He cares for you more than you realise

"And the LORD said, 'I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows."    

                                                                                                             Exodus 3:7     NKJV 

God's concern for His people is paramount to His thinking. His heart broke because of the plight that He saw His people suffering in Egypt, and He decided to do something about it. His heart was breaking because he cared so much. And, He feels the same way about you too. Did you realise that?

He sees all and hears all. He knows about the bullies, those taskmasters who make your life a misery. He is aware of these unfair dealings that happen to you and wants to deal with them. The thing is, you need to call out to Him 'For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved,'  Romans 10:13. Did you get that? Whoever; you are 'whoever', and God is waiting for you to call out to Him for help. When you do, He will be there.

Moses was just a shepherd. He had his memories of who he had been in Pharaoh's house. He could remember the status he had. But now, memories was all he had. Do you feel this way? Do you remember the past with fondness and wish those days would return. They won't, so stop trying to remember them. They are over; God has turned the page and He has something more wonderful for you. You are today's man or woman!

God chose Moses to go to Egypt and speak with the new Pharaoh and ask him to release the Israelites. Moses response was, 'Who am I? In other words he was saying 'What can I do? I'm nothing special. I can't even speak properly, I get all confused, I would look stupid trying to speak to Pharaoh. And, don't forget Lord, I had to flee Egypt because I killed that man. No, I can't do that'. How would you have felt in Moses' position?

You may say, 'I'm nothing special.' Is that so? Then why did Jesus go to the cross to save you; to save you from that awful situation of eternal death? Why did He rescue you from that major problem you had recently - that possible eviction from your home; that continuous unemployment, that life-threatening sickness? Why was that? If you are not special, why does He even bother with you? 

Think that through and realise that you are so precious to Jesus; you are loved; He cares for you and wants to use you in His service. You see, He chooses who he chooses. If He has chosen you for a task, then you are the one who can do it. Instead of asking, 'Who am I? think 'Who do I belong to? You belong to the King of kings and he loves you, He cares about you. And now He is saying, 'Come on, let's get this job done.'

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

You're standing on Holy ground

"Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."  

                                                                                                          Exodus 3:1-5   NKJV 

The back of Sinai or Horeb, was known as the back of the desert. It was a deserted and derelict place; dry, hot, dusty and boring terrain. Nothing else. It was by no accident that Moses led his flock of sheep around there. 'He had spent forty years in Egypt thinking he was a somebody; forty years in the wilderness learning he was a nobody and was now, going to spend another forty years seeing what God can do with a nobody' (Dwight L Moody). It was a divine appointment. He was not 'Yesterday's Man', and neither are you.

He saw a bush burning. Now this was not unusual to see this in such a dry and hot place, but this was different. It kept on burning without going out. It also spoke to Him, calling his name. It is quite interesting that, Moses answered it and said, 'Here I am.' It makes one feel that he knew about God and, this was possibly right, after-all, his father in law was a priest. 

Now, this is called a Theophany - an appearance of God or a god, to a human being; a divine manifestation. Now, here was Moses in a lonely, hot desert with a bush speaking to him. It was not exactly an everyday event.  But, Moses recognised that it was God and spoke with Him. How does God speak to you? If He can speak through a bush, then He can speak via a TV program or sermon, music, a book, a sudden unexplainable circumstance or the bible. It is not usually in an audible voice but something that you feel inwardly and, you know without doubt, that it is God.

Note how God told Moses that the place where he was standing was holy ground v5. Wherever God is, it's holy ground and, as He lives in you, He is all around, so it is holy ground and we need to respect it as such.

God had a plan for Moses and He has one for you too. If you don't know it already, He will show you as you remain on holy ground

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Reigning in your heart

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things."     

                                                                                                           1 John 2:20     NKJV 

Everywhere you look at times, it appears dismal. This is how you may be feeling at this moment. You may not be flowing in the Holy Spirit, in fact, you may be feeling you are miles away from Him. That is not true. He is right there with you. You may have had a meltdown and messed everything up; and you may have had a meltdown to beat all meltdowns. But Jesus knows all about meltdowns; He deals with a lot of them and as a person calms down and repents, He forgives,  (1 John 1:9).

It may be raining outside but, He is reigning inside (1 John 2:20). Yes, if you have made a commitment to Jesus, He is reigning in your heart and what's more, you have an anointing from the Holy One and, deep down you know this. You know He'll forgive you and you know he'll never leave you (Hebrews 13:5).

However, the devil will try to confuse you here, 'God will never forgive you now. You've gone too far this time.' That is not true, He is reigning in your heart. The devil knows this and he hates you for it. He will try every trick in the book to get you to give up. he'll make you feel awful and heavy with sin - condemnation. But, 'There is therefore now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus' (Romans 8:1). 'Yes but, I'm not in Christ Jesus if I act like I do.' Yes you are, and by the way to say anything different is a lie from the devil.

Alice Cooper, the Rock Star famous for School's Out and his zany ways, became a Christian a while ago. He recently told the press that he found it easier to come off drugs and booze than to be a Christian. And it can be true. To be a Christian, takes all that we have. It is a daily sacrifice to Jesus. This is why we need to walk closely with Him. However, we are not perfect yet but, we are getting close.

Until then, don't quit - get up and do another round. Be encouraged, it may be raining outside but Jesus is reigning in your heart.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Press the Button

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

There are several things we must do in order to receive. For example, when it's dark we put the light on so that we can see properly. We open the door to walk out or walk into our home. We put on clothes to be dressed and take them off to shower. This means that the shower must be turned on. Do you get the idea? It's basic stuff, we just take it for granted that this is all going to work. Therefore, it must be the same to act in faith.

We are called to walk by faith not, by what we see in the natural. This means, if God says we are healed, then we need to receive and accept this and live healed, (1 Peter 2:24). Furthermore, if God says He will supply our needs, (Matthew 6:33 & Philippians 4:19), then again, we must receive them. That is faith.

When we press the button on all of these things, we need to receive them; not just the everyday things like, lights and showers, but the things we can't see but, God is telling us that they are there, (2 Corinthians 4:18). We must press the button to receive and it will come, (Mark 11:24). The bible is faith-filled. We can't just read and accept the things we want to and ignore the rest. We need to accept and study the whole package.

In Mark 5, the woman who had the issue of blood and had lived this way for twelve years, said, 'If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.' v28. Jairus who had a sick daughter, said to Jesus, 'Come and lay Your hands on her that she may be healed, and she will live' v23. Blind Bartimaeus replied to Jesus, when He asked, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He replied, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.' Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith as made you well.'

These are facts, and they can't be explained away that, it was back in bible times, 'It's different now.' No it isn't, 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.' (Hebrews 13:8). It is still the same today. Jesus Christ still heals and He still provides our needs. He never changes. However, there is a condition and that is, we must believe and receive, (Mark 11:24). Oral Roberts used to say, 'Believe and receive, doubt and do without.' Smith Wigglesworth said, 'If God said it, I believe it and that settles it.'

Just press that button and find out and then live this way from now on.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Pay attention

 My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings."     

                                                                                                     Proverbs 4:20-23    NKJV

God's Word, continues to give us wisdom and the more we read it, we will have a choice to take hold of this wisdom for our own lives. Here, the word says, 'Pay attention.' How many times did we hear that when we were at school? Many, many times if you are anything like me. I have this habit of drifting off into my own kind of world, and I have to work hard to keep the focus.I am sure that I'm not the only one.

We need to listen and be willing to learn. As much as we think we do, we do not, know it all. There is always something new to learn with God. As we focus on the Word of God, we are given wisdom to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him; and one of these ways, is our health. We only have one heart and we need to take care of it. In fact, we need to guard it and protect it. Stress and heartache is a killer and we need to guard the heart from all of this.

Wisdom is the best medicine as it, safeguards us from life-threatening evils, if we are not careful our hearts can become contaminated. Jesus says in Mark 7:21: 'For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,' What's in the heart comes out of the mouth. David Jeremiah comments on this, 

'Until Christ is on the throne of a person's life, he or she cannot have the kind of heart that will produce the right kinds of speech; one that is constantly readied and receptive towards God.'

                                                                                   Copyright The Jeremiah Study Bible.

If we want health to all our flesh, we need to start taking care of ourselves. Overwork, lack of sleep and being overweight are strong contenders to bad health. But, so is having ungodly thoughts, speaking foul stuff about people in gossip and criticism. It all has to go if we want to be healthy in our mind, will and emotions.

So therefore, is it time to pay attention and get fit?

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Neglect

"But my own vineyard I have not kept."                    Song of Solomon 1:6    NKJV 

The word 'Vineyard' is a metaphor for the female body. Here the Shulamite woman has possibly been burnt by the sun. This has probably been caused because she has been caring for her brother's vineyards - his wives, instead of herself. This neglect has darkened her skin.

We can so easily neglect ourselves because of the need to care for others. Neglect can rule quite prominently in most areas of our lives. The house can be neglected, the garden, even our daily life with Jesus. It is good to serve others but, not at the risk of neglecting ourselves, our family and our responsibilities. Imagine neglecting a marriage. After a time, it can lead to adultery where the neglected partner seeks the attention and solace with someone who may meet their needs at the time. This is a common area.

Then of course, is the neglect of our health. A person may not feel well but, they will not give in and visit a doctor to get things checked out. They are too busy. The cleanliness of self, the house, all the jobs around the home and the children's needs are other areas that can be neglected. Even our jobs can suffer, not turning up on time or at all; continually taking time off work. These are all important issues that are prone to neglect if we allow them to. 

Imagine your car. Looked after, it can go on for many years. However, if you fail to have it serviced, neglect the lights on the dashboard and those rattling noises and flat tyres, pretty soon, the car will breakdown in the middle of nowhere, or worse, there may be a nasty accident. We can't neglect these things, and we can't neglect the daily, important things in our own lives and family either. 

We need to balance things out and set priorities. The Shulamite woman would not have burnt her skin if she had been more careful. The same may be said of you as well. Be determined to set priorities and avoid neglect at all times

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Marriage

"The voice of my beloved! Behold he comes." v8      Song of Solomon 2:8-13      NKJV  

This piece of scripture describes the beauty and peace of a successful marriage which is rooted in Jesus Christ. It can be described as pre-marriage or during marriage itself. It can also be read, as a love poem of our relationship with Jesus.

The husband longs to be with his bride, his lovely wife. The scripture tells us that, he goes leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills, rather like a gazelle or young stag. The reference to the mountains and the hills speak of obstacles that can get in the way of marriage and how the husband will do all he can to skip over them so that they have no lasting affect on the relationship.

The husband speaks of springtime, a lovely time of year. A time of hope and new growth. The winter is past. Note this, the husband should always be the spring in his wife's winter and

 'Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, in the very heart of your house,'  Psalm 128:3. It takes both partners to fulfil a successful, God-filled marriage. But a message to husbands, 'If you want a "Summer wife", who continues to bear good fruit, don't bring home winter weather. Leave it outside' 

As we have seen, springtime brings new life, so the man should bring new joy to his darling. 'The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes, give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away,'  Song 2:13. 

It may have been a difficult time in your marriage, of late. But this can happen to many couples. But there is success on the horizon! The secret is having the ammunition to blast a way through the bad stuff and reach the good. The winter, with all its troubles, cold, frost and frozen pipes, leave behind; behold, the spring is here and it is time to rise up and leave dross behind. Life is too short for frictions. God intended and still does, for man and wife to dwell together in harmony, and this means, both partners working at the helm.

The voice from heaven is calling, 'It is time to rise up, the winter has gone; spring and a bright future are here. It is time to rejoice and be grateful!

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph The Final Part

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."                                                              

                                                                                                       Genesis 50:20     NKJV 

We have seen jealousy, envy, pride, bad parenting skills, abuse, slave trafficking, attempted rape  allegations, imprisonment, hopes dashed and finally major blessing and restoration. Crimewatch has nothing on this family. But who was to blame? Who could we point the finger at for Joseph's suffering. It was not the brothers, they were part of it, yes; but the main culprit behind all of this was Jacob. He was the father and had the responsibility, he should have kept control of the family and most definitely, he should have shared his love and care equally, and not favoured one over the other.

What the brothers saw was learnt behaviour. Jacob had a shady past and had been far from trustworthy in the past. If he knew about all this jealousy, he did nothing to change things and Joseph had to put up with it all. Yes, the brothers acted in an evil manner and when Joseph finally revealed himself to them, he could have paid them back 100 fold, but he didn't. What he did tell them was, 'But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.' God saved the day and restored this family, but their values were changed they had learned some lessons over all of this.

You may not have been through all Joseph had, but probably you can echo with a part of it. You may have been wronged, abused and treated abysmally but look how Joseph handled it. If you do the same, God will match it and turn evil into good.

To a degree, Joseph handled things the way Jesus would have done. He could have wiped his brothers off the face of the earth and Pharaoh would have turned a blind eye. But he didn't. Forgiveness, promise of care and love was what he offered them all. He knew that vengeance was of God; he knew that He would repay, he didn't have to do a thing. Vengeance is of God, we forgive. Did you get that? We forgive.

Is there someone you need to forgive? If there is, then do it. Even if they have died, you can still forgive them and unhook yourself from the past. If you do, God will turn it into good.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 9

"We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us; and we would not hear, therefore this distress has come upon us." v21   

                                                                                             Genesis 42:21- 43:24   NKJV

Joseph's brothers had indeed bowed down to him, as he had said. He also recognised them but didn't say so. He listened to them for a while and then accused them of being spies. He had no feelings of revenge but wanted them to feel remorse for what they had done. He placed them in prison for three days and then on the third day, he said that one of them should remain in prison and the others should go back and bring their younger brother, who Joseph knew was Benjamin.

They discussed this in Hebrew, but unbeknown to them, Jospeh could understand. He heard them saying that they were guilty of selling him into slavery and all the distress that they had caused him. He decided that Simeon should be kept in prison while the others took grain to their father and brought Benjamin back to him. They didn't know it but Joseph had restored all of their money as well, and, when they did, they feared him greatly because he would truly feel that they were indeed spies. 

Why was Joseph doing this to them? Well, we know it was not revenge. He had heard them speaking and he had been led to tears.It was more likely that he detained them to allow them to feel what it felt like themselves. Joseph had been detained in a cistern, perhaps Joseph wanted them to feel this anguish too. It was more likely though, that God was using him to drive them to repentance. God would want them to work through all of this, repent and then be restored. They had already shown their guilt in the conversation that Joseph had overheard.

When they had returned to their father, Jacob refused to send Benjamin back with them. He didn't want to lose another son but as the grain ran out and the fear mounted that they had their money restored to them, he relented, and they set off again to Egypt, this time with Benjamin.

The results of our past sins follow us around and their comes a time when we need to put them right. If we've confessed them to Jesus, then they are forgiven and will not be mentioned again. They are under the blood. However, if they haven't, they will surface from time to time and may just resurface when we least expect them to. It is always best to confess all of our sin. This way, God can then begin to help us build a new life and restore us to Himself.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 8

"Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.'   v49                                                     Genesis 41:46-57   NKJV 

The 30 year old Joseph had stood before Pharaoh and given him the meaning of his dreams. Now he stood in front of the whole of Egypt as Prime Minister, second in charge to Pharaoh himself. What a change and what a transformation. Where he once had no power, he now had it all. He could do with it what he felt necessary.

However, Joseph never forgot his roots. He belonged to God and although he had been through so much, he knew that God had been with him and honoured him; and it was not over yet! From his marriage to Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherath priest of On, he had two sons. He honoured God by giving them the names, Manasseh, which means, He causes me to forget, and Ephraim which means, Fruitful land - God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. God had not forgotten Joseph and Joseph had not forgotten God. This is why he gave them Theocentric names - God-centred.

Joseph became an industrious and creative manager and created a thriving business. He gathered so much grain and stored it carefully, that it was immeasurable. As the famine struck, people who went to Pharaoh for help, were directed back to Joseph with the words, 'Go to Joseph; whatever, he says to you, do.' This reminds us of Mary at the wedding in Cana, where she told the servants, 'Whatever He says to you, do it.' John 2:5. 

This should be uppermost. in our minds, whatever He tells us to do, we need to carry it out and quickly. At times we are so busy or full of pity party feelings, that we fail to carry out God's directions. We need to change this and quickly because the word has the power to get us out of the situation. To dilly-dally, means we may muss out. This is why we need to spend more time with Him. To fail to do so, is a recipe for a dry spiritual life.

Joseph had prophesied to his brothers, and later to his father, that they would come and bow down before him. Genesis 37:10-11. They had been very angry with him. But don't forget, Jacob had kept the matter in mind. v11. Joseph's word was about to come true; they were about to bow the knee to their brother.

You know, God will always have His way no matter how much we may struggle or refuse Him. He'll wait until we're ready. But while we are waiting, time is going on. God has all the time in the world, we don't. We need to make the most of it while we can. Is there something you need to do? If it is Godly directed, then do it.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

Joseph Part 7

"Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" v38   

                                                                                                          Genesis 41    NKJV 

It was now two years since the chief butler had been released and returned to work for Pharaoh, and Joseph had heard nothing. We all have to wait for things and it can be very difficult, but in Joseph's situation, it would have been devastating. He had entered the prison when he was 17; and he is now 30 years old and he has no future to look forward to.

And then, Pharaoh had a couple of dreams and no one could interpret them for him. The professionals tried - Pharaoh's magicians, and failed and Pharaoh was far from pleased. All of a sudden, the chief butler remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh how he had interpreted his dream. Joseph was sent for straightaway. You know, God waits for the appropriate time. When we're waiting, it can feel like God has forgotten us. Not so, He waits for the right time and then moves. This may be where you are at this time. be confident, God will work for you at the most perfect time.

Now we all talk about wearing our 'Sunday best.' Well in a way, this is what Joseph did. He shaved and put on some different clothing. It would have to do because this was all he had. He stood before Pharaoh and he explained the dreams that he had had, expecting Joseph to work some magic. Joseph was quick to reply, 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.' Joseph said this to show Pharaoh that it was God, not him that could do such a thing. 

Joseph explained the dream and told him that there would be 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine. Pharaoh knew at once that he needed a man who would be wise and intelligent enough to work through these two time slots. He promoted Joseph right there and then. He was given Pharaoh's signet ring - a symbol of power and authority; a wardrobe of beautiful clothes and his very own chariot. Joseph had become a somebody. In fact, he had been transformed from an unwanted sibling sold into slavery, an attempted rapist, a prisoner and now the Prime Minister of Egypt.

When God is setting something up, He won't let human wisdom come up with the answer. He is God and only He, has the answers.

You may not end up as the Prime Minister but, God can transform you in the blink of an eye. He can turn you from a nobody into a somebody. Get ready, a blessing is coming your way!

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 6

"But remember me when it is well with you and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house." v14                                      

                                                                                                      Genesis 40:1-23     NKJV 

Have you ever been falsely accused? If you have, then you will know the anguish and frustration it causes to both yourself and those around you. Joseph was totally innocent. He had been rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery. After getting a good position in Potiphar's house, he is falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar's wife and then placed inside prison. Sometimes it can seem that everyone is against you. These false accusations can ruin our reputations and follow people around all their lives. People hear about it and most, believe it to be true. 

Fortunately for Joseph, God was with him and raised him up in the prison to be in charge, under the prison keeper. The keeper would have been only too pleased to take a back seat and let Joseph take the responsibility. It is possible, but not recorded, that Potiphar, who placed Jospeh in prison, had given a good word about him to the keeper, thus giving him an elevated position. This would have proved that he mistrusted his wife.

Joseph got on with his prison work and one day, two new people turned up, the chief butler and the chief baker, again by the captain of the guard, which could well have been Potiphar. They had angered Pharaoh and were now paying the penalty for this.

After a while, Joseph noticed that they looked very sad and they said that they had both had dreams, but no one could give them the meaning of them. Joseph, who was a dreamer and had the gift of interpreting them, gave them both the meanings. Joseph told the chief butler that he would be freed in 3 days and reinstated to his position. However, in 3 days time, the chief baker would be hanged. Joseph pleaded with the chief butler to mention Him to Pharaoh, but he forgot. v23.

It must have been agony for Joseph, waiting to see if the chief butler had spoken of him to Pharaoh. He could well have been having mind games, thinking he would soon be freed and allowed to go back to his home. Agony after agony, but it didn't come at that time.

When we are mistreated, falsely accused and generally treated very unfairly, we often wait for the perpetuators to be punished. Revenge can be rife if we allow it. The thing is though, God cannot work on our behalf when our attitudes are like this. We need to trust in verses such as, 'Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you' 1 Peter 5:7. If you don't hang on to these life verses, then you are sunk. God's word to you today, is to hang in there. He is setting things in place for your release from this bad time. He has not forgotten you. You are very much on His mind.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 5

"Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance"  v6                

                                                                                                      Genesis 39:6-23     NKJV 

Scripture tells us that Joseph was a handsome young man; probably bronzed and full of muscles. This was a great attraction to Potiphar's wife, who probably didn't have a lot to do around the place. When she saw Joseph she wanted to sleep with him and told him openly. Now this gives me the impression this may not have been the first time she had done such a thing to a man working in the house. She was definitely full of confidence and out for a good time.

Joseph flatly refused the temptation. 'How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God,' he told her v9. At this time, his resistance was quite high and he would have recognised the trap that she was trying to bring him in to. She did this several times until one day, there was no one in the house except her and Joseph. 'Lie with me,' she said, catching him by his garment. The seduction was so strong that Joseph ran. Why was this? My guess is that, her charm was so irresistible that if he had stayed a moment longer, adultery would have taken place and he would have been hooked and drawn into her daily power.

We should always run from sin; in fact, if we can, don't even go near it. God gives us wisdom and at times we don't have to be rocket scientists to know that it would be unwise to go to a certain place or be with someone who could be a temptation. Sometimes, sin is subtle, and this is why Joseph ran. The problem is, she still had his garment in her hand and because she  had been spurned, she was on the attack. She falsely accused him of attempted rape.

She told Potiphar, who was furious that this had happened. Now, he was a captain in Pharaoh's guards. He had the power to have Joseph executed but, he didn't. In stead, he had him thrown into prison. This may well be because, he knew about his wife's flirtations; it may have happened before. Therefore, he had Joseph imprisoned.

The great thing about this, is that, no matter what happened, no one can change God's plan. He had brought Joseph favour at the house, He would now bring him favour and success in prison. This is why, we should always trust God with our lives. He knows best and when we are in His will, no matter what happens to us, God will always bring glory out of it. Joseph was thrown into prison, but the prison keeper was so impressed with him, that he placed him in charge of the whole place.

Isn't it great when God is at work? You see, whatever someone may try to do to you, or say about you, if you leave it with God, you will always be on the winning side.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 4

"And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 So Joseph found favour in his sight and served him." v3                                                                                    

                                                                                                        Genesis 39:1-6    NKJV 

Let us not forget that Joseph was only a young man. Here he was in a strange land, a language he didn't understand and a slave in an Egyptian army officer's house. It must have been very scary. Yet, the Lord was there with him. He was not alone. Before long, God showed Potiphar Joseph's faithfulness and hard work and how he made him successful and prosperous in his work, in all he did, God gave him favour.

in a short time, Potiphar was so pleased with Joseph's service and the fact that, he too, was blessed, that he promoted Joseph. He made him overseer of the whole house. All Potiphar had he placed into the care of Joseph and more and more favour came upon them all. Joseph was a slave and yet he carried the blessing and favour of God.

Potiphar trusted Joseph so much, that he didn't know what he had except for his daily food. Joseph was trusted to do all in the house. Potiphar was impressed and saw that God was with him. Perhaps Joseph may have told him about God; we don't know. I like what someone once said, Joseph was like a sponge that was full of water. When the sponge was squeezed, all the water came out. As Christians, we are full of the Holy Spirit; so, when we are squeezed the love of God should come out and be seen. 

Joseph sets an example for all to see. When we work, especially in a non-Christian environment, we should be displaying God all around. We should be that sponge that oozes Jesus out. We should be punctual, productive, trustworthy and we should stand out, dramatically.

Joseph did all of this and he was blessed and favoured by God. When we are like this, we are not the only one who is blessed, the people we work for are as well. We bring blessing to them. Fellowship with the Lord means freedom from fear and loneliness.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 3

"We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?     

                                                                                                        Genesis 37:32     NKJV

Where had Reuben been? We see in Genesis 37:21 that Reuben's plan had been to go back to the pit, pull Joseph out and take him back to his father. Now, he returns and Joseph has gone. He becomes distressed and in his panic, he displays his heartache. He tore his clothes and went to see his brothers, screaming, 'Where shall I go?' Basically, he was saying, 'What shall we do?'

Reuben had returned from possibly, feeding the flocks further up the country and he knew nothing about Joseph being sold into slavery. The scheming Judah and his brothers had come up with this money-making idea and by doing so, had shown their hypocrisy. Judah said, 'Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh'. Hatred, deceit, hypocrisy, disloyalty and lack of respect were all wrapped up in this action. 

Reuben was dragged into this plot as they killed a young goat and soaked Joseph's coat in its blood. It is so easy to become involved in things you know you shouldn't. We have to watch our every move because the devil is only too willing to win us over. Their next shameful act was to go back to their father with the coat. 'We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?' They had no respect for their own father and were risking his health by lying to him and giving him this shocking bad news. Note how they said, 'your son's', and not 'our brother's'. They had no feeling for Jacob or Joseph, they were hard-hearted and selfish. It was one big cover up. They misled and lied to their father, who was totally in grief. They even had the audacity to try and comfort him. Genesis 37:35. There appeared no love or sincerity within them, at all.

Meanwhile, the Ishmaelites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer in Pharaoh's army. It's hard to realise it, but God was in total control. He had a plan and getting Joseph to Egypt was the start of it. 

At times in our lives, we struggle with things that happen to us. There is a lot of crookedness in our world; a lot of people who seem intent on hurting and double-crossing people for their own gain. Jealousy, envy, greed, hypocrisy, lies and deceit are only a part of what comes against us. Probably you are on the receiving end of this at the moment. You may feel that there doesn't seem a way out, but there is. God has a plan. He always has and His plan involves you. Stand firm, trusting in Him and watch how He will work things out for you. Joseph's life was going to change dramatically. Do you realise that yours may, as well?

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph. Part 2

"Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, 'What are you seeking?"                          Genesis 37:12-36    NKJV 

Jacob sent Joseph out one day to find his brothers who were feeding the flocks in the fields of Shechem. Now this is some distance from where Joseph set out and it must have taken him a considerable time. We don't know if he walked or went by horse or donkey. However, he set off and eventually met up with a 'certain man' who asked him what he was seeking. He did this because Joseph was wandering around in the field, apparently lost.

Joseph told him that he was seeking his brothers. The man told him they had gone to Dothan, which was between 12 - 15 miles further on. He told Joseph that he had heard them discussing this. Now, who was this man? Joseph met him in the middle of nowhere and he knew all about his brothers. Did the man know his brothers? Was it someone who knew the family or was it an angel? It was an anomaly, one of the strange things that appear Impossible to work out. It may well have been the angel of the Lord - a theophany, which is an appearance of God or a god to a human being. In other words, a divine manifestation. This would have been similar to what happened to Moses with the burning bush, (Exodus 3). I favour this explanation as there doesn't appear to be any other explanation that is feasible. 

Joseph went on his additional journey to Dothan and as he approached, the brothers saw him coming. 'Here comes the dreamer'. Now ordinarily within family, one would welcome another member happily. Not so here; they plotted to kill him and throw him in a pit. There was no limit to the evil that was in their hearts. They were scheming. Now, there is only one who plots evil and schemes and that is Satan. We're beginning to see who was pulling their strings.

Reuben stood in the gap, attempting to protect his brother. He suggested that Joseph not be harmed, but thrown into a pit instead. It was in his mind to come back and rescue him later. His brothers, at first thought it was a good idea as he could then be left to die there. After this was completed, they sat down and ate a meal. How could they do this? They appeared hard-hearted and full of hatred. The thought of it is beyond belief.

Just then, Judah had a thought, 'let's sell him, we can make money this way.' This was prompted by some travellers who happened to be passing by. They all agreed and Joseph was hoisted out of the pit and sold into slavery for 20 shekels of silver, which is roughly about £4.36 GBP today. This day, Joseph became a slave, sold by his own brothers. It is not unlike Judas betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, which was about £6.55 today. there are some similarities in their deeds. Both were acts of betrayal and a total disregard for a human life.

The only touch of love that was shown here, was from Reuben. He planned to rescue him and take him back home. We need to be aware of hard-heartedness. It can creep up on us so easily; especially when we have been hurt, wronged, feel left out and jealous of someone else's success and generally mistreated. Ensure that you keep your eyes on Jesus every moment of every day.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Joseph Part 1

"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children because he was the son of his old age."   v3                                                                                          Genesis 37:1-11     NKJV 

Today, we start our exciting walk with Joseph, the one who came from slavery and became the Prime Minister of Egypt. Jacob's family was quite a dysfunctional one and Jacob's parenting skills left a massive room for improvement. He openly favoured Joseph, because he was the son of Rachel, the wife who had died and who Jacob truly loved. As often happens in families, this favouritism brought major jealousies from his siblings. They hated him.

Joseph, being only seventeen, was not very tactful and it could be said that he had a chip on his shoulder. He also would tell tales about his brothers to Jacob. Verse 3 tells us that Joseph brought a bad report about them to his father. No wonder they felt bad towards him. To top it all, Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colours. This was a symbol of the privilege of the first born. Joseph may have been the first born to Jacob and Rachel, but he was definitely not he first born out of them all. This went very deep with the others.

Then, instead of keeping things to himself, Joseph had a series of dreams and told his siblings and father about them; how they would have to bow down to him v5-9. This infuriated the brothers but it is interesting about Jacob's response. He kept it in mind. v11. Joseph and the others didn't know it but this was prophetic, they would one day bow down to him. Little did they know how or why.

God brings detours in our lives, some that astound us. He does this in order to equip and teach us in His way. With God, we never know what is around the corner. You may be doing some particular job at this time and suddenly, God can turn up and practically push you through a door that you had never seen. heard about or had never even thought possible. He may not but, you have to be open to the fact that, when we give our lives to Him, He has the right to place us where He wants to.It can be exciting and indeed, it can be scary too.

Actually, don't forget, one day, along with everyone else, we will all have to bow down to the King of kings and give an account of our life while here on earth. Rather like Jacob, we need to keep this in mind. With Joseph, this was only the beginning and, it may be the same for you too. You may feel that you're too old to do great things for God. Wrong, God is not into ageism and grey hair does not phase Him either. In God, you are what He wants you to be. 

Get ready for some excitement!

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Your Annual Appraisal is due

 "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."     

                                                                                                      Psalm 139:23-24    NKJV

An appraisal, is an annual assessment of the performance of a NHS worker, Social Care worker or other related workers. It is carried out to ascertain how the worker is doing, what should have been done, what needs to be done and to discuss weaknesses and strengths. It is a good way of checking out where the worker is at. Today's text could be described as David asking God to do an appraisal on him in order to find out the same. 

For a moment, let us imagine that God is doing an appraisal on ourselves. What is He going to find and what changes will need to be made? God searches our hearts to determine where we are at. What is He going to notice? Part of His assessment will be to determine the fruit you are bearing - good or bad. He will investigate us throughly so that He can determine what changes need to be made and what we can improve on. He will ascertain what needs to go into the refuse bin and what state our heart is in, spiritually. 

One question He may ask is, 'Why do you become anxious?' Another may be, 'Why do you worry so much?' How will you answer these two questions? Jesus tells not to worry about things (Matthew 6) and we are told by Peter to, 'Cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you.' (1 Peter 5:7). So why don't we take notice of this. These are weaknesses.

What can we do to improve this? Well, what about, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all you ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.' Proverbs 3:5-6. 

Am I willing to own up to the things that I shouldn't be doing? Ephesians 4:21-32, 'put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.'

If we're honest, if we ask God to carry out such an appraisal on us, He will take us up on it and, He will find things that need to change. However, be encouraged, because, He will find the good things too. He knows what you did to bring hope and comfort to someone lately. He knows what a blessing you have been to those who are in need. He looks and He is pleased.

Therefore, an appraisal is not just about bad things, it is also about the strengths that you have and the heart that is gradually - little by little, becoming more like Jesus. Take encouragement because, 'being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you, will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.'  Philippians 1:6.

If you mean business with Jesus, then He will do the same with you. He is totally for you!

Tomorrow, we begin our Study of Joseph. Be sure not to miss it.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Do you seek to please man or God?

"Am I now trying to win the favour and approval of men or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone?                                        Galatians 1:10    The Amplified Study Bible

Paul continually sought the approval of God. He didn't base his decisions on the opinions of other people. He aimed at pleasing God. And so should we.

The world around us is continually trying to put us in a box, in other words trying to compartmentalise us. They feel that we have to belong to this or that and if we are not careful, they will have their way and we'll end up being what we are not led to be. If a person is called to be a Sunday school teacher, then God will open that particular door at sometime in that person's life. To be placed into the role of a carpenter when you're a motor mechanic is a receipt for disaster. A round hole with a square peg comes to mind.

Sometimes, we have to be careful about the burden people place on us. Some people may want us to do a particular thing, but when we feel that it is not the right thing for us to do, they can put a 'trip' on us, making us feel full of guilt, rather like we have let them down, big time. Be careful to avoid this. 

If you set out to please God and to seek His approval and not man's, then at some time, you will come up against opposition. All through life, men and woman of God have to make decisions about their faith that are not pleasing to other people. Peter and John came up against this pressure in Acts 4:18-20. They were forbidden to speak about the name of Jesus. However, Peter knew what he was supposed to do and told them, 'For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.'

Winning the favour of man is not what we, as Christians are called to do. We need to be obedient to people in charge of us and various authorities, of course. But not if it contradicts our faith. We cannot water down our faith to please man, no matter what the cost.

God is calling you to be yourself, not a copy of someone else. God created you as you, not another person. We can't model ourselves on anyone but Jesus. He is our model and our mentor. He is our life and He knows you through and through and loves every part. His word to you today is, 'Seek the approval of God, not man.'

For your diary Monday 14th June, A Study of Joseph begins for a few days

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Earthquakes, open doors and broken chains. Part 2

"Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' 31 So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."       

                                                                                                       Acts 16:29-40     NKJV 

The jailor was totally bewildered, wondering what on earth had happened. Think about it, wouldn't you be? It must have been mind-blowing for him. However, notice what he did first of all. After getting a light, because it would have been very dark in there, he ran to Paul and Silas, fell down on his knees - trembling, He then took them out of the prison and asked what he had to do to be saved.

People notice what we do and hear what we say. As Christians, we are the bible to non-believers. They rarely go to church and many don't own a bible, let alone read one. They can be affected by how we handle ourselves. Here the jailor knew who to run to. He had no doubt heard them singing and praising God; and he had noticed that they were not like the others, they didn't moan, groan or blaspheme. They were a witness for God, and he wanted this.

He couldn't do enough for them, he bathed their wounds, fed them and allowed them to rest in his house. Whilst they did this, they taught him about Jesus and he gave his life to Him, together with his family. He was a new man and was forever changed.

Notice how he took them back to the prison before daybreak and notice how Paul and Silas went with him, willingly. They honoured the jailor because not long after arriving there, the magistrates sent word to release them. If they hadn't have been there, He would have probably been executed. But, he still had his job, he was saved and so were his family.

Paul wanted to make a point here. They were trumped up charges and undeserved beatings on Roman Citizens. He wanted this to sink in and make them sweat. Which they did V38. They begged Paul and Silas to go quietly and, even though it is not mentioned, they probably apologised in a kind of way.

Paul and Silas were not doormats and neither are we. We are to stand up to injustice that we come up against. Certain religions do and noting is said. When Christians do, we are classed as 'do-gooders and troublemakers.' Enough, we serve the King of kings. Stand up for what you believe. We are not called to be walked all over. We serve a God who can cause earthquakes, open doors and break chains. You have an open door, walk through it in the name of Jesus and break someone's chains off them.

For your diary Monday 14th June, A Study of Joseph begins for a few days

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Earthquakes, open doors and broken chains

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."                                                  Acts 16:25    NKJV 

Paul and Silas were in prison; their crime being Paul had cast an unclean spirit out of a slave girl. She had been a financial asset to some in the city because the spirit had enabled her to tell fortunes for which she charged a fee. This was now gone and the men reported them to the authorities, who in turn put them in jail, after beating them severely with rods. This was quite strange because their act too, was unlawful because Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

They were placed in stocks, something that would have been most unpleasant because the stocks were made out of logs, which were spilt and then drilled making a hole just big enough to accommodate their feet. This would have been tight on their ankles and in such a position, that sleep, would have been very difficult.

But complain they did not, instead they sang hymns and prayed loudly. It's hard to envision this and we need to imagine how we would have reacted if we were placed in this position. Would we pray and sing hymns or would we throw pity parties? Not so for Paul and Silas, they worshipped God and the other prisoners watched and listened to them. They probably would have wondered how and why these men were singing and obviously happy even though their backs were bleeding badly. They would have felt this unnatural.

All of a sudden God turned up in the form of an earthquake. He didn't send an angel this time as He had when Peter had been imprisoned earlier. The earthquake shook the very foundations of the prison and doors were opened and chains fell off the prisoners. It was so severe that the jailor woke up and fearing that the prisoners had escaped, went to commit suicide. As he was responsible for the prisoners, he would have received a nasty execution. Therefore, he preferred to take care of this himself. However, Paul shouted that they were there and eventually the jailer and his family were saved.

The things that we need to notice are the way Paul and Silas handled their situation. They didn't flap or moan; they praised God. Because of this, the prisoners listened to them and this must have had an effect on some of them. And then of course, the way God can turn up in any situation when we give Him the first place, such as praise and prayer. So:

Don't flap or moan, praise and pray instead

Be aware of the impact you can make on others who listen and see your behaviour

Remember, God will turn up if you give Him the first place.

For your diary Monday 14th June, A Study of Joseph begins for a few days

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE