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: 726 Published: 28 Sep 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 that we summarized last week. This week and next, we will draw some conclusions from what David Wilkerson was saying.
CONCLUSION (Part 1)
THE PROBLEMS
At the heart of his insights was the reality that the church, as it exists now, has lost its way. While the church does many GOOD things, GOD things have been lost, as we have adapted more and more to the ways of the world. An 'O' has been added, which has fundamentally changed the character of the church and reduced its effectiveness in the community.
Interestingly, his first point of reference was to the ministry. For ever since the institutionalization of the church by Emperor Constantine in Rome during the 300's, the church has been operated for the benefit of the ministry, rather than to the glory of God. Effectively, God has been hijacked by the modern 'priesthood', setting themselves up once again as conduits, effectively barriers, between God and His people. The Reformation, first and foremost, was born over this issue, but soon fell back into similar habits with a different set of names and people. Regrettably leadership's heart, throughout the ages from the Old Testament Priesthood, the Roman Catholic Church and the 33,000+ plus denominations today has primarily been on perpetuating their hierarchy. Revelation comes, new movements are formed based on direct inter-relation between God and man, but inevitably, deteriorate into formality, rules, regulations, with theological doctrines promoted through colleges or seminaries issuing qualifications that replace God's calling in the ministry. This self-perpetuating process sets up formal organisations, builds buildings, institutes programmes, and collects money from its followers in order to maintain the system, so becoming integrated into society, rather than offering a radical alternative to it.
Virtually all the great reformers down the ages have been rejected by the established churches of the time - from Wycliffe to Luther, from Wesley to Booth, from Finney to Tozer, from the early Pentecostals to David Wilkerson. That is the way of the church.
The problems of the church, in the broader sense of the people, listed as .....
..... no repentance and holiness
..... no righteous living
..... worldly addictions
..... worldly or selfish prayers
..... no discernment
..... ignorance of the Word
..... avoidance of trial and testing
..... relegating Jesus
..... Jesus as a stranger
..... a lost power of Pentecost
can to a large extent be attributed to an inward looking leadership, focused on survival through promotion of a ministry or grouping, rather than the outward focused, self-sacrificial example of the life and ministry of Jesus.
And the people, the followers, have found it convenient to offload their 'religious responsibility' to the establishment. For that is comfortable, and does not disturb the status quo.
But there is change coming!
(Continued next week.)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUSMay we hear what the Lord is saying to us.
Jesus Finds the Excommunicated Blind Man (John 9:9:13-41)
He speaks to the man and then the Pharisees.
“Do you trust in the Son of man?â€
“You’ve already seen him. He’s the one speaking with you now!â€
“I’ve come into the world to bring judgment so that those who are blind may see, and those who see will become blind.
And then the Pharisees.
“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty. But now that you say you see, your guilt remains.â€
The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18)
Jesus continued as the Pharisees would not accept what He was saying.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t come in through the gate of the sheepfold but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. The one who comes in through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. After bringing them out, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They won’t follow strangers. In fact they run away from a stranger because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.â€
“I tell you the truth: I am the gate of the sheepfold. All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. Anyone who comes in through me will be healed. They will be able to come and go, and find the food they need. The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I’ve come to bring you life, life full to overflowing. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The man paid to look after the sheep is not the shepherd and he runs away when he sees the wolf coming. He abandons the sheep because they’re not his, and the wolf attacks and scatters the flock for the man is only working for pay and doesn’t care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know who are mine, and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know him. I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
“This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so I may take it up again. No one takes it from me; I choose to lay it down. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is the command my Father gave me.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
THE BODY180. Man seeks the body beautiful, but God embraces a beautiful heart.
181. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Man sees the body, God the heart.
182. The world's finest cosmetics are produced by a beautiful heart.
183. Time ravages the body but perfects a beautiful heart.
184. In the "Beauty Stakes", 'The Body' makes the early running, but 'Beautiful Spirit' always comes through to win the race.
386. It is often said that in old age, "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak", but too often in youth, "The body is willing, but the spirit is weak." However, when you find "a young body with a willing spirit", it is indeed a powerful force for God.
387. The body - memories, memories!
388. The body performs better when lubricated by the oil of the Spirit.
389. Youth and exuberance normally drifts into age and experience. But age with experience and exuberance - now there's a winning combination!
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: RELATIONSHIP V THEOLOGYWe continue our look at leadership from the perspective of the 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. ***
229. THREE RELIGIOUS TRUTHS
There are three Religious Truths:
1. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
2. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian faith.
3. Baptists do not recognize each other in the liquor store.
228. THINGS WE WOULDN'T KNOW WITHOUT SUNDAY SCHOOL
With your eyes closed for prayer, anything can happen in a room full of preschoolers.
* Prayer requests reveal a lot about parents.
* A fire extinguisher is a handy device.
* Helium tanks should be chained down tightly.
* Cheap glue adheres to skin.
* Kool Aid and song motions do not mix.
* Grand pianos are not as durable as you might think.
* Church maintenance men do not have a sense of humor.
* Offering money always rolls to the other side of the room when dropped.
* Hand-me-down sound systems can get loud when the adult service is taking communion.
* Ushers do not have a sense of humor.
* There IS a doggie Heaven.
* Parachute games should not be used in a room with a chandelier.
* Animal crackers can be sneezed out the nose.
* Girls are superior to boys.
* There are good reasons why pastor’s kids have a bad reputation.
* Helium intoxication does not render respect in a staff meeting.
"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: How does a frog cope with freezing temperatures?ANSWER: Frogs have several strategies for surviving winter, depending on the species. Some hibernate, slowing down their body's metabolism and ‘sleeping’ away the winter. Some aquatic hibernating frogs can even hibernate underwater! Terrestrial frogs usually hibernate on land. To avoid freezing to death, frogs have another trick: antifreeze. The frog may become frozen, but it doesn't die. It appears dead, but the high levels of glucose in its vital organs prevent complete freezing. It will stop breathing and its heart will even stop beating, but when temperatures rise, its organs will start up again. (Now why can’t I do that?)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: How long can honey be stored and still safely eaten?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS 501. SEEING THE BLUES
Owls are one of the only birds who can see the colour blue! (In the dark too?)
502. SNEEZE SPEED
A sneeze travels out of your mouth at over 100mph (160kmh). (Yet I can catch it in my hand!)
503. DAY AFTER DAY
Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day! (Around 37 million times a year – more in Leap Years!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
LANCASTER
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?
In which Gospel is this account found?2: The Woman at the Well in Samaria?
a. Matthew
b. Mark
c. Luke
d. John
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"""!!!!!!! Lots of nuts hold a car together ~ one can scatter it all over the road.
!!!!!! There are two periods in a man's life when he doesn't understand women ~ before and after marriage.
!!!!! It's better to be silent and be considered a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
!!!! Funny thing about temper ~ you can't get rid of it by losing it!
!!! Fashion is something that goes in one year and out the other.
!! One, on God's side, is a majority.
! No matter how you used yesterday, you received 24 hours today.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
GREAT GROANERS
181. FRIENDS?A sceptical anthropologist was cataloguing South American folk remedies with the assistance of a tribal brujo who indicated that the leaves of a particular fern were a sure cure for any case of constipation. When the anthropologist expressed his doubts, the brujo looked him in the eye and said, "Let me tell you, with fronds like these, who needs enemas?"
182. TWO TATES
Back in the 1800s the Tates Watch Company of Massachusetts wanted to produce other products and, since they already made the cases for pocket watches, decided to market compasses for the pioneers travelling west. It turned out that although their watches were of finest quality, their compasses were so bad that people often ended up in Canada or Mexico rather than California. This, of course, is the origin of the expression, "He who has a Tates is lost!"
183. LOST!
A thief broke into the local police station and stole all the Bathroom fixtures. A spokesperson was quoted as saying, "We have absolutely nothing to go on."
184. NO CURE
An Indian chief was feeling very sick, so he summoned the medicine man. After a brief examination, the medicine man took out a long, thin strip Of elk hide and gave it to the chief, instructing him to bite off, chew and swallow one inch of the leather every day.
After a month, the medicine man returned to see how the chief was feeling. The chief shrugged and said,² The thong is ended, but the malady lingers on."
185. MISSING
A famous Viking explorer returned home from a voyage and found his name missing from the town register. His wife insisted on complaining to The local civic official who apologised profusely saying, "I must have taken Leif off my census."
186. MATHEMATICAL
There were three Indian squaws. One slept on a deer skin, one slept On an elk skin and the third slept on a hippopotamus skin. All three became pregnant and the first two each had a baby boy. The one who slept on the hippopotamus skin had twin boys. This goes to prove that the squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sons of the squaws of the other two hides.
Many more great groaners here.....
DAVID'S DOWNLOADS
A REVELATION OF... HOLINESSA Christian is called to walk towards holiness. While not pretending to give you the complete answer, the 5 examples included here should help you in your understanding of what true holiness is about. And if you so desire, in its application to your life too!
Download your free PDF Files here.....
WAXING LYRICAL
When inspiration fails me I write a rubbish rhyme! Enjoy - or cry - or empathasise!U 2?
Not a thought.
But I ought
To have inspiration,
Not perspiration.
In emptiness am caught!
At least it does still rhyme.
Caught the brain in time.
Rubbish 4 u 2 read,
Must get up to speed.
Many mountains yet to climb.
So now u take a rest,
Your brain do not test,
Next week will be better,
Letter will follow letter,
4 I may b back 2 my best!
More of David's poetry here.....
A DAVID MUSING
Catch up soon.So until next time.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: ANCESTRAL
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' d. John (John 4:1-42)
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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