Don't curse yourself

"For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me. And what I dreaded has happened to me."                                                                                       Job 3:25.  NKJV

Basically, you're saying, 'What I dreaded has come true." (NLT) Really, we are putting curse on ourselves when we say such things. It is self-fulfilled prophecy. As I've mentioned recently. you'll get what you confess. But we all do it. We say things about ourselves and others such as:

'I knew this would happen.' Everything I buy goes wrong.' 'I knew he'd turn out to be a bad one.' It's no good setting the alarm because I'll never hear it.' 'I nearly died when he said this.' He hasn't got any idea, he really hasn't.' And so on and so on.

The devil is not your friend and if you keep saying such negative stuff as this, he'll be only too pleased to help you make it happen. Stop it, right now.

We really need to think before we open our mouths. James tells us, 'Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.' James 1:19. Negative words can pierce our armour that we should be wearing all the time. We profess to be people of God and then make confessions such as, 'He'll never come to anything, he's just not worth it.' Yes he or she is. They are worth it to God. If you've had these things spoken over you by someone or even yourself; revoke them right now and start confessing that you are a man or woman of God, saved by the precious blood of Jesus and destined to a place in Heaven when your time comes. Until then, you are forgiven, healed, righteous, loved, healthy, happy, blessed and anointed. Does that sound like you? Yes it does, because Jesus says so. 'Yes, but I've let Him down so much recently.' So what, so has every other Christian. No one is perfect. 'Yes, but my thought life is not wholesome and I swear sometimes, therefore I'm not worthy of Heaven.' Yes you are because the main man - Jesus, said so. Confess these things to Him, ask for His help. He's only too pleased to assist.

Let me remind you of what Peter did before Jesus turned him into a mighty man of God. Read Mark 14:66-72 and you will see Peter saving his own skin by denying that he had anything to do with Jesus and even cursing and swearing when he was pressed on the subject. And yet, Jesus - your Jesus, forgave him and built him back up and on the day of Pentecost, used him to bring over 3000 souls to know Jesus.

Come on, stop listening to the enemy and realise just how much you are loved and favoured by your friend, Jesus.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Walking through a maze

"My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 

                                                                                      2 Corinthians 12:9.  NKJV

Have you ever had one of those times when it feels like you're walking through a maze; wherever you go, the way forward is so difficult and confusing? Well, you're not the only one. It happens, and it happens to many people on a regular basis. Everything seems to look the same and you can have the feeling that you're going round in circles.

A dictionary describes a maze as an:

 intricate, usually confusing network of interconnecting pathways, as in a garden; a labyrinth.b. A physical situation in which it is easy to get lost
                                                                                                         The Free Dictionary

If you've ever walked through a very deep maze, you will know the meaning of these words. It  can seem fun at first as we explore our new surroundings, but after a while of being trapped in a place of endless tracks that lead to nowhere, frustration can kick in and for some, this can lead to fear.  A maze can bewilder and astonish us. We can feel like we're in a daze as we plod along these paths to nowhere. I remember walking through one a long time ago. The hedges were so thick and high that I just couldn't get my bearings. I wasn't scared but I did wonder if I would ever get out of this situation.

Our Christian life can seem like this at times. If we're not careful, we can become stale and lose that wonderful bubbly feeling of the Holy Spirit. He's still with us, but we fail to recognise this because lethargy can set in and once this happens it can feel like we're chained to an iron fence. We're going nowhere, and what's more, if we allow this to go on, we don't care either.

At times such as this, we need to remember that we can never be lost, Because Jesus knows where we are. He comes looking for us but will never force our hand. He waits for us to make a move. We are weak, but He is strong and very able to rescue us from the depths of despair. 

Charles Wesley wrote in his wonderful hymn:

'Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth and followed thee.

And can it be Copyright Charles Wesley

Jesus is close by, watching and as we call to Him, He is there in a flash to break the chains of sin and despair. He repairs us, mends our hearts and puts us back together again. His grace is all we need because we have a strong God who is right beside us, wherever we may find we are.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

You'll get what you confess

"(20) Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. (21) The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."
                                                                    Proverbs 18:20-21   New Living Translation

The wise speak thoughtfully because they know that what they say will have consequences. We need to choose our words wisely by speaking positively instead of negatively. In other words, what we confess, we will get. Negative words are spoken wherever we go. We often hear people saying, 'I feel awful,' or 'I think I'm coming down with the flu.' If we speak in such a way, chances are we will suffer such things. It is like self-fulfilled prophecy. 'I'm not going to try to go to university, I won't be accepted and if I am, I'll never cope with the work anyway.' Again, chances are they won't. 'I'm useless at doing this,' is another phrase we use; or, 'If I apply for that job, I won't get it, so why should I bother. My face doesn't fit at all. I'm not going to make a fool of myself.'

Negative words. We need to take control of what comes out of our mouth. If, we allow it, our tongue can be our worst enemy. we need to practise taming the tongue and it can start by thinking through what we're going to say.

Ephesians 4:29 says: 'Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.' And that means us too. We hear what we say and if we're confessing that we feel awful or that we're coming down with some illness, or in fact, we can't do this or that, then the chances are, we'll be right. We'll get what we confess. Wise up.
We need to treat what we say as an investment not a destructive weapon. Our words carry faith or fear; blessing or cursing and life or death. 

Things may be going wrong for you at this time, or you may not feel that you are blessed. Check what is coming out of your mouth. Check what you are confessing. remember, 'Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.' But, 'The tongue can bring death or or life, those who love to talk will reap the consequences.' 

You'll get what you confess. So change your thinking and your words, and start being positive about your life.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard 

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Giving yourself some escape

"Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
                                                                                         Matthew 11:28.  NKJV

When did you last go off on your own and just kick up some leaves? What I mean is, when was the last time that you gave yourself permission to have some quality time doing what you want to do instead of what others expect of you?

Psalm 23:3 says, 'He restores my soul.' He wants to restore your thoughts and those emotions that can appear so raw at times that you don't know if you're coming or going. Our world is a busy place and at times it can appear overwhelming. Time seems to be swallowed up by work and doing chores such as shopping, cleaning, gardening or mending the car. Most of us have hobbies but spend little time enjoying them because of such things. Therefore, you need to find the time before time runs out.

I used to work in a hospice and it could be heartbreaking listening to people, with very short time left to live, reminiscing of their earlier life. Many would say they wished they had done things differently. They would have spent more time with their family, instead of work and they would have given more time to their hobbies too. Now it was too late.

Make sure that you do all you can to spend quality time with people and your hobbies. Don't be that person who says, 'Yes, I'll do that tomorrow.' Today is the only day that you can be sure of; you may not have tomorrow. Make the most of it now!

We need rest. We need time to restore our energy level and to re-focus and build ourselves up. And Jesus advises us to do just that. The rest that He will give us, will restore our thought life. Let's face it, we all have thoughts that can burden us and drag us down. Our emotions can be stretched to breaking point so that we can find it difficult to make a move because we're frightened it will be the wrong decision. 

Take some time out and let Jesus build you back up. Have you ever walked the fields with Him? He knows every bird, insect and wildflower. He's great to have as company. 
What about that holiday; that weekend away that you've been talking about but haven't done anything about yet? What about that meal out in the restaurant? Don't keep putting it off. 

Have you a hobby that you can escape too? Everyone needs this. Some read; others go walking, birdwatching or sketching. You may think, 'I can't do any of them.' Of course you can! No ones going to be marking you out of ten for your efforts. It's just doing something out of the ordinary that you can disappear into.
Why not try it? You may find it's the best investment that you've made in a long time.

We all need rest and I'm not talking of going to sleep on the sofa. I'm talking of doing something that will give you great enjoyment, relaxation and more than anything, time with the one who matters most - Jesus!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Don't let idle words stop you

"(36) But I say to you, that for every idle word man may speak, they will give an account of it, in the day of judgement. (37) For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned."   Matthew 12:36-37.  NKJV

God is very protective of us. Have you ever considered that? If anyone hurts you, they'd better watch out, because He won't stand for such behaviour against His elect. 
'Am I part of the elect?' you may ask. Yes you are! Elect means, 'Chosen ones,' and God chose each one of us. And what's more, He will take us to Himself one day:

"And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.' Matthew 24:31   NKJV

The New Living Translation puts it this way:

'they will gather His chosen ones from all over the earth.'

So, you are His elect and He is crazy about you.

Max Lucardo writes:

'God would give up His only Son, before He'd give up on you.'   (Six Hours on Friday)

Anyone who has spoken out against us in criticism or in judgement, need to repent. We need to forgive them and they need to ask God to forgive them. This is very serious business. God is not only protective towards us, but to others also. We need to search within ourselves and repent of any criticism or judgement that we have made against another. We also need to lift off  ourselves, any idle word that we know has been spoken against us. Remember, not everyone agrees with what we do or say. Not everyone will tell us that we have done well - that we are in God's will, not that we're seeking their approval anyway. However, we do need to watch the words that are released against us.

At times, people may be jealous or even envious about what we say or do. The words they speak to us, have the power to disarm us and totally take away our confidence - if we allow them too. Therefore, if you believe that God has spoken to you and you feel He wants you to do a certain thing, then do it. Some people will never agree with what you do, but if you feel deep down in your heart that it's right, then it's probably right. 

Don't let the words that have been spoken to you and caused you damage, rule over you any longer. Pray and ask Jesus to lift them off you and get on with your God-given task!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Growing seed

"(3) Behold a sower went out to sow. (4) And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside and the birds came and devoured them. (18) When anyone hears the Word of the Kingdom and does not understand, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside."
                                                                                Matthew 13:3-4 & 18-19.  NKJV

Satan will try to harm us because we are seeds capable of producing a harvest. The only way God's Kingdom can come and His will be done on earth, is through us. This is why we're a target!

Note the word, 'Snatches,' in V19. This is characteristic of the devil. We firstly see him as a serpent in Genesis 3, where he tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. A serpent lies in wait for its prey and then strikes. In other words, he snatches away what God is giving us, because otherwise, we'll be a threat. He steals, he grabs, he seizes hastily and grasps. It's the only way he can work. He lies in wait until we're distracted and then snatches away what God wants us to have. He has to snatch it because he knows that if he doesn't, and we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, we'll snatch it back and straightaway send him away, very quickly.

V21 has some very important words to give us. 'Yet, he has no root in himself.' This means that our faith has no particular depth to it. There is little understanding and a lack of teaching. This doesn't mean we don't read and study our bibles; we may do this everyday. But do we contain it? Does it register within us? Or are we easily distracted; multi-tasking at times, reading the word but answering the telephone too or any other such thing. We need determination and dedication to get close to God and understand what He wants of us. Hence, we need to check our rooting. A good tree is soundly rooted and grounded like a building on a sold foundation. It will withstand most things. We need to be the same, so that we can avoid the enemy snatching everything from us - our joy, our strength and health and everything else that is precious to us.

Before we close today, I want to show you something else, very important in V4. 'And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside.' Many people have done this. One minute they're going through their day, happy and joyful with no particular worries, and then, WHAM! They fall by the wayside.
There can be many reasons for this. Life can be hurtful and very difficult at times and words that are spoken behind our back, can come to our attention. This hurts, makes us angry and can devastate us. There can be many other reasons why we fall by the wayside, but the solution is the same, GET BACK UP! Soldiers of the King of kings don't lie down unless it is permanent. Whatever it is, remember, we're working for God. we have a job to do. There's a harvest to bring in. This may mean you'll be shot at. You're a target and soldiers do get shot at. However, in the words of Sir Winston Churchill:

'Never, never, never, never, give up'

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

The Inner Battle

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."   Romans 8:14. 

There is a battle within us and it's a never-ending one. Daily, we have to be on guard and checkout our behaviour, our reactions and our thoughts. Our aim is to be Spirit led but at times, that is easier said than done.

Let's look at a couple of examples. In Matthew 5:21-22 Jesus says:-

"(21) You have heard that was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder and whoever murders, will be in danger of the judgement. (22) But, I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgement."

Let me ask you, have you ever struck anyone? Possibly you may have or possibly not. Yet you may well have felt so angry towards someone that you've wanted to. Basically, Jesus is saying that is the same thing. The same judgement may be handed out to you.

Matthew 5:27-28 says:-

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Now, you may never have committed adultery but, ask yourself, 'have I ever looked at someone other than my partner with lust in my heart?' Whether it's murder or adultery, you may never have committed those in the flesh, but you may well have done in your thoughts. And, this is serious stuff! Thoughts can be dangerous when they lead to desires. The inner battle within us, shows us that we can be attracted to good and evil. Temptations come and if we are not careful, we can fall for them in our thought life.

It's easy to say, 'Yes, but I didn't actually do this. I was just tempted to.' That may be true, but if we allow the temptation to lead us to desire and then action, then we have stepped over the line. We need to nip it in the bud before it gets that far. This is why the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5:-

"(4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, (5) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Strong stuff isn't it? But to be led by the Spirit means to capture these thoughts before they develop into something we may regret. We'll always have this inner battle until we go home to Glory, so now is the time to wise up and take control. If you have been tempted to have such thoughts, come to God right now and confess this.

Father
I confess that I have had thoughts of deep anger towards another person and I've wanted to strike them, (or have done). Forgive me please in Jesus' name.
I have had thoughts of inappropriate lust towards another person, thus committing adultery in my mind or in my body. Please Lord, forgive me for this. In Jesus' name. Amen

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com