A Weekly World Wide Word of Encouragement to those in the Ministry
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A WEEKLY ‘WWW (world-wide word) OF ENCOURAGEMENT’
TO THOSE IN MINISTRY
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Issue No: 630 Published: 11 Nov 2013
WHOSE CHURCH IS IT ANYWAY?
Again I acknowledge that much of the material that follows is drawn from the excellent publication by Eddie L. Hyatt, 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity. For specific references to the writings quoted, please refer to that publication.THE POST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
We continue looking at prominent spirit filled men who lived during the 4th to 6th centuries AD.
THE MONASTICS 325-600AD
GREGORY THE GREAT (AD540-604) Born of wealthy parents, Gregory received a good education. About 500, he was appointed Prefect of Rome, a position of considerable honour.
After the death of his father, Gregory gave up the fortune he had inherited and entered a Benedictine monastery where he soon became recognized as a gifted leader. So much so that when Pope Pelagius died in 590, Gregory was elected to succeed him.
In his 'Dialogues', Gregory records many miracles which he had direct personal knowledge of, even including the raising of the dead. Many of these miracles reflect Mark 11:23 where Jesus said, "If anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him"
In one example, Gregory tells the story of Bishop Boniface whose garden suffered an invasion of caterpillars. Seeing all his vegetables going to ruin, Boniface turned to the caterpillars and said, "I adjure you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, depart from here and stop eating these vegetables." Obeying his voice all the caterpillars, right down to the very last one, disappeared from his garden! A spiritual insecticide!
Gregory also tells of a boy who, when drawing water from the river, fell in and was being swept away by the current. Benedict, the abbot (leader) of the nearby monastery, became aware of the crisis through a word of knowledge, and charged Brother Maurus to hurry to the river to rescue the boy. Running to the river's edge, Maurus spotted the frantic
boy being swept downstream, and without realizing it, continued to run on the water until he reached the boy! Grabbing him by the hair, Maurus dragged him to safety on the riverbank. Benedict took no credit for the miracle but attributed it to the obedience of his disciple. Maurus, however, claimed that the rescue was "due entirely to his abbot's
command."
Gregory also tells of a man named Marcellus being raised from the dead. Marcellus died on a Saturday. Because he could not be buried the same day, his sisters sought the prayers of Fortunatus, bishop of that area. Fortunatus went to the home of Marcellus early on the Sunday morning. Kneeling near the corpse, he began to pray. After praying for some time, he got up, then and sat down. In a subdued voice, he called out, "Brother Marcellus." Marcellus opened his eyes, and looking at Fortunatus said, "What have you done? What have you done?"
Fortunatus then asked, "What have I done?" Marcellus explained how, on the previous
day, two people [angels] had come to escort him to the 'abode of the blessed'. A messenger had intervened, however, commanding, "Take him back because Bishop Fortunatus is visiting his home." Marcellus revived, quickly regaining his strength, and lived for years after this miracle.
Gregory believed in miracles. As he nowhere speaks of a theory of cessation, he obviously believed that miracles were to continue throughout the history of the church.
However, he does emphasize that it was holy men of God who performed these miracles, thus exhibiting the medieval tendency to associate miracles with an ascetic and saintly
lifestyle. This undue regard for the ascetic life actually divided the church during this period.
So we can continue to say that.....
THE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE ONES WHO ARE OBEDIENT TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THEIR LIVES.
(Continued next week)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS continuedThe Lord has asked me to compile a publication of the words Jesus spoke, as recorded in the New Testament in chronological order. I have got about halfway, and have found it very enlightening and encouraging in my relationship with Him. The final version will have changes of layout and version used, but this is a foretaste of things to come. Of course, it is not a Bible substitute! I Hope you find it helpful too, in your walk with Jesus.
PARABLES BY THE LAKE (Matthew 13:1-35, Mark 4:1-34, Luke 8:4-18)
Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-9)
“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.â€
Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30)
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
â€â€˜An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
â€â€˜No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’â€
Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast (Matthew 13:31-5)
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.â€
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.â€
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE474. Faith grows through a conviction of the truth rather than in the understanding of knowledge.
475. Knowledge enhances a faith already secure in the truth.
476. God’s truth is constant, but knowledge is defined by our circumstances.
477. God’s truth is progressively revealed to those with a heart willing to embrace it.
478. Faith is built by embracing God’s truth, enabling further truths to be revealed.
479. Faith and truth are heavenly lovers.
480. Faith and truth is a marriage made in heaven.
481. Genuine faith revels in godly truth, but human faith is dependent upon earthly knowledge.
482. It is so easy to be beguiled by the complexity of knowledge when seeking the simplicity of true faith.
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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF....... 3 KINGDOM AGES continuesTHE PRINCIPLE OF SACRIFICE
The core of our relationship with God centres round 'sacrifice'. This week we will see how the methods of sacrifice changed through the 3 kingdom ages.
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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. ***
809. THE BURGLAR AND THE VICAR
A burglar broke into a minister's house and told the pastor, "One move and you're dead. I'm looking for money."
The vicar replied, "Hang on, let me get a light and I'll help you."
808. TOO MUCH TO BARE
A Preacher, a missionary, and an overweight tenor from the church choir are visiting Israel when, all of a sudden, they are captured by Arab terrorists. They are informed by these terrorists that they are going to be shot.
The Preacher said, "We are men of God. You can't shoot us!"
When the terrorists refused, the Preacher asked the terrorists for one last request each.
"Okay," said the terrorist chief, "one last request each ~ but keep it short."
The Preacher says, "I would like to give a two hour sermon and not have anyone in my audience leave or fall asleep."
The tenor says, "I would like to give a two hour concert of my favourite hymns."
"And what about you?" the terrorist chief asked the missionary.
"Oh please!" said the missionary, kneeling with his hands raised in supplication. "Shoot me first!"
807. TIME FOR ANGER
Herman was afflicted with an explosive personality that caused him more and more problems at home and on the job. Finally, his distressed family persuaded him to enter an anger-management course.
Herman's therapy included an alarm clock on his bedroom table that was tuned in to his brain by electronic pulses. Every time Herman flew into a tantrum, the clock would explode into a loud and irritating ring that wouldn't stop until he calmed down.
For quite a while, Herman deeply resented the noisy timepiece, but eventually he came to see that it was helping him to control his anger. He would even sing to it: "Clock of rages, left for me. Let me chide myself with thee."
" 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: Why do we call twins who are attached to each other physically, ‘Siamese twins’?ANSWER: We call physically-attached twins ‘Siamese twins’ because of a famous pair of twins in the 1800s who were actually from Siam. Chang and Eng, brothers attached at the chest, were brought to the US by famous circus promoter P.T. Barnum. They eventually married Sarah and Adelaide, unattached sisters, and had 22 children between them. They died in 1874, within hours of each other. If they had lived in the twenty-first century instead of the nineteenth, they most likely would have been surgically separated. (Would they have been happier though?)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Is it possible for twins to have different fathers?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS 791. A LIGHTENING RECOVERY
Most people struck by lightning recover. Only 20 – 30% die. However the fortunate survivors may suffer damage such as hearing loss or muscular weakness. (But do they see the light?)
792. TOKYO ROSE
A Japanese-American named Iva D'Aquino, known as ‘Tokyo Rose’ was convicted of treason for weakening the morale of American servicemen through her infamous World War II radio broadcasts. In 1977, she received a presidential pardon. (A thorn in the Americans side?)
793. SEEING DOUBLE?
Andorra, which lies between Spain and France, is somewhat unique in that it is ruled by both of them. The country is governed simultaneously by a Spanish Bishop and the President of France. (Two for the price of three! That’s government for you.)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
CASTLE
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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SERMON ON THE MOUNT
11. What is the light of the body?a. The eye
b. The mouth
c. The heart
d. The head
Source: http://biblequizzes.org.uk
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""RANDOM ACTS of THINKING
!!!!!!! Is a hypocrite someone who writes a book on atheism and prays it will sell?
!!!!!! If God *really* wanted us to use the metric system, there would have been ten disciples.
!!!!! I actually have too much will power. It's won't power that's in short supply.
!!!! I pawned my chess set.
!!! I have a friend who's both a terrible actor and terribly clumsy. Last week he fell off the stage during auditions and broke his leg. It'll be the first time he's in the same cast for more than two weeks.
!! Yesterday I declared war on drugs. I started by glaring fiercely at my pharmacist.
! My wife and I met at the hospital. We both had kidney stones. You could say we met in passing.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
GREAT GROANERS!
110. THE ACCENTAt the Olympics a man went up to a competitor who was carrying a very long pole.
"Are you a pole vaulter?"
"No, I'm German, but how did you know my name is Walter?"
111. HOSPITAL STAFFING
When a hospital runs out of maternity nurses they have a mid-wife crisis.
112. SOUP DU JOUR
When the waitress in a New York City restaurant brought him the soup du jour, the Englishman was a bit dismayed.
"Goodness gracious!" he said, "What is this?"
"Why, it's bean soup," she replied.
"I don't care what it's been," he replied. "What is it now?"
113. A NEW EXCUSE
A young family, feeling cramped in their small apartment, went shopping for a house. The parents looked at houses for a month before deciding on a two-story house in the country.
While driving to their new home, the mom was telling the children about the house; it was a big two-story house with lots of room. She told them about the big back yard with a swing-set; the playroom, big enough for all their toys; and each child would finally have a room of their own.
On their first night in their new home, the parents got the kids to bed later than usual, so they said they could only read one story.
The 4-year-old piped up, "No, this is a two story house!"
114. CHRISTMAS CHEER
My husband and I were returning home from our childbirth class at Manhattan's Beekman Hospital.
Noting my obvious pregnancy, the taxi driver, a Mr. Ho, proceeded to tell us about his wife's experience at the same hospital. She had been admitted one December 24 and the next day delivered triplets.
Visitors and staff were amused Christmas morning when they saw the newborns in the nursery and read the names on the three bassinets:
Ho, Ho, Ho.
115. QUICK TAKE ... !
Joe and Frank were in the office, and noticed that someone had put up a suggestion box with some 3x5 cards next to it. Both decided that this was a great idea, and each took a card to fill out.
Joe wrote, "The office workers should all be given raises!"
When he looked at Frank's card, it said "Can we all have raises, and keys to the executive washroom, and personal secretaries, and new company cars, and new coffee cups, and longer lunch breaks, and an extra three weeks vacation each year, and a holiday on St. Patrick’s Day, and Columbus Day and Martin Luther Kings Birthday?"
Joe said, "Frank, that isn't the right way of getting things changed around here. . . . You shouldn't put all of your begs in one ask-it."
Groan (smile) with me here.....
BIBLE TRIVIA (About The Bible)
NUTS AND BOLTSTHE ALLEGORICAL METHOD.....
.....of interpretation went to extreme lengths to try to make the Old Testament into a Christian book. Oregin, one of the first Christian theologians, believed that 'the Scriptures were composed through the Spirit of God, and have both a meaning which is obvious and another which is hidden.' He proceeded to apply all sorts of allegorical meanings to the Word of God, infuriating his critics, who thought he was creating theological implications out of thin air.
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
An Open Letter to John MacArthur From A.W. Tozer: He Being Dead Yet Speaketh
A.W. TozerThat every Christian can be and should be filled with the Holy Spirit would hardly seem to be a matter for debate among Christians. ... I want here boldly to assert that it is my happy belief that every Christian can have a copious outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a measure far beyond that received at conversion, and I might also say, far beyond that enjoyed by the rank and file of orthodox believers today.
It is important that we get this straight, for until doubts are removed, faith is impossible. God will not surprise a doubting heart with an effusion of the Holy Spirit, nor will He fill anyone who has doctrinal questions about the possibility of being filled.
In light of this, it will be seen how empty and meaningless is the average church service today. All the means are in evidence; the one ominous weakness is the absence of the Spirit’s power. ... The power from on high is neither known nor desired by pastor or people. This is nothing less than tragic, and all the more so because it falls within the field of religion, where the eternal destinies of men are involved.
Fundamentalism has stood aloof from the liberal in self-conscious superiority and has on its own part fallen into error, the error of textualism, which is simply orthodoxy without the Holy Ghost. Everywhere among conservatives we find persons who are Bible-taught but not Spirit-taught. They conceive truth to be something which they can grasp with the mind.
If a man holds to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, he is thought to possess divine truth. But it does not follow. There is no truth apart from the Spirit. The most brilliant intellect may be imbecilic when confronted with the mysteries of God. For a man to understand revealed truth requires an act of God equal to the original act which inspired the text. ... "Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things which are freely given us of God.â€
For the textualism of our times is based upon the same premise as the old line rationalism, that is, the belief that the human mind is the supreme authority in the judgment of truth. Or otherwise stated, it is confidence in the ability of the human mind to do that which the Bible declares it was never created to do and consequently is wholly incapable of doing. Philosophical rationalism is honest enough to reject the Bible flatly. Theological rationalism rejects it while pretending to accept it and in so doing puts out its own eyes.
Few there are who without restraint will open their whole heart to the blessed Comforter. He has been and is so widely misunderstood that the very mention of His name in some circles is enough to frighten many people into resistance.
It is no use to deny that Christ was crucified by persons who would today be called fundamentalists. This should prove to be disquieting if not downright distressing to us who pride ourselves on our orthodoxy. An unblessed soul filled with the letter of truth may actually be worse off than a pagan kneeling before a fetish. We are saved only when our intellects are indwelt by the loving fire that came at Pentecost. For the Holy Spirit is not a luxury, not something added now and again to produce a deluxe type of Christian once in a generation. No. He is for every child of God a vital necessity, and that He fill and indwell His people is more than a languid hope. It is rather an inescapable imperative.
Now the Bible teaches that there is something in God which is like emotion. ... God has said certain things about Himself, and these furnish all the grounds we require. “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing†(Zeph. 3:17). This is but one verse among thousands which serve to form our rational picture of what God is like, and tell us plainly that God feels something like our love, like our joy, and what He feels makes Him act very much as we would in a similar situation; He rejoices over His loved ones with joy and singing.
Here is emotion on as high a plain as it can ever be seen, emotion flowing out of the heart of God Himself. Feeling, then, is not the degenerate son of unbelief that is often painted by some of our Bible teachers. Our ability to feel is one of the marks of our divine origin. We need not be ashamed of either tears or laughter. The Christian stoic who has crushed his feelings is only two-thirds of a man; an important third part has been repudiated. Holy feeling had an important place in the life of our Lord. “For the joy that was set before Him†He endured the cross and despised its shame. He pictured Himself crying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.â€
The work of the Holy Spirit is, among other things, to rescue the redeemed man’s emotions, to restring his harp and open again the wells of sacred joy which have been stopped up by sin.
Aiden Wilson Tozer (April 21, 1897–May 12, 1963) was an American Christian pastor, preacher, author, magazine editor and spiritual mentor. This article is an excerpt from The Divine Conquest.
Source: OpenHeaven.com
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WAXING LYRICAL
What is the meaning of Easter to you?EASTER
E is for EGG, the symbol of new life
A is for Jesus, now NO. 1 priority
S is for the SAVIOUR, who died for me
T is for the CROSS on which He died
E is for ENORMOUS, the sacrifice He made
R is for RESSUSECTION, for my eternity
What does EASTER mean to you?
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A DAVID MUSING
I expect that we will now be sunning ourselves on the deck of the Pacific Pearl! Wish you were here!The advance weather forecast is excellent, with temperatures around 27C. Long range weather forecasts in New Zealand are notoriously inaccurate, as we are surrounded by sea. The wind direction only has to alter slightly, then our entire weather pattern can change.
It is amazing though what technology can do nowadays. Sadly though, it has reduced our reliance upon God, with humanistic self-reliance becoming dominant, particularly in Western Societies. Cruise ships are a very good example!
It therefore requires a greater determination to remain in our 'walk with Jesus' now, than it did in earlier days. But the rewards are greater. Read about the Laodicean Church in Revelation to see what I mean. The wealthiest church, the greatest judgment, yet the greatest rewards for 'those who overcome'.
So until next week.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: CLEATS
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' a. The eye
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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!
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