"I can smell Fire"

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"When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven , as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."  
                                                                                                    Acts 2:1-4. NKJV

Let's check out the phrase, 'With one accord.' It basically means 'together', or in fellowship. The Greek is a word called Koinonia, Which means being so together in fellowship, that the believers are cemented to each other and to the Lord Jesus. That is true fellowship at its best.

They were enveloped with the Holy Spirit - a rushing mighty wind that completely swept over them with such a great power that they had never known before. Also tongues of fire fell on to each one of the them - the fire of the Holy Spirit, again so powerful that they began to speak in tongues - strange languages to what they were used to. Roger Vines, author of The Vines Expository Bible, writes: 'Where the wind of God blows on a church, the walls of resistance topple, and that church is well on its way to becoming great.'

The fire of the Holy Spirit, cleanses and purifies the church. It burns up the dross and the pride. We've heard of the fire of God, as seen here, falling on many places and God is getting ready to send an even greater fire on His people and He wants us all to be ready for this. Look at the phrase again in verse one, 'they were all of one accord in one place.' They were joined together, supporting each other in true unity. Things happen in our lives when people get their lives together in such a way. When people are in harmony with each other, and with God, the Holy Spirit can work wonders and church meeting places flourish.

David Guzik says:  

'They were gathered together sharing the same heart, the same love for God, the same trust in His promise, and the same geography. Before we can be filled, we must recognise our emptiness; by gathering together for prayer, in obedience, these disciples did just that. They recognised they did not have the resources in themselves to do what they could do or should do; they had to instead rely on the work of God.'

The people were there, ready and waiting and were devoted to each other. They had experienced the Holy Spirit, but what was about to happen to them would be a life-changing experience, a purification with power that would lead them for the rest of their lives serving Jesus - the Baptism of The Holy Spirit. This is what God wants for us all. He promised to send it to us. However, to be filled in such a way as these early Christians were - with fire, we have to be in a similar place - of one accord. God cannot fill an unclean vessel. It's time for us all to get our lives right with Him. Because the Fire of God is coming, that life-changing, rushing wind of the Holy Spirit is about to fall. May it fall on us.

Get ready, it is coming!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Pray

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"Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."                                                     Luke 6:12.   NKJV


Prayer is so important and necessary to every Christian. If Jesus needed to pray, then I assure you, we do, much more. He even climbed a mountain to do this. Now that is determination. It was also very early and sometimes, He would pray all night too. That is total commitment. Now He's not asking you to climb a mountain, or possibly at this time, pray all night; He is asking you to get out of bed a little earlier, because He has something for you.

A quiet time with God is so needed in order to give us direction for the day and the necessary equipping so that we can meet each and every problem head on. Reading the bible helps us to make deposits into our minds so that we can make withdrawals  throughout the day. If we don't put anything in, we'll not be able to take anything out when we need it most. We need also to have this quiet time, each and every day, preferably at the same time so that we get used to this. If we go without prayer it can be a major mistake. Remember, seven prayerless days make one weak!

We're told that breakfast is the most important meal because it sets us up for the day. Likewise, a quiet time with God, which includes prayer, study and reading God's Word, is just as important to the Christian. Don't leave home without it. Make it a most important part of each and every day.

I prefer the mornings for this, but a quiet time can really be anytime, as long as it is not haphazard - one day it's early the next day later. There's a time for everything we learned last week, so try and pick the best time that suits you and be diligent about it.

The devil is not our friend. Therefore, we need to be equipped with whatever God has for us each day. Many people read their horoscopes, rigidly. Instead of that, but in the same manner, read God's Word and pray, it will be far better for you that way. 

If you haven't already, get yourself a good daily commentary to help you see what God has for you. Get close to Him, listen to Him, speak to Him, enjoys Him and let Him be the most important part of your life. Believe me, He has so much to tell us and show us. However, not spending the time with Him, hinders this.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

He's always there for us!

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"If it had not been for the LORD who was on our side." let Israel say, "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us , then they would have swallowed us alive.:                                                      Psalm 124:1-3. NKJV

Think back over your life. Think of the obvious times God has rescued you, protected you and lifted you up from despair. I remember a few years ago when I was walking along the beach during a storm. Suddenly, I was washed out to sea. High crashing waves winded me and I was sucked way out of my depth in no time at all. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't get close enough to the beach in order to drag myself out. Crashing waves kept dragging me out again. Suddenly out of nowhere, a lady turned up and gave me her hand, pulling me to safety. An angel, who knows? I've never seen her since and I go there on a regular basis. God used this lady to save me from drowning.

What about you? Think back to that time when God rescued or helped you. If it hadn't been for Him, things would have been very different. Psalm 124:8 says, 'Our help is in the Name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.' He also created you and I and is very committed to watching over us. Stop for a moment and thank Him for all He has done. Let your thanks turn to praise and gratitude to the one who loves us more than words could ever say. He's on our side.

If it hadn't have been for Him, we would never have made it! Give Him a shout of praise.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Don't let their words bother you

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"Do not fret because of evildoers."      Psalm 37:1. NKJV

People talk; judge; accuse and gossip. It's hurtful but what can we do about it? It's a difficult area. We need to ensure the facts are right in the first place. Dashing in without this is not recommended. We then need to decide the way forward.

A lot of people do not mean any malice towards us; they just like to talk and get carried away by the gossip. We may get to hear about this from a friend and then have to decide what course of action - if any, to take. To tell the truth, it is far better to ignore the comments. People will always talk and challenging them can be counterproductive - a recipe for a lot of problems.

The problem is how we react. We may decide to ignore what is said but then be driven wild by our thoughts. The devil loves this kind of thing and if we take this road, pretty soon we'll be having mental conversations with ourselves about it all.
'How dare they! I'll go and give them a piece of my mind.' 
We can begin to think really bad things about the people who have caused this, and before long, a bitterness begins to grow towards them. If we're not careful it can be seen in our body language when we next meet them. 

Todays scripture can be interpreted, 'don't let their words bother you.' Now this takes a bit of practice and also humility. It also means we need to give the situation to God, who is wonderful at sorting out these things. God wants us to love people - even the ones who cause these problems for us. We may feel like 'taking them out and getting a contract out on them.' However, this is by far the wrong action and attitude. We have to be like the scripture says: 'Do not fret because of evildoers - aka don't let their words bother you.'

Now you know this makes sense, as difficult as it may seem. God will have us love that person, no matter what. He will also wants us to forgive them. 'Oh my goodness, no' 'Oh yes, that's the way to go.'

Really, it's the way Jesus would handle it and you know that it's the right way. How will they see Jesus if you act the same as they do?

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard 

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

"I'm fine thank you"

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Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."
                                                                                                       Matthew 9:12. NKJV

Jesus was talking with some tax collectors and others and made this statement to the Pharisees, who had accused Him of eating with them and other sinners. Jesus made it clear that 'tax collectors and sinners' are the reason He came to earth - to reach these people and change their lives. He wanted them well!

On the subject of being well, how many times do we tell people that we are ok when we're not? We may have a raging headache or other ailment or even a major problem, but we answer them with a lie. I remember seeing my doctor a few years ago. When I walked into the surgery, the conversation went something like this:

"Oh, hello, come in, how are you?' I replied, 'I'm fine thanks, really well.' He looked at me and said, 'Then why are you here?'

It really made me think. This is something that we all do. We see people in the street and in the short greeting, we tell them that we're fine, when really, we're not. Mostly, the answer is a general one. We don't share our personal stuff with people we don't know very well. However, what about others; people at church? I know for a fact that I have attended on a Sunday and said that I'm fine when I'm far from it. Is it that we're embarrassed with people, or if we hold an important role at the church, we're not supposed to be ill or depressed?

We need to be real. We need to be honest with people. That way, people can pray for us and show us that they care. We can also do the same for others when they say they're not feeling too good. But when we're in a conversation with someone who shares that they have a sickness or a problem in their life, give them your whole attention. Show them that you care and are willing to listen; and willing to try and help. Don't just pat them on the shoulder, say you'll pray for them and walk away. That type of thing is so demoralising, but sadly it is a regular thing in some circles.

How would Jesus want us to be with people who are in need. We only have to look in the Gospels to see His love in action. We need to be more like Him. There's a lot of hurting people in this world and, if we claim to be a Christian, then we are His ambassador and He would want us to handle things just like He did. You say, I can't be like Jesus. Of course you can. He lives in your heart; the Holy Spirit has taken up residence there too. He told us to 'lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.' Mark 16:18.

What more do you want. People need you; they need help. God says go, then go!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Acquittal Notice

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"13 And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."
                                                                                                           Colossians 2:13-15  NKJV

Imagine if you were in court charged with something and were awaiting sentence for a crime that you were guilty of. The pressure would be enormous. However, imagine if the judge told the court that he could see nothing wrong whatsoever and he was going to dismiss the charges against you and set you free The feeling would be one of great surprise, shock and eventually joy, because you would be free and have no charge to answer for.

Well, this is what Jesus did for us all. Before we knew Jesus, we were covered in sin. According to God's law, we were guilty of our sin and we would have to pay the price. The devil, who is responsible for all the sin in this world, would be jumping for joy, because you would be on your way to his department - death and hell. It is written in Romans 6:23:

'For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord'

Jesus died in our place; He took the price of our sin and died on the cross in our place. He paid the debt for us so that we could have life.

The devil had placed a note on the cross accusing us of all the things that we have done wrong in our lives, and let's face it, there is a lot!. In our own strength, that note would be there, flapping about for all to see. At the bottom of the note was written, 'This person is guilty and is going to die in this sin.' However, because of Jesus' actions in dying in our place, He declared us 'Not Guilty.' He made the devil look stupid and weak and wiped the slate clean for us. The Certificate of Death was cancelled. He had paid things in full and the accusatory note was ripped up and destroyed. It was as if it had never existed. Eternal life with Jesus was the intended route.

Note the word, 'Intended." God intends for us to go to Heaven and spend eternity with Him. However, just because Jesus died in our place and declared us not guilty, does not guarantee that Heaven is where we are going. Jesus has paved the way; but we need to do something that will make us qualify for this journey to take place. We need to to believe in Him, but not only to believe, because the devil believes in Him too. "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble." James 2:19. The demons and the devil who controls them, believe but they are trembling because they know their time is short and they will have to answer for all the havoc and hurt they have caused. No just believing in God is not enough. We have to accept Jesus into our hearts and confess Him as our Lord and Saviour. This is the only way. Many people will have a great shock when they die, if they haven't accepted Jesus as their Lord. Don't be one of them!

'Lord Jesus, I confess You as my Lord and Saviour. I ask You into my heart. Please forgive all of my sins and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Amen

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

It's not over until it's over

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"Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green." 
                                                                                           Psalm 92:14  NLT

A chap once said to me, 'There is no retirement in the Kingdom of God.' We were discussing retirement and what he would be doing when he finally had to leave work. It made me think of men of God from the past, such as Moses. He was 80 years of age before God called him to go and bring the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. That would be unthinkable in our culture because we have fixed in our minds that when a person reaches retirement age, that will be the time when they will wind down somewhat and concentrate on hobbies such as the garden or cooking. 

However, that is not the case. I have found since I retired that I am busier now than I have ever been. God has shown me that retirement has freed me up to concentrate on what He wants me to do, instead of being committed to a work contract. 

As a Christian, who has reached retirement age, God does not place a person in a home for the elderly. Far from it. He has invested quite a few years in that person and now they are able to be free enough do and go where He directs. Retirement is just the beginning.

Many people become depressed when they eventually reach retirement age. They've worked all their life and been active. Now work has come to an end, some have wound down so much, that there is no point in anything. God doesn't want that for people. He wants retirement to be a thing of the past and even though to many people, the grey hair gives the age away, there is still far more that can be offered. There is life to be had and room to bless people. Retired people, for one thing, have a vast experience that can be shared to the younger generation. God doesn't wish for the years of gained experience to just fizzle out and be lost. He wants people to share this. 

Retired people were young once, and they were also inexperienced. Thank goodness that there were older people around that could teach and mentor us in the things of God. Old age affects us all. There's no getting around it. Everyone becomes grey at some stage. But there is no way that a retired person should be put out to graze and be forgotten about. They have a voice and a brain and younger people can benefit from the vast experience that they have to offer.

To tell the truth, life for Moses was only just beginning. As DL Moody says, 'He had spent 40 years in Egypt thinking he was a somebody. Then 40 years in the wilderness learning he was a nobody and then, another 40 years seeing what God can do with a nobody.'

God's idea of retirement is, 'It's not over until it's over.' Grey-headed people are important and a force to be reckoned with. They pave the way for the future generation who have a lot to learn before, they too become a grey head. 

If you're retired or reaching that age, rejoice, God has some work for you that only you can do. Get excited about it, even if other people are not. You are valuable!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com