A Prayer for the New Year

"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  

                                                                      1 Thessalonians 5:18.  NKJV

Carrying on our theme of praise from yesterday, let us take this verse as our guideline for a personal prayer to Jesus:

'Lord Jesus, what can I say except, thank you for being my friend and, for being there whenever I needed You. When I remember where I have come from - a world of flesh and now, where I am, Your friend and a member of Your Heavenly family, I cannot comprehend how it could have happened.

  

I don't consider that I was a bad person before I accepted You as my Lord and Saviour but, I do acknowledge that I was not eligible to be classed as a servant of the Most High because, I was covered in the sin of the world. But You, took me and washed me clean and gave me a new song to sing - a new life and a everlasting hope. Thank You Jesus.

  

You have rescued me from death and disaster and placed my feet firmly on solid ground. I shudder to think what would have happened if you had not have been there to drag me from the miry clay that was sucking me into its jaws. Praise You Jesus.

One thing that I am very sure of is the fact that I would never have made it on my own; Oh, I thought that I could in those early days of blindness and arrogance, but I soon came down with a great bump. I was reduced to nothing, broken, unwell, lonely and lost. However, instead of walking by me when I lay as if in a gutter, you picked me up and carried me until I was able to stand again. You lifted me up. You gave me back my self-respect and made me feel confident again; and you healed me. Hallelujah Jesus.

And even though I have not always behaved as well as I should have since meeting with You, You have always shown me Your love and patience and believed in me. You never judge me; You never accuse me and You never gossip about me when I share my heart with You. Where could I go to equal this love - nowhere! It is only found in You  the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. You are all I need. Bless You Jesus.

And now Lord, as I approach 2023 - a New Year, please help me to make the most of it for You. I re-dedicate myself anew, You are my Lord and my Saviour. I give you thanks for what you have done in my life and, I salute You, my Lord. And look forward  to what You have planned for me this coming New Year’

In Jesus' Name Amen

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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Praise is the way forward.

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."   

                                                                                                 Psalm 34:1 NKJV

We are approaching another New Year and, where many people will be making New Year's Resolutions, why not consider inserting into your agenda for 2023 - Praise. Just look above to see how David described praise. He made a commitment to praise God 'at all times' and that praise 'shall continually be in my mouth.' Now that was some commitment, with all the stuff that was being thrown at him.

Imagine committing yourself to do this. Your life would never be the same again Satan hates praise so, he would be driven away and each time he returned, he would be forced away again. You would have heavenly angels all around you, joining in the praise. You would be unstoppable. It is worth a thought but, how would you be able to do this?

The answer to this is, by sheer determination that nothing will stop you from praising the King of kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of God - Jesus Himself. Your life could still go ahead as normal, you would still go to work if you had to; you would still be with your family. The only thing that would change is bringing Jesus to the forefront of your daily life, ensuring you have a 'quiet time' before your day begins and then just being in touch with Jesus all through the day, just silently talking with Him, allowing Him to show you the way. I remember one time that I was doing this; I had been in some quite intense praise as I drove my car. Arriving at my destination, I saw someone I knew, 'Hey Jesus', I shouted across the car park. Everyone within hearing distance turned round, including my friend. All I could do was laugh at my mistake, while the people who didn't know me, thought I was some weirdo. When I first was saved, I was praising God in tongues out loud as I walked down a corridor. As I turned a corner, I came face to face with someone. I just started to hum a tune to try to hide the temporary embarrassment, while this chap just stared at me.

But, now, what the heck, Jesus is worthy of my praise and I don't let anyone make me feel embarrassed. Jesus saved my soul and that is all that matters. He saved your's too and He is worthy of your attention - your praise, your thanksgiving and your gratitude. Start off the New Year incorporating praise into every second of your life. It can be done but, it takes determination. When the devil does attack - and he will, just stand your ground and submit to God, resisting the devil every inch of the way. He must flee, don't forget that (James 4:7-8).

We were created to praise God so let's make a start, right now!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Whatever!

"Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."                                                                          Philippians 4:8   NKJV 

Paul tells us that we need to meditate on the above things - whatever they are and whatever they mean to us. To have any attitude of being able to praise and thank God, whatever has happened or is happening, is good counsel. Of course, we don't praise Him and thank Him for the bad things that happen to us. But, it is good practice to do this whilst we are going through them because, as we do, God carries us through these difficult times, 'Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks ; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV.

Although, the times may not always be difficult, when we can do this, we are realising and accepting that God will work something out for the time we are going through and, that is whatever. Imagine having this attitude 24/7, where things come at us but whatever they are, we know, fully well, Jesus our friend and King will work them out for us because, He always has a plan; and the plan that He has is reliable and interchangeable. When something comes at us unexpectedly, we may not be ready for it but, Jesus is and He is able to change course and take us through the thick of it.

What is whatever in God's eyes? It is all that is good or bad; whatever is massive, it contains everything that a human being may go through - believer or unbeliever. The believer has the edge because they have God on their side. He is the AA man, the RAC man, the Doctor, the Paramedic, the Fireman, in fact, He is everything that constitutes a breakdown. If you breakdown in any of these areas or more, Jesus our Saviour is there to fix it for us, whatever it may be.

When we make Jesus the very being of our life - the director, the helper, the advisor and the counsellor, we are not being irresponsible by this. He wants the control; He wants us to trust Him through whatever we may face. Let us not forget what Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

In other words, whatever you do, involve Jesus in it and you will be successful!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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'I have a plan'

"Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed". Proverbs 16:3 NLT


Many people throughout the world come up with excellent plans and put them into action very quickly. Many succeed from their actions and make lots of money. Many don't and fail. Thomas Edison was a great pioneer of inventions and tried and failed many times with his quest to produce the electric light. When questioned about his exploits, he told the people, that he had not failed but just found 1000 ways that didn't work. A great answer and attitude. There are the doers and the thinkers. The doers get down to business and put their plans into action. The thinkers, just think about it and never try.


God has given us a brain and the ability to create great things. There are colleges and universities where we can go to pursue study and learn the process of developing our God given talent. That doesn't mean that the person who hasn't been to these establishments cannot dream big and be successful, not at all. Many who haven't had academic training have become successful with their plans.


For us as Christians, the best place to start is with Jesus. He is the greatest inventor and creator of all time. Just look at the world and all that is in it for testimony to that fact. Therefore, if you have a plan, it makes sense to go to Him and give Him this and allow Him to help you develop it. The difference between you and the person who is of the world, is that you have given Him your life and that, includes your thoughts and your dreams. He has charge of them but, still allows you to go ahead on your own if you choose this route. However, if you want to be successful, God's way is the best route to take.


Perhaps you have a plan at this moment. It may include a new job, a move to another area, even emigration. You may also have thoughts about starting your own business. Don't rush ahead and try to put it into action. Discuss it with God first. Get His opinion on this new venture. You see, He knows the way ahead - the pitfalls, and He will guide you expertly if you let Him. Your intentions may be the greatest thing that could happen to you. However, they may be your worst nightmare. Check it out with your Life Manager - Jesus right now

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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You're a Citizen of Heaven

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ."                                                       Philippians 3:20   NKJV

I have often heard the term, 'I'm a nobody, I just don't seem to fit in with anyone.' Now this reaction is two-fold. Firstly, from one point of view, an unbeliever may feel this way, especially if in the company of Christian people. Some Christians can come over as standoffish to the unbeliever who doesn't understand the terminology of their conversation and finds it embarrassing because it is obvious that, they just don't fit in. Note to the Christian, every time we are in the presence of an unbeliever, is an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. Rather than remaining within the Christian group, it would be far better to, either engage the unbeliever in the conversation or take them on one side and just be courteous. Secondly, many believers are quite shy and avoid big groups and heavy conversations. This doesn't mean they are loners or difficult to get to know, they are just shy. Therefore, they tend to hang around but don't become involved in any particular conversation. They can be misjudged as being unsociable and this doesn't help where they are at, and thus, promotes the feeling that they just don't fit in.

Probably you may have this type of shyness and inability to engage in conversations with people. Be encouraged, you are still a citizen of heaven. Your name is written in the Lamb's book of life and, you are a somebody. Some people are just shy, that's the way it is. An Elim pastor told me about a very famous singer who was the star attraction at a Christian Festival in Jersey. For an hour or so before the concert, this singer was prowling around his dressing room in total fear; he was literally dreading going on stage. As they walked down the backstage corridor he was praying, 'Oh no, I can't do this, help me Lord'. But when he was introduced and the crowd were going crazy, he walked on stage and shouted, 'Hello Jersey, let's rock.' My friend told me that the transformation was amazing and within moments, he had the whole crowd singing along to his music. What was happening here? He gave his shyness to Jesus and he was reminded that he was a citizen of heaven.

Christians are all equal, there is no one better than the other. Some are extrovert and others introvert, but, we are all one, we are all citizens of the Kingdom of God; and Jesus loves each one of us. Some are better at certain things and that is ok. Others, who are not as good with these things, are far better with their particular thing. We're all one but, we're all different.

Just rejoice that your mansion is waiting for you in heaven, God has the key and His name is Jesus Christ. Thank God that He chose us to be citizens.!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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'I'm not there yet, but I will keep trying'

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."   Philippians 3:12   NKJV

No doubt we have all said something similar about our progress in our relationship with Jesus. Some days it is so difficult and we fail miserably. Let us paraphrase the above statement and put it the way you may feel:

'I get close and I begin to feel that I've made it; everything appears good and I have a great sense of joy. Then, all of a sudden, something happens and I react badly to it. I really try not to but, I fail every time. I repent and tell Jesus that I won't let Him down again and then, the next moment I either bad-mouth someone or begin gossiping and judging. I then have to apologise to Jesus again. Surely, He will get tired of forgiving me, I would.

But today, I have woken up and have a great sense of peace upon me, 'This is the day the Lord has made,' I shout, 'I will rejoice and be glad in it'. And then, things begin to go wrong, I burn the toast - but don't lose my peace. I break a plate washing up - I still don't lose my peace. I miss the bin men and will have to wait until next time - but, I still don't lose my peace. I go out in the pouring rain, go to start the car but, it won't fire up, the battery is dead - I DO LOSE MY PEACE, BIG TIME.'

After a rant, rave and a good old moan, I calm down and once again apologise to Jesus for losing it. I feel Him say, 'Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me' John 14:1. I suddenly realise that I am only human, I am not perfect and sometimes I'm obsessed in trying to get things right for God, but in my own strength I can't. But, Jesus lives in my heart and as I ask Him to, He will guide me and help me through everything I face. All I have to do, is keep pressing on and one day I will get there to collect the treasure that Jesus has ready to give me.'

Jesus will forgive you, He is not some brutal taskmaster that will beat us every time we fail. When we tell Him that we did our best, He doesn't say, 'Well, your best is not good enough.' He would never say this; He looks at the finished article - us in glory, perfected. Yes it will happen one day, but, until then keep doing your best by pressing on. You will get the prize. That's a promise!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Christmas Greetings

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND 

A HAPPY NEW YEAR 

We wish you all a lovely, Jesus - Filled

Christmas. Thank you for your faithful

support in reading our Daily Reading. 

I hope is has been a Blessing to you.

Have a great day and remember

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

I'll be back tomorrow!

In Jesus, we back a winner!

"Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.'"                                                                    Luke 1:30-31  NKJV 

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, she was understandably troubled (v29), after all, this is not an everyday occurrence and it would scare the most toughest of people. However, she was controlled and asked, 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?' The angel then explained how the Holy Spirit would come upon her with power.

Let's take note of what Mary said next, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word' Luke 1:38. Mary was quite open and obedient to what God had chosen for her and, whatever He said, she would do.

This is how God wants us to be - willing and ready to do whatever He may ask of us. When we get to know Him properly, we know we can trust Him. He will never let us down.

Note also verse 37, 'For with God nothing will be impossible'. If God has said it, you can be sure it is true. If He has said something will happen - it will. He can be relied on.

The birth of Jesus brought great joy but, it also brought great panic for His enemy, the devil. This was not part of his game plan; he never thought this would happen and he had to throw emergency meetings with his demons to bring together a plan to stop this and quickly. Two thousand years later, he is still trying but now, he has another problem, Jesus is coming back again - soon! You see, Jesus is greater, He always has been and always will be. When we choose Jesus, we back a winner, we join the medal winners.

Nothing is too difficult for Jesus, whatever He has to face, nothing fazes Him. He is in total control and because you are joined to Him, He will ensure that all goes well for you, as long as you, 'let it be to me, according to your word,'

Tomorrow is Christmas Day - Jesus' birthday. Why not celebrate this in style with Him. Just make sure that He is the 'top man' and you will have a brilliant time. Just think, Christmas presents and the food are a lovely part of the festivities. But 2000 years ago, the birth of Jesus made it all possible. When we chose Jesus to live in our hearts, we backed a winner. Enjoy it!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Don't be Fooled

"Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation."   

                                                                                   Philippians 3:1-2   NKJV

In verse one of this piece of scripture, Paul empathises the necessity of being repetitive. He wrote, 'In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard to you.' Preachers are often ridiculed for preaching 'the same old sermon'. However, it is important to reinforce some issues so that people are aware of certain points. And this is what Paul was doing here.

Dogs were classed as unclean animals and he related this to unclean teachers that went around misleading people. He had a perpetual problem with Judaisers. These were an early Christian sect which insisted that Gentiles needed to be circumcised before they became Christians (Acts 15:1). Paul denounced these statements insisting that believers were justified by faith alone (Acts 15:6-11). The Judaisers claimed that  one must keep the Old Testament law to be saved and sanctified. They were trying to combine faith and works as a way of getting right with God.

We must beware of a system that says we must earn our standing with God. Jesus Christ came to set us free from the grip of the law. We are liberated in Him (Romans 8:1-2). Jesus has set us free from all of the things that kept people trapped in the jaws of sin. All addictions, whatever their name, must bow to the Name above all names - Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11). He has given us a freedom that we could never have had without Him: 'Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed'  (John 8:36), Jesus own words. 

Many people today are bound in their own particular addiction. It can be anything, not just the big ones such as alcohol and drugs. Whatever, you can't live without and you crave for is an addiction. For some it is pornography or spending money that they just don't have but load up their credit cards. 'I'll just do this once more', may be the words they utter. However, once more turns into 'many more'. 

If this is you, why not do something about it. Jesus doesn't lie; He can set you free. say this prayer right now:

Lord Jesus, your Word tells us that if You make us free, we will be free indeed. Lord, I bring my addiction of....................... to You right now. Please Lord, as I surrender this to You please set me free totally. In Jesus' name. Amen'

Now believe and receive this and if you need to, speak with someone who will support you with this.

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Are you negotiator?

"Do all things without complaining and disputing"           Philippians 2:14   NKJV 

Grumbling and complaining is an emotional negative response to something you don't like. Let's face it, we can't like everything in life but, that doesn't give us the right to complain and grumble about things especially, if it turns into a full-scale argument. These type of things hinder the work of God. A church that is continually in dispute and argument, is a church that is going to divide' and usually, division is the work of the devil.

To be in a place of complaint and argument leads us to be unproductive and it wastes precious time as we beat on about issues that are not worth it. Some people will argue and dispute scripture over and over seeing things that are just not there. All this does is bring about disputes that may be difficult to settle and a church split may be inevitable. When things become like this, arguments can begin, some that break relationships never to be repaired. If we check in Proverbs 15:1, we read, 'A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.' Sadly, this can be the result of not being in control of the mouth and allowing ourself to fall into the trap of not being like Jesus. Relationships may be shattered, ones where people have been friends for years and suddenly, the wrong thing is said. Think for a moment, has a relationship in your life been broken because of unkind words? Can it be repaired? If so, why not send an appropriate Christmas card to the person. It may help and build a bridge.

At times we need to take on the role of a negotiator; one where we can bring peace and healing to an otherwise war zone. Hey, this is the season of goodwill and peace so, spread it around. Also be mindful of : 'Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance' (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT).

If you need to take the role of negotiator, meditate on the words above and blend them into the conversation you may have with someone who needs it. It breathes peace into a life if it is received. If you feel wronged because of what someone has done or said to you; think, is it important enough to confront the person. If it is, pray it over, get some counsel on the affair and then, if it is still burning away, approach it in the role of negotiator. Many a war zone has been repaired with a gentle approach. 

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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The Qualities of our Salvation

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."   

                                                                              Philippians 2:12-13   NKJV

This verse has been like a stumbling block for many Christians because, they find it hard to understand. What did Paul mean when he said, 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling'? Well, he didn't mean that salvation is dependent on one's continued works; not at all. What he meant was our salvation must express itself in our daily living. Our character should be upright in all that we do, so that unbelievers see the difference in us and, although they may feel that we're strange, it leaves a lasting effect on them.

Paul mentioned about their conduct when he was not with them. He commended them that their behaviour was always upright whether he was with them or away from them. This is something that we need to take on board. I mentioned the Behind Closed Doors Syndrome' the other day where, we behave well at church but it's almost as if we can be tempted to take off our Christian hat and behave in a worldly manner, when we go home. This is similar to when the boss is around we may behave diligently. However, when he goes out, take time off or leave work earlier than we should. Paul commended the Philippi church that whether he was with them or not, they were always obedient and faithful.

Paul mentions that we should work our own salvation out with fear and trembling. Whatever we do, God knows, we can't hide anything from Him. Others may not see but, He does and when we are in error, that feeling of conviction can be heavy upon us until we have put things right. It's also important because, those unbelievers who do see our disobedience, take note of it. They may not mention it but this is where the term 'hypocrite' can form in their thinking. We need to live up to our word otherwise, we are like a ''sounding brass or a clanging cymbal' (1 Corinthians 13:1). We may not realise that they have noticed our wrongdoing, but to them, it's big, possibly because they view us as reading the bible.

When we view Jesus throughout the Gospels, His love, care, honesty and compassion shine through. People around Him noticed He was different and, He drew a crowd because of it. What a blessing it is when people notice that we are different and ask us about it. Wouldn't you prefer to have people notice you for the right reasons? Then, 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling'.

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

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