Keep going, you're doing ok

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"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."  1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV

It's not easy when you're working flat out and you feel that your work is not appreciated. It makes some people pack in and move on. That can be from jobs, marriages even churches. Everyone likes to be appreciated. Sadly, it doesn't always happen.

Jesus talked about a man who built his house upon a rock. (Matthew 7:24-29) No matter what was thrown against this house, it kept standing. It refused to fall. That is the formula, building on our rock - Jesus. You'll never please everybody, sometimes, no one at all. Jesus is pleased though. 

Some days can be tedious, whether out at work, where the boss is never satisfied and treats you like a drudge. Or at home, where you feel that you're just taken for granted. Sometimes at church, we can do all we can, whenever we're asked and yet, we feel it goes un-noticed. Sometimes it would be easier to throw the towel in and leave.

However, don't do that. You may be a leader in a church and it seems like you work almost 36 hours a day, at times, but some people will still complain and be dis-satisfied with the changes you have made. You may be a sales person and whatever you sell, the target keeps going up so that it seems unreachable. At home, you may feel like the doormat; everyone moans about their problems but no one gives you the time to air your worries. 

Hey, don't give up. Keep going. God wants you to be immovable, this means you don't run away - ever. You keep right on going, abounding in all you do. God will bring a happier resolution to this issue if you ask Him to. He sees all and as long as He sees your hard work and faithfulness, He won't let you down.
Just for now though, put your armour on (Ephesians 6:14-18), especially the shield of faith. Arrows are flying around at present and these are sent by the wicked one and meant to wound you and to get you to think negatively. Don't let them pierce your heart. Just be faithful and immovable in all you do and God will bring about some kind of change to your environment. 
Build upon the rock and you won't sink!

I would love to hear from you.  dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

God can repair the damage

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

Things may not be going too well just lately; marital problems; relationships; sickness; neighbour problems; problems with Finances or employment. The list may be endless. Sometimes the last thing we want to hear is when a Christian says, 'I'll pray for you,' and then walks away to get on with their day.
Sometimes we don't wish to talk about what is troubling us but when we do, we need someone who will empathise with us and help us see if there is a way through the hurt of it all. Do you know someone that you can trust to help you with this?

What are you struggling with right now? Have you tried laying it before God? He should be our first port of call. Yet, sometimes when we do this, we get nothing, It can seem as if even God is not listening. He is, but He's different to us and He handles things in a more higher way: 

'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways, My ways, says the LORD. For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.' Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV.

The reason God doesn't answer straightaway is that he is a deep thinker. He has our heart in His hands and He wants to bring healing to the damage that has been done to you. However, sometimes things take a little longer to put into place, alternatively, sometimes they're much quicker. God is not ignoring you. He is providing a way through but he is a great planner and wants everything in place, because He loves you.

Therefore, if you are waiting for God to help, He has heard you calling to Him, there is no need to fret. He is in control and will deliver. Is there something you must do first, though? Are you bearing a grudge against someone; judging and accusing the one who has hurt you. This is understandable, but stop! This will get you nowhere and God cannot perform while this is happening. Put your hope in the only one who really cares and loves you - Jesus. He cares so much and he is only a prayer away. 
Lets go to the throne right now:

'Lord Jesus, I really don't know what to do. I am hurt and mixed up about things. My world is falling apart because of it all. Please come and help me. You're my hope and my eyes are upon You right now.. Amen 

I would really love to hear from you.  dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

P.P.P.

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"It is better for me to die than to live". Jonah 4:8. NKJV

Jonah has been called the pouting prophet and just by reading the four chapters about him, it's not hard to see why. After Jonah had finally obeyed God and gone to Nineveh to declare God's Word to them, he went outside of the great city and sulked and threw a major pity party because he felt God should have wiped them all out. When he didn't, Jonah wished death upon himself.

I've named today's reading, 'P.P.P. - Pity Party People.' We can be so like this at times; especially when somebody does us wrong and hurts us. We want God to sort them out. In fact, at times, we want to sort them out, forget we're a Christian for a day and give the person a jolly good sorting. We hold imaginary conversations with them and really believe that we are doing this. We see them in the street and try to avoid them. In church when they come to hug us, we pray that we'll be raptured before they even touch us.

We focus on something that hasn't even happened and hold an inquest at home, with our partner, trying to drag them into the equation and gain their support. When this fails, we feel sorry for ourselves, pout, slam doors and then hold the pity party with only ourselves invited.

We've all done it. At times, I've felt that could write a book about some people I've met and many of them Christians. I have dreamt about all I could put into this book, judging, blaming, exposing and calling them all of the names that I can think of. Yes, I could have written a best seller about them. That is, until I realised that God has considered writing one about me, which would be much fatter, full of everything that I have ever done and very costly to my walk with Him. I quickly repented.

God knows what we're like. He knows that it can be difficult at times. Let's face it, we're in a family - the family of God; and at times families can be very dysfunctional and troublesome. We have to give and take. Look how God is with us. How many times have we disappointed Him and angered Him but, because of Jesus, when we have repented, we have received a clean bill. 

Is there someone at this moment who you're finding difficult to handle? Ask God to show you something nice about them. Ask God to show them something nice about you. It is a two-way thing you know. You may get on their nerves as much as they get on yours. Bend a little. Reach out to them. Give them a call and invite them out for coffee - if that's possible. Pray for them; try and show them the respect and love that Jesus shows you. That's what God expects. Don't be a P.P.P. any longer. 

I'd love to hear from you.  dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

God knows your gifting

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"A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men."    Proverbs 18:16 

Do you know the gift that is within you? Do you think God knows of it? Of course he does, because He put it there. 'Then why don't God use it? I never get chosen to do anything.'

We all have certain gifts and talents that God placed within us and will use when we are ready - when we are in position to be used. At times, everyone wants to be the preacher or the pastor or the worship leader. Now that may be for you. However, perhaps the time is not right yet. God uses our gifts in the secular world too, you know. There are Christian doctors, social workers, office workers, politicians and even road sweepers who have gifting and are using this gifts for God. 

The thing is, if God said He wanted to use you today; would you do it? Some would and many would go into a decline and hide away. I know, I've been there. Not everyone are called to be a preacher. Ushers are so important, as are the church car park attendant. Each have a role to play. Sometimes we have to humble ourselves and do the things we feel are below us before God will use us in the higher positions.

The thing is, if God has placed a certain gift within you, He will use it despite what anyone else says. Look at young David. He saw Goliath and looked around at Saul and his army and knew they were not going to retaliate. Therefore, he felt God showing him that it was what he should do. Saul tried to stop him and no doubt there were sniggers from family and the crowd when they saw this skinny little chap taking on this nine foot giant. It didn't stop him though. Why? Because he knew the time was right. He knew God had put him in this place to do this act and he went for it and claimed victory.

Now, God is not calling you to attack this kind of giant. However, what you will have to do, will appear so if you don't get in position - praying and listening to God. being humble and usable. Being ready as today may be the the day.

Your gift will become apparent to the right person at the right time. Stay cool until then. Keep praying God; refuse to get disgruntled and get ready. It may come sooner than you thought.


I'd love to hear from you:    daily life with jesus@protonmail.com

Insiders and Outsiders Part two

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"The next day, John saw Jesus coming towards Him and said, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29 NKJV

Yesterday we looked at the role of Outsiders.- - the Etic perspective. Today let's look at Insiders, who look at the outsiders. This is called the Emic perspective.

John the Baptist was an Insider. He knew Jesus, he was a practitioner and had the spiritual knowledge of who he was and what He was here for. Initially, he was talking to outsiders when he told John and Andrew about Him 'Behold. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.' (John 1:29). They very quickly became insiders as they pursued Jesus and became His followers. 

Basically, an insider is one who 'knows Jesus' The insider has gone into the Internal Frame of of Reference. They know who the  person is. They may not be able to explain it fully yet but they have inward knowledge. That is what it is like when you come to know Jesus as Your Lord and Saviour.

Outsiders cannot understand where an insider is coming from. They do not have that inner feeling - the Holy Spirit. Insiders know that when they come face to face with an outsider, it can be difficult to explain why they read the bible; go to church or speak freaky language about Jesus. Now the outsider may be searching for something that the insider has - Jesus. Alternatively, they may be curious about how a Christian reacts to things differently than the norm. I remember a mental health social worker who visited a Christian patient at home. When he returned to the office, he told me that she was very strange and he was quite concerned as she talked about her faith endlessly and had various bibles around the place. He felt that this was over the top. He may have been right. However, I happened to know this patient and knew that she was a Christian through and through but had hit a bad time and was depressed. The problem was, the other social worker, found it very difficult to accept what I told him and I got the feeling that he was concerned about my mental health too.

This can be a problem. When an outsider, especially a professional in a particular field, meets up with an insider - one who is living for Jesus; speaks in tongues; reads the bible and prays. Labels can be attached. Outsiders need to assess things more clearly when they are advised that a particular insider has a belief system that is different from theirs. The purpose of studying religion is to make the strange familiar, and the familiar strange. The truth is, that which is strange to the unbeliever, is familiar to the believer and vice versa. This is where misunderstandings happen.

Again it is down to the Christian individual (the insider) to get their faith over to the outsider, if it is necessary. The outsider cannot understand what is happening, especially if they go to a Charismatic church where people are laying all over the floor shouting out to Jesus. However, with patience and empathy, an insider can help the outsider to know what they're witnessing. Let's face it, you were once an outsider looking in. That is until the day Jesus invited you to 'Come and see.' Then you knew. 

Before I became a Christian, I thought most Christian people were crazy people. Now I've joined them and I'm glad.The persecution, violence and insults that Christians suffer throughout the world are done by outsiders - people who do not understand our viewpoint. 

I think God wants us to put them right, don't you?

Why not drop me an email. dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com 

Insiders and Outsiders

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"The next day, John saw Jesus coming towards Him and said, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29 NKJV

In our study over the next two days, I would like to look at Christianity firstly in the eyes of the onlooker (the outsider) and then tomorrow, look at Christianity from the yourself (the insider). It sounds complicated but it isn't. What we will actually be doing is sitting on the streets as Jesus walks by and forming an outside opinion. Tomorrow it will be your opinion. This is a form of Anthropology and this data is from The Open University:

Anthropology is the scientific study of humans and human behavior and societies in the past and present. 
The outsider view is the view from the outside: the perspective of the (theoretically) dispassionate observer whose observation does not influence the observed. This can be called the academic view. In the academic discipline of Religious Studies, it is sometimes called the etic perspective. The insider view is that of the practitioners, the people who are engaged in and more or less committed to the group or society in which they move. In Religious Studies, the view from the inside, the perspective of the practitioners, is called the emic perspective. This is a central distinction in the study of religion.

From an Etic perspective, we see here Jesus walking through Bethany and John the Baptist making a prophetic statement about Him to his own disciples. Think about the situation. Jesus was at the start of His ministry and already, He was beginning to stir up attention to Himself. In fact, so much so that John and Andrew later follow Him and along with Peter, Phillip and Nathanial, become His disciples. They are so attracted to Him that they just can't resist Him. We as Christians know that this is the wonderful drawing power of the Holy Spirit. They are the first of Jesus' disciples and will follow Him and be involved in all He does.

From a Etic perspective (outsiders) they are drawn to following Him. There is something that they see in Him that they have never seen or felt before. It is something they can't resist and they want it for themselves. They want to spend time with Him.

From this Etic perspective, what do people see in you. As non- Christians are observing your behaviour (and they do), what do they see. Are they drawn to you like these first disciples? Do they want what you have, even though they don't know what it is? As Christians, we have the calling by Jesus Himself to make disciples. (Matthew 28:16-20). He has commissioned us to do this. People will not know about Him if they're not told. Now we can preach to our friends, family, neighbours and workmates but we can do far better by initially letting them see Jesus through our actions. All Jesus had said to the two inquiring disciples who had asked Him where He was staying, was 'Come and see.' That is all. He had done no teaching, preaching or healing. Just answered their question and they were hooked.
The is the way God wants us to be with all we meet. People are fed up with being used, abused and totally ripped off by this world. They need people they can trust. People who will be there for them. Think for a moment. Is that you? Jesus thinks so.

Why not drop me an email.     dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

It's a done deal

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"Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament. Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp; Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes; Praise him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with crashing cymbals; Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord."  Psalm 150 NKJV

Anyone in a church setting, would now be shouting, 'Amen' which means 'Let it be,' alternatively, they may be shouting, 'Hallelujah' which means 'Praise the Lord.' Whatever they would say, they would be thanking and praising God.

However, we don't have to be in a church setting to do this. Praise can, and should, be in our lives 24/7 - anywhere we are and in anything that we're doing. Angels in Heaven may be praising God at this time, however, they cannot praise and thank God for what we can, and that is salvation. For all of us who are 'saved' - that means, we've asked Jesus to be our Lord and Saviour, it's a 'done deal'. Jesus died for us, in our place. He took our sins upon Himself as if He had committed them Himself and gave us freedom, a new life. That is salvation and the angels cannot have this because they're already there with Jesus. For us who have Jesus in our hearts, we have that to look forward to. We have salvation now but the full reality of it will not happen until we see Jesus face to face in Heaven.

Until that day, we have everything to live for and in everything, we need to praise and thank God. Look at the end of this Psalm, 'Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord.' Have you got breath? Of course you have. Then Praise the Lord with it. We may have problems but Praise him. Not for the problems because He didn't give them to you. No, Praise Him as you move through the problems. We may be sick. Then Praise Him through the sickness. We may be unhappy; then Praise Him through this unhappiness. There may be a host of different things that hurt, hinder and take your joy away. However, stand and Praise Him.

As we do this, something wonderful happens. God meets us and fills us with he joy and strength to take on whatever we have to face throughout the day. Praise lifts our sorrows. The devil cannot stand the sound of Praise. He'll do everything he can to prevent you doing this. Why? Because you are in direct contact with God and the devil knows that you're a threat to him when you're this way. So he'll try and stop you. Don't let Him. Stand tall and sing and Praise God. Turn up the Praise music; start to laugh, dance, sing and clap your way though the heartaches and problems you may be going through. God loves you. Do you hear me? GOD LOVES YOU! You have breath, then use it to praise your friend, Jesus. He loves to receive this type of thing from you. He really can't get enough of you. It's done deal.

Why not drop me an email.    dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com