Give all that you have

“Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”   Mark 12:43-44.  NKJ

Note the words in v44 here 'but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.' This was a major difference to what the Pharisees were placing in the basket. They loved to let it be known that their offering was large - better than most; and they expected a pat on the back for this. This lady in contrast had given all she had and quite likely, where the pharisees would still have a nice bank balance left, she would be left with nothing.

God doesn't want us to go to our bank, clear our account out and give it all to the church or the poor. Not at all, Jesus looks at the heart - what was the motive in giving. He could plainly see the bountiful joy it gave to the Pharisees' pride to be able to give plenty and still have more than plenty left over. But what swung it for Jesus, was the genuine heart that this lady showed in giving her all. He saw her commitment and the sacrifice she had made.

It's not all about money. People give their everything in serving Jesus. They do it willingly without fuss, asking nothing in return. They are faithful and yet, don't seek any recognition. This is where the difference lies, they are committed. Other people, who don't know Jesus, will say things such as, 'What, you're giving up part of your weekend to go and clean the church, and they're not paying you?' These people cannot comprehend the diligence of people who do this for nothing. But this is what commitment  and motive gives a person. To have an attitude that doing things for your church without payment is blessing the Lord, the people and yourself. They can't understand this at all.

Probably the biggest struggle in Christianity today is tithing and offerings. Many people will dream up all of the reasons that they can't afford to do this. It may be:

(1)  They don't earn enough to do it

(2)  They have bills and a family to take care of

(3). If I give anything to the church, I will run short during the week

Cast your mind back to the widow. She was destitute and had nothing except the two mites she gave to the church. But she willingly gave it. And my guess is that, she knew that God wouldn't let her down when she needed it. She wouldn't go without.

This is how God wants you to be with Him today. When you think about it, God gave you money in the first place and so a small tithe and offering of perhaps 1/10th of your earnings is nothing really, it belongs to Him in the first place,

Don't start getting 'Religious' like the Pharisees were. Jesus Christ is 100% for you and will never let you down. Give all you have, your life, your spouse, family, children, home and finances to Him and watch Him bless you. That's a God promise.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard. 

Be an example

"For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you".

                                                                              John 13:15.  NKJV 

During our lifetime, we have all had people that we model ourselves on. This may be a pop star, football ace or someone who we rate very highly and would like to be like them.

For the latter one, we tend to dress like them, talk like them and be a complete copy. To a degree, this is quite common. Some married couples know each other so well that they talk like each other and have the same kind of thoughts. This is because, your guards have been down and you are so close that you have become one, which is great in Christian marriage.

You may model yourself on a man or woman of God. You may know them well or, from a distance. As you model yourself on them, you may slip into the role of being a copy of them. You don't know you're doing this, it just happens. Number 1, you are not a copy of anyone, you are who God made you to be, not someone else. Number 2, God made you in His likeness and, He is the only role model you will ever need. Can your human role model get you into heaven? Of course not. Can they heal you and forgive your sins? They certainly can't. But Jesus can, He is your role model.

When we copy someone else, we tend to do what they would do. If you run a church, you could end up running it like your human role model does, unless you are careful. You have your own identity; your own DNA. There is no one like you anywhere. To try and be someone else shows your immaturity. You can't have them by your side all the time, so you become a copy of them. This is wrong because people are not seeing the real you. In fact, you can be described as a fake.

This can happen in daily life like in your job. The person before you, were great at their job so, when you replaced them, you became that person - the new broom didn't sweep the place clean, you just kept it ticking over the same as a counterfeit boss. Don't do this; create your own  space.

The only one that Jesus wants you to follow is Him. Doing this is your mandate. In fact, as you begin to be more like Jesus, people will notice you even more and more, and they will want to be more like you. When this happens, you can tell them that the only copy you are is one of Jesus and they need to be a copy too. Then it will follow on.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard. 

Get back on your feet

"For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity"                       Proverbs 24:16

Many of us fail many times and fall flat on our face. However, it is the man or woman who gets back up again who will be successful.

Bob Hoover, an American test pilot knew a lot about this.  In WW2 1944, while he was shot down off the coast of France while flying a mission. He survived this and, after the war, he became a test pilot because of his extreme skill in flying. He crashed many times through this career but, refused to give in to fear. His favourite saying was:

'Get back into the cockpit of the bird that bit ya'. He showed tremendous courage until his death in 2016.

Another great man was Thomas Edison, who also was famous for his many quotations. After failing many times to perfect the electric light bulb, he succeeded on his 10000 attempt. That was a lot of work and an admirable demonstration of patience. I believe that many of us would have given up much earlier. He is famous for saying, 'I have not failed, I have only discovered hundreds of ways in which this bulb does not work.' How incredible to be able to say this publicly about what many people felt was a complete failure.

So, where do we come into this equation? Well, firstly we have got to accept that we are far from perfect. This is why Paul writes in Philippians 1:6 'being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.' Unlike us, Jesus always completes the work that He started. He never gives up.

You and I have very good intentions but, because of our human weakness, we can't always see something through until completion. We fail miserably. However, always have the opportunity to get up and start again. We may be flat on the floor, exhausted and fed up but, Jesus is at the side of us telling us to get up and keep going. If we do, He backs us all the way.

At this time, you may have made a mess of something and, you may be contemplating throwing the towel in. But you're better than that. You have the power of Jesus Christ within you and you've come this far, don't give up now. Let me encourage you, I have made more mistakes in my life and yes, I've often felt like giving up. But I have a determination within me not to do that and even though the road may be hard, I will not give in. Adopt that style and Jesus will bless you beyond your wildest dreams.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Re-gather, Restore, Return

"I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back, Because I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had not cast them aside; For I am the Lord their God, And I will hear them. 7Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, And their heart shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall see it and be glad; Their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. 8I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased".

                                                                                Zechariah 10:6-8. NKJV

Today, I want to address the people who, as the term puts it, have done the 'Backslide'. Something in their walk with God has caused them to walk away. It may be that they have lost their belief because of a hurtful experience, one where they had prayed for help and relief but, none came, so they have given up on God. It may be because the leadership have been very hard, strict or dictatorial and they have felt that if God is like this, 'I don't want to know'. It also may be that they have felt neglected in church because the people have had there own personal groups and they have not been able to be accepted in. It could also be a host of other things that have caused them to walk away and have a good time, rather like the Prodigal son in Luke 15. 

Here in this scripture, God's people had been neglected and were wandering around like lost sheep because the leaders were speaking dreams and false talk to them. Consequently, they were receiving the wrong side of who God really is. Therefore, God decided to do something about it and began a re-gathering plan that would offer restoration  and make their return to Him a wonderful thing.

In Chapter 10:2 we see that God was annoyed with the leaders, because the people were wandering around like lost sheep. They were in trouble because they had no shepherd to teach them God's Word and nurture them in their walk. Now this piece of scripture describes a Messiah who will visit His flock and will make them as the royal horse in the battle. From Him will come the Cornerstone (Jesus), the Tent Peg (Jesus), the Battle Bow and the Ruler (Jesus). Jesus will reunite and restore His people and they will walk in His ways. Their children will see this and rejoice v7. What a witness. I love what God says in verse 8 'I will whistle for them and gather them.' I can imagine this; He may even go 'Pssst' as He calls them. That's brilliant and I believe it.

There will be a great re-gathering as the people return to Jesus in the End Times. However, before that, we need to persuade the people who have fallen away to return. Probably, you know some of them. Why not get hold of their email and send them this teaching. It may show them that they are not the only ones but, there is a way back and He is whistling to them.

You may have fallen away from Jesus and you may be reading this. Jesus loves you; forget about the people at this moment. Concentrate on Jesus and allow Him to heal your anger - your wounds or whatever else you feel. He won't let you down, you may have thought this but, truly, He hasn't. Allow Him to explain to you the truth. No one else has to know. Once you have listened to Him, you don't have to go back to a particular fellowship; there are many to choose from. Ask God to show you the right one. But get right with Jesus right now. He misses you and, I think you miss Him too.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard. 

The Pain of the Sting

"The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ".  1 Corinthians 15:56-57  NKJV

The first time I remember being stung was when I was around 7 years old. I was with my dad and we had gone to this open air sports ground to watch baseball. This game was new to me so, I was excited about going. As I sat back on the grass enjoying the summer sunshine, I propped myself up with my hands. This was when a bee stung me on the palm. It was agony and yes, I cried from the pain that it had given me. My dad, didn't know what had happened and tried to ask me. However, through the howling, all I could do was raise my hand. One of the American baseball players came over and took my hand. Straightaway, he could see a sting in my hand and very gently, managed to get the sting out. It still hurt a little but nothing like when it first happened.

Now, many years later I can still remember the pain, and the gratitude I felt for that man who had relieved me of it. Today, I can see how the 'Sting' of death is sin and why there is such a need to be free of the pain, sorrow and finality of it all. Rather like if the sting from the bee had remained in my hand, it would have become infected causing more pain as the venom was increased causing further problems. This may have become dangerous so the sting had to be removed.

Sin spreads around our world like chemical warfare. The results, as we know, are death. However, when we know Jesus, who died and paid for our sin, we are saved from this pollution and we have the victory. So my question has to be, do you have the victory in your life?

Think about that before you jump straight in with the answer. You may not have the victory, so why say you have. This is nothing to be ashamed of because, Jesus can fix this right now. It's just a matter of faith. That is the criteria. We have to believe. I had to believe when the man took my hand and removed the bee sting. In the same manner, you and I have to believe that Jesus can remove the sting above all stings - death. If you are a Christian, He has done this but, you may not be walking in the reality of it. You may believe that part of it, but, still be dead to the belief that you can do all things that Jesus has given you to do. You see others excelling in this area but, you are being left behind.

If so, Get up and stand firmly on your feet. God has no favourites. He didn't make one person better than you. Where others are succeeding in their faith and belief in Jesus, when you start believing in the same way, you will catch them up. Come on, you can do this. Say this prayer:

'Lord Jesus, your Word tells me that I have the victory through you but, somehow I'm lacking in this area. Send your Spirit to boost up the power within me and help me to be victorious in You Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen'

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Honour your God, He deserves it

"O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? 5For You have made him a little lower than]the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honour".                                                Psalm 8:3-5   NKJV

Have you ever considered that the King of glory - the Creator, considers you and I to be a prized possession. If we were to stop there, and really meditate deeply about this, it would blow our minds at the very thought of it. Just the very thought makes it seem impossible. Yes, we know who God is, but, do we really know who God is? Have we grasped the whole concept of Him being God and we, being His child and, not only that, but His prized possession. 

Years ago, our God created the world we live in. It wasn't a big bang theory and it wasn't a mistake either, it was God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit creating this wonderful world, But, He didn't stop there, He created us that we could live here and enjoy what He has created for us.

Just think, He not only created you but, if you have children, He gave you the ability to bring them into this world. He gave you education so that we would be able to go into the world, following school, and train and earn a living. Some, He gave the talent to create their own company.  He gave health, wealth, homes, cars. He gave us family and then wives, husbands and the excitement of making our own family. He has given us so very  much.

But it doesn't stop there, He has given all of His committed children, a place to look forward to for eternity - heaven. We don't know what it is like but He has been getting it ready since creation so, it must be spectacular and again, mind-blowing. How can we not  praise Him for who He is and what He has done and will do for us in the future.

You go to school, He is there with you. You go to work, again, He is there. In fact, He is all around, wherever you go. All you need to do is speak to Him and He will speak back to you. Probably, He won't speak out loud; His usual way is the still, quiet word or in the bible. This is why it is essential to be connected to Him.

You may be on your own but, really you are not. Jesus is right there with you, encouraging you, guiding you and protecting you. We need to remember to speak to Him, He waits for this moment patiently and loves every minute that you converse with Him.

Jesus, we salute you

'Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen'

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard.                                 

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"It can't be done - It can be done"

"But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”  32And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of greatstature.  33There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."                                    Numbers 13:31-33   NKJV

Spies had been sent out to check out Canaan - the place which God had promised was theirs. On return, Caleb and Joshua had given a glowing report of the land, stating that they were well able to take this land. The other 10 men however, described the situation as bad. There were giants there and it was not the place that we could overcome.

There were two things going on here, one of fear and doubt, the other of faith and victory and this was turning the people into achievers or avoiders. Achievers are not avoiders. Not only do they find solutions to the problems of life, but they discover a tremendous power within themselves - Jesus 'You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world'.  1 John 4:4. Bob Gass says 'Our attitude will either lift us above our circumstances, or bury us beneath them.'

Caleb said  in v30 'Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it. But the other 10 were telling the people that it can't be done. Faith vFear. So it was coming down to 'Whose report are you going to believe - a good report or a bad one?' 

The remaining 10 spies were giving the people information that was giving them a low self-image a grasshopper image in their own sight v33. Whereas, Caleb and Joshua were sowing a Giant mentality within them. You know, people see us as we see ourselves. So if we portray a Giant mentality, people are more likely to model themselves on the same image. This is what leaders do, they inspire people and incite them to follow suit and be a winner; and, let us not forget that, God sees you and I as winners.

Therefore, whatever you are facing today, face it with Jesus with a giant mentality - 'IT CAN BE DONE' attitude. You are an achiever and you can achieve so much when you are side by side with Jesus. Grasshoppers get eaten by other birds or insects when they hang around and do nothing, but Giants can move mountains with Jesus.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Lord Jesus, I have sinned. I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today. In Jesus' Name. Amen
dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard.