Count your Blessings

"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."   1 Peter 5:7   NKJV 

Life can be stressful at times with pressures building up around us non-stop. It can be hard to manage all of these things and many of us feel like throwing the towel in and conceding. Don't do that. Look at things from a different angle - the wider picture. Life can be busy whether you have a job, run your own business or are at home looking after the family and possibly, trying to find a job. Our verse today, advises us to give all of these things to Jesus because He is interested enough to take care of them. I'm not saying, He will do everything for you, not at all. But, He will show you a way that is easier to handle.

When you have a lot of things that need doing at the same time, you know it is not going to work. Therefore, look at all you have to do, prioritise what is most important. This happens by looking at everything as a whole and then, breaking these down into manageable tasks. Then when you have completed this, tackle the next one. God does not want you upset or stressing out; He wants you to be blessed.

Have you ever looked at all that God has blessed you with? Johnson Oatman Jr wrote a song where the chorus reads like this:

'Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done'.

When things are going pear-shaped, we can tend to look at all the negative things around us and go on a downward spiral to the depths of depression. This is not what God wants for you. He wants you to focus on all He has done for you - the blessings. Can you remember when you were panicking because you had no money and a bill needed paying, or when there was little food to put on the table or the car had broken down and you couldn't afford to fix it? Can you remember how God took charge of all of this for you? They were blessings.

Focus on the positives of life; live expectantly knowing that, somehow, God has the answer to all of this. This is what is meant when we read 'casting all your care upon Him.' He loves you, don't allow things of the world to rob you of your blessing. Remember, the devil is a thief (John 10:10) and he will steal your joy away. Don't let him. Count your blessings instead, and you'll be surprised what God has done for you, and will continue to do.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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This is my story

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

                                                                     Psalm 34:1 NKJV 

Fanny J Crosby, was an American songwriter and lyricist who was born blind in 1820. Bing Crosby, the well-known American crooner of the 40's, 50's and 60's, was a distant relative of Fanny. She wrote more than 8000 hymns, many of which are still sung today, one being the wonderful hymn, Blessed Assurance. Here is the first verse and chorus:

'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, Oh what a foretaste of glory divine! 

Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long'  x2

                                                                                            Fanny J Crosby

Just note the words of the chorus; she is singing her praise and blessing to her Saviour, just as King David had wrote years earlier in Psalm 34:1. 'This is my story'. We should never be ashamed or embarrassed to sing or tell people about Jesus and what He has done for us. People may protest and say they don't want to hear it, but, people have been saying that since Jesus was preaching and teaching, followed by His disciples. People's protests never stopped them, even if they had to face death or imprisonment.

You may say that you have no exciting testimony to speak of, like others have. However, you are wrong, very wrong. You are just as valuable to Jesus as the disciples were. You have a testimony; you were born again and Jesus Christ saved you from your sin and has given you forgiveness and a future, eternally with Him. Isn't that important and exciting? Of course it is; you belong to Jesus, the King of kings, you are a King and Priest unto God (Revelation 1:6). This is your story, this is your song, being able to praise your Saviour all the day long. Yes, little old you, are special to Jesus:

'Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Saviour am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.' (Verse 3).

You are in your Saviour and, He is in you. You are His and He is yours. You have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb; you have salvation, you are filled with His peace and lost in His love. What more could you ever ask for? This is your story, the story of when Jesus Christ came into your life and made you a somebody, a co-heir in Christ. Wow, do you have a story to tell all who will listen - the day Jesus saved you from your sin and gave you Blessed Assurance. 

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Watch the Rust!

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal".         Matthew 6:19   NKJV

Rust is the red oxide of iron which is formed by corrosion of that metal. Acidic substances, which includes water, come into contact with metals such as steel or iron and rust begins to form. When this happens, structures or tools are not safe because they have been weakened by the rust itself. Unless, early action is taken, rust can eat through the material rendering it useless.

Now put all of this into a Christian form; rust signifies old outdated attitudes. We may have to reconsider spiritually, ideas that are harmful before we can make progress. Otherwise, corrosion can form from our own spiritual lives. 

Let me explain, when I was a young boy, I wasn't allowed to go out and play football or cricket on a Sunday. Friends would knock on the door and ask if I was 'coming out to play' and even if I begged my dad, I was not allowed out on the 'Sabbath'. The only way I was allowed out, was if I went with him to visit my Aunt, a long bus ride a way. Even then, although I was young, I could see the hypocrisy in this but I kept this to myself. But I noted that if, God was like this, I didn't want to know. It led to me hating Sundays. Even into my teen years and early twenties, I still suffered the injustice of it all. In my opinion, not being allowed out to play with my friends on a Sunday, was an outdated attitude and I vowed that I would never enforce this upon my own children when I was married. Going to church and family times should be encouraged though.

There are many outdated traditions that are still being used today. Some people, not many I know, will not cook, clean or do any particular thing on a Sunday. It is the Sabbath - a day of rest, we hear. However, many people have to work on a Sunday because, their job demands it, such as the police, fireman, bus drivers, paramedics etc. etc. But the old attitudes and traditions bring human judgement on these things and can give the people doing this, a major guilt trip.

I am not saying that the bible needs to be updated - not at all. Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever (Hebrews 13:8), and what is in the bible should remain and not be changed to give it a more modern outlook. Some people are trying to do this - rewrite the bible to satisfy their own thoughts. Let us pray this never happens. Perhaps what needs changing is some of our attitudes and traditions such as I have mentioned. 

We, have to avoid the old attitudes towards 'Religion'. This is what they are 'Attitudes and Traditions'. Jesus does not promote this type of thing. He promotes, love and peace. Old traditions and attitudes are like rust, they cause corrosion and weaken a person's chance of faith. Let’s be aware of heavy traditions and attitudes and promote the whole Gospel in it's truth

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Let God fix His creation

"And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done."   Genesis 2:2   NKJV 

God's creative work finished on the sixth day and on the 7th day, He blessed it and rested. He had completed all that He needed to complete, it was 'all done' and He decided it was time to rest. This didn't take place because He needed to rest, not at all. He was not tired from all His creative work, far from it. God never gets weary and never sleeps, He was pleased with what He had done and decided it was time to sit back and enjoy everything that He had created. When we do a lot of work, we become weary and it is nice to rest and sit back and enjoy the work that we've done. With God, it was just pleasurable to sit back and take in everything. He was so pleased.

Just think, if God takes a day off to enjoy His labours, then we also need to take a day off to do the same and enjoy Him, our family and have the ability to recoup our strength. Why is this? Because, we need to celebrate the Sabbath (although it is not called that here), and focus on the one that really matters - Jesus. Let's face it, without Him, we are lost. I'm sure you have realised that when we take a few days off without reading our bibles and praying, we feel like a sheep without a shepherd. 

If God created the universe from nothing, which He did, let us remember, that He also created us from nothing. Many of us had nothing before we were saved. Yes, we had a loving family perhaps but, there was always something missing - Jesus. It is so sad how many try to find comfort in drugs and alcohol when, the answer to what's missing is right near to them. Jesus is the only one that can give everlasting comfort, love and peace. He is not a temporary trip, He is forever, a forever friend.

You maybe in a place at this moment where you are waiting for something good to happen. You've tried it all, but it has only been a short satisfaction. You so long for fulfilment and I want to tell you that Jesus can fix this for you. If you don't give Him a chance to prove it to you, you will never know. He created you and, everything is created well. You just need Him to make a few adjustments. Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)

Lord Jesus, I so need You to help me. Nothing appears to go right for me, but I've heard that You can fix this. Therefore, I give my life to You today and ask You to forgive my sins and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen

I've started so I'll finish

"And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."   Hebrews 12:1  NLT 

There are many believers who, for one thing or another, think they'll never make it to heaven - 'life is so difficult and I keep messing up.' If this is the way you are thinking at the moment, let me give you an encouraging verse that is directly from the Throne room of God:

'And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.' Did you get that? Paul states that he is 'certain' of this and that He will 'continue' the work within you until 'Jesus returns' for you. That is a golden promise.

There is a well-known and popular quiz show in the UK called Mastermind, and the presenter will say, if the buzzer goes before finishing a question: 'I've started so I'll finish.' This is such a well-known statement in the show but, it is almost like Jesus is saying to each one of us, the same thing, 'I've started so I'll finish.' Jesus is not about to let you down after all He has done for you. He has started the work within you and, He will ensure that He finishes it before your life is over. You will get to heaven and you will be fully complete for this process. However, until then, the work goes on.

This is why we have to 'run with endurance'. Nothing that is good comes easy; it can be hard work but, when we persevere, we make our lives easier to bear. You may say: 'Yes, but you don't understand, I'm nothing like I should be, I'm a hypocrite.' Well join the club, come and live with me for a week and you'll soon see the weak parts in my life. I mess up quite a lot, but the one thing that keeps me going, is the fact that my Mentor - Jesus Christ, will never leave me (Hebrew 13:5).

We all mess up but, the secret is, we need to keep on keeping on, running with the endurance that He gives us. Many people ran in the London Marathon this past weekend; don't you think that many wanted to give up when their body started hurting, when their muscles were crying out in agony and their breath was causing them to pant? Of course they wanted to stop but, no, they had endurance and nothing was going to stop them fulfilling the race.

And so should you never give up either. As you press on, Jesus will give you added strength and the ability to cope with whatever you face. And, He will ensure that your place remains for you in heaven. His word is, 'I've started so I'll finish'.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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I'll be back

"However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved."
                                                                                 Judges 16:22. NKJV

It is quite a normal thing to want to get your own back when you have been wronged. This is why, Paul said in Romans:
'Beloved, do not avenge yourself, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay", says the Lord' Romans 12:19.

This can be a hard order to follow because our own will is fighting against God's will. Flesh against the Holy Spirit. When we do obey this, God is true to His word and does avenge; but not always the way that we had hoped.

Samson was a mighty warrior with amazing strength. He was a Nazarite who had been born to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. However, after a series of events he fell in love with Delilah who deceived him by revealing to the lords of the Philistines, the secret of his incredible strength - his hair had never been cut since his birth. The Philistines came and gouged out his eyes after shaving his head - the source of his strength. He was then powerless. But they had made a dreadful error. They should have shaved his head on a daily basis but neglected to do so. The result being, his hair began to grow back, as did his strength.

As time went on, Samson was in the temple, performing for the Philistines' amusement when he grabbed hold of the pillars and pushed them out of way resulting in the roof caving in, killing them all.

People may have hurt and wronged you; but that doesn't mean you should try to get your own back on them. But it also, doesn't mean that you should become a door mat either, letting people walk all over you. Have a Terminator mentality by thinking to yourself: 'You may have wronged me, but I forgive you and bear no malice against you. But know this, 'I'll be back - the hairs on my head are growing again, I am re-gaining my strength and I will not be prevented from doing what God has given me to do.'

People can't handle this type of thing. Firstly, they expect us to retaliate and when we don't, they feel that we are scared. We are not, we are wise. To retaliate means that they have won and bombard you with torments such as, 'Is that how a Christian should act?' 

No, we are the People of God and He is the one who will avenge, but one thing is for sure, we will be back!

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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A lament for grey-headed people

"Grey hair is a crown of glory, it is gained by living a Godly life."
                                                                                                          Proverbs 16:31.  NLT

Many older people today, are feeling the impact of reaching maturity. Society, in general, depending on age, requires that a person retire when they reach this qualifying period, although the age keeps changing. There are chances of extending this time or finding alternative employment, but usually, when you reach your sell by date, it's over.
Well, I've news for you. That is a lie. It isn't over until God says it's over There's no retirement in the Kingdom of God but sadly, there is ageism and this makes it difficult to function properly in your ministry. Younger people tend to take over. However, one needs to remember that, young people grow old themselves. It cannot be avoided.
Young and old can compliment each other if they're allowed to. The older person has a lot of experience to pass on. They've done it and know the mistakes that they've made - what works and what doesn't. So there is a mentoring facility just waiting to break out and be available to the younger people. 
Don't write yourself off or be written off. God is not into ageism. Just look around, many of the seasoned, well known and successful preachers and teachers, are of a mature age, yet they're still giving out. They have wisdom and experience. 

If you feel that you are past it, think again. God has a plan for you, even now. Seek and ask Him and He'll open the way for you. If you're still willing, He'll make it thrilling and it will be fulfilling and benefit all. All you need to say is, 'Yes Lord.'
Many older people carry the scars of battles fought in their work for the Kingdom of God. They know because they've been there and done it. Many times, people will say, 'I know just how you feel,' when they haven't a clue how you feel at all. The older generation know because they've lived it, they've run many races in life. This is why they're a valuable asset.

If you are reading this and feel that you're on the scrap heap, think again. You've only just begun. There's a generation who need guidance, direction and mentoring. They need to realise what lies ahead and what to do when they reach certain obstacles. You are important! You may think the church has forgotten you; but they can't do that because they'd never make it without you. You have the ability to make a difference. How? Well here's a few ideas:

WRITE A BOOK
You have a wealth of experience that you could mention. It is not as hard as you think.
WRITE A BLOG
Go on Facebook and create a site dedicated to Jesus. Find a blog site to include on this and be a regular feature in the world of social media.
OFFER YOUR SERVICES
Volunteer at your church to run a mentoring group, helping the younger people, who are the church of tomorrow.
PREACH THE WORD
If you feel the urge for preaching, tell God. He knows already of course but He likes it that we bring up the subject. He can open doors no matter how firmly closed they are.

Don't just sit and vegetate. Get the job done and make your years of experience count.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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He will give you direction

"Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all day."   Psalm 25:4-5   NKJV    

David was crying out to His God to show him direction, deliverance and forgiveness. We all need this on a daily basis and we will only receive it from the Lord. Note how David writes: 'Lead me in Your truth' v5:

The word truth here is translated from the Hebrew word Emet, and means certainty, stability, truth, rightness and trustworthiness. Emet, conveys a sense of dependability, firmness and reliability. It can be said that, this type of truth is something upon which a person may confidently stake their life. This is why David prayed that God's truth would continually preserve him (Psalm 40:11). This information is sourced from Word Wealth, The Spirit Filled Life Bible.

No wonder David put so much emphasis on the word 'Truth'. This type of truth can be relied on to lead us along a wise path; it instructs us and teaches us and, when we're lost, it can be relied on to show us the way. It's almost as if God is our own personal Sat Nav. However, we must cry out to God for Him to respond to us. We may have important decisions to make and it would be very unwise to make these decisions without consulting with Him. He knows the way; He knows what decision to make and what to discard.

We learn God's ways over a time, not, as some think, overnight. It's a process of building a lasting, intimate relationship. He gradually moulds us into the likeness of His Son. Therefore, we must seek Him everyday and walk with Him through the garden. When we do this, there is no need to talk, we just need to be aware of His presence - the aroma of life. 

I like the last part of verse 5: 'On You I wait all day.' Instead of the laborious task of waiting for God to act; for me it portrays the privilege of waiting on Him as if we are a waiter serving Him. After all, He is God, He deserves to be waited on. The Psalmist in Ps 84:10 had it right when he wrote, 'I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.' However, when we are willing to serve Him this way, He takes control and serves us instead. What a Saviour - serving us to the cross and beyond. 

Do you want God to be your guide, directing you in the way of success? Then spend some intimate time with Him.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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A Square peg in a round hole

"to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."                 

                                 Ephesians 1:6     NKJV 

Have you ever felt like you're a square peg in a round hole? Everything you try to do either, doesn't work or, you just don't appear to fit in with other people or situations. If you feel like this, join the club. I think we all feel like this periodically. Sadly, there can many cliches in church circles and it can be difficult to be welcomed into such groups. Actually, you will find this everywhere - work places, sports clubs, pubs etc. etc. It is pretty common. You can try to force yourself to be accepted by these groups by perhaps, being a people-pleaser - trying to earn their respect. It can work but, then again it can be a no go exercise. When you come up against these groups, it can be rather like walking into a saloon in an old cowboy film. As you walk through the flapping doors everything goes quiet, the piano stops and everyone present stares at you. It's a strange feeling and, thankfully, it doesn't happen very often. 

We as people are strange anyway. We tend to be territorial in our habits; we like the same old seat in church and, woe betide anyone who sits there. We like to use the same old parking space and speak to the same old people. We can be like, creatures of habit. Most of us do not like change and if suddenly all the seats were taken away and we were expected to sit on the floor, this would upset quite a few people. It would make us feel like square pegs in a round hole.

It's the same with breaking into small groups. Many of us used to dislike this when I was at uni. We were safe in a normal class setting but, break into smaller groups was unthinkable and everyone would be so quiet at first. I still don't care for this type of thing and go into my type of square peg in a round hole.

I remember once when we, as a family had been camping for a week. It was horrid and rained all of the week and we were covered in mud because we were on a farm. On the Sunday, we went to this old church in the middle of nowhere. It had a congregation of no more than 10 people. The pianist, who looked about 120, started playing 'This is the day' and we being Pentecostals started clapping and singing out loud. The ten people, who were all in their 'Sunday best' turned round and saw us in jeans and wellies and covered in mud and must have thought we were aliens. No, we were square pegs in a round hole.

Do you get the point? You can't please everyone and as long as Jesus is pleased with you - and He is - that is all that matters! You are holy square pegs in a round hole.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

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

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Stop getting into a panic

"Suddenly a fierce storm struck the lake with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping."                 Matthew 8:24  NLT 

Why was Jesus sleeping? He would have known about the storm that was approaching and yet, He didn't warn the disciples about this but, went to sleep. I believe there was a couple of reasons for this. Let's not forget, Jesus, as we know, was in His humanity at the time. He would have become tired the same as any of us do. For one thing, being a leader, as Jesus was, is not easy at times. People can wear us down with their conflicts, arguments and demands. All this takes it's toll on our body.

However, I believe that the real reason Jesus went to sleep and didn't say anything about the pending storm, was because he wanted to see how they handled the situation; how they would manage when faced with a major trauma. He had taught them about faith and they had seen the results of faith-filled living. Now was the time to see if they were ready, which they wasn't as their panic demonstrated.

When we have someone in the driving seat of our lives, it takes the necessity away of having to think for ourselves. However, we can become institutionalised. Prisoners are very much like this as are people in the military. In situations such as these someone usually thinks for you, making the decisions of what to do, where to go and when to stop. When this ends, it is easy to panic, rather like the disciples did here. We have comfort zones and, they are difficult to come out of. We see this in nature, where young birds need to fledge and wobble precariously on the side of the nest flapping their wings like crazy. Sometimes they are reluctant to leave so, Momma gives them a push. Once out of the nest, they have to make decisions for themselves and, it's a strange world out there. Leaving home for the first time can be difficult. We suddenly realise that it is down to us now, and it's scary. Soldiers after a few years in the army may struggle too. All of a sudden, there is no one telling them what to do, where to go and all that malarky.

The disciples were in a similar situation. For a few years, they had been used to Jesus leading the way and getting them out of the scrapes that they found themselves in. Now, they had to remember what Jesus had actually said about faith and they were panicking. He will lead us so far, until we are strong enough to stand alone. However, He's never far away - right beside you in fact. But, He has taught us, the bible is our training manual, if we don't read it, we are in problems because, the answers to life are all in these pages of faith and truth.

The next time you realise that you are getting in a panic, remember what He taught you; if you can't remember or you are in fear, stop and call on Him. He will answer but, He may wait to see how you handle the situation. It's not that He won't do anything for you anymore - not at all. He wants you to do it and what's more, He has given you everything you need to carry this out. So no more flapping and getting into a panic; keep your cool and quickly analyse the situation and act accordingly. You can do this Philippians 4:13.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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The Soul

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name."  

                                 Psalm 103:1   NKJV 

Psychiatrists and Psychotherapists talk about a persons's Psyche. Just what are they saying? It is a part of psychology that looks at the human soul, mind or spirit. This can help them determine why a person acts in a particular way -  both in a conscious or unconscious way. Trauma can damage a person's psyche, which may include their emotions.

God had this already in process, without having to study for a degree, and an example is the Psalm above which refers to the soul. King David wrote, 'Bless the LORD, O my

soul.' Now the soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. The Universal Dictionary puts it this way:

'The animating and vital principle in humankind credited with the faculties of thought, action and emotion.'

Therefore, we can determine where we are coming from at any given time. Take for instance, our:

MIND  Our thoughts can let us down many times and often it can be out of control. If we are not careful, the mind can distract us with thoughts that are not wholesome, or thoughts that are irrelevant to what we are concentrating on. In other words, we can drift off into our own little world totally oblivious to what is going on around us. We can also hold bad thoughts about someone, whether it be a grudge or jealousy, envy or even lust. The mind has to be controlled.

WILL  This brings us to the will. We have choices and the choices we make, we have to live by. Some choices are bad ones, probably not thought out properly. Our will can put into action what we have been thinking about. So if, our thoughts have been unwholesome, we need to be very careful that they don't come to fruition. We can't blame others for the choices we make; Adam and Eve did that and it cost them everything they had. The choices we make, we have to own, so be careful in this area.

EMOTIONS  We easily get hurt at times and some people are more fragile than others. When someone hurts us, we can so easily go down the road of revenge but all that does, is make matters worse. God has clearly told us not to do this; He will take care of it if we allow Him to Romans 12:17-21.

What David was suggesting in Psalm 103, was to place our soul - mind, will and emotion, before God and allow Him to bless them, to help us direct them and live our lives the way he intended for us. So, if you fall into any of these categories (which I am sure you do), then surrender your soul to God each morning. When you fall - because you will - consider what happened, rectify it and be careful you don't make that mistake again.

Doing this, you are well on the way to being more in control of your Psyche (Soul)

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

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