Don't give up

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, we shall reap if we do not use heart."

                                                                                                     Galatians 6:9.  NKJV

'I've had enough of this, nothing's happening' I never get used. I'm leaving'. Have you ever heard this or said it yourself? What about: 'I keep trying with this but I'm getting nowhere; I may as well give up, I'm nothing more than a failure.' Or there's this one: 'What's the point? I'll never get that job, it's a waste of time applying. They wouldn't want me, I'm not brainy enough.'

Three avenues of phrases of doubt that if we keep confessing, we'll believe and take on board, deflating any chance of living a life of faith. They're all full of failure and depression. The thing is, we're all tempted to feel this way every now and again. Life can seem like a great competition, where we begin competing against each other, trying to be what we are not. God wants you as you are. He knows you that way, not when you're being a cardboard cut-out of someone else or trying to achieve what is not meant for you.

All through the years, life has included people who have tried and tried again but never quitting until they met their goal. Thomas Edison was one. Time after time he endeavoured to perfect the electric light bulb but had many failures. Once he was quoted as saying, 'I have not failed. I have only discovered hundreds of ways in which this bulb does not work.' He wouldn't quit until he had won; and he did win. Bob Hoover, was an American test pilot and throughout his long career crashed many planes while testing them out. Yet, he refused to fear or to give up. His motto was, 'Get back into the cockpit of the bird who bit ya'. 

You may be only five minutes away from your harvest - your dream. Don't give up now - persevere. It will come, you can do this - with God's help. Proverbs 24:16 says, 'For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.' Life can be tough at times; we can all feel like throwing in the towel and walking away, whether it's our marriage, our job or even the church. But hang in there, 'Get back into the cockpit of the bird that bit ya'.

Seasons come and go; the tide goes out but it does come back again. This tide may be yours. Don't give up!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

SIN

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

                                                                                                                           Romans 3:23.  NKJV

Have you ever looked at the middle letter of the word 'Sin?' It is 'I', and quite a significant point because the worst enemy you have to overcome is yourself. DL Moody writes, 'I have had more trouble with DL Moody than with any other person.' It seems quite strange for a mighty man of God to say but when you think about it, it is true. We can all be obsessed with ourselves. The 'I' factor is the central part of our focus quite a lot.

Conversion is like enlisting in the army. There's a battle going on and if we're to receive a crown, we have to work and fight for it. It doesn't happen straightaway. DL Moody said:

We have to learn how to watch, fight and overcome. When God and man work together, there will be victory. We are co-workers with Jesus. It is His power that makes the way of grace possible.'

When you consider this, we don't step out of Egypt to the throne of God. There's a wilderness in-between that we have to contend with and this is full of traps and giants and this is where our problems begin. One rule we must remember is, we can't make it on our own. We need Jesus (John 15:5). When we recognise this, the 'I' factor begins to crumble and becomes redundant. The problem is, we still try to go it alone. We can listen to ourselves instead of God. We can please ourselves instead of God. When we live this way, sin prevails because we're living for ourselves.

This is why the Apostle Paul stressed:

'I' have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer 'I' who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which 'I' now live in the flesh, 'I' live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.'           Galatians 2:20.  NKJV

Notice that I have used quotation marks around each 'I' within this text to give this clarity. For us to live our lives in a Christlike manner, we need to die to self - the 'I', and put others first. When we can do this, we are living at a higher standard. We are no longer ourselves but are living for Jesus. The 'I' has been taken out.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Walking by sight or faith?

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."                                         2 Corinthians 5:7.  NKJV

A basic example of walking by faith is, getting up out of your chair and walking to a light switch to flick the light on. Two things happen here, (1) Your mind leads you to want to see more clearly as it is getting dark in the room. To do this, you have to get up and walk. (2) You flick the switch on and you have light. You may feel that is natural but really it is taking for granted that you can walk and that you can see more clearly when you put the light on. Yes, I agree it's taking things for granted that when we do this, it will happen, but it happens because you've accepted it. Imagine living like this all the time as Paul suggests here, 'For we walk by faith, not by sight'. If we would only do this, mighty and wonderful things would be possible in our lives. Expectancy is the key!

Many people walk by sight because they want to see what happens first. It's rather like the chap who told God that he was going to live by faith from now on. However, could God give him a lot of money, just in case things went wrong. You may laugh, but that is not faith. If the priests had not stood in the River Jordan as God had directed, the water would not have separated. They would have stood there forever. (Joshua 3:13).

Jacob walked by sight. He made a vow to God: 

'If God will be with me and keep me in the way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, (21) so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.'  Genesis 28:20-21)

If Jacob could walk by sight, at times, then we will also. It's an in-built thing in our lives. We tend to want to see the future before we take a risk. It's rather like not buying a house because you're scared that if you lose your job you will lose the house also, because you won't be able to afford the mortgage.

We need to lose the fear-mentality and trust God more. Remember, if He said it, He will do it. He doesn't lie, and He won't let you down either. As scary as it can be, this is how God wants us to live. When you think of it, it's putting God in the driving seat. He wants you to trust Him.

Are you ready to do it?

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Brokenheartedness

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed."

                                                                                                          Psalm 34:18.  NLT

Broken hearts are usually created by the loss of a loved one, either by death or a broken relationship. Of course, there are other areas that can cause this, such as, being ripped off by a trusted friend and losing a large sum of finance, or perhaps, finding out that someone you thought was a close friend, turned out not to be. Whatever caused the pain and hurt, can lead to a deep darkness that is hard to negotiate. It can feel like the bottom of your world has been removed and you are sinking into oblivion. However, don't avoid God at such times as this. It wasn't Him that did this to you. 

At times like this, a person can feel down and useless to everyone, especially God. But God knows that this is a time when you really need Him the most and He wants to hold you tightly and bring you comfort. He is always there to offer strength to the person who seeks Him. Though you may feel defeated at this time, He is closer than you realise. He is always with you and longs to heal your heart.
Take a look at some tips that may help to heal your broken heart:

Face up to the situation
You have to grieve to be able to move on, therefore, face it. If you deny the hurt and the pain and everything that goes with it, it will catch you up later on. So don't deny it - face it.
Let go of the hurt
Let go because there is life out there and it is calling you. It may seem like life has stopped for you at the moment, but outside, it is still moving on, so join it. To do this you need to detach yourself from the hurt. I must stress that this detachment is from the pain, not the person. If someone has died, the last thing you want to do is to forget them. It is the hurt that does the damage - not eating or sleeping properly and neglecting your self. Let go of that.
Testing time - check out your strengths
As you're searching for a way through the pain, try out new things. There could be hobby that you have thought about doing but not got round to it yet. It could also mean, visiting new places - a new adventure or chapter in your life.
Internalising the situation
Acceptance is the only way forward. There is nothing you can do to change the situation. Searching for reasons why this had to happen will lead to nowhere. It has and there is really only one way to go, and that is forward.
There will always be regret and the feeling that you wish you had done things differently. However, freedom from pain and regret is what you need and I know a man that can give you just that - His name is Jesus!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

 

Don't make assumptions

"Don't be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbour deals you a shameful defeat."

                                                                                                          Proverbs 25:8.  NLT

It is so easy to make assumptions about something or someone. We can believe that we are certain about something even though we have no proof whatsoever. When we go down this road, we are heading for big problems, a lot of pain, embarrassment and loss of integrity.

In the above example, Solomon speaks about the folly of someone taking another person to court about something; spending a fortune on legal fees and then losing the case. He points out that if you lose, you may be put to shame. However, whatever happens, it will be costly - financially and socially. This can be linked to believing something that isn't true. It may appear so and the devil may pour seeds of doubt and suspicion on it all. But if you're wrong, you will end up with egg on your face and with hostility from the people or person involved that you made assumptions about. You will then end up the loser.

Assumption can be akin to suspicion. It can be anything but becomes something as we focus on it more and more. In fact, it can totally take over our lives leaving us unable to focus or concentrate on anything else. This is the time we need to stop and analyse the suspicion. We can be so suspicious that with every breath we take, we begin assuming that what we are suspicious of, is the truth. If we don't take action at this stage it may lead to disaster. 

Without proof, there really is nothing we can do to address the situation sensibly. We must cease from following the lies of the devil because all he will do is make matters worse. That's what he's like. Instead, what we need to do is:

'Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you'.  1 Peter 5:7   NLT

'Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall'   Psalm 55:22.  NLT

It's always sensible to start with God, because He can be relied on and knows all things. He can save many a heartache.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Growth

"but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ"

                                                                                                                2 Peter 3:18.  NKJV

Some time ago, as I was going to a wedding, my wife encouraged me to try on my suit in order to check it still fitted. I hadn't worn it for some time and I had been on a diet too. As I did this, I had a total shock. My trousers fell down to my ankles and wouldn't stay up even wearing a belt. To wear braces, I looked like one of those clowns from a circus. Madness. The jacket was so big, we both could have fitted into it. It was obvious, I either had to put on two stone in a week or get a new suit. I decided on the suit.

Growth in the spiritual world and this world are opposites. To lose weight in this world, done sensibly, is healthy. To lose weight in the spiritual world, is bad news. Let me explain, where it is much needed for us to have a healthy weight and take care of ourselves fitness wise; it is unwise to neglect our spiritual life by not reading and studying our bibles. When we neglect this, we're losing weight - spiritual weight. Spiritual growth encompasses spiritual, mental and emotional development. By daily reading our bibles and studying what God has to say to us, we're helping to renew our mind as well as know more about Him.

People go to the gym to exercise; they may also go jogging and swimming. What they're doing is good, exercise is beneficial to our body, health and mind. Alternatively, people may go to church or some other place of worship where they can gain wisdom, knowledge and direction from God. Both of these are vitally important to us; but a balance has to be struck. As a Christian, we so need Jesus - we can't make it without Him. Don't make fitness and diet more important than He is. In fact, why not involve Him on your daily jog or power walk? Why not take Him to the gym? What I'm saying is, don't leave Him out of this time. You need Him; you can't make it without Him. He is vital to your very existence.

Therefore, grow in grace - not in weight. Lose weight sensibly, but don't lose Jesus, Spiritual growth is important.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

God gives according to His grace

"Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you." V14                                                                                                      Matthew 20:1-16.  NKJV

A landowner went out early to hire workers to labour in his vineyard. Some of the workers started around 6am, doing a full day's work. It was agreed that they would be paid a denarius, which was the going rate for a day's labour. Agreeing to this, they set to work. Throughout the day, the landowner set on more workers at 9am, 3pm and finally at 5pm. To each he told them he would pay whatever he felt right.

At the end of the day, he called the workers who had been hired at 5pm and then the ones at 3pm and 9am and paid each of them a denarius. When he came to the workers who had been there since 6am, they were expecting to be paid more than their agreed day's pay. However, they also received a denarius. They complained about this, claiming that it was unfair, after all they had been working all of the day. But the landowner told them that he was not treating them unfairly, but had paid them what they agreed to; it was his money and he could do what he chose. He said to them, 'Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.'

This is the heart of Jesus. He takes the forgotten, the people who have been passed over and the rejects and has compassion on them - He sees their potential. Don't forget these workers, who were set on later in the day, had actually been standing and waiting all the time hoping for work.

When we see this happen in our church or elsewhere, we can be tempted to feel like the first workers did, thinking, 'It is so unfair.' We can then begin feeling bad towards the person who is being favoured and to the one who is favouring. When we do this, our motives are completely wrong.

God can and does, distribute His gifts and His goodness as He chooses. He doesn't have to ask us first what we think. He is free to bestow His favour on whom He desires. It's called grace. 

Just for a moment, remember the many times that God poured His grace upon you. The obvious one is when you were born again. He saw your potential when no one else could see it or care about it. Then think about the grace He has shown you since - the answered prayer, the love He has given you to share with your family and friends and the blessings. And don't forget that He has made you a cherished child of God.

Now that's what I call fair.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Be Ready

"Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching."

Check out the words, 'Be ready', in our text today. Wherever we are in our busy day, there is always someone in need that we come across. They may not tell us this at first, but when we walk closely in the Spirit, two things may happen: (1) The Holy Spirit shines a light on someone, showing us things are not all that well, (2) People pick up on us, that we are different and they begin to feel safe with us.

John Wimber once spoke of a lady who was watching him closely as he did his shopping in a store. He was a little embarrassed at first but then she came up to him and said, 'You're different, what is it?' John picking up on what was happening replied, 'It's the Holy Spirit madam, why don't you draw near to God right now?' And she did and was saved. What had happened? The lady was in need and saw something in John Wimber that she needed - and that was Jesus.

This is not unique. It is not only reserved for ministers or Bible College students. It is available to us all. When we spend a lot of time with someone, we begin to pick up some of their traits. Likewise, when we spend a lot of time with Jesus, we become so much like Him that people begin to notice that there is something about us that they need, even though they may not know what it is. They will begin to tell us their troubles and pains jbecause they feel safe with us. There's a lot of people who have pressing problems in this world but they have no one to unload on - no one who will listen. This is where we come in.

As we live in a state of readiness, the state where we are open to whatever comes our way, people notice this  and just begin telling us all of their problems. Many are genuine, ordinary people. We may meet the odd person who just wants a handout but, they still need Jesus and while they're with us, they have the opportunity.

You may well have had people just coming up to you and telling you their problems. You may not. However, if you live in that state of readiness, that state of being able to show people Jesus; if you live each day filled with God's Spirit, you will begin to have people coming up to you, so be ready!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Living in Freedom

"If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. (32) And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free"

                                                                                                     John 8:31-32.  NKJV

The word freedom means to live without restraints or controlling forces, to live without being in captivity. Freedom is what Jesus gives each and every person who give their lives to Him. Not every Christian experiences the true value of this freedom. It can only be found in abiding in God's Word and being His disciple.

We need to abide in His Word - to live 100% for Jesus. To abide, we know, means to live; to remain and to walk in Jesus. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1), so to live in Him, we have to know both Him and the Word He gave us, and that Word is the truth. John Avanzini says, 'You cannot live in a truth you do not know'. Therefore, to know Jesus, you have to walk in the Word and His truth.

Tasker commented on the subject of abiding in God's Word:

'Welcoming it, being at home with it and living with it so continuously, that it becomes part of the believer's life - a permanent influence and stimulus in every fresh advance in goodness and happiness'.

This was how Jesus was able to combat the devil's temptations in the wilderness (Matthew 4). With everything that the devil fired at Him, He answered, 'It is written'.Do you get the idea? You have to know it to be able to use it. Jesus knew the truth - God's Word, and it was able to set Him free from all the devil threw at Him.

This is the result of abiding in His Word. We prove ourselves to be His disciples and we know the truth, and that is the secret to living in freedom. Jesus said, 'And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free'. 

Are you free? Would you consider that you are abiding in God's Word? Do you know the truth? People go to university to learn a skill; we go to Jesus to learn how to walk and survive in Him. Why not make it a way of life!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Are your Insurance Premiums paid up?

"Rejoice because your names are written in Heaven"

                                                                                                    Luke 10:20.  NKJV

Whenever we have an accident, something gets stolen or we lose something when we're out and about, it's reassuring to know that we are covered by insurance and that the premiums are all paid up to date. If we have no insurance then we can't expect to receive anything back.
Many people don't bother with insurance, believing that it's a waste of time and money - 'Nothings going to happen, it's too expensive anyway.' That is, until it does and then that can be a great loss. In a similar way, many people ignore their salvation. Some feel there is no God - 'There's nothing after death'. How shocking it will be when they discover differently at the end of their lives. But by then, it will be too late.
Others keep putting it off, 'I'll think about it, but until then I've a lot of living to enjoy.' There will be 'no living to enjoy', if they suddenly die and have not made a commitment to Jesus. Again, it will be too late. At death, there are two destinations - heaven or hell. There is nothing in between. Without Jesus, we're already on the way to hell no matter how good we are being. We need Jesus. He has the key to heaven and as soon as we give our lives to Him, our destination changes - our names become written in heaven and when our lives come to an end, that is where we will reside, safe in His arms.
It isn't a game. We cannot gamble with our salvation. We need to consider where we want to be - right now! When we die, it is too late to make that decision. After death, there are no second chances and it doesn't matter how good we have been during our life. Jesus is the only way into heaven. To gamble with our salvation would be like taking insurance out on something after an accident and expecting a pay out. It doesn't work like that, neither does your salvation. It's rather like catching a train with only two destinations to choose from. We have to make a choice and that choice will determine where we will end up.
You may already be a Christian but you may have drifted away a little or may need to rededicate your life to Jesus. Alternatively, you may never have made that choice but today you have that opportunity. Why not make sure your insurance premiums are paid up to date:

Lord Jesus, please come and live in my heart and forgive my sins. I give my life to You to be used as You see fit. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and be my Lord and my Saviour from this moment. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Welcome, you have been born again

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Why not now Lord? Final Part

"(53)Then from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. (54) Therefore Jesus, no longer walked openly among the Jews ..."  

                                                                                                        John 11:45-57.  NKJV 

In conclusion to our study of the account of Lazarus, we see Jesus performing the most amazing of miracles - raising Lazarus from the dead and many people are in awe of this feat; others are criticising Him and now there is a plot to kill Him.
This was life for Jesus, and to a degree, it is the same for anyone who makes a stand for Him. If we put our neck on the chopping block, we can be sure that the devil will try to chop our head off. He's not our friend

.
Families can be separated because a member declares that they have become a Christian. Persecutions may follow. In some countries today, Christians are imprisoned and even executed for their faith. There was a popular song a few years ago entitled, 'I never promised you a rose garden'. And this is so true.

The disciple Thomas, who is often referred to as Doubting Thomas, had to be careful because he was also known as the twin (11:16). This was because he had an uncanny resemblance to Jesus. So wherever he went, it was understandable that he had a few doubts. 

Before Jesus' death, afterwards and even today, to declare that you're a follower of Jesus can be risky  in some areas of life. Persecutions can come in our jobs, where we can be passed over for promotion because we're 'religious'. When certain people hear about our faith, it can bring division and sometimes heavy debates about, 'If there is a God, then why does He allow...'. We've all heard this one.

If persecution and hatred came to Jesus, you can bet it will come to you. But one thing is for sure, when we make a stand for Jesus; when we speak about Him and lead people to follow Him; when we share His love to a hurting world and when we live our lives for Him, He is so grateful to us and is with us, every step of the way.

 
He knows what you've been through. He knows accepting Him was costly and one day He will welcome you into His heaven and give you the biggest hug that you've ever had. At the end of the day, He didn't promise us a rose garden. The garden He promises us has the Tree of Life in it!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

                                                                                 

Why not now Lord Part Four

"Take away the stone" (v38)                                                                   John 11:38- 44.  NKJV

As soon as Jesus commanded that the stone be taken away from Lazarus' tomb, the devil and all the demons surrounding the tomb, were petrified. The devil had robbed Jesus of His friend and Mary and Martha of their brother, and he was satisfied that he had brought pain into their lives. However, he underestimated the power of Jesus. He didn't think that after four days that Jesus would try to raise Lazarus from the dead. But he had a shock. He is no match for the awesome power that Jesus has. That day, he had no power to prevent Jesus doing what he had set out to do four days earlier. He commanded the stone to be taken away and things began to happen! He stood outside the tomb and demonstrated His power by declaring in a loud voice, full of authority, 'Lazarus come forth,' and Lazarus did just that.
Jesus spoke with authority and He showed the devil who really is in charge. There is nothing that He cannot perform for each one of us. 'Is anything too hard for the LORD' (Genesis 18:14). Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Nothing. And we need to grasp hold of this fact. But let us look a little closer at verse 44:
'And he who had died  came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go'.
BOUND HAND AND FOOT 
Lazarus was shackled. He was alive but there was nothing he could do whilst his hands and feet were tied. He needed to be loosed.
GRAVE CLOTHES
By wearing these grave clothes, he was identifying with death. They needed to be taken off and a new set of clothes given to him.
FACE WRAPPED WITH A CLOTH
Lazarus was unable to speak properly because of this restraint.
When Jesus said 'Loose him', all of these restraints were taken away from him and he could function properly. Let me ask you three questions:
(1) Have you been bound hand and foot, so much so that you are going nowhere?
(2) Have you felt your ministry and walk with God is dead and you're identifying with
     spiritual death?
(3) Does it feel like your mouth has been stopped and you cannot speak up for Jesus?
Today, stand up and let Jesus take the stone away from the staleness of your spiritual walk. He has commanded, not only to Lazarus, but to you too, that you be loosed and be set free. If this is you, then let us pray:
Lord Jesus, I have felt that my hands and feet are bound; that I am spiritually dead and that my face has a cloth over it, hindering my speech. I turn to You Jesus and I receive, by faith Your touch that says, 'LOOSE HIM/HER AND LET HIM/HER GO,' In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

   

                                                      

Why not now Lord? Part Three

"Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"                                                                             John 11:28-37.  NKJV

When Mary saw Jesus, she said exactly, word for word, what Martha had said: 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.' (11:21) But there was a difference; Martha shot from the hip and said whatever she was thinking. Whereas, Mary was more gentle and knelt before Jesus in tears. It was the same question that Martha had asked, but it was spoken with a deep compassion which demonstrated her pain. It affected Jesus so much that He felt her pain transferred over to Himself and this caused Jesus to weep also. (v35).

This also had an impact on the onlookers who had gathered, an event that they would remember for some time. Seeing this mighty figure weeping, was something they had not expected and it moved them. A few were no different from some people today however; 'Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?' One can almost feel the insincerity in their words. Remember, not all who followed Jesus were committed to Him; and we can meet this type of person today. They are characterised by complaining about everything. We can all act this way every now and again, but these people are more prone to find fault in the majority of things they see and hear about. Criticism is this type of person's forte and their comments can be quite hurtful. You may have met some of them. They usually fall into two categories: they will talk behind your back, or they will say things to your face, possibly loud enough for others to hear, and it can be so humiliating and deskilling. There is constructive criticism and there is destructive criticism. You may well have been the recipient of the latter. 

Jesus would have heard them as they spoke in the crowd; there's no doubt about that; and He would have been used to hearing derogatory comments about Him too. Yet, He didn't allow it to stop His work. He refused to be prevented from fulfilling His Father's work. He always gave His best for Him, so don't let anyone or anything stop you. Press on.

You have a calling and the devil doesn't want you achieving it, so he will use people to stop you, humiliate you and convince you that you have it wrong. This just proves that you have it right, so joyfully get on with the job. God's relying on you.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Why not now Lord? Part two

"Your brother will rise again"  (V23)                                                 John 11:17-27.  NKJV

When Jesus arrived in Bethany at the home of Martha and Mary, He found that Lazarus had been dead for four days. We often wonder at the fact of Jesus delaying visiting His friend for so long, but another explanation for this may have been old Jewish superstition. It was believed by many at that time, that after someone had died, the soul would remain at the graveside waiting to see if the body would be resurrected. Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus back to life, but didn't wish for the people to believe it was through superstition but through the glory of God. He wanted people to see God's power and believe.

Martha was disappointed that Jesus hadn't come straightaway, but she still demonstrated her faith in Jesus by saying, 'But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You' (v22). Jesus replied, 'Your brother will rise again' (v23). Martha took this that Jesus was referring to when they would be re-united in Heaven. But Jesus meant now!

How do you handle disappointment? Mary was at home probably praying about the situation, while Martha had run out to meet Jesus when she had heard He was in the vicinity. It could be taken that Martha was a little angry with Jesus for not turning up in time. But she always said it as it was and couldn't hide her disappointment. However, she still believed that Jesus could change things. She said, 'Even now' (v22). What she meant was 'I know You can still do this.'

Do you believe that of Jesus? When you feel let down, can you say, 'Even now Jesus, I know You can do this'. This is the attitude that we need to adopt. We ask God, we believe we have what we ask for and by faith we receive it. (Mark 11:24) This is the faith Jesus wants us to live by, 'Even now Lord, no matter what, I know You won't let me down. Even now, You're at work performing what I have asked You for.'

You may have been asking God for healing; for provision; for that special job that you are qualified for or for that break you have been waiting for. Don't become disappointed that it has not happened yet. 'Even now' God can do it. Check your heart is right with God, that you have no unconfessed sin and that you're in the position that God wants you in. If not, make some adjustments, and then wait because, 'Even now', God can bring your miracle to you.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

                                                      

Why not now Lord?

"Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick'. (4) When Jesus heard that, He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it"
                                                                                                     John 11:3 - 16.  NKJV

Why didn't Jesus go to Lazarus' home immediately? The sister's plea to Him had been urgent enough, but He remained where He was for a further two days. The reason was, Jesus knew the outcome; He knew what He had to do and He knew what He would do. He was in total control of the situation. He told His disciples (in verse 14-15) 'Lazarus is dead, (15) and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.' He wanted to mature their faith; to teach them; in fact, to grow their faith even deeper. And He wants to do that with us too.

The disciples thought this was extremely strange, they couldn't make sense of it and it was agonising for Mary and Martha, who were waiting anxiously for Him to come. Jesus responded this way, three times in the Gospel of John. Firstly in this text; then The Wedding at Cana John 2:1-11 and finally in John 7:1-10, when His brothers were urging Him to go to the Feast of Tabernacles and He refused to go with them. Each time, someone dear to His life and He seemingly wouldn't do what they asked, or delayed the process.

You see, Jesus knows the end result, He knows what He is going to do. On on all of these occasions, His refusal to grant their requests was to show them that He does things according to  the timing and will of God, not man.

This really explains those times when we are pleading with Him to help us and nothing appears to happen. He hears us the first time we ask Him to help us and His great love and compassion for us, goes into action there and then, However, because He can see things that we can't; because He knows the future and the way ahead, He masterminds the way forward for us. Many is the time when we want to steam ahead, dashing into blindness. And many times, this is where we get it wrong. Jesus has all the answers. He knows what He is going to do and will perform it at the given time.
So relax. Stop thinking that He hasn't heard your prayers. Stop thinking that He isn't interested, because you're so wrong if you think that way. He adores you!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

There's no need to be scared

"It is I, do not be afraid"                                                   John 6:15-21.  NKJV

Following the miraculous feeding of the Five Thousand, the people were in awe of Jesus. They wanted Him as their king to prevent Roman oppression such as there was in Judea under Herod. They wanted to force this issue; to manipulate Jesus with kind words, but Jesus was having nothing to do with it. He knew it was a temptation from the devil to make Him king. Jesus knew that He would eventually be the King of all kings and wasn't going to manipulated into the schemings of the evil one.

Instead, He went to Hs secret, solitary place - the mountain, as we discussed the other day. He knew He could find solace and strength there. He knew that He could seek His Father's advice, direction and comfort. This is why the secret place is so important to each of us. We need it. 

Later, Jesus walked on the water to be with His disciples. He had heard their panic - their cries for help when they were in the turbulent water, and He was there to help them. 'It is I, do not be afraid' He told them and all was peaceful. Several things come to mind here:

(1) Watch the flattery; the words that can seduce you into doing what you shouldn't do - to jump the gun, dashing into something that seems so right for you, but really, is a counterfeit experience from the evil one.

(2) Remember the importance of your secret place - the place you go for your quiet time with Jesus. It is vital to do this. This is why Jesus went there and He knows far better than us.

(3) There is no need to be afraid at all. Fear is from the evil one and the opposite of faith. Fear can keep you rooted to the spot, afraid to take a step forward. It robs you of all Jesus has for you. Take His words to heart, 'It is I; do not be afraid.'

There was a mighty miracle that day. The disciples had feared drowning, they were losing control of their boat. They were possibly only halfway to their destination when this happened, fighting against the wind and making little progress. Then Jesus turned up and they invited Him into the boat and, immediately, they were at dry land. It was miraculous. Certain death and devastation was over-ruled when they invited Jesus into their situation. Did you get this? Certain death and devastation was over-ruled when they invited Jesus into their situation. 

Do this for yourself and expect a miracle!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

 

The Hypocrite

(1) Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees - their hypocrisy. (2) The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed and all that is secret will be made known to all. (3) Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear."

                                                                                               Luke 12:1-3. New Living Translation

Very strong and attention-getting words from Jesus! Words that make us look within ourselves and check out what we have been saying and how we act.

William Barclay commenting on this passage said:

'The original Jewish meaning of the word hypocrite began by meaning someone who answers. Hypocrisy originally meant answering. First the words were used of the ordinary flow of question and answer in any talk or dialogue. Then they began to be connected with question and answer in a play. From that, they went on to be connected with acting a part. The hypocrite is never genuine but is always play-acting. The basis of hypocrisy is insincerity.'

                                                                     William Barclay - The Gospel of Luke

Food for thought isn't it? So the root of hypocrisy is insincerity - it is play-acting or living a lie. The hypocrite - which we can all be at times - seeks success and the attention of others. The hypocrite lives such a life that condemns certain sinful practices, that they may be involved with themselves - but in secret.

Over the years, several well-known preachers have had their sinfulness revealed - the very sin that they had been preaching against. The hypocrite can hide their lifestyle from other people but they cannot hide it from God. He may well reveal it at sometime.

This is strong stuff, but let us look at the 'play-acting' side of things. We've all done this from time to time - copying that special hero type figure. There was a film some time ago about a chap called Walter Mitty, which was about a daydreamer who used fantasy to give himself escape from his humdrum life. He would imagine he was a war-time pilot; an imminent surgeon or a successful spy, just to make his life more exciting. The problem was, he always had to come back to reality.

The bottom line? You may have been hypocritical on occasions, leading people to think of you, what you are not. Repent. God is very forgiving. You may also be the 'Walter Mitty' type, imagining yourself in that next blockbuster assignment. Just stop there and be yourself. God knows you as yourself, not as some fantasy hero. Just be you. He likes that.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

He always give us the best

"Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now."

                                                                                                   John 2:10.  NKJV

Wherever Jesus goes, He brings quality into a person's life - He turns water in wine. He doesn't just keep the best until last, He turns the last into best!

Many people today are classed as outcasts. They have nothing of any value. Life has kicked them into the gutter. However, like a roadsweeper brushes the debris from the road, Jesus sweeps the downtrodden up and turns them into a brand new person. People who felt that they were a nobody, become a somebody.

Life can be cruel at times. One moment someone can be a high-flyer, the next a bankrupted reject. But Jesus picks up rejects, dusts them down and puts them onto a new path.

You may have made a few mistakes. As the saying goes, you may be, 'down on your luck'. The thing is, luck has nothing to do with it. Life is usually affected by choices that we make and you may have made some bad ones. If you have, chances are they can't be changed and you have to live with the outcome. However, your success can be re-invented as you re-channel it into Jesus. He turned water into wine. Therefore, He can turn your failure or bad decision into a new success. In fact, your success can be on the horizon as He puts you into a place of quality. Things may have taken a tumble in your life and you may have been left as the last in the race of successful people. Relax and turn to Jesus and as you do, He will show you that He takes the last and turns them into the best.

You are accepted; loved and restored as you 'look unto Him - Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith.' (Hebrews 12:2). He will raise you back into your rightful place. Talk to Him now:

'Lord Jesus, I turn to You right now and ask You to help me. I've made some mistakes. Please repair the damage Lord and restore me. In Jesus' Name. Amen'

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Do you know the password?

"Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in."  v7                                                                       Psalm 24.  NKJV

In this incredible day of technology, we have passwords for everything; in fact, so many that most of us forget them. But they are vital for opening doors online and in buildings. We can do very little without them.
Really, it was no different in David's day. David wrote Psalm 24 signifying the return of the ark of the covenant from the Philistines back into the Israelites hands. (2 Samuel 6:11-18). It assumes that when a king approached the gates of a city, a voice would cry out, 'Open the gates.' From inside, a voice would reply, 'Who is there?' The answer would be, 'It is the king'. The doors would  then open.

The term, 'the King of Glory shall come in.' (v7) was fulfilled when:
(1) The ark of the Covenant returned to the Israelites.
(2) When Jesus ascended into Heaven. (Acts 1:9-10)
(3) And when an individual's heart opens to Jesus as King

When God is welcomed with open gates and doors, He is pleased to come in. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. (James 4:8) But this is where the password comes in - Jesus. He is the password; He has the key to Heaven. We'll never make it without the key; we'll never make it if we neglect the password. The question may be asked, 'Who is this King of Glory? Our answer must be Jesus.

But we need to clean up our act. We need to change things we know are not fit in the Kingdom of God. 'What things?' You may ask. The things that make us feel overwhelmed with guilt when we've done or said something we know is wrong. V3-5 says:

'Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? (4) He who has clean hands and a pure heart. Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol. Nor sworn deceitfully (5) He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of His salvation.'

It is clean up time. A time for refining our walk with Jesus. We have the password and we have His invitation. When we stand before a king, wouldn't we usually clean up our act? For Jesus, we need to!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com