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: 761 Published: 30 May 2016
A REVELATION TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
THE TRUE ARMOUR OF GOD - Part 4We have now seen that the concept of the armour of God is based upon the priestly garments of the Old Testament priesthood, not the armour of a Roman soldier. In reality, such a comparison is highly offensive to Jews, for the Romans were hated conquerors and occupiers! In Jewish eyes, it is inconceivable that Paul the ultimate Rabbi, would ever have considered a positive comparison with Roman attire of any sort!
So let's have a look at some New Testament scriptures that we may now be able to understand in the light of the kingdom of God.
Jesus is Great High Priest.....
[ Jesus the Great High Priest ] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
And we are 'priests' of God.....
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
Where does the priesthood, the kingdom, exist now.....
Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]. (Luke 17:21 AMPC)
So, if we are priests, we will not be wearing the hated Roman armour, will we? We are to be wearing the garments of the high priesthood of Jesus, to which we now belong.
I am going to keep this short this week, as I want you contemplate and pray upon what the Word says, to get it into the very core of your being. For the absorption of this truth deep into our spirit will change the way we live. For darkness and light cannot co-exist. When we turn on the light switch in the natural, darkness disappears. So it is to be in our lives, as we take on the character of Jesus.....
[ Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony ] When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.†(John 8:12)
My friend, this is serious business! If we are to be His disciples we must live as Jesus did.....
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2:6)
Are we up to the challenge?
(Continued next week.)
FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUSMay we hear what the Lord is saying to us.
The Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-9, Mark 14:22-5, Luke 22:14-20 , 1 Corinthians 11:23-9)
Instructions to Peter and John.
“I’ve been really looking forward to eating this Passover meal with you before my sufferings begin. I tell you I shall not eat it again until the time it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.â€
Taking the cup.
“Take this and share it among yourselves. I tell you that I won’t drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.â€
Taking the bread.
“This is my body which is given for you; do this in order to remember me,â€
Taking the cup again after supper.
“This cup is the new agreement in my blood which is poured out for you.â€
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal (Matthew 26:21-5), Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22:21-3, John 13:21-30)
By Judas.
“I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.â€
“It’s the one to whom I will give a piece of bread after I have dipped it.â€
“What you’re going to do, do it quickly,â€
A New Commandment Given (John 13:31-5)
“Now the Son of man is glorified, and through him God is glorified. If God is glorified through him, then God will glorify the Son himself, and will glorify him immediately. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, but I’m telling you now just as I told the Jews: you cannot come where I’m going.
I am giving you a new command: Love one another. Love one another in the same way I have loved you.
If you love one another you will prove to everyone that you are my disciples.â€
(Continued next week.)
You can download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
***NOW***SIX BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!!!
6 BOOKS are now available on Amazon (Kindle)!All are available worldwide for electronic download on Amazon (Kindle) for $US0.99c . Unfortunately there has to be charge in order to list.
Your support would be appreciated and they could well change your life!
They are all found at this link.....
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=david+tait+books/
***DAILY EZINE!*** 'DAVID'S DAILY DOODLINGS' Subscribe Today
Receive one of David's sayings in your mailbox each day to inspire, challenge or maybe, amuse. To register today, simply click here on@wwj.org.nz>ddd-on@wwj.org.nz and press send. Then it's done! If you have an Irish heritage, you will love the background coloring! Should you wish, check out current and back issues (where you can also subscribe) at...
'THE WORDS OF JESUS' REMAIN 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
TO BE or TO DO710. If 'what to do' is your question, look to 'what to be' to find your answer.
711. When 'to be or not to be' is the question, 'to be and to do' is the answer.
712. True 'being' results in 'doing'.
713. 'Being' without 'doing' is like a motor without a car. Makes plenty of noise but takes you nowhere!
714. 'To be' is the salt, 'to do' the light. We are called to be both.
1220. Our walk with Jesus is to start off with applying the 'don'ts' of the Law and to end up doing the 'do's' of His will.
1221. The sign of maturity in Jesus is when we live not only the 'dont's of the Law' but live the 'do's of righteousness, submission and obedience to God's will' in our lives.
1222. The 'don'ts of the Law' form firm foundations, but walls and roofs of a godly house are built of submission to God's will.
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
Visit the Toon Fever website for more cartoon fun..... http://www.toonfever.com TO READ THIS CARTOON AND SEE THE OTHER PICTURES IN THIS EMAIL YOU NEED TO BE ONLINE. Check it out at...
TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK:THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW..... as we look at ERROR/SIN and the EXISTENCE OF GOD
Check out all the available teachings at...
*** ANOTHER DAILY EZINE FROM WWJ!*** 'LAUGHING AT OURSELVES' Subscribe Today
As Christians, if we can't laugh at ourselves, others will! A fun way to start your day. To register today, simply click here lao-on@wwj.org.nz and press send. Then it's done! Should you wish, check out early issues (where you can also subscribe) at...
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. ***
327. PLENTY OF FISH
A young man, fresh out of seminary, became the pastor of a small rural church. On his first Sunday he announced his sermon by saying, "This morning I want to speak to you from the passage of Scripture where Jesus, with 5,000 loaves and 2,000 fishes fed 5 people. Everyone tried hard to not to laugh at the blunder, but one man, right down on the front row could not contain it, and laughed out loud.
So the next week the young pastor decided to redeem himself self by preaching from the same passage. "Today", he said, "I want to preach to you from the story where Jesus, with 5 loaves and 2 fishes fed 5,000." Then he confidently looked down at the man who had laughed the week before and said, "Now sir, could you have done that?"
"Why sure", the gentleman answered, "if I had was left over from last week."
326. ADAM AND EVE
One day, Adam sat outside the Garden of Eden shortly after eating the apple, and wondered about men and women.
So looking up to the Heavens he says, "Excuse me GOD, can I ask you a few questions?" GOD replied, "Go on Adam but be quick. I have a world to create."
So Adam says," When you created Eve, why did You make her body so curved and tender unlike mine?"
"I did that, Adam, so that you could love her."
"Oh, well then, why did You give her long, shiny, beautiful hair, and not me?"
"I did that Adam so that you could love her."
"Oh, well then, why did You make her act so stupid? Certainly not so that I could love her?"
"Well Adam, No. I did that so that she could love you."
325. CHICKEN DINNER
After a community worship service, a farmer invited the local pastors, reverend, and priest back to the farm for dinner. At the meal, each clergy was served a whole young chicken. As the three returned to their cars, a rooster was seen strutting about, chest puffed out and held high. "He sure seems full of himself," commented the pastor. "He has good cause to be proud," answered the farmer. "He just had three of his children go into the ministry."
"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?
SOME FUN FACTS 412. ON THE OTHER HEAD
A ten-gallon hat holds less than a gallon of liquid. (Everything is exaggerated in Texas!)
413. FOOT FOOD
A person who is lost in the woods and starving can obtain nourishment by chewing on his shoes. Leather has enough nutritional value to sustain life for a short time. (If you’re that hungry, you don’t worry about the foot odour flavouring.)
414. MUDDLING MEASUREMENTS AGAIN
The measurements of a mile on the ocean and a mile on land are different. On the ocean, a nautical mile is 6,080 feet. A land or statute mile is only 5,280 feet. (Must be why walking on water is so difficult!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
COARSEST
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...
GENERAL TRIVIA 1
17: What was the name of the chamberlain who gave Esther food and cosmetics before being presented to King Ahasuerus?a. Shaashgaz
b. Blastus
c. Nathanmelech
d. Hegai
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"""More of "MURPHY'S OTHER LAWS"
!!!!!!! It is hard to understand how a cemetery can raise its burial costs and blame it on the higher cost of living.
!!!!!! It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try and pass them.
!!!!! Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.
!!!! The shin bone is a device for finding furniture.
!!! A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
!! Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
! Diamonds are a girl's best friends. Dogs are man's best friend. So which is more intelligent ?
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
JUST JOKES
344. ANSWERS OF A BRILLIANT STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0% . . .I would have given him 100% !!
Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?
* his last battle
Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
* at the bottom of the page
Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?
* liquid
Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
* marriage
Q5. What is the main reason for failure?
* exams
Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
* Lunch & dinner
Q7. What looks like half an apple?
* The other half
Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
* it will simply become wet
Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ?
* No problem, he sleeps at night.
Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
* You will never find an elephant that has only one hand.
Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?
* Very large hands
Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
* No time at all, the wall is already built.
Q13. How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
*Concrete floors are very hard to crack.
343. THE LAWN
Paddy and Mick were waiting at the bus stop when a truck went past loaded up with rolls of turf.
Paddy said, “I’m gonna do dat when I win da lottery…'
“What's dat den?â€asks Mick.
“Send me lawn away to be cutâ€â€¦
342. FULL SERVICE STOP
A guy comes into a coffee shop and places his order: "I want 3 flat tires & a pair of headlights".
The waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, goes to the kitchen & asks the cook, "This guy out there just ordered 3 flat tires & a pair of headlights. What does he think, this is an auto parts store?!"
"No," the cook says, "3 flat tires means 3 pancakes & a pair of headlights is 2 eggs sunny side up."
"Oh," says the waitress. She thinks about this and then she spoons up a bowl of beans and gives it to the customer.
The guy says "What are the beans for?"
The waitress replies "I thought that, while you're waiting for the flat tires & headlights, you might want to gas up."
341. THE TRAIN TICKET
Three women and three men are traveling by train to the Super Bowl.
At the station, the three men each buy a ticket and watch as the three women buy just one ticket.
"How are the three of you going to travel on only one ticket?" asks one of the men.
"Watch and learn," answers one of the women.
They all board the train. The three men take their respective seats but all three women cram into a toilet together and close the door.
Shortly after the train has departed, the conductor comes around collecting tickets. He knocks on the toilet door and says, "Ticket, please."
The door opens just a crack, and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand.
The conductor takes it and moves on.
The men see this happen and agree it was quite a clever idea; so, after the game, they decide to do the same thing on the return trip and save some money.
When they get to the station they buy a single ticket for the return trip but see, to their astonishment, that the three women don't buy any ticket at all!!
"How are you going to travel without a ticket?" says one perplexed man.
"Watch and learn," answer the women.
When they board the train, the three men cram themselves into a toilet, and the three women cram into another toilet just down the way.
Shortly after the train is on its way, one of the women leaves her toilet and walks over to the toilet in which the men are hiding.
The woman knocks on their door and says, "Ticket, please."
340. PARDON!
John: I got this great new hearing aid the other day.
Mary: Are you wearing it now?
John: Yup. Cost me four thousand dollars, but it's top of the line.
Mary: What kind is it?
John: Twelve-thirty.
Have a laugh for no reason at all.....
Rob Bell: Jesus Has Been Trivialized, People Have Moved Beyond One Single Religion (Some controversial ideas to make us think - David)
Controversial author and former megachurch Pastor Rob Bell has said he feels Jesus Christ has been trivialized in today's society, and people are abandoning the concept of adhering to a single religion."I think for many people, spirituality, religion, God, Jesus, whatever has been trivialized. I think we're way beyond one particular religion, we're about what does it mean to be human," Bell said in an interview published in the L.A. Times on Thursday.
Bell, who stirred controversy in Christian circles with his book Love Wins, which questioned the existence of a literal Hell, left his Mars Hill Bible Church in 2012 to pursue other projects.
He revealed that he doesn't introduce himself as a pastor or even a "spiritual teacher" at gatherings, but simply as an author.
"If I'm at a party, I'll introduce myself as an author," Bell said. "If I start with 'I'm a spiritual teacher,' people are like, 'Get away from that guy,'" he joked. "'What, do you have a white robe in the trunk?'"
He added that he does not limit himself to being defined to a single thing, as he is a pastor, speaker, author, podcast host, surfer, film maker, husband, and dad all in one.
In another interview earlier in May, Bell claimed that he rarely even calls himself a Christian anymore, believing that Jesus Himself would oppose what the term has come to mean.
"I don't actually use the word 'Christian' much, because I think Jesus would be mortified that a religion with very strong codes of in-and-out had started in his name," Bell told Uproxx.
"I don't have a problem with the word 'Christian,' I just don't think it's the point, and I actually think, oftentimes, it gets in the way. Especially in the word 'Christianity,' which implies some big sort of cumbersome system, when at the heart is a Christ who invites us to live in the world in a particular way," he added.
The former Mars Hill pastor said he knows people who deeply follow Jesus Christ without describing themselves as Christian, and at the same time said there are people who proclaim they are big Christians, but don't follow Christ at all.
"I don't find the categories helpful at all. I think what Jesus is doing is calling us beyond form. To not clutch and cling to some of these forms, but to let go of them," he added in the previous interview.
He told the L.A. Times that he sees sermons as an art form, one that has been forgotten by some churches.
"No matter how hard you try, if you're in a church service on a Sunday, people have all these cultural preconceptions. No matter how accessible you make it, for many people it's already been co-opted by something," Bell offered.
"Where do we exchange ideas? Where do we tell stories? The sermon ought to take place in the larger culture's exchange."
Source:Christianpost.com
DAVID'S DOWNLOADS
THE TWO MARATHONERSAn allegory about 2 marathoners in the race of life.
Hopefully this will entertain and challenge you about your walk with Jesus, as it has done me.
Download your free PDF Files here.....
WAXING LYRICAL
Before Adam and Eve sinned there was no need for time, for they had eternity. The tyranny of time is one of the costs of man's fall.A MATTER OF TIME
Isn’t time such a wonderful thing,
Seems as long as a piece of string.
Not knowing where it begins, or is likely to end,
With so much of it, you can give some to a friend.
In the bright sparkle of youth,
It’s never ending, ’tis the truth!
So much to do, but with all the time in the world,
No hurry to use it! In bed we lie, snugly curled.
Then comes along the responsibilities of life,
Now it’s time to settle down with the wife.
Still the time ahead, it seems so great,
To be lovingly shared, now with a mate.
But soon comes along the patter of little feet,
And suddenly, time is no longer in surfeit!
For now there just are too few hours in the day,
To do all your work, no longer time to play.
The family grows up,
With a cat and a pup.
Then all of a sudden they are leaving home,
For now it’s their turn, the world to roam.
Where did all the years dash?
Disappeared now in a flash!
Yes, time it truly does you con,
Once so much, now all gone.
Then it’s time to do all the things we desire,
As time passes, from our work we may now retire.
But while the mind is willing, the body’s now weak,
For old man time, havoc on our person does wreak.
So the moral of the story, both for woman and man,
Is to use every minute in the best way we can.
For all too soon, time comes to an end,
Then to heaven or hell, it does us send.
More of David's poetry here.....
A DAVID MUSING
This week, life as I know it has ended! My desktop computer, my lifeline, has had to go to the electronic hospital for an operation to make it well again! LOL!So I have had to adjust to using Kathy's laptop to do my work.
Gradually I am getting on top of the unique features of my beloved's machine, as I put this PGIM together.
Actually, it is stimulating and refreshing to the brain to have to adapt to new things! Just wish I could learn to hit the space bar harder - but I WILL master it - eventually!
It is the same in our walk with Jesus. Change is a mandatory part of the disciple's walk. If we are not prepared to change as the Lord directs us to, we cannot move on in him towards a life of holiness and righteousness, towards becoming the 'bride' for whom Jesus is returning.
Regrettably 'religion' formulates its own laws and expected patterns of behaviour that restrict what God wants to do in our lives.
I attended a meeting last week where an Anglican Priest said, "Do not do what the Church wants you to do, but what God says to do"! What a revolutionary idea! And from a traditional church leader operating in the Holy Spirit! Praise the Lord!
Now, how about you?
So until next week.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: SOCRATES
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' d. Hegai (Esther 2:8,15)
REPRODUCTION OF NEWSLETTER CONTENT
Most weeks we get enquiries about reproducing, in electronic or print form, articles contained in 'PGIM!' We welcome and encourage you to utilize this material. Freely received, freely given. We would ask though, that the source be acknowledged as an encouragement to others to subscribe to this newsletter also.CHANGING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? NEWSLETTER STOPS COMING?
Each week we can lose up to 2% of our readers when they change email addresses without letting us know. Or sometimes, by your server acting strangely and just cutting us off! If you are about to change your address, please advise us of both your old and new addresses here atenquiries@wwj.org.nz and we will happily change our records to ensure ongoing delivery. Thanks.
Please also keep our address in your address book, as sometimes servers will automatically delete your address if there is even a one off problem in delivery. If your newsletter doesn't arrive, please let us know and we will reinstate you.
LINKS
If you would like to link your web site to ours, and ours to yours, please advise us onlinks@wwj.org.nz
DOES 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 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