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
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Issue No: 890 Published: 12 Nov 2018
WHOSE CHURCH IS IT ANYWAY? Part 60
THE CHALLENGE OF..... LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:1-17)
While not strictly a 'kingdom parable' The Vine and the Branches is an entirely appropriate one to conclude this series, as it sums up the requirements of kingdom living so beautifully.
The first key to kingdom living confirmed here is the importance of being in the vine. Of being in Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, and only Jesus!
Most Christians will say, "David, I am in Jesus!" But are you really? Do you follow a human leader, or do you follow Jesus? Do you follow a particular churches theology, or do you follow Jesus? Do you do good works of your own choosing, or do you follow Jesus? Do you have one foot in the world, or do you follow Jesus? Do you have faith in faith, or do you follow Jesus? And so on.......
My friend, I also have to ask myself these questions, for I am human too. It is so easy to slip into a religious lifestyle, thinking we are following Jesus, but in reality following a human, the ways of an institution, or our own will.
We can do nothing without Jesus. Without growing on the vine, we, the branches, cannot produce godly fruit. Yet, how often do we try and do things, even good things, in our own strength. For there are gOOd things and there are GOd things. One too many 'O's! Ooooooh Dear!
In a similar illustration elsewhere, we, as Gentiles, have been grafted into the, originally Jewish, olive tree. Like the Jews, we too can be pruned out if we do not live holy lives!
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. (Romans 11:17-21)
This leads on nicely to the second part of the parable which instructs us to obey God's commands if we wish to remain in the vine of the kingdom.
Of course, as we all know, God's primary command is.....
The Greatest Commandment
35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: ”‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:35-40)
Obedience to God's will is the key to entering into the kingdom. From the Old Testament.....
Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. (Deuteronomy 11:1)
to the New.....
23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23)
Indeed, we are to be slaves to righteousness!
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Romans 6:15-16)
As we near the end of our analysis of the 'Parables of the Kingdom' it seems appropriate to finish with a prayer, as instructed by Jesus.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: ”‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Amen.
(Continued next week)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
May we hear what the Lord is saying to us.....
Causing Others to Sin (Matthew 18:7-11, Mark 9:42-7)
The cost of sin.
“But if anyone leads one of these little ones who trust in me into sin, it would be better for them if they were thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around their neck. If your hand leads you to sin, cut it off! It’s better to enter eternal life as a cripple than to go with both hands into Gehenna, into the fire that can’t be put out. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It’s better to enter eternal life lame than to be thrown into Gehenna still having two feet. If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out! It’s better to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to be thrown into Gehenna still having both eyes, where the worm doesn’t die and the fire never goes out. Everybody will be ‘salted’ by fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its taste, how could you make it salty again? You need to be like salt, and live in peace with one another.”
Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:10-14)
Make sure you don’t look down on these little ones. I tell you that in heaven their angels are always withb my heavenly Father. What do you think about this? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that’s lost? And if he finds it, I tell you he really rejoices over that sheep more than the ninety-nine that didn’t get lost. In the same way my heavenly Father does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
Discipline within the Church (Matthew 18:15-20)
“If a brother sins against you, go and point out the wrong to him, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you’ve won your brother over. But if he doesn’t listen, then take one or two more people with you, so that by two or three witnesses the truth can be confirmed. If however he refuses to listen to them, then tell the church. If he refuses to listen to the church as well, then treat him as a foreigner and a tax-collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you ban on earth will be banned in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth will be allowed in heaven.
“I also tell you that if two of you agree here on earth about something you’re praying for, then my heavenly Father will do it for you. For where two or three gather together in my name, I’m there with them.”
(Continued next week)
You can download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
OUR AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
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A BEAUTIFUL WARD - DO YOU NOT AGREE?
This week we completed the our first, temporary mind you ward for women and children. Maternity delivery room and men's ward still to come as finances allow. ($NZ3,000, $US2,000)
Certainly the best facility in the area. Now the wait for County inspection and approval.
Showing 9 of the 12 beds in the ward.
Can be split into 4 3 bed sections by curtains.
Kathy on a bed making demonstration, the way both her mother and Kathy learned in their nurses training, yonks ago!
The finished result of the bed making!
Millie at the reception desk/nurses station.
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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.
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
438. The greater the truth revealed, the more room for human error to be concealed.
439. Since God is the sole source of absolute truth, shouldn't we seek the mind of God?
440. The more of God in us, the greater our potential to reveal His truth.
441. Knowledge is too often confused with truth.
442. Yesterday the world was flat, today it is round, but God's truth is the same forever.
443. Knowledge is fleeting, truth eternal.
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
NEXT WEEK: A REVELATION OF... THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID - Part 7
The important thing though, is not what we like, but the type of worship God desires. After all, it is him we are worshipping, isn't it?
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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. ***
201. The Pig and the Chicken
A pig and a chicken were walking by a church where a gala charity event was taking place. Getting caught up in the spirit, the pig suggested to the chicken that they each make a contribution.
"Great idea!" the chicken cried. "Let's offer them ham and eggs?"
"Not so fast," said the pig. "For you, that's a contribution. For me, it's a total commitment."
202. How to get rid of your pastor
1. Look the pastor straight in the eye while he’s preaching and say "Amen" once in awhile, and he’ll preach himself to death.
2. Pat him on the back and brag on his good points, and he’ll probably work himself to death.
3. Rededicate your life to Christ and ask the preacher for some job to do, preferably some lost person you could win to Christ, and he’ll die of heart failure!
4. Get the Church to unite in prayer for the preacher, and he’ll soon become so effective that some larger church will take him off your hands.
QWIK QWIP: “Many millions search for God everywhere, then find Him in their hearts.
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 ..... https://www.wwj.org.nz/content/wwj18p47.pdf
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A DAVID MUSING
We all know the saying, "Pride comes before a fall!"
But what about enthusiasm?
Last Monday, I was proudly - oops - enthusiastically, showing a group of important visitors our new Ward block. I raced in - and oops again - tripped over a marker string across the doorway left by the contractor, who had not quite finished his work!
Oops again and again - I fell down hard on the floor and broke a finger on my hand!
After the free show, I simply carried on and showed them the whole ward.
Fortunately, they were impressed.
Ironically, after they left, having shown off our new mini hospital, I had to be taken to the Public Hospital, a few kilometres away for treatment.
Cutting the wedding ring off my ring finger was quite a challenge - but that is another story.
I ended up with my arm in plaster and so have had to type this laboriously with 2 fingers on my right hand.
Next time I need to read Proverbs 16:18 first.
So it's goodbye from the 'one armed, two typing fingered, paperhanger', as another misquoted saying goes!
Until next week.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
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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!
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