A Weekly World Wide Word of Encouragement to those in the Ministry
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A WEEKLY ‘WWW (world-wide word) OF ENCOURAGEMENT’
TO THOSE IN MINISTRY
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Issue No: 1026 Published: 14 Jun 2021
AGAIN I WOULD MUCH APPRECIATE YOU READING.....
A DAVID MUSING, for it contains vital information for the church today.
Thanks
David
THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW
THE SOURCE OF SIN
Greek (Western) In Western thought we believe in a persona called satan (usually capitalized which I have always refused to do) who rules the demons (often regarded as fallen angels) who largely cause us to sin.
This concept of 2 opposing empires of good and evil first arose in Persia but also fits comfortably into the Greek concept of good and evil gods, or gods with good and bad sides to their nature.
The end result of this is that we blame a lot of our sin upon the devil. In other words, we conveniently disclaim responsibility for our actions, saying our actions are of the devil, and so excusing sin in our life.
Our translation of Scripture reflects this understanding. As we have mentioned, the word 'satan' is capitalized and the persona treated as a spiritual being in charge of the horde of demons (perhaps fallen angels) that disrupt our lives. Yet the Hebrew understanding of the word 'satan' is
an opposing force to the Words of YHVH with all of the following meanings: divide, set at odds with, accuse, slander, reject, deceive, oppose, be adversarial. (hethathasanear.com/Warfare-2.html)
Not once in the original Hebrew language is satan identified as having a persona or form, spiritual or physical.
Eastern (Hebrew) In Hebrew thought, evil comes from within the individual. It is regarded as personal opposition to the Words of God (at heart, 'selfness' through human 'selfishness'.)
The force of evil is found in our human self-determination which is in opposition to the godly foundation of self-denial.
This is beautifully expressed in a practical way by Jesus.....
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. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23-4)
And again.....
23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
James put it this way.....
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:16)
Paul explained the same principle as.....
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)
When I was a boy (some time ago now!) we used to pray the Lord's Prayer in church every Sunday. At that time it was recited out of the King James Version.....
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: (Matthew 6:13a)
In this instance, the literal translation (of much of) the King James expresses the Hebrew view of evil as a force, rather than as a person, as most later translations record it. E.g. NIV - deliver us from the evil one.
Paul, when explaining his ongoing tendency to sin, does not blame his sin on a person of satan or demons, but on the old selfish nature still lurking within him - but of course, one which he was gradually overcoming with the help of the Holy Spirit.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:14-25)
SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY
I fully understand that the Hebrew view contradicts virtually all our understanding and teaching!
I just ask that we both don't reject out of hand what has been said here but absorb the vital spiritual principle it contains.
The key element is not the theological argument but the necessity for us to take responsibility for our own lives and the sin in our lives. God is 'selfless'. We are by nature 'selfish'. Replacing our 'selfishness' with God's 'selflessness' is what walking with Jesus is all about. Are we prepared to make the 'self-sacrifice' required?
(Continues next week)
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FROM THE WORD
THE WORDS OF JESUS
May we hear what the Lord is saying to us.....
“You don’t need to know about the dates and times that are set by the Father’s authority,” he told them.
“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.”
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.”
“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.”
(Continued next week)
Download the complete 'Words of Jesus' here.
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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
435. Man seeks truth. God is truth. Shouldn't then, man seek truth through God?
436. The one who claims to have all the answers cannot have been asked all the questions.
437. Truth is perceived through our 'life filters.' Unfortunately no two filters are the same!
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.
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 ...
CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
N.EXT WEEK: A CHURCH OF DESTINY Continued
Points 10-15
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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: “Many go to their grave with their music still inside of them.”
59. Hoover!
Father Murphy was playing golf with a parishioner. On the first hole, he sliced into the rough. His opponent heard him mutter "Hoover!" under his breath.
On the second hole, the ball went straight into a water hazard. "Hoover!" again, a little louder this time.
On the third hole, a miracle occurred and Fr. Murphy's drive landed on the green only six inches from the hole!
"Praise be to God!"
He carefully lined up the putt, but the ball curved around the hole instead of going in.
"HOOVER!!!!" By this time, his opponent couldn't withhold his curiosity any longer, and asked why the priest said "Hoover". "It's the biggest dam I know."
QWIK QWIP: “If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.”
60. A Little Knowledge is.....
While interviewing a prospective Minister of Education over lunch, one of the ladies on the committee at my end of the table was sharing the following.
Her husband was an avid bicycler. She was sharing that he loved to race in bicycle races and that when he raced, he loved to race in the second position. Trying to explain why he did this almost broke up our luncheon. She meant to use the term "drafting", the technical term for allowing the person in front of him to block the wind on him - allowing him to work less as he raced and conserve his energy.
However, this is what she actually said. "My husband loves to race in the second position. That way, he can make the person in front of him break wind."
Most of the committee was under the table. I was trying to maintain what little ministerial decorum I had left. The people at the other end of the table were asking why we were laughing so loud - with no explanation ever given. (p.s. - The Minister of Education came and some of the committee members gave the lady a special Christmas gift that year - a "windbreaker".)
61. Pastoral Care!
After the birth of their child, an Episcopal priest, wearing his clerical collar, visited his wife in the hospital. He greeted her with a hug and a kiss, and gave her another hug and kiss when he left.
Later, the wife's roommate commented: "Your pastor is sure friendlier than mine."
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
THE PROBLEM WITH EVANGELISTS AND EVANGELISM
For many years I have had a problem with the evangelists, and the church for that matter, if they evangelize at all.
This week I have had correspondence with a young Facebook evangelist friend, whose objective is to bring the world to Jesus, through salvation. It is wonderful how enthusiastic he is, and he is succeeding in bringing many to say the (unbiblical) 'sinners prayer'. Then they are left to themselves.
So many evangelists are interested only in the commitment cards received, or any other method of counting converts.
Unless these people are discipled, it has been shown that over a 5 year period, over 95% will have fallen away from the church or their Christian beliefs.
Jesus was clear about this in the Parable Of The Sower, where He talked about the seed of converts falling on paths, rocky places and amongst the thorns. Each illustrates those who heard the Word, in our language converts, who will fall away. Only a few are left whose seed will fall in the good ground, growing into ears of wheat or barley, the common crops of Jesus' day.
Sadly, it has been shown, that even with the hugely effective evangelist, over 90% of his 'converts' were no longer in the church 5 years after conversion.
While this may be inevitable, it by no means is inevitable, for through discipleship, the proportion lost, will drop dramatically.
In Billy Graham's case, he did His job stupendously attempting in later years, at least, to put those he witnessed to into church hands.
The problem then became one of a failure of the churches to disciple these people in the ways of the Lord. Thus many were unnecessarily lost, who could have been saved for Jesus.
The Bible is very definite in saying we must run our race to the end of the marathon of life, should we wish to be saved. If we fall out before the end, we are lost to Jesus!
Once upon a time, many years ago now, I was a marathon runner. Reaching the finish line, having won the prize of completion, after all my training was a very emotional experience. Particularly the first time, I couldn't stop crying with happiness, for your emotions are raw by that stage, because of all the exertion. Well over 50,000 paces! It is no small feat! As you cross the line and your finisher’s medal is placed over your neck, you know you have won your race, won your reward, your prize.
So it is with the race of life in Jesus. It is how we finish that counts.
David, my Kenyan sponsor and friend for over 20 years, is an expert at building up his church, then splitting it, to start another church somewhere else. He then has to build up his home church again. What is his secret? Along with evangelizing, he insists on all new converts coming into the church ,attend a Discipleship Course during the Sunday church programme. So his converts stay in the church, and many go on to start a new church elsewhere.
What did Jesus say, just before He ascended to heaven? Go out to all nations and save, and maybe baptise the converts? A big NO! Jesus said to go out and make DISCIPLES…..
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:!9-20)
Sadly, both our evangelists and churches have got it all wrong. It is no wonder the church is not growing, indeed in the West, is falling away. We have moved away from the instructions of Jesus, preferring to cut notches in our belt for those being ‘saved’ and ignoring to teach them the ways of the Lord (which many churches have gone away from anyway).
We are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. It is the one who remains faithful to the end who will receive their heavenly reward.
Let us, evangelists and churches, change our ways before it is too late.
Amen.
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 website
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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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