Watch Out for Foxes

"Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines for our vines have tender grapes.
                                                                                               Song of Solomon 2:15.  NKJV

This is an extract from a love story penned by the lover to his beloved clearly written from the heart. Now this piece has been interpreted as such - love between man and woman and the misery of someone entering into this Godly relationship ready to spoil things - a little fox.
It has also been interpreted as man and woman's relationship with Our Father - God and how distractions and attacks from the enemy - Satan - can damage things terribly.

David Guzik in his commentary on this passage highlights:

'The little foxes that spoil the vines: Clearly the maiden speaks poetically here, using the little foxes as emblems of that which would damage the love relationship she shares with her beloved. The idea is that their relationship is like a fruitful vineyard and the little foxes will damage the vineyard unless they are stopped and caught.

i. Glickman lists several “little foxes” that may trouble couples:

· Uncontrolled desire that drives a wedge of guilt and mistrust between the couple.

· Mistrust and jealousy that strains or breaks the bond of love.

· Selfishness and pride that refuses to acknowledge wrong and fault to one another.

· An unforgiving attitude that will not accept an apology.

ii. It is helpful to remember the wording of the verse: catch us the foxes. The job of catching foxes is teamwork. One partner in the relationship can’t expect the other do it all.

iii. Hudson Taylor thought of the “little foxes” that may ruin our relationship with Jesus Christ. “The enemies may be small, but the mischief done great… And how numerous the little foxes are! Little compromises with the world; disobedience to the still small voice in little things; little indulgences of the flesh to the neglect of duty; little strokes of policy; doing evil in little things that good may come; and the beauty, and the fruitfulness of the vine are sacrificed!”

                                                                    Copyright David Guzik Enduring Word

Both the above examples are extremely damaging to our relationships, especially with Jesus. A fox is very crafty. I remember when I was young how a fox 'Charms' a rabbit. The rabbit is in the field and knows the fox is near. If the fox tries to pounce on its prey, the rabbit will scuttle off at high speed and disappear down a hole. Therefore, the fox uses its Gold Card. It starts jumping around, chasing its tail, rolling over and over and generally acting like its crazy. The rabbit is transfixed and stares at this spectacle. All the time, the fox is getting closer and closer, until it can grab the poor rabbit and run off with its prize. This act is called charming. It has charmed or tricked the rabbit until it has been caught.

Put this into what we're discussing here. Don't let anyone enter your relationship with your loved one or with Jesus who is intent on bringing disaster to it. A fox is crafty but Jesus tells us to be wise as a serpent Matthew 10:16 - in other words, be alert and always on the lookout for anything that is a threat.

Let us remember, we are precious people, made in God's image. If he came and tricked Adam in the garden (Genesis 3) he will try and trick you too. Look at the devastation that caused. He is on the prowl daily ready to attack us 1 Peter 5:8. Yes we are protected but only if we put on our spiritual armour and remain under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91.

Let us be careful not to become complacent. We're on active service. We're in God's Army. He has made us Righteous in Jesus Christ and His Ambassador. Therefore, let us be grateful for His constant love and protection; thankful that we are the Blessed and let's head towards a prosperous and Happy New Year.

Bless you all

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

                        

Gone Fishing

"4 Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."   Luke 5:1-11   NKJV

Picture this scene and try to place yourself in Peter's position. The best time for this type of fishing, is at night and he and his partners had been out all of the night and caught nothing. They were businessmen with families and depended on catching fish so that they could survive. Yet here, they had had a very bad night and exhausted, they sit on the beach washing out their nets before heading off home for a well-earned rest. 

However, Jesus has different ideas and walks up to them, climbs into Peter's boat and asks him to put out a little from the land, so that He can preach to the multitudes that had followed Him. Peter now had to contend with the massive crowds that were converging on his space and wait until Jesus had finished preaching, before he could go home. The time is not recorded but it must have been quite a time.

When Jesus had finished His sermon, He said to Peter, 'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' V4. How would you have responded to this after all you had been through? Peter would have had doubts about this. I mean, Jesus was a preacher not a fisherman and the best time for fishing was at night and they had already been out there all of the night and caught nothing. It must have been difficult for Peter and his reply can be examined as such: 'Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your Word I will let down the net.' v5.

We don't know what was in Peter's heart at this moment. He may have been totally willing to do as Jesus had said; especially with Jesus' track record. But, Peter was also very tired, down in the dumps and possibly a little irritated by everything. Whatever, he obeyed Jesus and he was rewarded with so great a catch that he had to call for help from the other boat and even then, they nearly sank with the weight of the fish. In this one fishing trip alone, they must have caught enough fish to finance themselves for quite a time.

In Jesus' eyes, Peter had been faithful and despite being exhausted and despondent, Jesus wanted to bless him. Peter dropped to his knees at Jesus' feet when he saw the blessing and said, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.' v8. Why would he have said this? Peter knew what had been in his heart when he agreed to launch out into the deep, again. He knew that he had been reluctant to do this. He knew that his attitude, although not voiced, was wrong and he felt so unworthy of the blessing that Jesus had given him. But Jesus knew his heart and He knows yours too.

We are like this at times. We know that Jesus wants us to do a particular thing but we wrestle with this. We try every excuse in the book, before we go off, reluctantly and possibly a little irate, to where He has sent us. One example could be someone may have rung us, needing help and the last thing we want to do is to go out, especially 'to them'. We may not voice it, but it can be seen in our body language that we don't want to do this. However, as we obey, albeit reluctantly, a blessing is coming our way.

If we want to be like Jesus, we must be prepared to do all that He wants of us, however inconvenient it may be. He knows our hearts; He knows our qualities; He knows that even though we may moan and groan at times, we'll still do what He asks. He knows that He can rely on us - on you! You may disagree with this. If so, why then, did He choose you?

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Don't lose Your Joy

"Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before Our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength."                                                    Nehemiah 8:10.   NLT

The wall around Jerusalem had been completed and there was a great feast where Ezra read the Law of Moses to the people. As he spoke, there was much weeping among the crowd. Nehemiah stood and encouraged them with this verse. He told them that if people had no food prepared or drink, to bless them with some. The day was sacred to the Lord and they should be joyful, praising him for His kindness to them. 

It had been a difficult task but now the wall was completed. It was a time to regain their strength and celebrate. Perhaps you do too. Perhaps the year may have been difficult to find a way through and your spiritual and physical strength had been used up. 

Sarah Pearsons says: 'When your strength goes, your joy goes too.' How very true this statement is. Life events exhaust us at times and we can end up stagnant and lifeless; totally burnt out.  This is when you need to get into God's Word.

In the Gospel of John, Chapter four, Jesus had set out on a journey to Galilee but it would have meant that He needed to pass through Samaria to save much time. Now the Jews and Samaritans hated each other and Jesus wanted to do something to relieve the tension there. It was a compulsion for Him to go through there. He had souls to win.
On the way, as He was weary from the journey, He stopped for a rest at Jacob's Well in Sychar. He desperately needed some water for His thirst. He saw a Samaritan woman drawing water from the well and asked her for a drink and after a short conversation with her, He said, 'If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, 'give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.' John 4:10

After her comments, He further said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.' John 4:13-14

She ran back to the city and shouted to all she could see, 'Come see a man who told me all things I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' v29-30 Many people were saved and transformed that day and many received the living water.

In ancient times, they called spring water, living water because it seemed alive as it bubbled up from the ground. Jesus meant spiritual water that quenches spiritual thirsts and gives life. And life is strength and strength is joy. You may need this spiritual, living water; this life in abundance; this tremendous joy that gives you the ability to get through all situations. 
Jesus wants to place within you this joy; this life; this living water. Come to the fountain right now and be filled:

Lord Jesus, here I am, Your servant. It's been a tough year Lord and My strength has been tested. I admit that I am weary so I come to Your fountain right now and ask that You may fill me to overflowing. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE

MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH JESUS

It's Clear Out Time

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us , looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God."                                                                       Hebrews 12:1-2.  NKJV


The witnesses here are the heroes of faith from the past, but they are not spectators watching our progress from Heaven. No, they are witnesses to us because they successfully overcame. Therefore, they are our encouragement.
We are to lay aside anything that hinders our walk with Jesus. This may be sin but can also be the company that we keep which we know is wrong; the places we go and our interests. If anything is taking God's place and/or leading us away from our walk with Him, it is wrong and should be discarded. Nothing should take the place of Jesus in our lives.
We are called to run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus. The word endurance brings to mind hard work and takes me back to my military days. The dictionary definition of endurance is:
The act or quality of withstanding hardship or stress. It is the state of persevering and duration
                                                                                             The Free Dictionary

We are to run with endurance, which includes hardship, stress, exhaustion, frustration and anything that being a dedicated follower of Jesus may be thrown at us. We are to never give up. Never surrender or buckle under the strain. As we run with endurance, we are to continue looking unto Jesus. The Greek interpretation of the word 'looking,'aphorao means undivided attention, looking away from distractions in order to fix one's gaze on one thing - in this case Jesus and no one else!

Jesus is the Author - the originator or champion of our faith. Through Him, we are saved and have a place reserved for us in Heaven - a mansion (John 14:2). It is because of Jesus that we are who we are - the Blessed and favoured..
Jesus the Finisher - the perfecter of our faith. Through Jesus we will be perfected when we stand before Our Father in Heaven. We will have no spots or blemishes; everything is washed in the powerful Name of Jesus. We've started with Him and we will finish with Him.

Let us pray:

'Lord, strengthened in faith by the great cloud of witnesses who surround me, I lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares me, so I may run with endurance the race set before me. Jesus, You are the author and finisher of my faith. I pray for the same joy You demonstrated as You endured the cross, despised the shame, and now sit at the right hand of the throne of God. Amen'
                                                                Adapted from Hebrews 12:1-2 Spirit Filled Life Bible

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com




                                                                                                

God's Benefits

"Bless the LORD of my soul and forget not all His benefits."                  Psalm 103:2.  NKJV

Mac Hammond says, 'We are not dependent on the government for our needs, but God is our source.' King David penned the above Psalm telling us that God supplies our needs, 'forget not all His benefits.' Note the word 'All.' God doesn't just give us one benefit and that is the end of that. He continues to give to us, as we need as we seek Him as Our Lord (Matthew 6:33.

In fact, Psalm 68:19 tells us that: 'Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation.' Many of today's versions of this Psalm say, 'Blessed be the Lord who daily bears our burdens.' Basically, when you study and expound the verse, it is saying the same thing, God daily loads us with His benefits. Why? Because He can't help it. He just loves to bless His children, as they seek Him.

A study of the word 'Salvation' gives us a deeper insight into this. In the Greek, the word salvation is soteria and means deliverance, preservation, soundness, prosperity, happiness, rescue and general well-being. Salvation is a present possession with a fuller realisation in the future. Salvation is a benefit. This is a benefit of believing in and accepting Jesus as Our Lord and Saviour. The benefit is eternal life and forgiveness of our sins but also all of the above. We have soteria. We are blessed beyond our wildest dreams.

When you look at things this way, what the world has to offer, is nothing in comparison. If we are out of work, we may qualify for benefits from the government but what they give is basic, they don't offer all of the above and they definitely do not offer eternal life. The world may offer us the ability to be a millionaire, have a great job, flashy car and beautiful country house but it can be taken away from us in the blink of an eye. I read the other day about a young multi-millionaire who was killed in a car crash. he had everything the world could offer but it was taken away from him very quickly and if he didn't know Jesus, he probably lost out on salvation too.

This Christmas, millions of people will be celebrating the Festive season. They'll be singing Christmas carols but will the words be just that, words? 'O Come let us Adore Him,' they'll sing and God will be just hoping that they may realise that he adores them and all they have to do is realise the fuller meaning of Christmas. Probably you may know someone who doesn't know this fuller meaning. You may be sitting next to them eating lunch. What a great Christmas they can have if you share the message of Jesus with them, and what a benefit they will receive from the King of kings.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Staying Faithful to God

"17 If that is the case, Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace and He will deliver us from your hand O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
                                                                                                  Daniel 3.  (Read the chapter)  NKJV

Four young men, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, had been commissioned to serve King Nebuchadnezzar and his court, and after three years vigorous training, they were set to work in his palace.

After a time, Nebuchadnezzar, set up a very large gold image as a figure of worship. It may have been a statue of himself, or his chief idol - Bel, or some demon god. Whatever, he demanded that everyone bow down to this atrocity. Daniel seems to be away at this time, possibly on important business, the other three flatly refuse to bow down to this figure and this infuriates the king. In an act that is indicative of someone who cannot get his own way and because he was a dictator who used bully tactics, Nebuchadnezzar, orders Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego to be thrown into the fiery furnace, which has been hotted up.

It is interesting how they spoke to the king when they put their refusal forward:

17 If that is the case, Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace and He will deliver us from your hand O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." V 17-18

In other words, you can do what you wish sir, but God is our protector and He will come to our aid. But even if He doesn't, we will still praise and serve Him, and Him only. What a stand and a scary one too, However, many people today are making similar stands for God, refusing to give up on their faith and the cost is often death.

But God was with the men and accompanied them into the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a forth person and actually thought that it was like a Son of God and later mentioned it could have been an angel. It is more likely to have been a Christophany - a preincarnate appearance of the Messiah and was probably in angel form; but it gives us a wonderful example of God, willing to go with us through trial and tribulation. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were not burnt, their hair and clothes were intact and they didn't even smell of fire. Amazing. 

Wherever we go and whatever we go through, God is always with us. Remember, David wrote, 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.' Psalm 23:4. God is faithful to us but we must also be faithful to Him. At times, although not so dangerous as this one, we may have to make a stand for our faith. We must not compromise. We have the Blessing; we have the Favour of God; we have the Protection of God and He is right beside us whatever we are doing.

Today, you may need to remember this. Things may not have been the way you would have wanted them to be this year. It may have been a taxing one; one of great anxiety, pain and loss. All you can do is to decide to move forward with God. We have a New Year ahead of us; a new beginning for some. But until then, we have a time when we can celebrate the birth of Jesus and thank Him for all He does for us each and every day. 

Let me encourage you to take His hand, allow Him to wrap His arms around you and tell you, that everything is going to be alright. 

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Faith in Action Part 2

"Son of David, have mercy on me."   v 48.                                          Mark 10:46-52    NKJV

Let's take a further look at faith in action. Here Bartimaeus was sitting at the side of the road, when he heard that Jesus was passing by. He had heard of Jesus and this was obvious by the way he shouted to Jesus, 'Son of David - '. He acknowledged the Messiahship of Jesus in his use of this term.

No matter what the crowd said to him about being quiet, Bartimaeus was persistent. Rather like the woman with the issue of blood, this may have been his last chance to receive his sight and nothing was going to stand in his way. 

The persistence worked and Jesus stopped and called him over. 'What do you want Me to do for you?' Jesus asked. Bartimaeus replied, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.' Jesus told him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' This was exactly what Jesus had said to the woman with the issue of blood, 'Your faith has made you well.' These two people had one main thing in common; they had persistence. Nothing was going to stop them from seeking their healing. They believed and that was all Jesus needed.

This is explained more clearly in Mark 11:5-8:

"Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey and I have nothing to set before him,' and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me, the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you?' I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.'

Persistence can also be translated, 'Importunity,' which means insistent demands or requests. This is not an act of over boldness towards God but rather a determination of faith that we'll never give up and show lack of faith. Winston Churchill visited his old school to give what the staff and students thought would be and encouraging but lengthy talk. He got up and said six words, 'Never, never, never, never - give up.' It was quiet at first as he sat down but soon the realisation of these words rippled through the crowd and caused a sensation. 

And this is how Jesus wants us to be. When we are praying for something, we should never give up and think it is not God's will because the answer isn't coming. This is especially true of healing. God's Word tells us we're healed already 1 Peter 2:24. Mark 11:22-24 tells us to have faith and ask God for what we need and then believe and receive and we will have it. It is the believing and receiving in the face of everything that tells you that is the way forward. Yes, we have questions that require answers but God will tell us these on that day that we meet Him face to face. 
Until then, never, never, never, never - give up!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com