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: 943 Published: 18 Nov 2019
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW?
WORSHIP - AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE v A WAY OF LIFE
Greek (Western)
Worship is an experience to be entered into and enjoyed at specific times.
Our approach to worship derives from the Greek concept of proskuneo, a specific act of reverence or homage. Many large coliseums were built in which to worship and honour the many different gods of Greece on their various designated celebratory occasions, with music, singing and dancing. People were happy and content after having worshipped.
Does this not sound like our church? We go to special purpose buildings to sing, and perhaps dance, to music provided by the worship team, generally on a Sunday morning. Like the Greeks, it is a special occasion experience, not a general part of our day to day life. Pseudo worship, today too, is found at sports events, where we are generally given to more overt displays of enthusiasm than at church! Again, these are an experience taking us away from the reality of day to day life, for a period of time.
Eastern (Hebrew)
Worship is a continuous act, being a part of work or service, as well as being practised on special occasions.
In Hebrew culture, worship is considered to be a part of everyday life.
Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
There is no separation of the theological from the practical. Worship is found in looking after your spouse, being at work and while participating in community service.
12 The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. (Deuteronomy 28:12-13)
Worship is found in the beauty of nature.....
1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. (Psalm 50:1-2)
Worship is seen in our work....
17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)
A practical example of this is found in the Wife of Noble Character of Proverbs 31.....
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Proverbs 31:30-31)
Observant Jews consider our Western 'worship services' of 1-2 hours a week as serving a part-time God! For we then move back into the secular world until the next week or other worship occasion. While we might get down on bended knees to worship God in the safe environment of our place of worship, we would not dream of doing so at work. For, unlike the Jews, we separate the two, the religious from the secular. I know, for it applies to me too!
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. We need to learn to give God thanks in all things, at all times.
2. We need to learn to rely upon God in the secular as well as the spiritual.
3. To do so is the only way we can truly become 'the light of the world' that Jesus desires us to become.
The Lamp of the Body
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” (Luke 11:33-6)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
May we hear what the Lord is saying to us.....
Healing From Leprosy (Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16)
At a man’s request.
“I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Immediately he was healed from his leprosy. “Make sure you don’t tell anyone,” Jesus told him. “Go and show yourself to the priest and give the offering which Moses required as public proof.”
Healing the Paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26)
As Jesus returned to Nazareth.
“My friend, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven.”
When queried about being able to forgive sins.
“Why are you thinking evil thoughts in your hearts? What is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Get up and walk’? But to convince you that the Son of man does have the authority to forgive sins…” “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
Matthew the Tax Collector Called(Matthew9:9-13 , Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-31)
“Follow me!”
Jesus was then criticized for mixing with undesirables, while eating at Matthew’s house.
“Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and discover what this means: ‘I want mercy, not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call those who do right—I came to call sinners.’”
(Continued next week)
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'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.
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
1033. Religion is centered upon man, the kingdom, upon God.
1034. Religion is the outcome of the institutionalization of a God given vision.
1035. Religion is based upon rules, God's kingdom upon obedience.
1036. Religion seeks to control the Spirit of God which His kingdom releases.
1037. Religion controls, God's kingdom releases.
1038. Religion seeks to define an infinite God. By definition, it is doomed to failure.
1039. Religion seeks to interpret the answers to life found in God's kingdom. Surely a direct approach is best.
1040. As religion goes, God's kingdom grows.
1041. Revelation and religion make incompatible companions.
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
NEXT WEEK: POS’ FULFILLED BY JESUS (To be Experientially fulfilled, that is Embraced, by the Church)
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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. ***
QWIK QWIP: “We can never really go where God is not, and where He is, all is well.”
341. Having the Preacher for Dinner
In a small town way out in the country, a local farmer invited the new preacher and his wife to come out to the farm for supper. While the women were finishing preparations in the kitchen, the men talked in the living room. The farmer was in the middle of telling the preacher that because he was sure that most ministers liked chicken that’s what he had asked his wife to prepare. The farmer's son, playing nearby, spoke up and said, "But I thought it was 'buzzard', not 'chicken' that we were eating today."
"Of course not, where did you ever get that idea?" demanded the farmer.
"Well, I overheard you telling mommy that we ought to hurry up and have the 'old buzzard'" for dinner and get it over with."
342. Can You Spell "GOD"?
Three people from different parts of the country passed away at the same time. All were met at the gates by St. Peter. The first was an architect from California. Peter said, "You've built beautiful buildings and served men on earth, but before you come in you have to pass one small test, spell 'God'". "G-O-D," replied the architect and St. Peter waved him through.
The second person to approach was a rancher from Texas. Peter looked at him and said, "You've served man upon the earth by providing food through the cattle you've raised but before you come in there's just one small test, spell 'GOD'". "G-O-D", said the rancher and Peter waved him through.
The third person was an attractive businesswoman from New York. Peter said, "You've served the world of commerce, but before you come in you'll have to pass one small test." At this the woman interrupted, "Oh come on now Saint," said the woman, "I've had to fight for every promotion I've ever gotten. I've had to take lower pay for the same job as a male colleague, and I've been continually harassed by bosses and peers for one reason, my gender. And now here I am and you're giving me a hard time too; what kind of test? Let's get it over with."
Peter thought for a moment and said, "Spell Czechoslovakia"
343. Isaiah and His Horse
A young lad came home from church one day, and his mother asked him what he had learned in Sunday school. He said, "We learned about Isme."
Not remembering that name in the Bible, his mother asked, "Who is Isme?" "I guess it was a horse, the horse a man by the name of Isaiah rode." "What are you talking about, there's no mention in the Bible of Isaiah riding a horse", the mother responded.
"Well, he must have", said the young boy. My teacher read from the place where Isaiah said "Woah, Isme!"
QWIK QWIP: “No matter what is happening in your life, know that God is waiting for you with open arms.”
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
I know many of you may either reject prophecy being for today, or at least, be sceptical about it.
I just want to share this story.
A man from the Congo, a student at the Bible School next door to the hospital, came to see me. I had not met him before. He was nervous, as you could understand. He speaks French as his main language, with Swahili as a secondary one.
No-one here truly knows my background. The only one with any idea is our Chairman, David Walukhu. He has met him only to shake hands with.
Imagine how I quickly sat up and took notice when he said I had been in the flower business. Was it maize flour or flower, flower, I asked.flower, flower. We lost it all, then had a shop (actually many shops) before coming here to Kenya. All was factual. Simply no way he could have known.
Then he proceeded to give me a message from God about the future, which I will not share with you at this time as it involves other people.
This was true biblical prophecy - telling of your past in order to gain credibility first, before delivering God's message.
I just want to encourage you not to consign prophecy to the rubbish tin.
There are many fake prophets and prophecies around. No. 1 rule of recognition! NO PROPHECY SHOULD NEVER BE PAID FOR! It is God's gift, not to be peddled by mankind.
New Testament prophecy is primarily designed for encouragement. As indeed the one I received was, for we are living now in the Age of Grace.
Paul told us to eagerly seek the gift of prophecy above the the other spiritual gifts, including speaking in Tongues.
Yes, prophecy is for today. May we embrace it to encourage others and live in the fulness of all God has available for us.
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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