Psalm 23 - Final Part

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever!"                                                Psalm 23:6    NKJV 

Our Shepherd provides us with goodness for our needs and mercy for our failures. Goodness for our steps and mercy for our stumbles.

We need His goodness; we need to know that He will take care of us and supply all of our needs - and He will. As long as we continue to walk with our Shepherd, He will take care of us and protect us. If we fall - and we will at times, He will be there waiting for us to call out to Him. Don't forget, our Shepherd became a sheep and then the Lamb of God. He identifies with us.

Ask yourself these two questions: 'Do I know the Psalm of the Shepherd or the Shepherd of the Psalm? Have I head knowledge or heart knowledge? There is a big difference. When we truly know Jesus as our Shepherd, this Psalm will take on a deeper meaning. It will become our personal confession of a sheep with the Shepherd. 

All over the world, people are drawn to this Psalm and that is good. But how better it would be if they all could see Jesus in it; if they could just see Jesus as their Shepherd. There are many hurting and confused people that we meet from time to time. Without Jesus, they are sheep without a shepherd. They wander about lost in a world that doesn't really care about them. You know by experience that you couldn't make it without your Shepherd. You know that. All the more why you need to introduce them to Him whenever you get the opportunity. They need help so that they can share the banquet too.

Just think, how many times have you blown it since you became a Christian? How many times have you wanted to throw the towel in and go it alone? Quite a few times I would think, especially the first one. We all fall into sin; we all mess up and become involved in things that we know are wrong but, we do them anyway. The wonderful thing is, when we do, as we approach our Shepherd and ask for forgiveness, He is there to oblige. 1 John 1:9. He is faithful and forgiving.

If you have walked away from Jesus, or want to rededicate your life, why not come to Jesus right now:

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge my sin today and ask You to forgive me. Please come and live in my heart and fill me with Your Holy Spirit - that fire of God. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour today. Thank you for accepting me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Why not share this post to someone you know who is struggling. It may be just what they need at this time.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Psalm 23. Part 3

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over."                                                       Psalm 23:5       NKJV

David pictures a table that had been amply laid out with all the delicacies one could eat and drink. It was a banquet. Now, ordinarily when David had been pursued by his enemies, he probably only had the time to grab something - anything - to eat as he hurried away into battle. Here, God wanted none of this haste. He wanted David to realise that, whatever he may go through; His Shepherd would always take care of him. There was no need to hurry or worry even if his enemies were sitting around the table with him. All they could do would be to watch as David refreshed himself on this succulent banquet.

As long as David allowed Him, God was in control of everything and His Holy Spirit was inside of David to the overflow. He was anointed with fresh oil, the anointing oil being the Holy Spirit Himself.

It is the same with us. Our Shepherd feeds and anoints us. He allows our enemies to see how blessed we are. They won't be able to harm us, all they can do is look and see how powerful we are with Jesus Christ living within our hearts. 

Realise just how blessed you are. Realise how much your Shepherd - Jesus Christ - loves you. Realise how much value He places in you. If you wander off and become lost, then He will come looking for you. If you have fallen down, then He will use His staff to pull you up again. If you are attacked, He will use His rod on your attackers. He is 100% behind you. He is 100% wanting you to succeed in all He gives you to do. He just cannot get enough of you. He loves you more than words could ever say.

Jerry Vine wrote some very encouraging words in his bible:

'The Lord doesn't just bless us; He blesses us in an overflowing and abundant way. He doesn't just do good things for us; good things overflow in our lives.'

                                                                             The Vines Expository Bible  NKJV

Why not spend some time studying and praying this Psalm through. It will enrich you. We'll look at the final part tomorrow.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

Psalm 23. Part 2

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."              Psalm 23:4      NKJV 

David begins writing this Psalm in the 'He' mode. However, from verse 4, he changes to a more personal 'You' mode. As he speaks, sings and writes, praising and worshipping God, his writing takes a different route - one of intimacy. An editor would say that this type of writing is classic, lack of experience writing, one in which the author interchanges his writing between 'He' and then 'You' at the next paragraph. However, this is not so, here. David was an experienced man of God, a song writer and author. He knew what he was writing and he couldn't resist speaking to God in the first instance. A time comes in our Christian life, when we develop such intimacy with God that we must be right there with Him.

Note the, 'I walk through the valley of the shadow of death'. When we walk or drive through somewhere, it usually means that we're not stopping; and this was the emphasis here. We all have to die at some stage, but our comfort comes from knowing that we will not remain in the valley of the shadow of death. As a Christian, we will go through this valley and Jesus will go through there with us. He will then take us to one of His mansions in the Father's House John 14:2. We will live forever. There is no fear in death at all. Jesus paved the way for us.

Note also, 'the shadow of death'. Shadows come from light being cast as a reflection. Do you see it? Jesus is with us during the process. He is the light that is being cast on the darkness of death. But it is only a shadow. Death cannot hold us; Jesus is with is. 'What while we're in the coffin? No, He is not there, not at all. However, neither are you. Inside the coffin is your old body. You don't need it anymore, you will receive a new one as you sit in your mansion sharing a Daily Life with Jesus.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Psalm 23. Part 1

"1 The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."                                Psalm 23:1-3       NKJV      

God wants to provide us with all that we will need in this life to be able to be happy and peaceful. He cares for us as His sheep and, He will take care of of each of us. Let us take a brief look at some of His provision:

* A shepherd provides a safe environment for his flock, a place where they can rest and eat. They feel safe with him or her. God does the same. We need His care and protection and it is good to know that, He has our back. He will never let us down.

* A shepherd provides rest, refreshment, satisfaction, happiness and peace for his sheep. It is God's intention to provide the same for us. There is so much unrest in our daily lives that at times, we do not know which way to turn. Jesus is there to point the way.

* The shepherd provides restoration from anxiety, weariness and stress. Sheep are very tender animals and do fret at times. God does the same for us. God does not wish for us to be anxious about anything. He is with us. There is no need to flap about things. Give them to Him and He'll take care of the rest.

Sheep are not the most intelligent of animals and need regular direction because they easily become lost. Shepherds have the responsibility to provide rest. They need to provide for their sheep; this includes food, protection and rest. It has been observed that some sheep will never lie down unless their fears are removed. Humans are no different, when we have things on our minds, things that are worrying us, it is never easy to sleep. We pace the house worrying and plotting how we can resolve something. It is much easier to give it, to our Shepherd.

The Lord restores our soul; this includes our mind, will and emotions. Restore means to 'turn back'. The grass can appear greener on the other side and we can become distracted by this. Before we know it, we have wandered away. It's very rare that when a sheep wanders off that it will return to the flock. This is why the shepherd goes out looking for it. 

Someone you know may have wandered off from Jesus by looking at things they can't really have. But He is watching. He will never let them go and, without any force, at some stage He will bring them back into the fold.

The safest place to be in this world, is in the place where your Shepherd is. He knows you through and through. He is gentle, loving and kind, and if anyone tries to hurt you, He will drive them away, as long as you are walking with Him. 

Isn't it wonderful that the Shepherd knows your name?

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

 

                                                                             

'Jesus' is the Password

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

                                                                                                     John 14:6    NKJV

Eternal life is available to one and all, but only to those who invite Jesus into their hearts. For years, people have been misled that if we live a good life, we will go to Heaven when we die. This is not true. Eternal life is only available through faith in Jesus. This is why He died a painful death so that He would take our sin upon Himself and declare us, not guilty. To say that we have an open access to heaven when we die, denies all that Jesus did at Calvary. Jesus says this very clearly in our text above, 'No one comes to the Father except through Me.' Again in John 3:18. 'He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not  believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.'

We cannot get away from the fact that, we need Jesus in our hearts to qualify for heaven. We must ask Him into our hearts and confess our sin, otherwise we are lost. Psalm 24 is an interesting text:

"8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates, lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in."                                                                                                Psalm 24:8-9 NKJV

The King of glory is Jesus, He has the password for heaven. 'For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Romans 10:13. The name of the Lord is Jesus, this name is the password. Without this name, we are lost.

At the end of our life, we will all stand before Jesus and give an account of our life. If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we will be admitted without question. If we haven't, no amount of bargaining with the Lord will help. Read Matthew 25:31-46 to get an accurate account of this. It is so important you do this.

To sum up, Jesus is the way, He is the truth and He is the life. He is also the one who will allow you or refuse you entry into His kingdom. Accept Jesus as Lord and you are home and dry. Refuse to do this because you think you are saved already, and you will regret it for eternity.

Why not be certain about your future destination and pray this:

Lord Jesus, I recognise that you are the way into heaven. You have the password and it is 'Jesus'. I confess my sins right now and ask You to come into my heart and be my Lord and Saviour. Please fill me with Your Spirit now. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

You are now firmly saved. Welcome

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

He is the Life Part 3

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."           

                                                                                                            John 14:6    NKJV

Jesus said in John 10:10, 'I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly'. Now this means, that Jesus just doesn't give us an ordinary life, not at all. Instead, He offers us a superabundance, excessive, overflowing, more than enough, extraordinary life. The root word for abundantly is 'beyond'. So therefore what He offers us is beyond measure, it exceeds the limit of our thinking. Just take a look at what Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20: 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us'.  

Jesus offers us, more than enough in life. Now, this is not only financial blessing. That's part of it, as we honour Him with our money, He will pour a generous measure back to us. But He offers life to the full. Just think back how much he has blessed you since He came into your life. Think back 20 years or so and see what you had in comparison to today. He blesses us and takes care of us.

Jesus wants us to enjoy our lives. He wants us to be happy and live our lives to the full. He sends opportunities our way that may bring us wealth or a better level of living. He brings us people who love us, people who care. To walk with Jesus is life - life to the full. Spend a lot of time with Him and you will see that He is good company; He has a sense of humour and he is a great friend. Jesus always goes beyond measure for each of us. We only have to look at His suffering on the cross to realise this. He gave His life, in full, so that we could live our lives in full.

But there is so much to life than we could ever imagine. One day, we will find this out as we walk towards Him and hear Him say, 'Well done my friend, you served me well.' There is an eternity that we will be able to spend with Him. We'll look a little closer at this tomorrow, but until then, consider this: Jesus Christ, our friend and Saviour is life, has life, is offering life in abundance and promises you and I a life that can be found nowhere else. 

If your life is pretty mundane, why not try giving Jesus all you have and allowing Him to make a difference in you. As I said earlier, we'll look a little closer at this tomorrow.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

He is the Truth. Part 2

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."            

                                                                                                            John 14:6    NKJV

I dislike lies, how about you? Some people will say, 'It was only a little lie, it doesn't matter.' Yes, it does matter and, yes, it was a lie. You cannot water down an untruth, it is full lie.

Jesus was and is, full of truth. He never lied - ever, it's the devil who does that. We can rely on what the Word of God says, it is the total truth; and, when God makes you a promise, even though you may have to wait for a long time, it will happen. People have waited for many years for the fulfilment of a promise of God. Usually, God will say 'Yes', but He tends not to always say when. We just have to be patient, knowing that He cannot lie.

The great missionary to China, James Hudson-Taylor once commented about Mathew 6.33 by saying, 'If we can only wait right up to the time, God cannot lie; God cannot forget. He is pledged to supply all our need.' And God did, Hudson-Taylor may have had to wait for his needs to be fulfilled, but God never let him down, and what's more, He won't let you down either. Jesus is not only true, He is the Truth. 

I heard of a minister who was invited to preach at a church fifty miles away. Now this minister was a man of faith and received very little by way of remuneration from his church. He was a newly qualified Pastor. He agreed to the invitation but was so short of cash that he wondered how the small amount of petrol in his car, would get him there and home again. He set off. Halfway through the trip, the car began to jerk as it was running out of petrol. Just there on the side of the road, there was a garage. He slowly jerked on to the forecourt and a guy came out to administer the petrol. The Pastor asked the chap to fill the car with water. After a little deliberation, the man did so. The Pastor got to his knees and said to God, 'Lord, you once turned the water into wine; please now, turn this water into petrol. He then, stood up, thanked the chap for his kindness and got into his car and drove off. He not only got to his preaching venue but he returned safely home, all on water that had been miraculously turned into petrol.

I've told this story many times and it is true. However, I have received very skeptical comments. However, one cannot get away from the fact that, Jesus Christ is the Truth and His Word to us is the truth also. If it is in His Word, then it is true and He will perform it.

Obviously, I would warn about doing such a thing yourself, unless, of course, Jesus had specifically told you to do so, like the Pastor. One thing though, Grasp hold of the fact that, Jesus is exciting, He is amazing to walk with. He is wonderful to trust. And, He will NEVER let you down.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

He is the Way. Part 1

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."             

                                                                                                            John 14:6    NKJV

Let us explore this verse over the next few days. It carries a powerful message and one, that is often skipped over as we talk to people about Jesus. They need to know the fuller impact of this message. It contains a message of life or death.

This is Jesus' sixth I am pronouncement within this gospel. It is three-fold; Jesus is the way to the Father; He is the truth about God and He is the very life of God. The way that He leads, reveals this truth and opens the way for life eternal. Let us break this down into three areas:

The Way

Jesus is the way, not just the way, but the only way. We can often ask someone for directions to a place we need to visit. Many may give us a fairly accurate direction to this place. However, others may not be so sure. 'I think you can turn right down the road, no hold on, turn left. That should bring you to the back of the place. I should ask someone again when you get there.' These type of directions are hopeless and have us driving around in circles with no certainty that we will arrive where we should do.

We need certainty and Jesus offers this. He knows the way to Heaven and will show us the way if we ask Him into our lives. But also, Jesus is the way to other things. He knows the way to fix something in the house or garden. Oftentimes, we are faced with some kind of problem and we struggle to know what to do, or how to do it. Jesus knows the way how to do it. I have often mislaid my car keys and have searched the place from top to bottom with no success. That is the time that I have said. 'Show me where my car keys are, Lord.' And within seconds, He has led me to a coat pocket or drawer where I left them. I would have saved much time and frustration if I had asked Him in the first place.

He knows the way to fill in an application form for that special job you want; He also knows the way to act if someone has committed a fraudulent act against you. He knows the way to a good solicitor that you need and he knows the way to talk to your boss when you need a raise or possible promotion. He knows the way.

Some may think that much of this is not the way we should be with Jesus. That is so wrong. Jesus wants to be the central part of our life; He wants us to give Him the small things as well as the larger ones. He also knows when you're struggling in your Christian walk. He knows when you try and fail. All you have to do is ask Him the way to overcome this.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

Do we just sit and let it happen

"But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."                                       Acts 7:55     NKJV

If you are not familiar with the account of Stephen, can I encourage you to read Acts 6 & 7 so that, you can see what a shining example he was. So shining in fact, that Jesus, who since He  ascended into heaven sits at the right hand of God, is reported here as standing. Such was His excitement at the courage of this young man that He couldn't contain Himself. He had to stand and cheer him on. Charles Swindoll comments on this by giving an example of what Jesus may have been shouting to Stephen: 'Come on home, sweet Stephen. Come on home, dear servant of mine.' Obviously, we have nothing to back this up, but Jesus was standing and was possibly excited about it all; and furthermore, Stephen was His disciple, dear to His heart, so it does make sense that He could have said something similar to this.

Stephen did great signs and wonders among the people. He was full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Certain people didn't like this. You'll find this out for yourself if you do something for God, whether it be to preach, teach or just tell someone about Jesus. People don't like it and will stab you in the back. They did this to Stephen and falsely accused him of blasphemy; they even paid people to back this up to the Sanhedrin. Stephen gave a full account of the whole scriptures to date and even accused them of murdering Jesus on the cross. He was sentenced to be stoned, such was the rage of the people.

However, this was not a legal trial, it was more like a lynching. It was true that a person could be stoned for committing blasphemy, but the Sanhedrin had no rights to put anyone to death. Just like Jesus suffered trumped up charges and a very unfair trial, Stephen underwent a similar experience. Total injustice.

There comes a time when we, as Christians, have to make a stand for Jesus. There is a lot of injustice in this world and, no doubt, in the area where you live. Abortions for one thing, we cannot get away from the fact that it is murder and we need to be standing against this. Christianity cannot fully be taught within schools, it has to be multi-cultural, and yet, alternative sex can be taught as a satisfactory lifestyle. There is no discipline in schools and very little in certain homes, because smacking a child is a no-go area and you can be fined and receive a visit from Social Care. This is one of the reasons that there is so much violence on our streets. Come on, isn't it time that we spoke up about certain things? Isn't it time that we stopped thinking that someone will do something about it. Isn't it time that we got down and prayed about all that is going on instead of just the everyday issues that the church building needs?

Jesus made a difference. Stephen and the others also made a difference. Does it stop there?

What about: 

If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways , then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.'    2 Chronicles 7:14.

This is a good place to start!

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Jesus trusts you, do you trust Him?

 "24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because he knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man."   

                                                                                                                 John 2:24-25   NKJV

Jesus was at the Passover and, being in such crowds, many saw the signs which He did. John, the apostle, used the Greek word semeion which means 'signs' for the miracles that Jesus performed because, these works were not just super-natural, but were signs that unveiled the glory and the power of God working through, Jesus the Messiah.

Check out verse 23, 'Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.' Notice the last part of this verse, 'many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.' This was what Jesus had to beware of. Jesus was famous and drew crowds wherever He went. Many wanted to be with Him because of His fame and for the signs that He did. They wanted to see dramatic healings and demons being cast out; they wanted to witness the paraplegic being able to walk. They wanted to be in where it was happening - the in-crowd. And for this, Jesus had to be careful because, if they had their way, they would seize Him and make Him their king in order to take on the authorities. This was how they perceived the Messiah. Jesus therefore, did not trust them. They only wanted Jesus for what He could give them. If He didn't deliver, they would abandon Him and find someone else. They were not seeking the giver but the gift.

It is quite similar today in some circles. Some people will go from church to church, meeting to meeting, country to country, just to be where it is all happening. If things are not happening where they are, they will go looking for it. In a way, we can't blame them. If a church is dead and not going anywhere , it is good to go where spiritual food and fire are being given out. However, think for a moment, we serve the same Jesus, if things are not happening where you are, why not pray pray and pray a bit more until revival comes. Why not seek God to enquire if there is something that you may be able to offer. Why not trust Jesus, like He trusts you. Why don't you seek the giver and not the gift!

Over the years, there has been outbreaks of the Holy Spirit and many have survived and grew into massive outreaches. Sadly though, many haven't and a lot of people have been misled and had their faith squashed. Just think a moment, Jesus trusts you, if you trust Him, then He can bring about a change in your spiritual life and home wherever you are. The fire just needs stoking.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

Believe, Receive and Have

 "We walk by faith not by sight"                                               2 Corinthians 5:7     NKJV

We need to live our lives in a manner consistent with our belief in God's promises. 2 Corinthians 5:6 says, 'So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.' To be absent from the Lord doesn't mean that we are not with Him, we are. Christ is with us spiritually. His physical absence means we do not perceive Him as clearly or as fully as we will in the future, when we are with Him in Heaven.

Until then, we must walk by faith and live it at every moment of every day. We need to avoid the distractions that will come our way. They are hindrances that are sent to take our eyes off the main route we are walking on. Walking by faith helps us to never doubt God. Walking by faith helps us to believe that those things we say, will be done. It means we will have what we say. Walking by faith, helps us to believe, receive and have what we ask for. Mark 11:23-24.

Walking by sight, is a complete opposite. It makes us believe what the doctor has just diagnosed; that awful prognosis that can take all hope away. It gives us a limited vision of whatever God wants for us. Walking by sight, will cause us to make statements such as, 'It can't be done, it's impossible.' It can be done, and nothing is impossible for God. If we believe that things are impossible for God, we might as well throw our bible away, as reading it is a pointless exercise.

Can you see the difference? Walking by sight, flags up all of the problems, all of the 'Yes but's'. 2 Corinthians 4:18 comments on this: 'While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' With God, things are subject to change. He can turn around any bad news and make it good. Bill Winston says,'Don't comment on the problem, just thank Him and declare the solution which you can only see with your spiritual eyes.'

Make it a daily thing to focus on walking by faith. The tide may go out but it will come back in again and today, may be the day when it brings you what you desire. If it doesn't, don't give up, you're closer that you were yesterday.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

He reigns forever

"Holy, holy, holy, [is the] LORD GOD THE ALMIGHTY, [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], who was and who is and who is to come [the unchanging, eternal God]. 

                                                                                     Revelation 4:8. Amplified Study Bible

The four living creatures (Rev 4:8-9) are cherubim, the highest ranking celestial beings cry out the praise above, all day, every day, eternally. As they do, the twenty four elders fall down before Almighty God and worship Him. What a picture that is - a picture of true worship.

I've chosen the Amplified version for this verse as it expands it well, giving us a closer view of Our Lord. He is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. He is omnipotent - all powerful and this power is unlimited. The devil may feel that he has things stitched up here on earth, but God is the Ruler of all. One day, Satan will meet Jesus face to face in battle. He knows about this and must be shaking from head to toe just at the thought of it. One day, he will be cast into the lake of fire with all his demons and the people who refuse to accept Jesus as Lord.

Just think for a moment, God was there at the beginning, before creation and Jesus and the Holy Spirit were also there. He was God then and He is now. But what is more encouraging, is that He will be God in the future too, for eternity. He is unchanging, what He says is true. He doesn't change His mind. If He has promised you something, that promise will come about, that is a fact.

Have you ever stopped and thought what Heaven is like? We get a picture of it in Revelation but, it is impossible to grasp it all. However, one day, you and I will share this wonderful place; we will see Jesus face to face and even be able to talk with Him. We will want for nothing and with time ceasing, we will dwell with Him forever. Even in a billion years time, we will be there, worshipping and praising Him and throughly enjoying every luxury that is possible. In fact, what we class as luxury now, is nothing compared to what we will have then. 

However, just pause for thought, we will have eternity forever in Heaven, we will be blessed beyond our wildest dreams. But those who refused Jesus, will also have eternity, but theirs will be in the lake of fire; totally separated from God and their loved ones who believed.

Share this commentary today, with as many unsaved people you can think of. Family, friends, neighbours, whoever you know who doesn't know Jesus. Encourage them to read it and say the following prayer:

Lord Jesus, I give my life to You right now. Please forgive me for every sin I have committed, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and, be my Lord and Saviour. When I die, may I spend eternity with You Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

The words we speak

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

We have to be in control of the words that we speak. Once we have spoken, the words cannot be taken back. Our words can build someone up and they can also curse them. It's the same for us. We can be tempted to say things like, 'I am dead tired'. You may be tired but you are not 'dead' tired. Again, 'My feet are killing me'. Your feet may be sore, but you don't want them killing you. "Oh you're just splitting hairs,' some may say. Really? Why then does scripture say, 'Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit'. Proverbs 18:21.  

The Moody Bible Commentary focuses on this verse by saying: 'A man's words have repercussions for himself. He will feed on the produce of his mouth and lips. The tongue has the power to bring death or life to the speaker. Those who love making use of the tongue, whether for good or ill, will eat its fruit. That is they will live or die (i.e forfeit the abundant life ) with the consequences of their words.'

This is serious stuff. We need to choose what we say carefully. (Ephesians 4:29) They carry faith or fear; blessing or cursing and life or death. Our text above, tells us that 'We walk by faith not by sight'. Therefore, we should watch our investment by speaking positively, not negatively. Remember, what you confess, you will get. Don't allow your tongue to take a destructible route; tame it and make your words productive.

To say, 'I can't do this,' is a lie, when God's Word tells you that, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'. Philippians 4:13. Do you get the idea? If we are walking by faith, we need to be confessing faith-filled things. You may have prayed for healing. If you have, don't keep asking God to heal you, He already has heard you. Just receive it, believe it and from there keep confessing that you are healed, despite your body tell you different. We walk by faith, not by what we see or feel. 

Change your words; change your thinking, think of the times when Jesus said, 'Your faith has made you well.' This is what I am saying, receive it, believe it and keep confessing that you are healed by the stripes of Jesus. You'll be glad that you have, when your healing manifests!

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Just be content

"1 Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious  of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb."       

                                                                                                            Psalm 37:1-2      NKJV

It seems at times, that we Christians get all the flak, the heartaches, the discrimination and the 'second bests', while others who do not believe and have no desire to believe also, have the fancy lifestyles, big house, fat bank balances and live like kings and queens. It can be easy to envy them or feel bad about it. However, as we saw the other day, whatever a person has now, will remain here, they cannot take it with them. 

I remember a few years ago, when I was fired from a job by my boss. It was a week before I was to be married and for no reason whatsoever, he told me that he didn't need me any longer. I had done nothing wrong, in fact, I had been diligent in my job and worked very hard, for very little pay. I was gutted. A few weeks after we were married, I received a telephone call from the head office of where I had worked. They felt that I had been unfairly treated and asked me to re-join them and the first thing they wanted me to do was to go to the office where I had worked and sack the manager who had fired me and replace him. I couldn't believe it. I wasn't a Christian at that time, but I believe that God had witnessed the unfairness of it all and honoured my hard work.

We do not have to be envious of what another person has. We do not have to try to compete or pay back a wrong. God is our secret weapon. He will avenge any wrong against us as long as we leave it to Him. Romans 12:19.  People may  feel that they are  champions, they have reached the pinnacle of success. However, they fail to recognise that it can be taken off them in the blinking of an eye.

There is no need to fret and worry about anything. If we allow God to be the first place in our life, He will take care of what we put into His hand. He will feed us, clothe us and bless us beyond our wildest dreams. Matthew 6:33 & John 10:10b. He is for us - totally. Worry causes disease; it can kill; it gives us sleepless nights and heartache and fear. Jesus offers peace John 14:27, and really, that's all we need.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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Put your hope in God

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Saviour and my God."                            Psalm 42:5    NIV 

Today, I want to speak to all those people who seem to have lost all hope. Things may have happened and you feel so devastated by it all. Don't give up, God is with you. I also want to speak to those who through various life events, have become worn out, battered, walked all over, tired and bruised. God is still with you.

The Psalmist here, is encouraging praise, but not so much in the private sense but in public. It is good to allow your praises to become public, it lets the devil know, without a shadow of doubt, that you are not beaten, Jesus is right there with you and you should never surrender no matter what.

This is easier said than done, however. When we feel like things are hopeless and that there is nowhere to go or anyone to make it feel better, a darkness, rather like a cloud can come over you. This can be in the form of depression; and this can force a person into a shell that is very hard to break out of. The thing is, the only one that can get you to come out of that shell, is yourself, with God's help.

Look at what the Psalmist has written. He is speaking inwardly, searching his very soul. 'What has happened to me? Why am I like this? He examines everything that has led him into this position, He determines that nothing is worth him feeling this way and decides to put his hope back in God. His spirit then begins to revive. 

Be careful here, we all speak to ourselves, and what we think and say determines what the outcome will be. One part of us speaks in the positive, as above. However, the other part remains in the negative, the part where Satan manipulates and feeds us lies. But be encouraged, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.'  1 John 4:4.

Therefore, no matter how you may feel, breakthrough it with a shout of praise; speak God's Word to yourself, praise Him some more. There is hope and His name is Jesus.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Be filled with the Spirit

"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit."    

                                                                                                           Ephesians 5:18    NKJV

To be drunk with alcohol is to allow that situation to take us over, totally, until we are no longer capable of being in control and are subject to reckless stupidity, something that we may regret when we come to our senses the next day. However, to be filled by the Spirit of God is very different. Charles F Stanley comments:

"When we talk about being filled with the Spirit of God, it does not mean that we receive something more from God. We are indwelt by the Spirit in full measure at the time of our salvation. Rather, being filled with the Spirit means that we live in submission to Him - or under His control. As He prompts and directs us, we immediately respond in obedience to His commands.'

We live for Jesus. When we were born again, He gave us His Spirit and we are to live in such a way, that we are continually filled each day, in fact, throughout the day. The power of the Holy Spirit leads us to perform what we would never be able to perform without Him. Just look at the guys in Acts 2 when the fullness of God's power came upon them. This is the same power that God wants to fulfil in us.

The reference to being drunk on wine is an analogy of fake strength. When a person is under the influence of alcohol, they believe they can do whatever they wish. They feel that the world loves them; they can fight the biggest person in the world and achieve great things like climbing up a large building, risking their lives. If they don't fall off and kill themselves, they wake up the next morning wondering what they have done - in shame. It is a short trip, it is over quickly and can be very expensive too. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, is much different and is permanent. The Spirit of God leads us into the things of God; that great excitement and hope that can be found nowhere else. He is empowering. 

Charles R Swindoll, starts each day with this prayer. Why not do the same:

'This is Your day, Lord. I want to be at Your disposal. I have no idea what these next 24 hours will contain. But before I begin, before I sip my first cup of coffee, and even before I get dressed, I want You to know that from this moment on throughout this day, I'm Yours Lord. Help me to be a branch that abides in the vine, to lean on You, to draw strength from You and to have You fill my mind and my thoughts. Take control of my senses so that I am literally filled  with Your presence and power and dynamic. I want to be Your tool, Your vessel today. I can't make it happen. Without You I can accomplish nothing. And so I'm saying Lord, fill me with Your Spirit today.'

                             Copyright 1993 Charles R Swindoll Flying Closer to the Flame p81

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

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Delight in God, not the world

"6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves."

                                                                                          1 Timothy 6:6-10     NKJV

Some people long for the Lottery day to come, especially the Euro-Millions. If a person wins the jackpot, they go from nothing to multi-millionaire over night. Now for many, this sounds good. Just think about it, winning this fortune can give you all the many things that you've only been able to dream about. Win and it becomes a total reality. But there have been a few people who have won only to have their lives shortened through unwise living. Where are they now?

The above text spells the reality out very clearly. We brought nothing into this world and, we will certainly take nothing out of it, when we die. When we are standing before Jesus, it won't mean a thing if we tell Him that we are a multi-millionaire. It will mean nothing. The only thing that will matter to Jesus is how you lived your life on earth. If you know Jesus, you will be able to stay, otherwise, I'm sorry to say, you will be refused entry.

To be happy, is to delight ourselves in God, not in the world. There are so many lovely people in this world. However, many of them, despite being nice people, live a life far away from God. They just do not want to know about Him. If we spend too much time with that kind of people, we are at risk of being pulled away from our Christian walk and placed into their life styles. As harsh as it may sound, if they are not interested in Christianity, we need to limit our time with them and spend time with the ones who are interested.

When we delight ourselves in God, it means that, we stand tall and firm and hold up the banner of Jesus Christ. We do not hide it for an evening or two just to satisfy certain friends. So therefore, we have choices to make. Is there a chance that these friends may steer us away from what we believe? Are they interested in Jesus? The answers to these two questions determines what choice we should make.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

With all you've got

"I will praise You O LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of Your marvellous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."    

                                                                                                              Psalm 9:1-2      NKJV 

In other words, David, the Psalmist, was telling us to praise God with all we have got, your  whole heart. The word 'Whole' is something that contains all the components; it is complete, not divided or disjointed, it is one unit. Now place this description into this context and it describes how the condition of our heart should be.

From thereon, when we tell of God's wonders, all the things that have happened to you and how blessed you have been, the Holy Spirit give us an excitement that is hard to ignore because, it is full of fire - the fire of God. This makes you glad and ready to rejoice, His love cannot be avoided.

Kenneth Hagin's grandson - Craig W Hagin, once said, 'No matter what, I am still happy because God is on the Throne and He has things in control.' Whatever happens in our day, God is always worthy of our praise - our whole praise. He takes care of us; as verse 9 of this Psalm tells us, 'The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed. A refuge in times of trouble.' He tells us something very similar in Psalm 91:2 'I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.' He is our hiding place, our place of safety, our shelter, protection and our relief. When we realise this fully, it makes you want to shout praise to His name.

Some of you may be in trouble at this moment. There may be something that is worrying you, threatening you or causing you great fear. Stop right there and begin to praise God. Praise Him with your whole heart. He is still on the Throne and His Throne is available to us anytime we wish to visit Hebrews 4:16. 

Go to Him right now and begin to pour your whole heart out with praise and your worries and cares will be so small in His presence.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Plan your path prayerfully

"Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.    

                                                                                                       Proverbs 4:26      NKJV 

There is a need for us to stay spiritually alert at all times. This includes taking regular inventory of our life's directions. Psalm 139:23-24 says, 'Search me O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; 24 and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.' 

If we ponder the path we are walking on - to our destination, it will lead to a more wiser way of living. When we are focused properly, we are less likely to go to the left or right. Proverbs 4:27 warns us not to swerve off course. This would be the result of allowing distractions to rule. We have choices. The most sensible course is to look straight ahead and refuse the distractions; the temptations, that will come our way. Athletes have to overcome this when they are in the starting blocks. If they look at, or listen to the person next to them who us telling them negative stuff, then it can affect their performance.

When an unwholesome thought comes into your mind, you need to capture it and make it obedient to Jesus Christ. Otherwise, you will take the wrong path; and let's be honest here, most of us have done this in the past.

It would be rather unwise to go on a strange journey without, either a map or sat nav directing your way. You could end up in problems. Do you get the idea? So plan your path wisely and prayerfully.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

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If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Logos v Rhema

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

                                                                                                                   John 1:1     NKJV 

Logos, is the Word of God - the written Word. Jesus is the Word. He was with God at the beginning, prior to creation and He was God. He always has been. People struggle with the Trinity, but quite simply, it is made up of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three separate person's but all in one. 

Logos is the written Word of God which we know as the bible. Within this Word, we will find all we need about the past, present and the future. It is all about the Trinity. The thing is, we can read the bible everyday, studying it until we can quote all the key verses, and that is good; but if that word is not in our hearts, this is all it is - head knowledge. We know everything about God and His Word but, we don't know Him in our hearts, and this is where the Rhema Word comes into play. 

In the basics, Rhema is heart knowledge. The written Word - Logos, has become a living Word within us. Rhema is the communication of the logos message. Whereas Logos is the bible in its entirety, Rhema is a verse from the bible that has become an explosion of awareness within us.

We can become excited about what we read in the Logos Word but, it doesn't become a reality until it comes to life within us and this is Rhema. Rhema brings us the fire of God within us; it is one of the ways in which God communicates with us; one of the ways that He leads us forward, directing us to carry out tasks for Him. Rhema promotes a relationship with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It ignites the flame of God within us, the fire that we so long for.

Therefore, don't just read your bible, allow God to speak this Word into your heart. When you do this, you will never look back.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

The Accuser

O LORD my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me."                                                                                       Psalm 7:1     NKJV 

One of David's major enemies was, Cush a Benjamite, who he suspected of causing him trouble with King Saul by feeding Saul with lies and false accusations about him. We all have those types of people around us; they spread rumours, gossiping behind our backs and ripping apart our reputations. Put it this way, if Jesus had them, you can bet that you will too. 

At times, it is easy to believe that God is allowing them to get away with it. But He doesn't do this; at some stage, unless they change their ways, they will fall. Haman was building a scaffold to hang the Jews, but it was turned against him and he, and his ten sons, were hanged on their own scaffold. Esther 7:10; 9:13. God will avenge if we allow Him to. Romans 12:19.

What should we do while this is all happening to us? We should rejoice and be exceedingly glad Matthew 5:12. Now this is hard to do, especially when someone has spread lies about you. However, if you try and address it, chances are that you will end up with egg on your face. When we take things into our own hands, it has a habit of turning that way. But realise one thing; GOD KNOWS! He knows what you have been through or are dealing with at this moment. The temptation to react and retaliate is extremely strong, but act like Jesus did to His accusers; He said nothing. That is more powerful than you could ever imagine; because, you are putting God in the driving seat, you are trusting in Him. And He will never let you down.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

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If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE