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: 716 Published: 20 Jul 2015
THE PURGING of THE CHURCH
The Lord has led me to go back to a sermon/prophecy I received in a group mailing, and filed, some time ago. It is by David Wilkerson.David was the Founding Pastor of Times Square Church in New York City. He was called to New York in 1958 to minister to gang members and drug addicts, as told in the best-selling book, The Cross and the Switchblade.
After the introduction, he gave 11 bullet points about THE GLORIOUS FUTURE JUST AHEAD. As the Lord leads, I will expand on these challenging but inspiring aspects over the weeks ahead.
3. A people washed, cleansed - offering praises in true righteousness.
"Why bother taking a shower or bath? Am only going to get dirty again!" Have your kids said that to you, as mine did - and as I used to say to my parents! LOL!
Seems that parents live in Old Testament days, where the priest on duty at the Tabernacle, and then Temple, had to wash himself in the Washing Basin before making sacrifices on the Altar.....
They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar, as the Lord commanded Moses. (exodus 40:32)
But we live in New Testament times, where Jesus washed us clean once and for all through His cleansing blood, on Calvary's hill. (Please don't let your kids read this bit! LOL!)
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:10-11)
Unfortunately we all to often take licence from this to live how we like! We 'conveniently' forget to read the next verse.....
12 ‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’– but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)
Sin creeps back so easily into our lives. Peter warns us.....
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is short-sighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9)
Theologically speaking, we are 'positionally' cleansed, but still have to work this out 'experientially' in our lives.
Sadly, the church has walked away from the need for righteous living, thus the reason for David Wilkerson's, and my, plea.
A plea for a return to righteousness in the church. A plea to each believer (myself included) to walk in the ways of Jesus, our mentor, guide and friend, through the Holy Spirit living within us.....
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)
To become imitators of Jesus, as were the Thessalonians.....
4 For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6)
As we enter these times of great tribulation, which we can see developing daily, our God is calling us to a new life of righteous living, praising God as we stand before Jesus on His throne.....
The great multitude in white robes
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ 11 All the angels were standing round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!’
13 Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ 14 I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, ‘they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,†nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; “he will lead them to springs of living water.†“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.â€â€™ (Revelation 7:9-17)
Do you, do I, want to be a part of the bride of Christ? To do that we must live holy and righteous lives now.
This is the challenge facing each and every believer today.
(Continued next week.)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUSMay we hear what the Lord is saying to us.
Canaanite Woman’s Faith (Matthew 15:21-8, Mark 7:24-30)
When requesting healing for her demon-possessed daughter.
“I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,â€
As she persisted.
“First let the children eat until they’re full,†“It’s not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.â€
Agreeing with Jesus.
“For such an answer you may go—the demon has left your daughter.â€
Jesus Heals a Deaf man (Mark 7:31-7)
Brought by people in the Decapolis area.
“Ephphatha,†(which means, “Open!â€)
Jesus Feeds 4000 (Matthew 15:32-9, Mark 8:1-10)
Where another crowd had gathered.
“My heart goes out to the crowd because they have already stayed with me for three days and they have nothing to eat. If I send them home without food, they’ll faint on the way. Some have come from a long way away.â€
“How many loaves do you have?â€
Found some fish also and Jesus blessed them.
“Take these and share them too.â€
(Continued next week.)
You can download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
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'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.One key element here is the setting out in chronological order (as far as it is possible to do so) our Lord's words drawn from all the Gospels, and the elimination of repetition between Gospels.
You may be surprised by the different perspective this presentation gives you both in understanding of His life and ministry, and in achieving a closer relationship with Him.
Download the free PDF here.....
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
ON REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS163. True repentance is - a godly principle applied.
164. Personal repentance is a verb, not an adjective.
165. True repentance is an action that results in a life changing reaction.
166. Show me one who walks in forgiveness and talks with their wallet, and I will show you a true believer.
167. It is amazing how a sprinkling of forgiveness can calm a raging sea of hurts.
168. Sadly, the human mind subtly subverts the holy, ‘I Am’, into the unholy, ‘I am’!
187. Forgiveness is unique. The more you give the more you get.
188. Forgiveness is the one thing you can have more of by giving it away.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now over 1300 David sayings for you to view at ...
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHURCH: 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF KINGDOM PEOPLEWe look at the 3rd and 4th characteristics of kingdom people.
Check out all the available teachings at...
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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. ***
203. MORE BULLETIN BLOOPERS
Don't forget the annual Child Watch banquet next Tuesday. They've been serving children for 18 years.
We want to offer special prayers for the police officers in our congregation and all the officers on the force. Remember, Officer Wilson who was injured this week when his cruiser was hit by a car that then ran away.
One Sunday the first hymn listed on our song sheet was "Surley Goodness and Mercy!!" Those who weren't in a good mood when the service started immediately had a smile. - Amber in Lake Isabella, CA
Youth group please remember our kick-off for January 5 and 6 is a lock-in weekend that will be "Built to Last."
The morning service will be followed by holy communism.
Please join us for the Christmas concert and sinalong (Richard Lederer)
Don't forget the Community Rabies Vaccination Clinic under the church picnic pavilion starting at 9:00 a.m. Saturday. The Cost is only $10 and Senior citizens are free with proof of age.
For those parents who attend the progressive dinner Friday, you may pick up your youth after your stop at the pastor's house.
Providing adequate housing to area senior citizens has always been a concern. The staff and board of The Village see themselves as being in misery to the residents of the retirement community.
We are asking for donations of non-perishable food items to help the needy. Please help us refill our food panty.
Thank you Conference Volunteers for your time and energy, especially those who helped with stuffing pockets the Friday before conference.
Our bulletin has changed, take a pee inside. (D Lancon)
I would like to thank those who worked to make the regional annual meeting a success. Many of the delegates commented on the wonderful hostility they received from our local people.
Congratulations to Dawn Olson who recently graduated from booty camp at U.S. Navy's Great Lakes Recruit Training Center on Feb 22nd.
PLEASE NOTE: We would like to make a correction in the recent editon of the church cookbook. An inaccurate number of jalapeno peppers was given for Jeanette Crowley's Southwestern chicken salad recipe. The recipe should call for two, not 21, jalapeno peppers.
The marriage of Miss Freda VanAmburg and Willie Branton, which was announced in the newsletter a few weeks ago, was a mistake which we wish to correct.
It was incorrectly reported in last week's newsletter that this unday is T-shirt Appreciation Day. In fact, it is actually Teacher Appreciation Day.
It has come to our attention that there was a mistake in a newsletter item two weeks ago. It stated that Ed Burnham entertained our Men of Integrity Group at "crap shooting." It should have read "trap shooting."
There are two important corrections to the information in the last church newsletter on our Women's Deep Relaxation Exercise and Health Program. First, the program will include meditation, not medication. Second, it is experiential, not experimental.
"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 infamous Countess was a mass murderer?ANSWER: Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary, known as the ‘Blood Countess’, is reputed to have killed hundreds of young girls as a sadistic pastime. Elizabeth was able to kill the girls, mostly peasants from the surrounding countryside with impunity for many years, because of her noble station. Legends say she believed that by bathing in her victim's blood, she would stay young forever. There is, however, no real evidence that she did this. Eventually, her crimes reached such a magnitude that her "cousin" Count Thurzo, ordered by the King and Church officials to act, saw to it that Elizabeth was walled into her castle to live out her final days in isolation. Her accomplices, mostly servants, were executed. Some scholars speculate that Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, based his legendary vampire in part on Elizabeth (as well as another sadistic killer - Vlad the Impaler). (An actual ‘bloodbath’!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Is it true that the yo-yo was based on a weapon?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS 531. UNSEEN
In the United States over 10,000 birds a year die from smashing into windows! (Glass Cleaner has a lot to answer for!)
532. IT'S THE SAME PLACE
Until 1796, there was a state in the United States called Franklin. Now it's known as Tennessee! (I see!)
533. PERMANENTLY IN LOVE?
A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute on average. (Certainly not through strenuous exertion!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
ADVERSE
Answer at the end of A David Musing
FREE DOWNLOAD: You can download the full version of our Trivia Book at TRULY TRIFFLING TRIVIA Or view all 1232 online at...
WHICH BOOK?
12: …comes before Acts?a. Romans
b. 2 Corinthians
c. John
d. Luke
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"""!!!!!!! The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
!!!!!! He who hesitates is probably right.
!!!!! Did you ever notice: The Roman numerals for forty (40) are 'XL'?
!!!! The sole purpose of a child's middle name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble.
!!! The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
!! One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
! Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
JUST JOKES
250. WHY ARE FIRE TRUCKS RED?Everyone knows that fire engines have 4 wheels and 8 men. 4 and 8 make 12. There are twelve inches in a foot. A foot is a ruler. Queen Elizabeth, a ruler, is the name of one of the largest ships on the seas. Seas have fish and fish have fins. The Finns fought the Russians and Russians are red . . . and fire trucks are always rushin' therefore, fire trucks are red!
NOW . . . if you think that's wild, you ought to hear folks' excuses for not keeping their New Year's Resolutions!
249. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Mrs. Hunter was called to serve for jury duty, but asked to be excused because she didn't believe in capital punishment and didn't want her personal thoughts to prevent the trial from running its proper course. But the public defender liked her thoughtfulness and quiet calm, and tried to convince her that she was appropriate to serve on the jury.
"Madam," he explained, "this is not a murder trial! It's a simple civil lawsuit. A wife is bringing this case against her husband because he gambled away the $12,000 he had promised to use to remodel the kitchen for her birthday."
"Well, okay," agreed Mrs. Hunter, "I'll serve. I guess I could be wrong about capital punishment after all."
248. SPEEDY
An industrious turkey farmer was always experimenting with breeding to perfect a better turkey. His family was fond of the leg portion for dinner and there were never enough legs for everyone. After many frustrating attempts, the farmer was relating the results of his efforts to his friends at the general store.
..."Well I finally did it! I bred a turkey that has 6 legs!"
They all asked the farmer how it tasted. "Don't know" said the turkey farmer. ....."I never could catch one!!!"
247. VALUE FOR MONEY?
The mine operator called the nearby state prison and asked them to send over a safecracker to open his jammed safe. Soon a convict showed up, spun the dials, listened intently, and calmly opened the safe door.
"Well," said the mine operator, "what do you think I owe you?"
The prisoner said, "Uh, the last time I opened a safe, I got $25,000."
246. I KNOW IT IS EARLY...
I know it is early, but every year about this time, I start to long for the holidays. Maybe you are like me when it comes to the holidays. Some people REALLY love Christmas. Me, I love Thanksgiving. Last year I had my chance to do the traditional thing of shooting my own turkey for Thanksgiving. Man... you should have seen the people scatter in the meat department.
More laughs here for no reason at all! Enjoy!.....
America Headed to the ‘Ash Heap of History’?
CBN NewsLANCASTER, Pa. -- America just marked its 239th Independence Day, the birth of what many consider the greatest nation on earth. But after all these years of celebrating, Americans may soon be mourning its downfall.
That's the conclusion of researcher George Barna and historian David Barton in their book U-Turn: Restoring America to the Strength of Its Roots.
These authors say the United States is entering its own version of the Dark Ages and that any civilization that's gone where America's headed now has gone to ruin.
"The founders gave us an amazing foundation," Barna told CBN News. "And for us to trample on it and say 'we're going to build a new one' is folly."
Biblical Roots
The authors point out those early Americans were shaped by the Bible and a Judeo-Christian worldview.
"They believed everybody should read through the Bible cover-to-cover once a year," Barton stated. "That's what we did in school in those times. That's what we did in spiritual life. That's what political leaders did. Not today. We can't even get Christians to read that word."
Today only 30 percent of Christians read the Bible and less than 10 percent have read it from cover-to-cover. And it shows.
"Only 9 percent of born-again Christians have a biblical worldview," Barna said. "Only 51 percent of pastors have a biblical worldview."
Faith is losing its foothold in the land.
"The proportion of unchurched people has risen from 28 percent to 48 percent in six years," Barna shared. "The fastest growing faith group in America is atheists and agnostics."
'Your Life Doesn't Belong to You'
It's making for a complete change in values from what was seen 240 years ago. Then, service to others ruled the day.
"Your order of responsibilities was God, country, and family." Barton explained. "That's part of the biblical thinking they had."
"[That's] why the founding fathers were told and specifically taught in school -- we have their textbooks -- if someone comes to you and says 'we need you to run for public office,' you're not allowed to say 'no,'" he said. "Because, as they point out, your life doesn't belong to you."
Today, it's all about "me."
"Now we're just worried about comfort and experiences and entertainment and security," Barna suggested.
That's led to a get-it-all, have-it-all, do-it-all mentality that can pile up the kind of debt capable of killing a country.
A Nation of Debtors
"The average American family: they're looking usually at a mortgage debt of about $130,000," Barton told CBN News. "They're usually looking at credit card debt of about $21,000, they're looking at car debt of about $23,000, a college loan debt of about $24,000, and so we're so far in debt that we tolerate it in others."
Like our federal government.
"Where we are right now, it will take 107 years of the full production of the American economy to pay off the debt we have right now," Barton said.
"We are at a point now where 60 percent of Americans receive more from the government than what they put in," he added. "You can't sustain that."
"We averaged spending $61,000 per poor family last year. You now find that those who are on welfare make more than teachers make in 11 states. And those on welfare now make more than secretaries do in 39 states. We can't sustain that," he reiterated.
Compare that to the attitude Thomas Jefferson expressed to young America.
Quoting the author of the Declaration of Independence, Barton said, "We can live in debt and extravagance, but we'll be in slavery -- or we can be free, but we have to use frugality."
What Destroys a Nation
"George Washington said 'avoid occasions of expense.' You want out of debt? Just quit spending. And so the founding fathers were very, very, very clear that what would destroy a nation is debt," Barton concluded.
So where does that indicate America's headed?
"Into the ash heap of history," Rev. Sam Rohrer, president of the American Pastors Network, suggested.
Rohrer doesn't want that to happen. He said he's desperate for another outcome.
"God's judgment on America and His hand of judgment, which is very obviously here, will put us down on our knees until we look up," Rohrer said. "When a civilization or a culture begins to recognize that truth has not changed and God is truth and then goes there, then the nation can be made whole."
Rohrer's doing what he can to make that happen. One effort was to invite Barna and Barton to come speak to several hundred church leaders at a recent conference of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Continues at.....
http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=51067&PN=1
DAVID'S DOWNLOADS
A REVELATION OF……. GIVING TO GODIn Christianity, we hear an awful lot about what God has done for us, but much less of what He desires from us in return!
There is a saying that 'salvation is a free gift, but discipleship costs us everything!' For as Jesus sacrificed His life for us on Calvary's grim hill, so we, in turn, are to model Him, and sacrifice our life for God and for others.
In this study we are going to look at the ways in which we are to offer God the sacrifices He so much desires from us - Praise and Worship, Prayer and Fasting and Tithes and Gifts.
My God sacrificed His son Jesus, for me! Surely, the first thing I can do for Him is to offer back the sacrifices He desires of me. Is that too much to ask?
In theory we would probably agree, but the practice of our lives often tends to fall short of our good intentions!
I trust that this study will encourage you, as it has me, to give back to God what He desires of each one of us.
Download your free PDF Files here.....
WAXING LYRICAL
My mind when having to write an article for my PGIM newsletterBLANK
?
!
*
-
?!*-
Um...
Ah...
Go...
No...
Um,ah,go,no...
A light!
At night!
No way!
It's day!
Next week,
Then I'll speak.
Surely will.
Peace is still.
More of David's poetry here.....
A DAVID MUSING
I am so looking forward to shortly returning to Africa and the UR, after 10 years, to meet with family, old friends and make new ones.On the other hand (amazing how we have 2 hands!) the cost is not just $$$$$$ but also in busyness. For I have to prepare 2 months' worth of PGIM's and Tuesday Teachings, then copy and paste them all to another site too. Around 52 postings in total! But then I will be able to have a holiday from the computer - if it will let me! LOL!
We are so tied to technology these days, aren't we? Even my Bible readings are on the cellphone. Just remembered that as I muse! What am I going to do about that? Go back to a paper version!!!
So I had better get on with it!
So until next week.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: EVADERS
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' c. John
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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