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: 485 Published: 07 Feb 2011
JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE KINGDOM (Kingdom mentions in the Gospels)
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: â€â€˜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) Part 5Last week, we saw that in order to inherit the kingdom, we need to be 100% sold out to doing the Father's will, as Jesus was.
Let's now have a look at the phrase, your kingdom come.
The your relates to the Father, and logically, it is His kingdom, the extension of Him, that is to come.
In the Greek, the word translated as kingdom, is basileia. In Thayer's Greek Lexicon basileia is defined as 1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule; 1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom.
It is most important to understand the second part of this definition.
The kingdom is NOT a literal physical New Jerusalem falling out of the sky and landing on earth with a thump, in order to take over the world, in the manner of a science fiction movie.
While we will see later that the kingdom does have outward physical manifestations, these come not through some dramatic event, but through God's representative on earth, the Holy Spirit. And where does the Holy Spirit live? He has no physical body, for He lives in us.
15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. (as we saw last week) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)
The kingdom therefore, develops physically from within us, through our actions!
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.†(Luke 17:20-21)
My friend, in modern Christianity, we all too often look to an outward event to rescue us from the predicaments we find ourselves in. The false teaching of the pre-tribulation rapture is a classic example. 'God, zap us out of here as the world is becoming too 'hot' to live in.' ( with apologies to climate change advocates) You get the idea though! When life and persecution becomes too difficult, we will escape into (heavenly) outer space.
Or that, if we donate to a prosperity preacher, we too, along with him or her, will get rich! It simply doesn't happen - except for the (false) preacher!
Similarly, as we have already discussed, the development of the kingdom is not dependant upon an outward event, but rather, will evolve through us, His people, leading holy and righteous lives.
This is confirmed by Paul in Romans.....
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. (Romans 14:17-18)
May we be prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to see God's kingdom become established upon the earth.
(To be continued next week with a look at the word come)
PS: I understand that some of these concepts may be very different to you but I just ask you to read for the next few weeks, without rejecting them out of hand. Please pray about it also. Thanks. David.
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FROM THE WORD
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit"“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.†Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?†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. 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. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave. (John 14:15-31)
The Coming of the Kingdom of God
"Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.†Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.†“Where, Lord?†they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.â€" (Luke 17:20-37)
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
RELIGION, REVELATION AND GOD'S KINGDOM1012. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the biggest hindrance to God building His kingdom is man building his. It's called religion.
1013. Man organises the god out of God!
1014. Religion builds tradition, the Spirit, change.
1015. Religion builds tradition, the Spirit breaks tradition down.
1016. One person's vision becomes their successor's job.
1017. The kingdom of God is built upon relationship, not organisation.
1018. Mankind cannot build the kingdom of God for He has already done it far better than we ever could.
1019. While religion may desire to build God's kingdom, it finally succeeds in building its own.
1020. The kingdom of God doesn't need to be built, rather, grasped hold of.
1021. Religion is of the proud, the kingdom of God, of the humble.
1022. Religion revolves round organisation, the kingdom of God, relationship.
1023. Religion is planned, God's kingdom, spontaneous.
1024. God's kingdom is visionary, religion, managed.
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MIRTHFUL MOMENT
A new series of cartoons to bringa 'smile on the dial'!
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TUESDAY TEACHINGS
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF... LIVING THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE continues.......... as we continue our look at one of the most important parables of Jesus, the Parable of the Sower.
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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." ***
297. A MOTHER'S PRAYER
A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy: "So your mother says your prayers for you each night Very commendable. What does she say?"
The little boy replied, "Thank God he's in bed!"
296. RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS
A kindergarten teacher gave her class a "show and tell" assignment of bringing something to represent their religion.
The first boy got in front of the class and said, "My name is Benjamin and I am Jewish and this is the Star of David."
The second boy got in front of the class and said, "My name is Thomas and I am Catholic and this is the Crucifix."
The third boy got in front of the class and said, " My name is Johnny and I am Baptist and this is a casserole."
295. BABY PICTURE?
After making a few calls at the local hospital, the pastor got on the crowded elevator to head for the lobby. A young man, grinning broadly, was passing around a photograph. Amid appreciative smiles, someone asked for the weight. "Six-and-a-half pounds," the young man exclaimed.
"Congratulations," the pastor interjected. "Boy or girl?"
His grin spread even farther. "Bass," he said.
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FACTS FOR FUN
LAST WEEKS QUESTION: What is the fastest time someone has climbed 102 flights of stairs?ANSWER: The fastest time, at least in 1999, is 10 minutes, 15 seconds. The person who made that record was participating in a contest sponsored by the Empire State Building. He had to climb up a total of 1,860 steps to make it from street level to the 102nd floor. The average person climbing one stair every 2 seconds would take 1 hour and 2 minutes! (Maybe you could try beating this record?)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: When did Mother's Day first come into being?
Answer Next Week.
SOME FUN FACTS112. INTERNAL COMPASS
Both pigeons and hummingbirds have tiny magnetic particles in their heads that respond to the Earth's magnetic fields and are used for navigation. (You may know how to get there but you first have to know where to go!)
113. IT HAPPENS NATURALLY
A person's nose and ears continue to grow throughout his or her life. (So a gossips ‘big ears’ and a busybodies ‘long nose’ are a merely a sign of age?)
114. NEVER ON A SATURDAY
Although most weddings now take place on a Saturday, it was considered unlucky in the past. Fridays were also considered unlucky for marriage ceremonies, particularly Friday the 13th. (Maybe we should change back again.)
A WORD PUZZLE FOR YOU
Make another word from this word using all the letters.
SERRATED
Answer at the end of A David Musing
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BIBLE QUESTION - JOSHUA
14) How many cities of refuge did God have Joshua designate?A - 5
B - 6
C - 7
D - 8
Source: www.biblequizzes.com
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IF ONLY I'D THOUGHT OF IT!
"""OTHER'S SAYINGS TO ENLIGHTEN, AMUSE, OR BEMUSE"""!!!!!!! No husband has ever been shot while doing the dishes.
!!!!!! Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
!!!!! By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
!!!! Today is the Tomorrow you worried about Yesterday. Was it worth it?
!!! A rumour without a leg to stand on will get around some other way.
!! I am grateful that I am not as judgmental as all those censorious, self-righteous people around me.
! A person is grown up not when they can take care of themselves, but when they can take care of others.
100'S MORE TO BE FOUND AT...
LIFE' A LAUGH
101. THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD"Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher.
A small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant."
The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked.
"Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child."
102. DOG DUTIES
A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
"They use him to keep crowds back," said one youngster.
"No," said another. "He's just for good luck."
A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dog," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrant."
103. MARRIED
Jay Leno was talking to his guest, the famous "Ahrnold," about the new movie, TERMINATOR 3. He asked about the fight scenes with his female opponent. "Was it hard to fight with a girl?"
The Arnold replied, "No, I'm used to it. I'm married."
104. PREMIUM PARKING
A few years ago, there was a news story on the radio about a Jewish synagogue that had a problem with the Baptists down the street. Some Jews were unable to find a space in their
own parking lot because members of the nearby Baptist church, which met earlier in the morning for revival meetings, got there first. So the Jewish synagogue had a problem.
Now they could have towed the Baptist's cars away. Or they could have patrolled their lot Saturday mornings. Or they could have written a letter to the offending church members,
imploring them to park elsewhere, but they didn't.
Instead, they used bumper stickers.
One Saturday morning they stuck a bumper sticker to every car in the lot - Baptist and Jewish alike. The sticker read:
"I'M PROUD TO BE JEWISH !"
No more parking lot problems!
Laugh at life here.......
BIBLE TRIVIA (Famous Words and Phrases)
DOUBTING THOMASThis is what we call a person who doubts something, in memory of the disciple Thomas who needed to put his fingers in the nailholes of Jesus, in order to believe in His resurrection. He finally lost his doubts and was martyred in India, while spreading the Gospel there. (Picture is of his grave in Chenai, India.)
Adapted from: '1001 Surprising Things You Should Know About The Bible' MacGregor & Prys
Missionary Killed After Years of Defying Drug Cartels to Share Her Faith
by Jason Buch, San Antonio Express NewsSAN FERNANDO, MEXICO - As missionaries working in Mexico, Sam and Nancy Davis were in a dangerous business.
The couple labored for 30 years planning churches in northeastern Mexico, and while touring the U.S. churches that supported them last year they talked about the dangers of working in a country torn by cartel violence.
"They didn't really want to get into specifics, but they did talk about the fact that there was some difficulties with the drug cartels down there and that it was becoming more dangerous," said Ron Silver, the pastor of Christ Community Church in Dellroy, Ohio, a town in the eastern part of the state where Nancy Davis grew up. "But they were willing to face that danger for the work of the Gospel.
"They believed very much that the people needed to know about Jesus and were willing to face whatever dangers came about."
On Wednesday, Nancy Davis was killed as she and her husband tried to evade gunmen on a highway about 70 miles south of the border.
It wasn't the first time they had to flee armed men.
View the full article here.....
FULL ARTICLE
Via: OpenHeaven.com
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DAVID'S DOWNLOAD
WALKING THE ROAD WITH JESUSAn illumination of Gods desire for our Christian walk as revealed in Revelations 12:11. Both a challenge and a hope.
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WAXING LYRICAL
An amazing event in our family! My Mum, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in her late 40's is still with us to celebrate her 90th birthday, becoming the longest lived lady ON our 300 year family tree! Incredible! Printed in her memory, as she died on Monday.MY MUM IS 90!
Yes, today my Mum has turned ninety!
Threescore years, plus ten, plus twenty!
Where have all those years gone?
To us, a right royal paragon
Of virtue, befitting a hundred and fifty.
My Mum was born in Northern Ireland.
Green grass, grey sky, but her land.
Taken to Canada when oh so small,
Before arriving on New Zealand soil,
Where, on the farm, she leant a hand.
Experiencing the quake of 31 at school,
Where, of course, she was nobody’s fool.
Yes, dux of her year, you would expect no less,
With lots of brains, the Lord, my Mum did bless.
Getting it right, not the exception, but the rule.
Then up and away, to work on her bike,
Along the embankment, fast as you like.
In a lawyer’s office, my Mum did lurk,
Behind a typewriter, she did work.
Through a mountain of paper, Mum did hike.
One day in a shoe shop, she did meet her match,
A dastardly plan, my Dad, he did slyly hatch.
One wrong shoe in a box,
Put in by the wily old fox,
Return she did, where now, he made his catch.
Along came wedding bells and the knot was tied,
And then a son, bearing whom, she nearly died.
A time of blindness to go along with the pain,
But a bonny boy (if I may say so) she did gain!
To bring him up right, was what she always tried.
Eighteen months later, he was joined by a cute sister,
Judith Lorraine, a girl to dote on, not another mister.
Now there were two, with each other to fight,
Or rather, over which, a proud Mum, to skite.
Our Mum, she now had her son and her daughter.
I remember my Mum out on the tennis court,
A pretty picture in her dress, oh so short.
And then, of course, she charmed the Queen,
On the Britannia, where not many have been,
An experience, money could not have bought.
First MP’s wife, then as the gracious Mayoress,
Napier City, with her presence, she did bless.
Public life though, was not easy for her,
Home with family, she did rather prefer,
Always beautiful, in the way she did dress.
Mum and Dad, they travelled far and wide,
From Taj Mahal, to Sistine Chapel, inside.
They took us to Australia to visit a sewage farm,
A memorable pong that surely did me no harm.
While a cricket ball, round the MCG, it did glide.
Then came the shock diagnosis of multiple sclerosis,
But my Mum would not let it become a neurosis,
The Catholic charismatics prayed so hard,
That our God, played His trump card,
The disease never reaching its terrible prognosis.
Mum, you’ve been so brave and stoic in the challenges of life,
Always with a shrug and a smile, even when in great strife,
An example to me, and others, you have been,
In the good and the bad, and the in-between,
You have coped, persevered, always the good Mum and wife.
From Thompson to Kennedy Road, then up on the hill,
To Avon Terrace, several houses you and Dad did fill.
But in time, your husband, our Dad, did die,
Putting on a brave face, inside you did cry.
Then to get on with your life, it became your will.
Over the past 14 years I have watched you grow,
A new Lady Tait, have been privileged to know.
As you have made a new life on your own,
Into a new dimension you have grown.
A fresh dash of yeast to leaven your dough.
From Knightsbridge Village to Devonshire Place,
You’ve inspired others with your smile and grace.
A contentment in the face of difficulties you have found,
A model, to me, and to others, whom you are around.
In your later years, you have truly found your place.
Yes, as you have reached the milestone of 90 today,
The longest lived lady, in 300 years, you can now say,
All your family together, we’re so blessed by your life,
A faithful daughter, mother, grandmother and wife.
I thank and love you. ‘My Mum’, you will ever stay.
David Tait: Saturday 16 October 2010
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A DAVID MUSING
Mum went peacefully, to be with Jesus, 2 1/2 hours before last week's PGIM was sent out, 15 years, to the day, after my Dad.A relief for her, as she had been getting sicker over the past few weeks.
My sister Judy stayed with her for her last 3 nights. She rang at 6am on Monday morning to say Mum was rapidly on the way down. I raced out the 10 minutes or so to the home she was in, followed by my wife Kathy. Finally Judy's husband Bob arrived. Mum died two minutes later, her children beside her.
We had a wonderful funeral service on Thursday, a fitting tribute to her life. I read her birthday poem above, and almost got through without breaking down! Which is pretty good for me!
I was just so pleased I had been able to write and read it to her last October, on her 90th birthday.
How often we wait until after people die to say the nice things about them we should have said while they were still with us!
The world would be a much better place if we did.
Why don't you take the opportunity to do so to your loved ones today?
Bye bye Mum....... Thankyou for being such a good Mum to me.
Until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD.
His servant and yours
David Tait
Today's 'Word Puzzle' Answer: ARRESTED
TODAY'S 'BIBLE QUESTION' ANSWER: 14) B - 6 (Joshua 20:7-9)
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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!
For comments upon and contributions to this service, please contact
david@wwj.org.nz