WHOSE CHURCH IS IT ANYWAY?

THE EARLY JEWISH CHURCH

God often uses persecution to spread the church. This first happened in Jerusalem, immediately after the stoning of Stephen. The apostles though, remained there.....

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (Acts 8:1)

Philip is an example of one of the church who was dispersed, travelling to Samaria, where the Holy Spirit's power accompanied him, making His ministry powerful and effective.....

Philip in Samaria

4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. (Acts 8:4-8)

However, as in much of the church today, people accepted Jesus as Saviour and were baptized, but were not filled with the Holy Spirit. The apostles in Jerusalem discovered this and sent Peter and John to rectify the situation, for they understood the church could not function fully without Holy Spirit power.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)

Problems arose when foreigners, that is the 'gentiles', started accepting Jesus. Of course, their customs were different to the Jews. Peter found out by way of a vision, that the dietary laws that applied to the Jewish culture had changed. This did not meet with universal acceptance amongst the Jewish church.

Peter himself was convinced when he saw the gentiles had been filled with the Holy Spirit (before being water baptized - maybe a thought to challenge your theology!).....

Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. (Acts 10:46b-48)

The key, persuasive argument, which Peter used to explain to the people back in Jerusalem about gentiles coming to the Lord, was that they had been filled with the Holy Spirit.....

15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?” 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” (Acts 11:15-18)

I trust you can see, the dynamic that convinced the Jewish church of the credibility of the church being extended to the gentiles was not the baptism of John which, in reality, man could do, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which could only come from God.

The Jewish Christians were spread far and wide. While, naturally, they witnessed to other Jews first, they soon found that the Greeks were interested too.....

19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:19-21)

As always, then and now, religion and law rear their twin heads....

Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1)

Once again, the anointing of the Holy Spirit convinced the leadership in Jerusalem that keeping Jewish laws was not required.....

6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. (15:6-9)

The church in Jerusalem was founded through the Holy Spirit outpouring at Pentecost. Holy Sprit power continued throughout times of change, turmoil and persecution to validate their actions, as seen both in themselves and in the gentiles who became members of the kingdom of God.

In the days of the first church, and now.....

THE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE ONES WHO ARE OBEDIENT TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THEIR LIVES.

(Series to be continued next week.)

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FROM THE WORD

"And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages." (Acts 8;1-25)

Cornelius Calls for Peter

"At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

Peter’s Vision

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’ House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Peter Explains His Actions

The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”" (Acts 10:1-11:18)

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DAVID'S DOODLINGS

HEAVENLY TRUTHS GOD HAS SHOWN ME

739. - 809. God has shown me that...

... to be effective for Him, the light within, must shine without.

... happiness comes and happiness goes, but joy stands firm.

... we have second chances in life but not in death.

... we only get to live life once.

... my time invariably runs ahead of His time for me.

... to wait is still to grow.

... my job is simply to be available to Him.

... yesterdays faith is to become today's normality.

... exercising my 'will' frequently involves my 'wont'.

... the wall of faith is built one brick at a time.

... to 'overcome' I need to 'undergo' change in my life.

... God is God, is God.

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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER

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TUESDAY TEACHINGS

THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF...
THE SEVEN REVELATIONS OF THE LAMB - Part 1
LAMB OF FORGIVENESS

You never know where God is going to take you!

Our family is about to be 'taken' to a new place in the natural, (written in 2005) shifting to another, nearby city. It will be a new challenge for us, living in a different socio-economic area and assisting in looking after children who have had severe problems in life.

In the spiritual too, I was wondering what to do next, as I came to the end of correcting and editing my final draft of the preceding work in this series, 'A Revelation of … The 3 Kingdom Ages of God'. As I was finalising the last 5 of 155 pages, the Lord just put into my mind this revelation about the Lamb. So now I have my next task!

Here in New Zealand, we have 40 million sheep but only 4 million people! Or 10 sheep per person! Once upon a time we had 60 million sheep and 3 million people. But the prices, particularly for wool have deteriorated over the years. So now, we have increased numbers of cows and fewer sheep.

This aside, sheep, therefore lambs too, play an important part in our economy. As they do in that of God. For the lovely, innocent, fluffy, white, playful lamb, that naturally attracts us humans to it, is used in the Bible as a picture, or type of Jesus. Before He came, while He was here, and after He departed to be again with His father, the lamb is used as a simile or description of Him.

In our country, as there are so many lambs, they tend to become commonplace and undervalued, through familiarity. I pray that this may never be the case with Jesus, the Lamb of God who died to save the world.

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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. ***

769.0000
THE LORD'S PRAYER
When in second grade, a child decided to write the Lord's Prayer to post on his bedroom wall (and impress his mother).

He didn't understand her uproarious laughter at his attempt until years later when he ran across the faded page with the child's writing: ".and lead a snot into temptation"

768. THE PRAWNS
Far away in the tropical waters of the Caribbean, two prawns were swimming around in the sea - one called Justin and the other called Christian.

The prawns were constantly being harassed and threatened by sharks that inhabited the area. Finally one day Justin said to Christian, "I'm fed up with being a prawn, I wish I was a shark, then I wouldn't have any worries about being eaten."

A large mysterious cod appeared and said, "Your wish is granted" and Lo and behold, Justin turned into a shark.

Horrified, Christian immediately swam away, afraid of being eaten by his old mate.

Time passed (as it invariably does) and Justin found life as a shark boring and lonely. All his old mates simply swam away whenever he came close to them. Justin didn't realize that his new menacing appearance was the cause of his sad plight.

While swimming alone one day he saw the mysterious cod again and he thought perhaps the mysterious fish could change him back into a prawn. He approached the cod and begged to be changed back, and, lo and behold, he found himself turned back into a prawn.

With tears of joy in his tiny little eyes Justin swam back to his friends and bought them all a cocktail. (NOT a shrimp cocktail! What 'r you thinking?!)

Looking around the gathering at the reef he realized he couldn't see his old pal. "Where's Christian?" he asked. "He's at home, still distraught that his best friend changed sides to the enemy & became a shark," came the reply.

Eager to put things right again and end the mutual pain and torture, he set off to Christian's abode. As he opened the coral gate memories came flooding back. He banged on the door and shouted, "It's me, Justin, your old friend, come out and see me again."

Christian replied, "No way man, you'll eat me. You're now a shark, the enemy, and I'll not be tricked into being your dinner." Justin cried back "No, I'm not. That was the old me. I've changed.".........

"I've found Cod. I'm a Prawn again Christian!"

767. ACCIDENTAL PRAYER
As my five year old son and I were headed to McDonald's one day, we passed a car accident. Usually when we see something terrible like that, we say a prayer for those who might be hurt, so I pointed and said to my son, "We should pray."

From the back seat I heard his earnest request "Please, God, don't let those cars block the entrance to McDonald's."

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FACTS FOR FUN

LAST WEEKS QUESTION: When did ‘Superman’ first appear in print?

ANSWER: Superman dates back to June 1938, when he appeared in Action Comics No. 1. (photo) Batman arrived on the scene one year later in Detective Comics No. 27, appearing May 1939. (But they haven’t died though!)

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Who drew the original Mickey Mouse in his first short cartoon?

Answer Next Week.

SOME FUN FACTS

842. A WRENCH FOR MONKEYS
Many believe that the monkey wrench has something to do with monkeys. It hasn’t. Rather, the tool is named after the man who invented it: Charles Moncky - spelled in some sources as Charles Moncke. (Very likely some monkey business here.)

843. USEFUL MAGGOTS
In a recent study from the Netherlands, researchers applied maggots to the severely infected wounds of 11 patients as a last-ditch effort to prevent amputation. They found the treatment promoted healing. According to study co-author Japp van Dissel, the maggots eat only dead tissue, and they secrete substances that help prevent infection. ( Man has known this for thousands of years, yet we have to prove it scientifically.)

844. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER - ALMOST
Diamonds are the hardest substance known to man. The only thing that can destroy a diamond is intense heat. Ancient Greeks revered diamonds and some believed that they were actually splinters from fallen stars. (Intense heat is generated over their possession too.)

A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU

Make another word from this word using all the letters.

NIGGLED

Answer at the end of A David Musing

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66 BOOKS... 66 QUESTIONS

62: 1 John: How is someone who hates his brother described?

a. Thief
b. Murderer
c. Envious
d. Coward

Source: http://biblequizzes.org.uk

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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!

"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""

!!!!!!! Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all"?

!!!!!! Is it possible to be totally partial?

!!!!! Is Marx's tomb a communist plot?

!!!! If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales?

!!! Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground, and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants off.

!! It's not an optical illusion. It just looks like one.

! Life is like a roll of toilet paper... the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.

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TIL DEATH DO US PART!

32. IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU LOOK AT IT!
An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is nothing" on the blackboard and directed his students to punctuate it correctly.

The men wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing."

The women wrote: "Woman! Without her, man is nothing."

33. WHERE WOULD MEN BE WITHOUT WOMEN
A women's lib speaker was addressing a large group and said, "Where would man be today if it were not for woman?"

She paused a moment and looked around the room.

"I repeat, where would man be today if it were not for woman?"

From the back of the room came a voice, "He'd be in the Garden of Eden eating strawberries."

34. AN IMPORTANT CALL
The other day I needed to call home, but the only pay phone I could find was in use. So I stood to the side and politely waited until it was free, thinking it would only be a couple of minutes.

Five minutes went by, and still the man was on the phone. He was just standing there, not saying a word.

Two more minutes went by, and he still wasn't talking.

Finally, I tapped him on the shoulder and asked if I could use the phone. I really wouldn't be long, but needed to make an important call.

"Hold your horses," he responded, covering the receiver.

"I'm talking to my wife."

35. SILENT TREATMENT
A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment.

The next day the man realised that he would need his wife to wake him at 5a.m. for an early flight to Sydney. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence, he finally wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5 a.m."

The next morning the man woke up, only to discover it was 9 a.m., and that he had missed his flight!

Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't awakened him when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. It said, "It's 5 a.m., wake up."

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BIBLE TRIVIA (About The Bible)

MOST JEWS OF JESUS' DAY SPOKE ARAMAIC.....

..... a Syrian language similar to Hebrew that was commonly used at the time. Jesus surely studied the formal Hebrew of the Torah, Prophets and Writings. Whether He could speak Greek is unknown. Jesus left no personal writings. (Photo is of 'Jesus' written in Aramaic.)

Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys

Facebook Lifts Ban on Kirk Cameron's New Film

CBN News

Facebook has lifted its ban on the trailer to Kirk Cameron's new film "Unstoppable" after the actor blew the whistle on the social media giant.

The movie, which was made in partnership with Liberty University, addresses why God allows bad things to happen to good people. According to the "Fireproof" star, the social media giant labeled his posts "abusive, unsafe and spammy."

"This is my most personal film about faith, hope, and love, and about why God allows bad things to happen to good people. What is 'abusive' or 'unsafe' about that?!" Cameron challenged.

Cameron fought back, calling all "friends of faith, family, and freedom" to rally behind him. Supporters responded to his call-to-action in droves, with 250,000 fans sharing the actor's post.

Finally, on Thursday, Facebook relented and lifted the ban. YouTube, who'd also blocked the trailer, soon followed suit.

"Victory!! Friends, you did it!" Cameron wrote in a follow-up post. "People tried to stop 'Unstoppable' on Facebook, and because millions of us joined together as one voice, Facebook has apologized and welcomed us back!"

"You all just demonstrated to the press (they're all calling me to talk about your amazing response!) that the communities of faith, hope, and love are, well ... unstoppable," he said.

"Unstoppable" is scheduled to appear in theaters Sept. 24.

Source: CBN News

Via: OpenHeaven.com

DAVID'S DOWNLOAD

THE BOOK OF RUTH

In one of the oldest books of the Bible, God reveals His plan for the Church in these end times. Unbelievable! No! For God's plan has been there from the beginning of time. He is now revealing more of it to us. Wondered about the Church and Israel? Read on...

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WAXING LYRICAL

Another lesson God gave me on Bowentown Beach.

THE PATH

I came to a path as I walked along the beach,
An insignificant path, with a lesson to teach.
For we need, from our mistakes to learn,
If the right way in life, we are to turn.

My walk had not been going too good,
Wanting to get back as soon as I could.
My mind wasn’t working as well as it should.
"I am sure my path was near that log of wood!"

You know how it is, being engaged in wishful thinking,
Believing you’re afloat, when in reality, you’re sinking!
When you are fed up, having had enough,
The mind starts believing ridiculous stuff!

So it was, with this path today,
I was so keen to be on my way,
That I told myself it was the right one,
No doubt about it, ‘twas good as done.

At first glance, it looked just like the right path,
If it wasn’t, no worry, would surely be a laugh.
Surely doesn’t matter whatever path I take,
My goal, in the end, I am bound to make!

The path looked easy, so happily, off I went,
Keen to get home, my energy almost spent.
I’m on the way, the pathway must be right,
How could I doubt it, for I’ve seen the light!

But as I walked, a niggle started to grow,
Is this truly, the way I really want to go?
The scenery’s nice, the way appears easy,
But the rubbish there, that’s a bit sleazy!

By now I knew the path was the wrong one,
But what the heck, I am having lots of fun,
Many new experiences to check out in life,
This small deviation won’t get me in strife.

So I went on with a new spring in my stride
My pathway mistake, I knew I could hide.
For all paths end up at the same place,
I will surely get there, to see His face.

Then suddenly, I found my way blocked
By sewage ponds, what had I done?
The door to progress, now firmly locked,
Where can I go, where can I run?

In desperation now, I looked all around,
There must be a way out of this mess I am in.
A faint track there, my eyes have found,
Is named ‘Repentance’, for forgiveness of sin.

This path appeared difficult at first glance,
Through bushes, and damp, long grass,
But it was the only way my life to enhance,
If in the end, my test I was to pass.

So I found my way back to the path of life,
Grateful that Jesus made a way through the cross.
Having left the path where wrong was so rife,
In the sewage pond, He would no longer me toss.

He said, "My son, you made a mistake,
It wasn’t really your heart to go that way.
But I came to forgive mistakes you make,
Take care now, not to deliberately stray."

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A DAVID MUSING

JESUS

Don't want to know, need never tell,
What life is like, down there in Hell!

I look up to Heaven,
To avoid the leaven.

For the sin in life,
Gets me in strife,
But Jesus forgave,
My soul to save.

To believe in Him, to walk in His way,
To do his will, His commands to obey,
To my soul, it does now ring a chord.
Jesus: my friend, my master, my Lord.

Until next week.....

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD

His servant and yours

David Tait

Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: GELDING

TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' b. Murderer (1 John 3:15)

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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 website
wwj.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