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: 940 Published: 28 Oct 2019
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW?
FAITH AND WORKS
Greek (Western)
Greek thinkers centre on faith. We give pre-eminence to verses such as....
17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
(Romans 1:17)
and.....
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
As we have mentioned before, our faith is primarily intellectual. If we 'believe' in our minds we are 'saved', that is all that is required of us to inherit eternal life.
Eastern (Hebrew)
Jewish thinking, down through the millennia, has been focused on faith, shown to be real through works, by living a lifestyle that reflects what they believe intellectually. We tend to skip verse 10 of the passage quoted above from Ephesians, but it is integral to the whole.....
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
James, ever the practical person, was even more definite when he said.....
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)
He understood the Greek based thinking, arguing.....
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (James 2:18-19)
and countered with the examples of Abraham.....
20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (James 2:20-24)
and Rahab.....
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
(James 2:25-6)
Most of the parables of Jesus illustrate both faith and action. Of course, the most famous is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It concludes.....
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36:7)
The Parable of the Sower makes this point too. We are to 'produce crops', not just intellectually believe.....
23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
Again, there is to be a change in our character as a result of our conversion, referred to as developing the 'fruit of the Spirit'.....
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-3)
Yes, our faith is to be reflected in action, resulting in a changed life.
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. Conversion needs to be accompanied by discipling of new believers.
2. Works are to be a reflection of the God within us to the outside world. To achieve this, they need to be done in the community, not just within the church environment.
3. Our teaching and beliefs about evangelism need to be changed to emphasise the need for a changed life, rather than just being an intellectual decision.
Find out more about us at.....
FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
May we hear what the Lord is saying to us.....
Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman (John 4:1-26)
At Jacob’s well.
“Please could you give me a drink?”
“If you only recognized God’s gift, and who is asking you, ‘Please could you give me a drink?’ you would have asked him and he would have given you the water of life.”
“Everyone who drinks water from this well will become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give won’t ever be thirsty again. The water I give becomes a bubbling spring of water inside them, bringing them eternal life.”
Upon requesting the water of life.
“Go and call your husband, and come back here,”
“You’re right in saying you don’t have a husband,” Jesus told her. You’ve had five husbands, and the one you’re living with now is not your husband. So what you say is true!”
About worshipping in Jerusalem.
“Believe me the time is coming when you won’t worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You really don’t know the God you’re worshiping, while we worship the God we know, for salvation comes from the Jews. But the time is coming—and in fact it’s here already—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for these are the kind of worshipers the Father wants. 24God is Spirit, so worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Talking about the Messiah.
“I AM—the one who is speaking to you.”
The Disciples Question Jesus (John 4:27-42)
About whether he has had food to eat.
“I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
“My food is to do the will of the One who sent me, and to complete his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘four more months until harvest?’ Open your eyes and look around! The crops in the fields are ripe, ready for harvest. The reaper is being paid and harvesting a crop for eternal life so that both the sower and the reaper can celebrate. So the proverb ‘one sows, another reaps,’ is true. I sent you to reap what you didn’t work for. Others did the hard work and you have reaped the benefits of what they did.”
(Continued next week)
Download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
A MUZUNGU’S (White Man’s) THOUGHT
A MUZUNGU’S (White Man’s) THOUGHT – Issue 16
THE FATHER CHRISTMAS MYTH
Of course, in the adult world, we all know that Father Christmas is a myth. Was good fun while it lasted but the truth eventually hits us!
Yet when it comes to the church, it seems the myth survives!
Easy Christianity, where God is regarded as a supernatural Father Christmas, sitting up in the sky allocating presents to His children – that is, you and me, is alive and well in the church today, promoted by those who should know better.
For this is simply not so.
When we first accept Jesus, we may well be blessed with some of our desires miraculously being met.
Yet, we cannot remain as spiritual children forever.
Paul was definite about the problem when he talked the Corinthian church, about people still drinking milk instead of eating solid food.
In the spiritual, we need to grow up! After a while, we will receive trials and tribulations which, although we don’t know and appreciate it at the time, are of benefit to us. For we need to be refined in the fire of testing to become purer gold in God’s sight, for more scum and impurity is removed from the top of gold each time it is refined, until eventually, only pure gold is left.
I know this from my own experience, for I am gradually being refined. Can’t say that I am there yet, for that would be adding a further layer of the impurity of pride to my gold self! LOL!
Of course we can more easily recognize this process in others, rather than ourselves!
However in today’s church world, love and self-fulfilment, are found more successful in getting ‘bums on seats’. Now it is all about me rather than Him.
And we complain that people are rejecting Christ, as they see it, because their every whim is not met by the mirage of the promised Father Christmas God.
Walking with Jesus, becoming His disciple, is a difficult walk, not the main highway but a narrow and rocky path that wends its way to the top of the mountain where the very presence of God dwells. Few take the path, this narrow road, as it takes both sacrifice and commitment.
Not many are prepared to pay the price, but these are the ones our God is seeking. Those are the ones who will change the world for Him.
Shukrani
(Thank You)
xxx
OUR AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
FOR MORE DETAILED AND REGULAR UPDATES, VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
AN EYE 4 Africa - https://www.facebook.com/aneye4africa/
OUR BIGGEST DAY SINCE OPENING!
After 2 1/2 years our first Cataract Operations ook place last weekend. These qualify us to be a true Eye Hospital!
The first patient - of 4 - in the Operating Theatre, ready to start.Note the cameraman recording the occasion for a documantary and for the TV News.
POST OP!
After a successful day, four patients operated on and all happy afterwards.
Obviously it was a shakedown day, but for all that it went really well. With this experience, next time we will do 10+ patients.
The operating team . Dr Ronald assisted by Emmanuel Kathy and Pauline, seen with our Medical Director Job.Thank you team for a great job.
Kathy with the final patient and family.
. The famous Kathy on TV in her high fashion theatre gown! Radio and newspaper people came too.
Eye being inspected. All was well with all 4 clients.
To be checked again in in a week. Great satisfaction to see the start of what will become a regular pattern giving new sight to hundreds, and thousands, of people over time.
***NOW***NINE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!!!
9 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 a 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.....
***DAILY EZINE!*** 'DAVID'S DAILY DOODLINGS' Subscribe Today
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Subscription and back issue link is.....
DAVID'S DOODLINGS
1005. Holiness grows as we walk hand in hand with Jesus.
1006. Every day is to be a 'holy-day'
1008. Holiness grows as my will goes.
1009. To walk on the path of holiness I need Jesus at my side.
1010. Holiness is tough, but hell, deadly!
1011. Life is a game, living holiness the aim.
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: BEYOND THE VEIL – 1 REVELATION FROM THE DAY OF ATONEMENT continued.....
A. ATONEMENT PRINCIPLES TOTALLY FULFILLED BY JESUS
(Fulfilled both Positionally and Experientially.)
With the last 5 of the 10 principles.
*** 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, go down to the bottom of the page link below, click on the subscribe link lao--on@wwj.org.nz (or paste the address in an email yourself and send) Then it's done!
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. ***
330. Thank God I'm an Athiest.
T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care. They'd been worn all week long and they needed the air!
QWIK QWIP: “Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there.”
331. Some Evil
A lady had been teaching her three-year-old daughter the Lord's Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime the girl repeated it after her. One night the three-year old said she was ready to solo. The lady listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer.
"And lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some e-mail."
332. John
After hearing the Christmas story, and singing "Silent Night" a Sunday School Class was asked to draw what they thought the Nativity Scene might have looked like.
One boy did a good likeness of Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus, but off to the side was a roly-poly figure. The teacher, afraid that he had somehow worked Santa Claus into the scene, asked him who that was. She wasn't sure whether she was relieved or even more worried when the boy replied, "Oh, that's Round John Virgin."
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
Or read them all online at.....
A DAVID MUSING
Finally, a dream come true!
An Eye Hospital needs to do Cataract Operations to qualify for the name. And so, finally, after years of planning and hard work, our eye hospital has come of age. Kathy and I, of course, came of age many years ago!
In Jesus, things takes time. He tries us and tests us and eventually brings us to a place where we learn to rely upon Him. Then He releases the vision into reality.
If it was easy, then we would take the glory upon ourselves. As it is, we are learning to give the glory to Him.
So many visions fail either because we try and do it all ourselves, or we are not prepared to pay the costly price of fully living for Jesus. It is not an easy path, but one that must be walked in order to fulfil His desires for our life.
Are you, are we, prepared to pay the price?
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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