ll be honest—I like meetings where you have to pull out extra chairs and put people in the aisles. Why? Because I assume if God’s blessing is on a meeting it will be packed. I like numbers because, in my carnal thinking, crowds are more significant.
Our culture puts value on things depending on how popular they are, and we are guilty of applying this rule in the church. We like big. We even rate churches based on size. We know that the three largest churches in America in 2013 are (1) Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, (2) Andy Stanley’s North Point Ministries and (3) Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Community Church. The assumption is that these churches are leading the way in making spiritual impact.
But God doesn’t evaluate us based on numbers, nor does He rate our effectiveness by comparing us to someone else. Many pastors of small or mid-size churches get discouraged because they evaluate their ministries by counting the number of rear ends in seats or the amount of money in offering plates. But God’s ways are not our ways! Remember these kingdom principles:
Less is sometimes more. Jesus attracted big crowds, but the numbers didn’t impress Him because He knew many who were healed in His meetings wouldn’t follow Him to the cross. He even told one of His crowds that the gospel seeds He was sowing would be eaten by birds, scorched and withered, or choked by thorns (see Mark 4:3-8). Only a small percentage, He said, would bear fruit. Jesus was looking for quality, not quantity.
In the end, after thousands heard Jesus’ messages and ate His free lunches, only 120 of His followers gathered in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost. That is not an impressive number, and today’s church growth specialists might say Jesus failed to break the 200 barrier within three years of ministry!
Follow the cloud, not the crowd. There are a few crowd shots in the book of Acts. But most scenes of the early church are less impressive. An Ethiopian is converted on a desert road. The Holy Spirit falls on members of an Italian family gathered in a home in Caesarea. A woman named Lydia comes to Christ at a small prayer gathering by a river in Philippi. She becomes the first convert in Europe.
Why are these seemingly inconsequential stories highlighted in Scripture? Because God moves as powerfully in one-on-one conversations and small group gatherings as He does in big meetings. When we follow the cloud of His presence, He often leads us to the one instead of the many.
The book of Acts ends with a scene of Paul ministering quietly to people in a small apartment while he is under house arrest (see Acts 28:30-31). Paul certainly didn’t measure His impact by large buildings, big mailing lists, media exposure or book sales. (His writings didn’t become popular until he was dead!)
Make disciples, don’t entertain audiences. Every man’s work will be tested by fire, and every ministry will be evaluated not by church-growth experts but by God’s holy standards. Sitting in a church does not make a person a faithful follower of Jesus. Don’t confuse disciples with pew-warmers. He will not evaluate us by how many people were in attendance, or even by how many danced in the aisles or shouted when we preached, but by how many disciples we made.
Stop trying to be popular. The three largest concerts in history were performed by (1) Indian singer Babbu Maan, who recently attracted 4.8 million fans; (2) raspy-voiced British rocker Rod Stewart; and (3) French New Age composer Jean Michel Jarre. If you asked, “Who in the world is Babbu Maan?†then you prove my point. Crowds or fleeting popularity do not determine significance.
Justin Bieber has more Twitter followers—37.3 million—than anyone on the planet. He is followed by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. We are supposed to be impressed, because in our culture, value is determined by star power. But you have to wonder: Is this 19-year-old pop singer the world’s most powerful man? No, because in the light of eternity the size of Bieber’s fan base is as meaningless as how frequently he changes his hairstyle.
Let’s stop evaluating our own effectiveness—and each other’s—by crowd size. Be faithful with the people you have, whether it is a home church of seven, an office Bible study of 10, a rural congregation of 30 or a megachurch of 2,000. Whether you are ministering to a handful of inmates, a roomful of Alzheimer’s patients, a dozen orphans or one depressed friend, forget your need for the spotlight. Just let Jesus use you, and make Him popular.
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of The Mordecai Project (themordecaiproject.org). His latest book is Fearless Daughters of the Bible.
Via: OpenHeaven.com
DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
A REVELATION OF....... THE TABERNACLE OF DAVIDSandwiched between Moses Tabernacle, representing the church, and Solomon's Temple, representing the Millennial reign of Christ, David's simple tent is a picture of the end time church that will last for but a short time before Jesus returns.
Check it out to find out about the people God is seeking for Himself today.
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WAXING LYRICAL
Those important, yet unimportant jobs that have to be done! Oh, to get on the plane for a rest! Last visit there was a long time ago now, Hope to be back soon!ON THE WAY - NEARLY!
The time has come to catch the plane,
Off to Africa, we're to go again,
Must get all the last minute jobs done,
Before getting on board and having fun.
So much to do, so little time,
Had better then, finish this rhyme.
Must go now and ring my Mum,
Then Uganda, here we come!
More of David's rhyming offerings at...
A DAVID MUSING
I enjoy my sport, as those who read this will most likely realise. A couple of weeks ago we were offered a half price deal on pay TV for a year. The offer was simply too good to refuse! Even on our budget! LOL! Now, particularly at the weekends, I can watch live sport to my hearts content!This weekend, Kathy has gone away for a 'girls weekend'. So I do not have to let her have her turn! A 'petrol heads' heaven, with some rugby thrown in for variety!
However I have quickly realised that, really, you can have too much of a good thing! I am sure that after this weekend, I will get more selective in what I watch!
That is life in the material world. You get something new. Pretty soon it becomes ordinary, and you look for something else to make you 'happy'.
In the spiritual too, we get bored with the 'same old'. Do you know what I mean? But reality is, God is so big, infinite even, that the more we seek of Him the more we will find. The more we discover, the more He can change us to become more like Him. Life in Christ has a depth and breadth that cannot be found in material things. We just have to seek and we will find. That is His promise, not mine.
Until next week.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: MANLIEST
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' a. Unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14)
REPRODUCTION OF NEWSLETTER CONTENT
Most weeks we get enquiries about reproducing, in electronic or print form, articles contained in 'PGIM!' We welcome and encourage you to utilize this material. Freely received, freely given. We would ask though, that the source be acknowledged as an encouragement to others to subscribe to this newsletter also.CHANGING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? NEWSLETTER STOPS COMING?
Each week we can lose up to 2% of our readers when they change email addresses without letting us know. Or sometimes, by your server acting strangely and just cutting us off! If you are about to change your address, please advise us of both your old and new addresses here atenquiries@wwj.org.nz and we will happily change our records to ensure ongoing delivery. Thanks.
Please also keep our address in your address book, as sometimes servers will automatically delete your address if there is even a one off problem in delivery. If your newsletter doesn't arrive, please let us know and we will reinstate you.
LINKS
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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