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: 65 Published: 27 Jan 2003
GOD IS SO GOOD - EVENTUALLY!
This Newsletter is being written in the very late hours of Sunday evening, New Zealand time, and will undoubtedly continue through into the early hours of Monday morning. Deadlines are an amazing motivator! While I am not renowned for being early in these matters, I am not normally this late either! Circumstances dictated (davidtaited!) it this week. I even had in mind what I was going to write. But a late 5 minute phone call has changed everything! God knew best! So here we go!One of the most frustrating things for most of us in our walk with God, is our inability to know what is going to happen in our future lives. God knows, so why doesn't He tell us? We know that the very occasional prophet can foretell a severe earthquake somewhere in 2 weeks time - and it happens. Amazing! (As an aside, I find that God has a real sense of humour in that though He gives prophets words for other people, they seem even less likely than the rest of us to know of God's plan for their own lives. Ironic really!)
Yes, we would all like to know our future, yet God generally does not choose to reveal His plans for us until the last minute. Why?
Because God knows us better than we know ourselves. He understands that if we knew what was going to happen next, we would not really need Him! We would not need to trust Him, to have the faith to step out in Him, for all would be pre-ordained.
Three weeks ago, the Lord told me to shift to another church in another city. "Lord, surely not'" I argued, once I overcame my initial shock, "for I am very happy where I am! I don't want to leave one of the most beautiful places in the world!" But I raised the matter with my wife, Kathy, and she confirmed that the Lord too, had given her a word about shifting, 3 weeks earlier, but she did not know where to. This was now looking serious!
So over the next 2 weeks we checked things out, had a number of confirmations, and made the decision to shift on 8 February. Oh no, packing again! A step of faith. A journey back to my hometown. One full of trepidation, for I have always said that you can't go back! Wrong again, apparently! But both Kathy and I are prepared to take the risk.
A couple of days ago, when wondering and doubting if we had made the right decision, we got a phone call from a lady in our church. Knowing that we had had an important personal decision to make, but not knowing what it was, she had a word from the Lord for us. It was short and sweet. "This is the way. Go ye in it." Thank you Lord. We really needed that confirmation.
Then tonight, another lady in the church rang. The Lord has given me a word for you. You may guess what it was! "This is the way. Go ye in it." God is so good - eventually!
You see, He could have given us these words before making the decision, which would have been most comforting, but faith reducing. For increasingly at this time, He is asking us to step out in faith, to be obedient to His leading. Not blind faith, but considered faith, taking wise counsel and with credible confirmations. But step out we must, if we are to receive His best for us.
This week, in our natural moments of human uncertainty and questioning, no doubt stirred along by the arch enemy, God, through these 2 faithful ladies, imparted a certainty into our spirits that this move is truly of Him. Thank you Lord. You are so good to us. Even though a little earlier would have been nice! But we do know that your timing is perfect. It is our humanity that is the real problem!
Find out more about us on ...
AN EXPLANATION, APOLOGY AND BINARY FRUSTRATION!
To all those who have written to me this past week and haven't had replies, I apologise. Early last Monday morning my high speed internet 'router' failed (Some of you may understand this. All I know is that it destroyed my Internet connection!) On Friday we got up and running again, only to have Windows itself go on the blink! This apparently requires a full rebuild of our system which will take another day or so yet. Then you will get your replies! Thanks for waitng. Computers, computers! This Newsletter is being written elsewhere.To those who pointed out that I was living in the past with a 2002 date, I thank you. Unfortunately I can't blame the computer, nor I hope, was it prophetic of living in times past! Rather a simple mistake! Sorry. Repentance is good for the soul. I seem to have plenty of opportunities to exercise it!
FROM THE WORD
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Hebrews 11:1-3)"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
^^^ You can't truly live by faith until you have nothing else to live on.^^^ Our faith is like the air we breath. It is only the current breath that gives life.
^^^ As we build our faith, so faith builds in us.
^^^ Past faith is but a memory, future faith but a dream, but today's faith defines our relationship with God.
^^^ Our faith ebbs and flows as the tide, but God's faithfulness never wavers.
There are now over 430 David sayings for you to view at ...
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***GREAT FAITH
An overweight business associate of mine decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously, even changing his driving route to avoid his favourite bakery. One morning, however, he arrived at work carrying a gigantic coffeecake. We all scolded him, but his smile remained cherubic.
"This is a very special coffeecake," he explained. "I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window was a host of goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffeecakes, let me have a parking place directly in front of the bakery', and sure enough," he continued, "the eighth time around the block, there it was!"
Now over 150 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...
FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What is a Welsh rabbit?ANSWER: Welsh rabbit (also called Welsh rarebit) is not an animal at all. It's melted cheese on toast or crackers. It was called this so peasants could imagine themselves eating real rabbit -- or at least make fun of the fact that they couldn't. The name originated in an era when only the Welsh nobility could hunt rabbits. The poor peasants had to melt cheese on toast and simply call it "rabbit."
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: What is an "inclined elevator"?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS
HAVING A BALL!
Ballroom dancing is a major at Brigham Young University. (Mr Fox trotted in with Miss Gay Gordon.)
SWEET KISSES
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt. (Who would have thought that even ‘kissing’ could be mechanised!)
HORSE SENSE
If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle; if the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in battle; if the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. (However we don’t know the fate of the horse!)
A PUZZLE FOR YOU!
Some-Some-Some-Some
Answer at the end of A David Musing
175 fun facts and trivial trivia now found at ...
JUST JOKES
IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS?After being away on business, Tim thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him
a bottle costing $50.00.
"That's a bit much," said Tim, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00. "That's still quite a bit," Tim complained.
Growing annoyed, the clerk brought out a tiny $15.00 bottle. "What I mean," said Tim, "is I'd like to see something really cheap."
The clerk handed him a mirror.
125 clean jokes at...
IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
+++ I've learned that ultimately , 'takers' lose and 'givers' win.+++ Life's precious moments don't have value, unless they are shared.
+++ If you don't start, it's certain you won't arrive.
+++ We often fear the thing we want the most.
+++ Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you have to say. Best friends listen to what you don't say!
+++ Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints.
+++ Look for opportunities...not guarantees.
+++ Life is what's coming....not what was.
100's of fun and thoughtful thoughts at ...
IF YOU HAVE THE TIME YOU MAY LIKE TO LOOK AT...
GOD IS GOODA poem written about my father who used to have this annoting saying. Eventually I came to the truth and now say it too. Sometimes what we inherit is good!
Have a chuckle and be inspired at...
A DAVID MUSING
As so many of you are asking, I will give some details of what is so unexpectedly happening in our lives.God has asked us to shift to the city of Napier, 300 km away from where we now live, here in Tauranga, New Zealand. Napier is the city in which I was born and raised. It is another seaside resort of 60,000 people, having a sister city, Hastings, 20 km away, with a further 60,000 people.
We are to attend the Napier Christian Fellowship, a church I knew little about beforehand. Needless to say I know some more now! It is a church with a heart for evangelism, and is growing through conversions rather than transfers. Our current pastor here in Tauranga is agreeable to the move.
Why are we shifting? Simply because God told us too! I can carry on with this ministry there in much the same way as here and Kathy has managed to secure a job in the Operating Theatre of the local hospital. No doubt we will find out God's full reasoning in the time to come. He is simply so full of surprises!
We would value your prayers at this time, particularly for our youngest son Cameron, who is in his final year at school and like all teenagers, does not want to shift away from his friends.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's Word Puzzle Answer: Foursome
CHANGING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS?
Each week we lose up to 1% of our readers when they change email addresses without letting us know. If you are about to change your address, please advise us of both your old and new addresses here at enquiries@wwj.org.nz and we will happily change our records to ensure ongoing delivery. Thanks.LINKS
If you would like to link your web site to ours, and ours to yours, please advise us onlinks@wwj.org.nz
DID THIS EMAIL HAVE A BLUE BACKGROUND AND RED HEADINGS?
YES - Great!NO - Your web browser needs to be set to 'Rich Text'. If you have an older 'Text Only' browser, this email may also be viewed on our web site at ...
ABOUT US
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. A ministry dedicated to developing discipleship, fostering unity amongst God’s people to achieve the Great Commission, and in doing so, preparing for Christ’s return. It is securely based upon the foundational principles of the Apostles Creed while recognising the wide and rich diversity of beliefs amongst Christians in other areas. In accordance with the Lord’s direction, materials produced by the ministry are available, free of charge, to genuine enquirers upon request. The ministry is solely funded by donations, as the Lord provides. A list of materials available (plus some fun!) is obtainable and freely downloadable from our website wwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.Walking With Jesus Ministries
P O Box 5160
Mount Maunganui
New Zealand
Phone: (07) 575-7164 International (0064) 7575-7164
Fax: (07) 575-7124 International (0064) 7575-7124
Email: enquiries@wwj.org.nz
Web: wwj.org.nz
Our role is to bless and encourage those in ministry while promoting co-operation and unity of direction amongst the body of Christ, as emphasised 3 times by Jesus in His longest prayer, immediately prior to His arrest and crucifixion. "… so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:12, 21, 23-4) Our website is currently being developed to encourage your participation one with another, to share resources, and to enable you to promote events and items of interest to the body as a whole – and have a smile while doing it!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz