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: 75 Published: 07 Apr 2003
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
This weekend we shifted houses - again! After being look after so well for the past 7 weeks, by our friends Roger and Beryl, I now need to go on a diet to lose the excess weight accumulated while staying there!We have now shifted 3 times in the past 18 months, and while it's never easy, you do get better with practice. Not a skill I desire to acquire further expertise in, but sometimes the Lord has other ideas!
Our Christian lives are a bit like this too, I have found. It takes both time and practice for our earthly ways to become more 'God-like'. We sometimes have dramatic encounters with the Holy Spirit and one or more aspects of our life can be drastically changed, which is wonderful. But we still have to work at it to ensure that this change becomes a permanent fixture in our life.
I have a friend, Brendan, who has had an amazing conversion and life changing release from drug addiction. But he has to practice and apply a new lifestyle, in order to consolidate the change that the Lord has graciously made in him. He is doing this magnificently.
Walking the walk, as opposed to talking the talk, is a combination of the Lord's changing grace in our lives and our application of it. Without the Lord's input, we are doomed to failure and disappointment, for we inevitably fail to 'hit the mark' in our own strength and striving. But on the other hand, when God makes a change, we also need to apply 'self control', one of the fruits of the Spirit to our life, to ensure that the God instigated changes become permanent.
Living the Christian life is not easy, for we need to develop the fine interweaving of Spirit and application required, to maximise godly maturity in our lives. But when we get it right, it is a wonderful experience, particularly as others see the change in us.
When we shift houses we simply have a new address, but when we develop our godly life and character, we change the world! Easier on the body than shifting, too!
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FROM THE WORD
LIFE BY THE SPIRIT"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:16-26)
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
*** A foolish man needs wisdom, the wise man godliness, a godly man the character of Christ.*** God’s rest is free, not earned. Rest in God is also free, but learned.
*** Man seeks to strive for God. God wants us to rest in Him. Couldn't be easier, couldn't be harder!
*** Resting in God seems too easy to be religious. It is! And it isn't!
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgement of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now David sayings for you to view at ...
MP3 DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK
In conjunction with Inspirational Tapesinspirational.org.nz we are pleased to offer you the opportunity to download the following message in MP3 format, free of charge. Inspirational Tapes offers a range of over 4,000 Audio Cassette Tapes, CD's and Videos to members worldwide, for hire, download or purchase.
This week's download is...
UNDERSTANDING TRUE FAITH (From the radio programme, Victory in Jesus)
By: Bill Subritzky
Bill Subritzky, New Zealand's leading evangelist for many, many years is well known, right around the world. This MP3 is particularly targeted towards and helpful to those in ministry. The first 2 parts of a 3 part series. The final one next week. It will be worth waiting for!
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: Who drew the original Mickey Mouse in his first short cartoon?ANSWER: Not Walt Disney, as is commonly believed. All of the sketching and animation was done by Ub Iwerks, Disney's chief animator in the early days of Disney Studios. Walt Disney had largely abandoned drawing animated characters to concentrate on the commercial side of business. However Walt did come up with the idea for Mickey and establish his personality. He also supplied the voice.
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: When did Superman first appear in print?
Superman dates back to June 1938, when he appeared in Action
Comics No. 1. Batman arrived on the scene one year later in
Detective Comics No. 27, appearing May 1939.
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS
RAREFIED ATMOSPHERE
La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia, is the world's highest city at 3600 metres above sea level. (Wouldn’t want to walk to it!)
A HEALTH FOOD
Tomato Ketchup was once used as medicine in the United States. Was sold as "Dr.Miles Compound Extract of Tomato". (My sort of medicine!)
BURGER HEAVEN
Americans eat 45000 burgers per minute. (Cows don’t appreciate this statistic!)
A CHALLENGE FOR YOU
Mary was making apricot jam. She put all the apricots in the pot and stirred them up. Then she remembered she had to add 1 ounce of lemon juice for every two apricots. How did she figure out how much lemon juice to put?
Answer at the end of A David Musing.
75 NEW FUN FACTS AND TRIVIAL TRIVIA have recently been added to...
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES *** NEARLY 200 NEW JOKES THIS WEEK! ***
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***AN ARM AND A LEG
Adam was walking around the Garden of Eden feeling very lonely, so God asked Adam, "What's wrong?" Adam said he didn't have anyone to talk to. So God said he was going to give him a companion and it would be a woman.
He said this person would cook for you and wash your clothes, she will always agree with every decision you make. She will bear you children and never ask you to get up in the middle of the night to take care of them. She will not nag you, and will always be the first to admit she was wrong when you've had a disagreement. She will never have a headache, and will freely give you love and compassion whenever needed.
Adam asked God, "What would a woman like this cost?"
God said, "An arm and a leg."
Adam said "What can I get for just a rib?"
The rest is history!
Now one of the most comprehensive sources of Christian Humour on the Net with 340 sermon fillers for your entertainment and use at ...
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY FACTS ***NEW PAGE***
***A nation's true wealth is best measured by its families' health***FIVE GOOD REASONS MARRIAGE WORKS
(1) It's safer: Marriage lowers the risk that both men and women will become the victims of violence, including domestic violence.
(2) It can save your life: Married people live longer and healthier lives and the power of marriage is particularly evident in late middle age. Nine out of 10 married men and women alive at 48 will make it to 65 against six out of 10 unmarried men and eight out of 10 unmarried women.
(3) It can save your child's life: Children lead healthier, longer lives and tend to stay out of trouble if parents get and stay married.
(4) You will earn more: Men today tend to think of marriage as a consumption item but a vast body of scientific literature suggests that for men especially marriage is productive - as important as education in boosting earnings.
(5) You'll be richer: Married people not only make more money, they manage money better and build more wealth together than either would alone.
For more good reasons 'family' works, and lots of other family facts, visit...
THE WORLD'S GREATEST GROANS! ***NEW PAGE***
Puns - you either love 'em or hate 'em! Double trouble today! To my friend Bruce Morine, a New Zealander who has lived for many years in the US, (we exported him because of his puns!) this page is dedicated to you!MAKING DOUGH
Years ago there was a baker's assistant whose sole job was to pour the dough mixture for making sausage rolls (apparently the royal family loved sausage). Because people were identified by their professions, he was just called Richard the Pourer.
One day Richard ran out of some key ingredients, namely a secret spice he used in the batter. He called his apprentice and sent him to the store to buy more spices. When the apprentice arrived at the store, he found that he had forgotten the name of the ingredient. Hoping that the storekeeper might be able to figure it out, he described it to him,
"it's for Richard the Pourer for batter for wurst."
THE WINTER DRILL
During the cold months, we keep our little ceramic elves that we use in the garden during the summer, stored overhead in the garage. At Halloween time, when I went out in the garage, I imagined I could hear them up there, mocking me. It sounded like they were marching and doing military-type exercises.....
Ever since then, I've been scared of gnome attic drills.
by David Reihmer
50 great groans (plus lots of not so great groans) now at...
GOT A CHURCH WEBSITE? PLANNING ONE?
There are some key proven strategies which enable a church website to reach into the community and beyond. Churches using these report encouraging results. The Web Evangelism Guide offers a detailed resource about church pages, as well as many other aspects of effective online communication, writing and webmaster tips, page promotion, and a twice-monthly newsletter. Some pages can even by syndicated directly into your own website.A DAVID MUSING
Our bodies are amazing! We ignore them, then overuse them - and they still keep going!With this shift, most of our house is on the first floor, so everything has had to be carried up a flight of stairs. Great for the view, tough on the body! But sometimes your body feels really good and you are able to do things with relative ease. This shift has been one of those times, so I am really grateful to the Lord for this.
But as I write it this late on Sunday evening, my body is telling my mind that it is time to rebuild energy for our Monday morning mailing. A lot easier than shifting though - all done at the press of a button. Amazing! Am sure I will have the energy for that after a good night's sleep!
So, it's a 'good night' from mmmeeeeeeeeeeee...........
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's Challenge Answer: She counted the apricot pits. (Stones in NZ!)
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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 websitewwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.
Walking With Jesus Ministries
P O Box 5160
Mount Maunganui
New Zealand
Phone: (06) 878-9330 International (0064) 6878-9330
Fax: (06) 878-9330 International (0064) 6878-9330
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