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: 660 Published: 09 Jun 2014
'THE WORDS OF JESUS' NOW AVAILABLE FOR PDF DOWNLOAD
Join the many who have downloaded the 'The Words of Jesus'. I am sure you will be blessed by it, as I have been.PS: This picture is most likely how Jesus looked and dressed. A lot different to what we envisage in our minds?
Download the free PDF here.....
WHOSE CHURCH IS IT ANYWAY?
THE POST APOSTOLIC CHURCHAgain 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.
We now proceed to the 20th century which, as we all know, was noted for outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Surely all would now be transformed by the Spirit and the bride church produced. Of course, we now know the reality, where there has been greater splits and divisions than ever before. God weeps!
20th CENTURY DEVELOPMENTS
The Day of the Lord
28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-9)
THE HEALING REVIVAL
ORAL ROBERTS (1918-2005)
While William Branham is generally acknowledged as the founder of the Healing Revival, at a similar time God was dealing with Oral Roberts, the young pastor of a small Pentecostal Holiness Church, and divinity student at Phillips University, in Enid, Oklahoma, USA.
Aged 17, being miraculously cured of advanced tuberculosis, the Lord said to him.....
"I have called you to take My healing power to your generation."
From then on, he diligently sought God for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in his life and ministry, and for the fulfilment of the word he had received.
Twelve years later, on May 14, 1947, following a sustained 7 month period of praying and fasting, Roberts received the inner assurance that it was time for God's call to begin to be fulfilled. At the same time, God showed him how he would feel the Lord's power in his right hand, so that when he laid his hand on the sick he would be able to detect the name and number of demons that might be present in that person.
Roberts immediately launched into an instantly successful ministry emphasizing healing for the body and salvation for the soul.
In 1948 he bought a tent that would seat 2,000 people. By 1953 he was operating in one that seated 12,500. (pictured) It was the world's largest fireproof canvas tent of the time. Many miracles occurred and Oral Roberts became the most prominent healing evangelist of the era.
Unfortunately though, he later became enamoured with the Prosperity Doctrine, and his spiritual influence began to wane. The ministry continued to grow into a financial empire with a university, hospital, TV shows and more. Although morally scrupulous, the organisation finally ran into financial problems and declined.
It is true to say though, that in his early days particularly, Oral Roberts was used by the Lord to expand His spiritual kingdom on the earth.
T L and DAISY OSBORN (1923-2013 & 1924-2005)
While Branham and Roberts were forerunners of the healing evangelism era, almost immediately after they were followed by a host of others including, to name a few, A. A. Allen, Jack Coe, T. L. Osborn, William Freeman, W. V. Grant and Kenneth Hagin.
In 1945, T L and Daisy Osborn went to India as Pentecostal missionaries, in a failed attempt to convert the masses. Disappointed by their lack of success, the still young Osborns returned to America, but would not rest until they had found a way to reach the masses with the Gospel.
While pastoring in the Northwest, they diligently sought the Lord for answers and began to hold evangelistic and healing crusades. Hyatt continues.....
God confirmed the gospel with signs and wonders, and they knew they had found the answer for the masses such as they had seen in India. Following a period of cooperative ministry with the Voice of Healing in America, the Osborns returned to the mission fields of the world. Traveling to seventy-six nations, they pioneered mass healing crusades with phenomenal results. They found that demonstrations of God's compassion and healing power would result in thousands accepting Christ in a single service. Their huge outdoor crusades became the pattern for mass evangelism in developing nations. As they approached their seventies, it was said of this husband/wife team that they had preached the gospel to more people, face to face, than anyone to that point in history.
CONCLUSION
By the end of 1956, the Healing Revival was on the wane, being rent by strife between the Healing Evangelists and the Pentecostal denominations to which they belonged. There were faults on both sides. The denominations were jealous of their success, while there were many questionable practices, moral and financial, amongst the evangelists.
It still provides a stark example of what happens when spiritually gifted people lose their focus on the God and Lord who gave them the gift, becoming misguidedly focused instead on money, power, and the other distractions of the world.
However, the Healing Revival provided a most important link between the Pentecostals and the Charismatic Renewal, beginning round 1960.
So we can continue to say.....
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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A LETTER RECEIVED REGARDING LAST WEEK'S EDITORIAL ON WILLIAM BRANHAM
From my American friend, Don Spooner of About Him! Ministries.....Hi Bro. David,
I remember attending a Branham crusade, when I was about 13 years old. That would be in 1948. It seems that He was working in conjunction with the "Little David" campaign. Little David was a 12 year old preacher who could move a crowd, but there was a lot of hype and promotion behind him.
As stated in your article, W. Branham (pictured) would call attention to the changes in his wrist or arm as he prayed for folks. My father had something similar. Often, at home after service, he would state that someone was healed because he had pain shoot up his arms as he prayed. As I remember, the healing was often confirmed by one who he had prayed for.
I later became aware of an Apostolic Church in S. Michigan which had turned into a Branham cult. I was told that they would play his recordings every service and were waiting for him to reappear.
Keep up the good work,
Bro. Spooner
Thanks Don, for sharing your experiences with us all.
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.
Of course, it is not a Bible substitute! I Hope you find it helpful too, in your walk with Jesus.
Ten Lepers Healed (Luke 17:11-19)
But only one, a Samaritan, gave thanks.
“Go and show yourselves to the priests.â€
The Samaritan returned.
“Where are the other nine? Didn’t anyone else come back to praise God—only this foreigner?â€
“Get up and go on your way. Your trust has healed you.â€
The Coming of the Kingdom (Luke 17:20-37)
Answering the Pharisees.
“God’s kingdom doesn’t come with visible signs that you can observe. People won’t be saying, ‘Look, it’s here’ or ‘Look, it’s there,’ for God’s kingdom is within you.â€
Teaching the disciples.
“The time is coming when you’ll long to see the day when the Son of man comes, but you won’t see it. They’ll be telling you, “Look, there he is,’ or ‘look, here he is,’ but don’t go running off after them. The day when the Son of man comes will be just like lightning that flashes, lighting up the sky from one side to the other. But first he will have to suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation. The time when the Son of man comes will be like it was in Noah’s day. People went on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah went into the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. It will be like it was in Lot’s day. People went on eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
“The day the Son of man appears will be just like that. If you’re up on the roof that day don’t go down and get your things; and if you’re out in the fields don’t go back home either. Remember Lot’s wife! If you try to hold on to your life you’ll lose it; but if you lose your life you’ll save it. I tell you, at that time two will be in bed at night; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain, one will be taken; and the other left.â€
“Where, Lord?†“Where the carcass is, that’s where the vultures gather,â€
Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8)
Explaining persistent prayer to the disciples.
“Once there was a judge in this particular town who didn’t respect God or care about anyone,†“In the same town lived a widow who time and again went to the judge, saying, ‘Give me justice in the case against my enemy!’ For a while he didn’t want to do anything about it, but eventually he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t respect God or care about anyone, this widow is so annoying I’ll make sure she receives justice. Then she won’t wear me out by her coming to see me so often.’
“Listen to what even an unjust judge decided,†said the Lord. “Don’t you think that God will make sure his chosen people receive justice, those who cry out to him day and night? Do you think he will make them wait? No, I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. However, when the Son of man comes, will he find people on earth who trust in him?â€
(Continued next week)
You can now download the complete Words of Jesus at.....
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
PERSEVERANCE685. Perseverance perseveres!
686. Perseverance is keeping running the race with feet blistered by the problems of life.
687. Perseverance is wading through the mire of life, confident of reaching our eternal heavenly home.
688. Perseverance is walking through the valleys before ascending to the mountaintops
689. Perseverance is retaining hope when all seems hopeless.
690. Perseverance is …
… forgiving one more time
… one more prayer.
… going on when others are giving up.
… picking yourself up once again.
… loving that little bit extra.
… just one more step.
… serving one more time.
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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF... DIVIDING THE WATERS continuesTHE 12 FEATURES OF ELISHA’S MINISTRY AS A PATTERN FOR THE CHURCH TODAY - A Summary
Together with the principle message that God is showing us today.
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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. ***
46. KNOW WE WILL HAVE THE PERFECT CHURCH WHEN WE HEAR.....
1. Hey! It's my turn to sit in the front pew.
2. I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon went 25 minutes over time.
3. Personally I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf.
4. I've decided to give our church the $500 a month I used to send to TV evangelists.
5. I volunteer to be the permanent teacher for the junior high Sunday school class.
6. Forget the denominational minimum salary, let's pay our pastor so he can live like we do.
7. I love it when we sing hymns I've never heard before!
8. Since we're all here, let's start the service early.
9. Pastor, we'd like to send you to this Bible seminar in the Bahamas.
10. Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment like our annual stewardship campaign.
45. THE REAL TRUTH
Little Johnny had bought Grandma a book for her birthday and wanted to write a suitable inscription. He racked his brain until suddenly he remembered that his father had a
book with an inscription of which he was very proud, so Johnny decided to use it.
You can imagine Grandma's surprise when she opened her book, a Bible, and found neatly inscribed the following phrase: "To Grandma, with the compliments of the author."
44. COVERING THE BASES.....
A five-year-old girl who was squirting passersby with a garden hose became furious when her father rushed out and took the hose away.
Kicking and screaming as he carried her into the house, she yelled out, "I'm going to tell Jesus and God and Santa Claus on you!"
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 an ‘interrobang’?ANSWER: For a short time in 1967, the American Typeros Association made a new punctuation mark that was a combination of the question mark and an exclamation point called an interrobang. It was rarely used and hasn't been seen since. (Why not?!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Do penguins live at the North Pole?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS 691. TOO MUICH INSPIRATION?
Beethoven reputably dipped his head in cold water before he composed. (Now we would take a cold shower.)
692. HOT AND DRY?
The term ‘desert’ applies both to hot, dry areas and to inhospitable ice-covered regions. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a desert is a barren or desolate area. This can mean a dry, often sandy region of little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and sparse vegetation, or a region of permanent cold that is largely or entirely devoid of life. Both hot deserts and cold deserts generally have an annual precipitation of less than two inches. (No rain, much pain!)
693. FLYING HIGH
‘Delag’, the world’s first airline, was established on October 16, 1909, to carry passengers between German cities by Zeppelin airships. Up to November 1913, more than 34,000 people had used the service! (Slow, and finally, not so sure.)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
HURTLE
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE FIRSTS
16: Which of the seven churches in Revelation is listed first?a. Smyrna
b. Pergamos
c. Philadelphia
d. Ephesus
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"""!!!!!!! A person that learns from their mistakes is smart. A person that learns from other people's mistakes is smarter.
!!!!!! Be safety conscious. 80% of people are caused by accidents.
!!!!! Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
!!!! Sometimes the best helping hand you can give is a good, firm push.
!!! The person who cannot be angry at evil usually lacks enthusiasm for good.
!! Always remember that a person is not rewarded for having brains, but for using them.
! The mind is like the stomach. It's not how much you put in it that counts, but how much it digests.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
GREAT GROANERS
214. THE BRUTAL TRUTH!A man called up a bible believing church and the church secretary answered the call. The man on the other end of the line said, "I’d like to speak to the head hog." The secretary replied, "That wasn’t a very nice thing to say about our beloved minister, Rev. Jones." Again the man replied, "I’d like to speak to the head hog, because I’m going to donate £75,000.00 to the church. She replied, "Hold on a moment, I think the big fat pig just walked in."
215. STRANGE COMBINATION
What do you get when you cross an atheist with a Jehovahs Witness?.... Someone who knocks at your door for no apparent reason.
216. THE ANGRY ATHIEST
The story is told of the Atheist who accosted a preacher. "Do you believe in eternal life?" The preacher has no time to reply. "Well its a load of rubbish!" shouted the Atheist. "I believe in science, evolution, survival of the fittest, and when we die, that's it! No eternal life, no great judgement, and no God!" The Atheist continues his assault against the preacher repetitiously and tirelessly. "Eternal life! Eternal life! Ha! "Its all pie in the sky when you die." When I die that's it, the end, no eternal life, no nothing. He continues, until he reaches his climax, "I will be buried six feet under when I die and that's it! Nothing! Caput! When I die I am utterly convinced that that will be the end of me!" "Well thank God for that" replies the preacher!
217. GOOD KING WENCELESLAS -Brilliant!
Good King Wenceleslas went out to the pizza parlour and ordered a pizza. The assistant asked Do you want your usual? Deep pan, crisp and even?
218. A TROUBLESOME FRUIT
It wasn't the apple that caused the trouble in the Garden of Eden, it was the pair on the ground.
219. DOMESTIC PROBLEMS
Adam was walking outside of the Garden of Eden with Cane and Abel when the boys were young. Cane and Abel looked into the garden and viewed waterfalls, lovely birds, lush forests and fruit trees bending over because of the large amounts of fruit on them.
Then they took a long look at where they lived at. It was dry, dusty with weeds and sickly-looking trees.
"Daddy? Why don't we live in there instead of out here?" they asked innocently.
Adam said, "Well sons. Eve and I use to live in there at one time. But your mother ate us out of house and home."
Always my favorites! How about you? Check many more out here.....
When a brutal killer named ‘Scissors’ came to Christ
By Mark EllisHe spent more than 10 years in communist prisons in Vietnam because of his Christian faith as the government attempted to “re-educate†him. But through his bold witness, the most hardened killers gave their lives to Christ and saw their lives transformed.
“Communism is a religion,†says Pastor Paul Ai, founder of Vision Outreach International. “They compete with other religions.â€
Conditions were horrible in these communist-run forced labor camps during Pastor Ai’s various prison terms between 1975 and 1999. “I slept on a floor that was either dirt or cement,†he says. “Sometimes they don’t give you food to eat so I have to go out in the jungle to find leaves to eat.â€
Ai and his fellow prisoners worked 10-12 hour days doing strenuous agricultural work: harvesting potatoes, cashew nuts, and rubber plants.
During his first five-year term in prison he had no toothbrush, soap, or other personal items. “After I was released from prison, I packed a bag with a toothbrush, soap, towel, and underwear in it for the next time that the police came to arrest me. I carried this bag with me everywhere I went, and it stayed next to me when I slept at night.â€
When he was sent back to prison a second time because of his church planting activities, he had the backpack with him containing his personal effects.
But it did not remain intact for long. “In prison the guards cut the straps, a standard practice because of fear of hanging,†Ai notes.
Pastor Ai recalls one particularly brutal killer that everyone feared. “There was a wild man in the prison they called ‘Scissors.’ He was a tailor and he carried scissors with him all the time as a weapon. He killed many people both in and out of prison.
“Everyone in prison was afraid of him, including the guards,†he adds. “He used metal cans and cut the metal to make himself a breastplate to keep people from stabbing him to death.â€
But Pastor Ai began to pray that God would soften this desperate man. “I began to share the love of Jesus with him and told him how Jesus would give him peace and be his friend,†Ai recalls.
Marvellously, the ministry of God’s Word and the Spirit began to tenderize the heart of this stone-cold killer. “As I continued to show him friendship and God’s grace, he gave his heart to the Lord,†Pastor Ai recounts.
Everyone in the prison was astonished! “As an expression of gratitude, he used one of his shirts to fix my backpack and make me a hat for protection from the sun,†Ai says, knowing he was violating camp rules.
“If the police ask you where you got these,†Scissors told him, “just tell them they are from me and you will be safe.â€
Scissors became the pastor’s unlikely guardian in the camp. “The Lord used Scissors to provide for me not only my backpack and hat but also protection and many other things I needed in prison.â€
“The authorities thought if they put Paul Ai in prison, the church would stop growing and be destroyed,†writes Johnny Thinh, a friend and co-laborer of Pastor Ai’s. “But they were wrong, because Jesus himself is still the head of the church, and even the gates of hell shall not prevail against His church.â€
Source: Godreports
Via: OpenHeaven.com
DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
'TABERNEAGLE' THOUGHTS FROM.....A poster of thoughts about living life in Tabernacles. Out of a human mind but hopefully with God given inspiration. An A4 sized wall (’loo?’) hanger. A4 size.
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WAXING LYRICAL
So often we 'live for the day' but the reality is, we don't know how many more days we will have to live! What will be our eternal future of endless days!PLANNING AHEAD
Reality is, today's life is ever so uncertain,
Never know when God will pull down the curtain!
Yes, we all like to think it will never end,
That forever, death's punches, we can fend!
But that is not the way with real life,
Never know when we'll end up in strife.
Yes, it's true our life may be long - or it may be short,
But, one day, by death's clutches, we'll all be caught.
When that day comes, what will we say?
For there's no longer any time to pray.
Yes, it's time now to be held accountable,
Will we then rejoice - or be miserable?
We only get one shot at living,
Too late now for any misgiving.
Yes, the reality of heaven and hell has come,
Can't change our mind, what's done is done.
"Oh Lord, give me another chance,
My claims to heaven to advance!"
"No, you've had your chance, it's now too late,
With a loud clang, He closes the heavenly gate."
Where will you be found on that inevitable day?
On which side of the gate will you forever stay?
Yes, I know now where I'm going to be,
How will it, my friend, be with thee?
More of David's poetry here.....
A DAVID MUSING
Today comes with an unabashed commercial - the launch of our new website and online shop for our recycled clothing business, Chez Labelle. At the moment you can only place orders from within New Zealand, but overseas orders will be accepted soon. If you register for our newsletter we will keep you up to date with when we can offer that service - and you will get a 25% discount off your first order!You can find us here....www.chezlabelle.com
To me, it is interesting that God has desired us to mix work with ministry. Seems to be happening with a lot of people currently.
You will see a white cross in the top right hand corner of the web pages, inserted at the Lord's request. Also, on the ABOUT US page, we offer people the 'Walking With Jesus Course', downloadable from the internet. So work/ministry become intertwined.
How about for you?
PS: You can also check us out on Facebook. Just search for Chez Labelle and LIKE our page (not just an article) to keep up to date with our happenings.
So until next week.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: LUTHER
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' d. Ephesus (Revelation 1:11)
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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