The Prodigal Part 2 = Satisfaction?

13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

                                                                                        Luke 15:13-14  NKJV

So the Prodigal settled in his idea of paradise and quickly began meeting new friends. Of course, there was a newbie in town and they wanted to enjoy what he had to offer them One can imagine the boozy evenings in the sleazy bars of ancient Palestine. Hot evenings, no lack of young ladies who wanted to ply their trade with this new chap. 

It is not known how long the Prodigal was in Palestine before the money ran out but, many believe that it wasn't all that long, probably a few weeks or a month  tops' It was only a short time and shows his bad stewardship in spending his money so unwisely. When he arrived he had thought it was paradise but now, it was more like hell itself. Everyone pushing people around as they tried to get food because of the famine. It was every man for himself.

His friends had left him after enjoying the money he spent on them. How much they had loved him when he was spending his money but, it was different now, they had gone on to the next newbie. When people are down on their luck they can become do desperate that they will do anything to be able to survive and fit in. The Prodigal hired himself out to someone who was rich and successful. He was probably a gentile. He had the Prodigal doing looking after his pigs. Now, to a Jew, this was very bad but, 'must needs'. He was so low that he would settle for anything. He was so hungry that even the pig slop seemed like 10oz steak.

He knew that he had blown it, lack of sleep told him this and the burning hunger within. He decided that he would take the chance of going home to his father and ask if he could have a job in exchange for food and a bed. He set off in hope that all would go well. This would not be an easy task. Friends and neighbours would know that he had failed and come running back to His father. 

However, he need not have worried, his father had been looking for him since he left. He probably hadn't have been standing there looking for him all the time but, every time he went outside he would have scanned the horizon looking for signs of his return. When he did see him, he raced off and hugged his son. The son's rehearsed statement of repentance had been wasted, the father didn't need it, he was so grateful to have him back. There would be someone who was not so pleased to welcome him him though.

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

'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.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

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

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

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The Prodigal Part 1 = Greed

“A certain man had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.  13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living".      Lukes 15:11- 13   NKJV

Greed can grip a person rather like a vice grips a piece of wood or metal. Once we allow ourselves to enter into this grip, it is hard to break free. We are not told how the younger son had come to the point of asking for his inheritance. He may have been talking to some friends and this had come up in conversation. It is unlikely that his older brother would have mentioned this because, there seemed to be strain between the two of them. Anyway, he decided to speak to his father about it.

The way that he did this, was nothing more than scandalous. There appeared to be no respect coming from the young son. He may just have well said to his father, 'I don't know when you will die but I can't afford to sit around waiting, so give me what I am entitled to'. And the father did. One thing that strikes me here is that the father appeared not to discuss this through with him; he just did what he was asked. A few days later, the Prodigal set off on his adventure, watched by his father.

Now, I'm not sure that many fathers would have agreed to this without looking into it properly. There were no banks like we have today and the money symbol would have been in cattle or sheep. These would have been sold to the highest bidder so that the father could raise the allowance that was due to his son. No doubt, he would have been knocked down quite a lot and he would not have been paid what the stock was worth.

Once the allowance budget was met, the son would be heading off into the unknown.

We are not told about how the Prodigal came to his decision to leave home. He may have heard stories of how some young people had done this and the thought of it attracted him. His father owned a prosperous farmstead in ancient Palestine and both sons lived with him in their  large farm house. From this, we can assume that some of the workers had sewn in his heart, the idea of going to the 'City' where he could have fun instead of rotting away in the middle of nowhere. The greed began to grow utilising he couldn't contain it and had to be a part.

Greed can cultivate jealousy in the heart and the feeling that it is not fair; others have it, why not me etc? Very soon he would be finding out what it is like, himself.

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

'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.                                

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

                                                                                       

Show them Jesus

"7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples."                                                John 15:7   CSB

To have Jesus' Words dwelling within you takes more than reading and studying it all the time. His Word must be internalised within your spirit and this comes from meditating on it until it is like second nature. Have you ever looked at a phrase in the bible and decided to dig around the Word to find out what is really being said? This is a very good place to start.

Most gardeners know that their work can’t be neglected for too long. Otherwise everything becomes too long, untidy and much of it, especially the vegetables may be bland and inedible. Therefore, something needs to done - we need a schedule and Jesus is the one to show us how. Let us not forget, Jesus wants us to bear fruit and establish ourselves within our local community. He wants us to win the respect and trust of all we see throughout a day. We will get a reputation that's for sure, but, it will be a good one, one that, no matter what, people want to be with us. Why? Because, we get things done. It only takes one Spirit-filled person living, walking and teaching things that people need to hear.

We need to flow in the Gospel, so much, that it keeps us and others, sitting on the edge of our seats, waiting for the next instalment to come. Now this can be from a daily reading - one in which the power and teaching is excellent and makes people sit up and listen. Once we have found one, don't keep it to yourself - give it out. People need the Gospel.

Jesus is trying to make us ready for His work, Hr prunes us and tidies up our lives. He wants us to flow in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We can't go wrong when we are given. The long of it. The street you live on and the town you walk, need Jesus. Christians are getting arrested for preaching the Gospel on street corners. This is no different  to Jesus' and Paul's time, they had the time opposition but, it didn't stop them! Why not get out there and start preaching the Word.

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

'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.                                

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

How to overcome continuing trials

Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor's] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  James 1:12  Amplified Bible

Some of us may feel that life is one long chain of trials and tribulation. This could be ill health, if not, then unemployment with endless bills to try and pay. it may be a difficult relationship, or trouble at work. There may be additional, unexpected bills, such as taking the dog or cat to the vet and being given a bill that could buy a block of flats somewhere. It seems never ending.

I was reminded of this when I was driving into town today. There was a huge lorry in front of me going very slow. After what seemed an age, I managed to drive past it only to find that I was behind a bus going even slower than the lorry. Again, I managed to drive by when the opportunity arose, only to find that every traffic light I came to, was on red. as it changed to green, the next set of lights changed to red. Now there are a lot of traffic lights in the town where we live and, as I approached each one, they changed to red. When you are in a hurry, like I were, it can be just as frustrating as having a load of continual trials.

I suddenly realised that I need to change my attitude to such things, because refusal to become worked up about such things is pleasing to God. And when we live in such a way that whatever trial or irritating things come our way, He blesses us with the Crown of Life. What is that? Well James tells us that we will be blessed, happy, spiritually prosperous and favoured by God, if we remain steadfast under trial and persevere when tempted to  become agitated and upset by things that really do not matter.

The Crown of Life refers, not to life in the future but, to life here and now, enjoyed more abundantly with greater fullness (John 10:10b).

Let's check out Psalm 5:12: 'For You O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield.' The Greek word used for favour here is ratson and this 

can be described as pleasure, desire, delight and favour. "The noun ratson comes from the verb ratsa, which means "to be pleased with" or "to be favourable towards something." The Hebrew word Hesed means kindness, loving-kindness and love. 

                                                                                 Referenced from the Spirit Filled Life Bible

So therefore, when we are walking in favour, pleasing our Father, He bestows on us the Crown of Life. So we pray: 'We receive the Crown of Life and we confess today that, we are walking and living in the favour that You so kindly have given us Lord. Amen.

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

'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.                                

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

 

Apologies

I’m really sorry today. I have a bad dose of Covid and I feel awful. I think it’s going to take a few days to work through my system. Therefore I’m thinking of Monday Tuesday before I can do it.

I am so sorry if it has inconvenienced you

Grahame Howard 

When trouble strikes, where do you turn?

"When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.7Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. 8My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me."   Psalm 63:6-8   NKJV

When the troubles were escalating over the rebellion of Absalom, David was in the wilderness of Judah. It was a dry and desolate place and David was in need of water. However, his most important need was His Father. His soul was dry and he was in need of  help from God; and He found it.

Even in the wilderness David found satisfaction, joy and comfort as he praised God. He said: 'Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. 4Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.' v3-4. God's loving kindness was better than life itself because, it is faithful. When we realise that the faithfulness of God is much more important than life's necessities, He gives us the ability to cope with the things we think we need at the time.

In verse 8, we see that David meditates on God's Word as he lays on his bed. Tony Evans comments on this: 'David's musings should make you ask where you focus during times of suffering. To whom do you first turn for help?'  (Tony Evans Bible Commentary). 

As he lay there, David could have been totally overtaken by his troubles but, he decided it would be far better to seek God, so he meditated on Him. David knew that God would help him. 

And this brings us back to our present day. Who do you turn to when troubles and pressure are mounting up in your life and you don't know how to handle it. At the time when we are going through such as this, it can be difficult to focus on what you should do, our head is so full of negatives that we can't see a way through all of this. Therefore, you need to build up your safety net so that you will be ready for such times. It can be pointless to go and buy petrol for your car after you have run out in the middle of nowhere. Surely, this should have been done before your journey? So, get ready for the unexpected - be prepared and ready.

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  

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.

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard. 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME

grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

 

Seek the giver, not the gift

"Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.  18Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.  19And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  20Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.   Philippians 4:17-19   NKJV

One of my favourite worship songs is by Bonnie Deuschle:

I BOW MY KNEE

'I bow my knee before Your throne, I know my life is not my own

I offer up a song of praise, to bring you pleasure Lord

I seek the giver, not the gift, my heart;'s desire is to lift You

high above all earthly kings, to bring you pleasure Lord

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to the King

                                   Copyright Bonnie Deuschle

It is such a beautiful song that you can find on YouTube and, it echos what Paul was saying here in our text."Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account". It is a wonderful blessing when someone, under the direction of God, gives you a financial gift. It always comes at the right time and, ministers and others the world over, are so grateful to these generous people of God. But let us get this right. One should never seek the gift but, the giver. Without the giver there would be no gift.

When someone gives you a financial gift, they do so because God has ordained this. Because of their act of love and generosity, God will bless them even more than He has done. If you receive such a gift, you should always thank God for the person's obedience towards you and you will be blessed even further. You see, you can't outgive God, when He directs you to give to someone, He will give back to you. This is why Paul says:19'And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.'

The most important thing anyone needs to do, is to recognise the fact that God wants each one of us to bow the knee before His throne and seek Him - He is our gift  there is no one finer than the Lord Jesus. He is all we need. No wonder the writer penned these words 'Hallelujah, Hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to the King'

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  

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.

Copyright 2026 Grahame Howard. 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME

grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk