A Weekly World Wide Word of Encouragement to those in the Ministry
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Issue No: 965 Published: 20 Apr 2020
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW?
SPIRITUALITY
Greek (Western) To the Western mind, life is dualistic, with a separation between the physical and emotional, and the spiritual.
Spirituality is otherworldly. The emphasis in both teaching and living is to go to heaven where all physical pain and the cares of the world will be left behind. The physical and emotional are regarded as evil, so physical and emotional self-denial is good. Initially, the monastic system grew out of this thinking while today escapism is reflected in the (false) rapture teachings.
Spirituality is considered to be of the mind. Therefore, those who have been trained in theology are considered to be more worthy than those who haven't. This has led to a division between clergy and people, starting with the Roman Catholic Church, and which, formally or informally, still remains today.
We separate the (bad) physical and emotional from the (good) spiritual. So we celebrate the spiritual in church for an hour or two then go back into the world and happily live an unspiritual life.
Eastern (Hebrew) In the Eastern way of thinking spirituality is earthly, not otherworldly.
Man was put on earth to look after it.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis1:27-8)
Mankind was given comprehensive instructions on how to look after earth, from planting crops, to celebration, to work, to rest, to handling money, and how to take care of the poor.
For example.....
12 “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed. (Exodus 23:12)
Appropriate emotionalism was encouraged, along with the physical.....
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
That the spiritual is a part of this world, is reflected in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. For example.....
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)
Jesus did not send His disciples to heaven, but into the world, to follow His example.....
18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:18-19)
Marriage is perhaps considered to be the most spiritual thing one can do. Sex within marriage is regarded as particularly spiritual, just touching the surface of what our union with the Messiah is to be. We are to participate in the glorious marriage with the Lamb of God.....
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) (Revelation 19:7-8)
When the Scriptures speak of 'the flesh', they are speaking of our worldly nature, our pre-Christ nature. As Paul said.....
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. (Philippians 3:4b-6)
Now, although no longer of the world, in our new nature, we are to remain in the world and to be its light. As Jesus said.....
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
May we build His kingdom upon the earth.....
10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
1. To accept that the renewed physical and emotional within us is good, is to be celebrated, and not rejected as unspiritual.
2. Forget about the escapism of early rapture teaching. We will meet with Jesus in the sky upon His return, coming to His kingdom on earth with Him. (Matthew 24;30-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
3. To understand that, (and behave like), we are part of His kingdom now being built upon the earth.
4. To live life to the full, spiritually, physically and emotionally, as worthy witnesses of our Lord Jesus in the here and now.
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
May we hear what the Lord is saying to us.....
Parables by the Lake(Matthew 13:1-35, Mark 4:1-34, Luke 8:4-18)
Told from a boat anchored away from the shore, out there because of the size of the crowd.
Parable of the Weeds Explained (Matthew 13:36-43)
In private, as requested by the Disciples.
“The one who sows the good seed is the Son of man,” Jesus explained. “The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the kingdom. The weed seeds are the children of the evil one. The enemy that sowed the weed seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are harvested and burned so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather up every sinful thing and everyone who does evil, and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then those who live rightly will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. Anybody with ears should be listening!
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl(Matthew 13:44-6)
Followed by more parables.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, reburied it, and then full of joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls. When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.
Parable of the Net(Matthew 13:47-52)
Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.
“That’s the way it will be when the end of the world comes. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the good, and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
“Now do you understood everything?”
“Every religious teacher who’s learned about the kingdom of heaven is like a house-owner who brings out from his storeroom both new and old treasures,”
(Continued next week)
Download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
A MUZUNGU’S (White Man’s) THOUGHT – Issue 34
‘YOUR KINGDOM COME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN’
The questions are, “What is God’s kingdom?” and “Is it past, present, or future?”
General Christian theology over centuries has been that we ‘get saved’, then live the rest of our life waiting to be rescued from this terrible, evil earth, either by dying and going to heaven, or Jesus returning to set up His kingdom upon the earth.
What a defeatist, sad theology!
Jesus died and was resurrected to overcome satan and death. Yet our theology denies this victory and lives in defeat, as if Jesus’ sacrifice was in vain.
In Jewish culture, remembering that Jesus was a Jew and thought and taught from a Jewish perspective, Biblical principles are looked upon as having a past, present and future fulfilment. This is particularly so with prophecy.
In our Western mindset, we live in the day. What is happening now is all important. We fail to learn the lessons of history, nor can see a long term future application for the challenges we face. This is particularly reflected in our attitude to biblical prophecy. The Jewish mindset sees a past. Present and future application to Biblical prophecy, whereas we look to a fulfilment time, then the prophecy is completed.
This is reflected in our understanding of the kingdom also. We look to the kingdom as being future only. As mentioned before, either in heaven or upon the return of Jesus.
However Jesus established His kingdom upon the earth through His death and resurrection, we live in His kingdom now, and there is a final fulfilment, upon His return to rule and reign upon the earth. Therefore we need to read the Lord’s Prayer quoted above in past, present and future contexts.
Around 25 years ago, God started to give me revelation about the kingdom. At the time I called it tabernacles, for it refers to the Feast of Tabernacles in the Old Testament. For 10 years or so most people did not really truly understand what I was talking about. It was nice but hypothetical to most. I thought I was beating my head against a brick wall.
Then I went to South Africa at the beginning of an African trio. I got off the plane dog tired after the best part of 24 hours flying there from New Zealand. However, my host, Israel Onoroibe, insisted on taking me to a meeting. There a Singaporean man was speaking the same stuff as the Lord had shown me. What a relief! I was not the only one, anymore! While I was in Capetown I met others who had a similar revelation also. The one common feature amongst us all was, without exception, we had been through hard times in our lives.
For those that the Lord wants to intimately share with, He must break first!
Put simply, the kingdom on earth today consists of those people who have an intimate personal relationship directly with God, and who are prepared to sacrifice their lives to Him 100%.
Sadly, but not unexpectedly, the church has now jumped onto the bandwagon. Many are trying to misappropriate the kingdom as being the church, without the sacrifice.
The primary advantage of the Covid-19 virus is that is forcing individual Christians to seek God for themselves, for the churches are closed.
The kingdom is not found in a building, a denomination, or a pastor or priest, but in only in changed lives of individual, fully committed disciples of Jesus who through their lives, become a light to the world.
Shurakini
(Thank You)
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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
1320. By definition, 'following' Jesus requires walking, not talking.
1321. If we talk, but not walk with Jesus, we will soon be 'left behind'!
1322. We must walk into God's rest.
1323. In God, talk is cheap, walking expensive, for it costs our life.
1324. Talking changes minds, but walking, hearts.
1325. To talk about Jesus is good, to walk in His ways, godly.
Please feel free to quote these quotes. Acknowledgment of David Tait as the author would be appreciated. There are now over 1300 David sayings for you to view at ...
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
NEXT WEEK: TRANSFORMATION OF THE CHURCH: 3. FROM KINGS TO KINGDOM continues.....
... with personal testimony about the difficulty of living like Jesus.
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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. ***
. Prayer Posturing
"The proper way for man to pray," said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, "And the only proper attitude is down upon your knees."
"No, I should say the way to pray," said Reverend Dr. Wise, "Is standing straight with upraised arms and rapt and upturned eyes."
"Oh, no, no, no!" said Elder Sloe... "Such posture is too proud. A man should pray with eyes fast closed and head contritely bowed."
"It seems to me his hands should be austerely clasped in front with both thumbs pointing downward," said Reverend Dr. Blunt.
"Last year I fell in Hodgekin's well headfirst," said farmer Cyrus Brown. "With both my heels a-stickin' up, my head a-pointin' down. And I made a prayer right then and there - best prayer I ever said - the prayingest prayer I ever prayed - a-standin' on my head!"
401. Biblical Bumper Stickers:
Adam: "You are what you eat."
Eve: "At least he doesn't compare me to his mother."
Abraham: "I'm goin' not knowin'."
Noah: "Honk if you believe in treading water."
Moses: "From a basket case to the promise land."
Elizah: "When Jezebel ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Balaam: "My second donkey talks!"
Prodigal Son: "All roads lead to home."
At the Sinai desert: "Winding road next 40 years"
At the Red Sea: "Caution! Subject to sudden flooding"
QWIK QWIP: “God's command to live holy has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult, and left untried.
402. Three Camels.
Noah was standing at the gangplank checking off the pairs of animals when he saw three camels trying to get on board.
"Wait a minute!" he said. "Two each is the limit. One of you will have to stay behind."
"It won't be me," said the first camel. "I'm the camel whose back is broken by the last straw."
"I'm the one people swallow while straining at a gnat," said the second.
"And I am the one that shall pass through the eye of a needle sooner than a rich man shall enter heaven." said the third.
"Well, I guess you had better all come in," said Noah, "the world is going to need all of you."
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A DAVID MUSING
To one who has been given much, much is required.
While this would be a good thing to apply to the growing disparity of wealth in the world today, but seldom is, it is certainly true in the spiritual.
People pray for more spiritual gifts, for more anointing, for more power in God. People wish to receive, but most are not prepared to pay the price of the gift.
The further you go on in God the greater the cost to be paid.
Before asking for more power, etc., get your life with God right first.
I have found through personal experience, the importance of this. If we don't, God will put us through trials and testings until we truly learn to submit to Him.
God desires us to give our all to Him. But are we prepared to pay the price?
Amen.
Until next time.....
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD
His servant and yours
David Tait
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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
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Napier
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Phone: (06) 835 0567 International (+64) 6 835 0567
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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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