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: 772 Published: 15 Aug 2016
WHO WILL DARE TO BE A DISCIPLE? (Part 5)
Last week we saw that in Western thought we separate the 3 parts of the soul - mind, emotions, and will.God is three, Father (invisible), Son (visible), and Holy Spirit (invisible). We humans are made in His image, consisting of body (visible), soul (invisible) and spirit (invisible).
So again today, we will look at this further separation, that between body and soul and spirit.
This is explained in the section HOW MANY "YOU'S" IN YOU? from my book THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW.
HOW MANY "YOU'S" IN YOU?
Greek (Western) In Western thought, we separate body and soul, assigning different values and behaviours to each.
The body, essentially, is corrupted by earthly desires and sicknesses. We believe it is unimportant, being left behind when we die - maybe the sooner the better! The 'real us', on the other hand, our mind and our emotions, is what is of real importance and what will go to heaven once life here is finished. Hence we place great store upon what we know about God, studying at Seminaries and Bible Colleges, and about how we feel, how happy we are.
Interestingly, by downplaying the importance of the body, we can very easily justify sin as being unimportant and inconsequential. For only the physical you sins, the 'real' you doesn't!
We quote.....
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
..... without understanding that the writer is actually referring to the whole person throughout this passage.
To summarise, knowledge about God and experiencing feelings of happiness, are the priorities of our Christian walk.
Eastern (Hebrew) In Hebrew (and other Eastern) thought, body, soul and spirit are integrated as one, the state of which is reflected through a person's actions.
As God is holy, so man is to be holy also.....
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)
Man is created in God's image.....
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
..... to be holy and righteous, as God is, and as Paul endeavoured to be amongst the people.....
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. (1 Thessalonians 2:10)
James was 'hot' on this subject, a theme which permeates his Epistle.....
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,†but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
Upon accepting Jesus, we are to seek to become like Him and do what He would do in the here and now. We need to give ourselves to Him completely, body soul and spirit. We need to seek Him as to how to love our neighbour, how to treat our family, how to live our life. God cares about every part of our life, from the spiritual revelation to the mundaneness of much of everyday life.
As King David said in the well-known Psalm.....
4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)
Amen.
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. Following Jesus requires all of us, body, soul and spirit.
2. We are to be Jesus to others. How we act determines our true depth of faith.
3. The church needs to overturn its preoccupation with theology and start living like Jesus.
Will you dare to be a disciple? I will.
(Continued next week)
FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUSMay we hear what the Lord is saying to us.
THE RESSURECTION
The Disciples Ask About the Future of Israel (Acts 1:4-11)
“You don’t need to know about the dates and times that are set by the Father’s authority,â€
“But you will be given power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the furthest places on earth.â€
Jesus Commissions the Disciples (Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15-18)
Immediately prior to His Ascension
“Go to the whole world, and announce the good news to everyone. “Anyone who trusts in me and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who chooses not to trust will be condemned. The following signs will accompany those who trust in me: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak new languages; they will be able to handle snakes; if they drink something poisonous they won’t be harmed; they will place their hands on the sick and they will be healed.â€
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So go and make disciples of people of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to follow all the commands I have given you. Remember, I am always with you, to the very end of the world.â€
(Continued next week.)
You can download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
***NOW***EIGHT BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!!!
8 BOOKS are now available on Amazon (Kindle)!Two extra ones have been added about the core of our walk with Jesus - AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS..... LOVE and another, TWENTY-FIVE COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS.
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/
'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.....
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
GRACE817. Grace is telling the truth in love.
818. Grace is God's strength blessing our weakness.
819. Grace is love unearned.
821. Grace comes when you let God do it.
822. Be graciously graced with grace!
823. Grace is so much more than a prayer before a meal.
825. Understand grace and you will join with Jesus - by His grace!
826. Apply grace. The response may surprise!
827. We can't outgive God's grace to us - but we could try!
828. Love and grace are brother and sister together.
829. When grace abounds, love thrives.
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:THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW continues.......... looking at PRAYER.
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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. ***
357. JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE PASTOR
As nearly everyone knows, the Pastor has practically nothing to do except -
Decide what is to be done;
Tell somebody to do it;
Listen to reasons why it should not be done;
Listen to reasons why it should be done by someone else;
Listen to reasons why it should be done in a different way;
Follow up to see if the thing has been done;
Discover that it has not;
Inquire why;
Listen to excuses from the person who should have done it;
Follow up again to see if the thing has been done, only to
Discover that it has been done incorrectly;
Point out how it should have been done;
Conclude that as long as it has been done, though incorrectly, it may as well be left as it is;
Wonder if it is not time to get rid of the person who cannot do a thing right;
Reflect that certainly any successor would be just as bad, or even maybe worse;
Consider how much simpler and better the thing would have been done if one had done it himself in the first place;
Reflect sadly that one could have done it right in twenty minutes, and as things turned out, one has to spend two days to find out why it has taken three weeks for somebody else to do it wrong.
356. BUSINESS IS BUSINESS
After watching sales falling off for three straight months at Kentucky Fried Chicken, the Colonel calls up the Pope and asks for a favor.
The Pope says, "What can I do? "The Colonel says, "I need you to change the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken'. If you do it, I'll donate 10 Million Dollars to the Vatican."
The Pope replies, "I am sorry. That is the Lord's prayer and I can not change the words." So the Colonel hangs up.
After another month of dismal sales, the Colonel panics, and calls again. "Listen your Excellency. I really need your help. I'll donate $50 million dollars if you change the words of the daily prayer from 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken.'" And the Pope responds, "It is very tempting, Colonel Sanders. The church could do a lot of good with that much money. It would help us to support many charities. But, again, I must decline. It is the Lord's prayer, and I can't change the words."
So the Colonel gives up again. After two more months of terrible sales. The Colonel gets desperate. "This is my final offer, your Excellency. If you change the words of the daily prayer from, 'Give us this day our daily bread' to 'Give us this day our daily chicken' I will donate $100 million to the Vatican." The Pope replies, "Let me get back to you."
So the next day, the Pope calls together all of his bishops and he says, "I have some good news and I have some bad news. The good news is that KFC is going to donate $100 million to the Vatican."
The bishops rejoice at the news.
Then one asks about the bad news. The Pope replies, "The bad news is that we lost the Wonder Bread account."
"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 a Welsh rabbit?ANSWER: Welsh rabbit (also called Welsh rarebit) isn’t an animal at all. It's melted cheese on toast or crackers. It was called this so peasants could imagine themselves eating real rabbit -- or at least make fun of the fact that they couldn't afford it. The name originated in an era when only the Welsh nobility could hunt rabbits. The poor peasants had to melt cheese on toast and simply call it ‘rabbit’. (Unable to acquire the habit of eating rabbit.)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Where did the term ‘private eye’ originate?
SOME FUN FACTS 379. FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS
Dry ice does not melt. It sublimes, meaning it goes directly from a solid to a gaseous form. On the other hand, dirty snow melts faster than clean snow. (How about dirty dry ice?)
380. NOW THAT'S REAL INFLATION!
During the early 1920s, at the height of the inflation in the German Weimar Republic, one American dollar was equal to 4 trillion German marks. (Truly, ‘money not even worth burning’! Helped Hitler Hijack His Country)
381. DON'T EXPECT TO WIN
According to Gambler's Digest, an estimated $1 million is lost at racetracks in the US each year by people who lose or carelessly throw away winning tickets. (Those who literally ‘throw their money away’!)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
RESOUNDS
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...
BIBLE OR NOT
Is this saying in the Bible or not?7. "Books are like mirrors: if a fool looks in, you cannot expect a genius to look out."
a. BIBLE
b. NOT BIBLE
Source: http://biblequizzes.org.uk
Answer at the end of A DAVID MUSING
IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""SAYINGS FOR YOU TO PONDER
!!!!!!! Even a mosquito doesn't get a slap on the back until he starts to work.
!!!!!! Hint to a speaker: If you don't strike oil in 10 minutes, quit boring.
!!!!! Note the turtle: He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.
!!!! He who tunes up in the morning stays in harmony all day.
!!! Did you hear about the French-horn player whose toupee fell into the bell of his horn? He spent the rest of the night blowing his top.
!! You aren't responsible for the thoughts that pass your door ~ you are responsible for those you admit and entertain.
! Seven days without worship makes one weak.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
LIFE'S A LAUGH
175. KNITTING CHINESEMany years ago my wife was to knitting what Tiger Woods is to golf. She designed exotic patterns with ease. There was an occasion when we had lunch in a real Chinese restaurant (only one person spoke partial English, all menus were in Chinese). When she saw the hand-written menu she was so impressed with the calligraphy she tucked the menu in her purse.
Some months later I saw the result, a stunning white sweater with the Chinese symbols hand-stitched down the front.
She received compliments galore until one cocktail party when we met a distinguished Chinese physician who asked my wife where she got the symbols. He then wanted to know if she knew what they meant.
"I'm afraid to ask," she said, "but tell me anyway."
Even she had to laugh when he told her they read, "This is a cheap dish - but good."
176. ONE AND A HALF BILLION YEARS
An off-ramp of a freeway in Long Beach, CA, has been torn up for years. Recently, someone put up a handmade sign reading, "Scientists tell us that the sun will burn out in one and a half billion years. It is sad that this contractor will have to finish working in the dark."
177. THE TREATMENT
We live in a small town where we have a volunteer Ambulance Corp. We are blessed with many dedicated and fully qualified attendants, who staff our ambulances and give freely of themselves. I was chatting with one of the EMS responders one day and she could hardly stifle a chuckle, so I asked her what was so funny and she told me this story...
It seems that she had gone to an automobile accident and was checking a patient who was lying on the road for injuries. As she knelt beside him and probed him, she asked, "Does this hurt or does that hurt?" After each probe, he replied, "No." When she had nearly completed her examination, she shifted to a better spot from which to finish the examination when after one of her probing questions, he exclaimed very loudly, "That hurts!"
When she asked where, he looked up at her with a look of real pain on his face and said, "Your kneeling on my fingers!"
178. TROOPER LOGIC
My son, a West Virginia state trooper, stopped a woman for going 15 miles over the speed limit. After he handed her a ticket, she asked, "Don't you give out warnings?"
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. They're all up and down the road. They say, 'Speed limit 55.'"
179. A FIGHT
I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face."
I said, "You'll be sorry."
He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?"
I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."
Enjoy more real life humour here.....
Christians in Germany hiding Bibles amid death threats from Muslim migrants
August 11, 2016 1:19 pm By Christine Williams 52 CommentsIn Italy in June, Christians were ordered to “pray in silence†so as not to offend Muslim migrants; now in Germany, Christians are being forced to hide their Bibles due to death threats from migrant Muslims. Christians are also being attacked, intimated, and being told they are “as impure as a dogâ€, while the toys of Christian children are being destroyed.
Iranian-born pastor Mahin Mousapour (who was threatened at knifepoint on the street) said at a press conference that Germany’s “‘misconceived tolerance’ had led Germany to be overly respectful to Islam, pointing to Ramadan arrangements as a ‘disastrous’ example of this.â€
Bundestag Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician Erika Steinbach warns that the foundation, fundamental values and constitution of Germany are at stake.
Still, Western liberal leaders in every influential sector falsely accuse those who warn of Islamic incursions of being “Islamophobic,†and of exaggerating, despite overwhelming evidence of the truth of what they are saying.
“Christians Forced to Hide Bibles Amid Migrant Muslim Death Threatsâ€, by Virginia Hale, Breitbart, August 11, 2016:
Bundestag member Erika Steinbach and Iranian-born pastor Mahin Mousapour called for much stronger sanctions for Muslims who abuse Christians in Germany at a press conference on Monday.
Highlighting the fact Christians suffer violence, harassment, and death threats in migrant lodgings, Ms. Mousapour criticised Germany for granting Islam “too much respectâ€. Declaring anti-Christian hate attacks an affront to German values, politician Erika Steinbach advocated the government deport migrants who insult or attack Christians.
At the press conference Ms. Mousapour, who converted to Christianity more than 25 years ago, reported that Christians face various forms of persecution in migrant housing.
Ms Mousapour warned that Christians living in migrant housing are told they are “impure as a dog†and deserved death for rejecting Islam.
“Toys of Christian children are being destroyed, Christian asylum seekers are told not only to wash their dishes after eating but also that they must clean the entire kitchen as it would otherwise be ‘unclean’. Many Muslim asylum seekers call all Christians unclean. Church services are held in secret, bibles and crucifixes have to be hidden,†she explained.
Ms Mousapour, pastor of the Evangelical Free Church, disclosed that even converts who no longer live in migrant housing attract Muslims’ ire, and recounted her experience of being threatened at knifepoint on the street.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician called the anti-Christian hate crimes “horrific attacks on our fundamental values and our Constitution.
“This kind of crime weighs on me more heavily than shoplifting. If we do nothing about it we will lose our foundations in this country,†she added.
Ms. Steinbach advocated deportation for Muslims who attack or insult Christian migrants on the basis of their religion.
A vocal critic of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s policy to open Germany’s borders, Ms. Steinbach called for the European Union to set up refugee camps outside the bloc’s external borders. Here, the popular MP said, migrants would “stay until the war is over, then go back homeâ€.
The pastor said she felt that a “misconceived tolerance†had led Germany to be overly respectful to Islam, pointing to Ramadan arrangements as a “disastrous†example of this.
During the Islamic month of fasting, migrant shelters in Germany catered to Muslim eating schedules, with Christians receiving only leftovers. The timing saw Christians disturbed by Muslims eating and reciting surahs before sunrise and then staying up very late for dinner.
Ms. Steinbach called for the system to be overhauled for next year. She suggested migrant housing serve “â€breakfast, lunch and dinner as usualâ€, and that people who want to fast can save their meal to eat later on….
SOURCE: The Gospel Faith Messenger (gospel.org.nz)
DAVID'S DOWNLOADS
SERMON ON THE MOUNT - THE KINGDOM WAYJesus' guide to living the kingdom lifestyle today.
Download your free PDF Files here.....
WAXING LYRICAL
The ravages of time inflict themselves upon us all!BODY ‘Not So’ BEAUTIFUL? (Part 1)
Adam and Eve, naked, did roam about,
Fine clothes, jewellery, they were without,
Forever and ever they were going to live,
Nary a thought of dressing, did they give.
Created by God, with ‘bodies beautiful,’
So perfect in form - we can only drool,
The ravages of age had no effect you see,
Their bodies designed to last - for eternity.
Yet one sad day, in the course of time,
Their thoughts with God failed to rhyme.
For they ate forbidden fruit from the tree,
Which greatly affected their longevity.
Now they knew they were naked, they were ashamed,
Because their God, they had disgracefully defamed.
But to show that God loved them still,
He gave them clothes, even sent no bill.
But the putting on of clothes, had another side,
As the affects of ageing, they did wish to hide.
Cause eternal youth had passed them by,
Now to grow old, get sick, then to die.
When we’re young, we know we’ll never die!
For our ‘body beautiful,’ it does all we try,
We run and we dance, we jump and we swim,
Yes, then it is easy, to keep the body in trim.
But the time it does pass, as the fruit takes effect,
The results of our exertion, we can no longer neglect.
The things we once did with energy, grace and poise,
Now executed with effort, and a loud puffing noise!
Oh dear, oh dear, what is becoming of me,
The kids do laugh, for they cannot yet see,
That one day too, it will happen to them,
Will be like me, coughing up phlegm.
For no one escapes the taste of a fruit so sweet,
However much, life’s ravages we desire to beat.
The fruit brought the concept of time,
But so little of it, now that’s a crime.
Know what to do – I’ll go for a run,
So good for me – may even be fun!
Though I realise you don’t agree with that,
It’s certainly one way, to keep off the fat!
For as I look down towards my middle region,
Something appears to be blocking my vision.
My toes, I can no longer easily see,
Blocking my vision, is more of me!
(Continued next week)
More of David's poetry here.....
A DAVID MUSING
THE OLYMPICS!!!As a 'sports tragic', the Olympics are a 4 yearly highlight for me!
Now the politics are gone and the competition has begun! People from all over the world are putting aside all that divides, in order to test themselves, one against another.
There have been amazing victories - and defeats - but the camaraderie between the competitors after the events is an example to us all.
Of course, there can only be one Gold Medal winner at the Olympics, but everyone who gets there is already a champion in their own right.
With Jesus too, we can all be winners, as we run and CONCLUDE the race of life 'walking (running! LOL!) with Jesus'. For it is at the end of the race, not the beginning, that the race is won.
How is your race today?
Until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: DOURNESS
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' ANSWER: b. NOT BIBLE (J.K. Rowling)
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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