Friday 27 March 2020

The Act of Grace

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
                                                                           2 Corinthians 12:9.  NKJV

 Just what is grace? Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us: 'For by grace you have been saved, through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast'. Again in 2 Peter 3:18, we read: 'but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' 

 Grace is an Ancient Greek word meaning Charis, which at that time meant giving pleasure and awakening joy. It also meant giving help, unselfish attitudes and unmerited favour - an undeserved act of kindness. 
Aristotle defined grace as:

 'Helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor that the helper may get anything; but for the sake of the person who is helped.'
                                                                         Enduring Word David Guzik

 This is what God did for us when Jesus died in our place. He gave us grace - totally undeserved and unmerited favour so that you and I could have a place with Him, in Heaven when our life comes to an end, and until then, that we could walk with Him on a daily basis.

 This is why it is written in Hebrews:

 'Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.'
                                                                           Hebrews 4:16.  NKJV

 We can have the confidence to approach the Throne of God whenever we have a need. That is such a privilege. Try approaching Her Majesty the Queen's throne whenever you have a need and you would soon see what the inside of the Tower of London is like. But God's throne is always open to His children, through His grace.

 God has given us this grace and He wants us to show this grace to others that we meet, who have a need. We may not want to. We may think they don't deserve it but let's be grateful that God didn't think that way about us. He gave us undeserved and unmerited favour. Therefore, we should show others this too. This is why Peter said that we should grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. (2 Peter 3:18)

 Today, there is someone out there, who needs some grace. They may not deserve it in the eyes of the world, but God would give it to them anyway. Also, someone may have hurt and upset you badly. Why not show them the grace of God instead of feeling bad about what they may have done or said. 
Everybody needs some grace.
Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com














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Thursday 26 March 2020

Remember your past victories

"But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God."  verse 6
                                                                                         1 Samuel 30.  NKJV

 At times we need encouragement and support; an arm around our shoulder with the words, 'Don't worry, it'll be ok.' However, this is not always possible, especially if you're on your own or the people you're with are not sensitive to your concerns.
These are the times that we need to seek that encouragement and strength from Our Father.

 David's men were about to stone him. They were so grieved and bitter that while they were away from home, the Amalekites had attacked and taken their wives and children and burned down their village. 

 David had no one to turn to. He too was grieving because his family had also been taken, but as always happens, if you're the leader, you always get the blame; and this was no different. His very life was at stake.

 But David was a warrior; he was a mature and wise man and he knew what to do. He remembered the times that he had been in problems before and how God had been there to carry him through to victory. Therefore, he did what many of us forget to do - he called on God, and God gave them the victory, delivering their families back to them. (Read 1 Samuel 30)

 David followed a pattern; he didn't panic even though he was distressed himself.
He:

 HE REMEMBERED how God had been good and faithful to him in the past and became encouraged in this. He knew that God could be relied on and would never let him down. He won't you either.
HE PRAYED and enquired of God, asking Him how to go about the predicament that he found himself in. Remember, all those who call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).
HE PURSUED what God had told him to and received the victory. It is when we seek God's advice and obey His commands, that we receive the answer to the problem.

 If you are facing a dilemma today, put this pattern into action. Do as David did and you will receive the victory.
Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com



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Wednesday 25 March 2020

Things will get better

" 21 But after a long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, 'Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. 22 And now I urge you to take heart for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul, you must be brought before Caesar, and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' 25 Therefore, take heart, men for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. 26 However, we must run aground on a certain island."
                                                                          Acts 27 21-26.  NKJV

 The Apostle Paul was on board ship to see Caesar in Rome, when they run into a tempest. Paul had warned the crew that he had a bad feeling about the trip and advised them not to sail, but they had disregarded his concerns. Therefore, they became fearful as they entered the tempest and the boat began to sink. Paul spoke with them and encouraged them not to fear. Everything would be all right. However, they would run aground.

 The world is in a state of emergency today where many countries are now on lockdown and people have been confined to their homes. It's a frightening time for many. In today's terms, we have run aground and urgent action has to be taken so that we can survive. However, allow me to encourage you. Like Paul said here, please be encouraged that, even though we are going through this time of severe uncertainty, we are not lost. Jesus knows where we are and is watching over us. Even though we have run aground - in lockdown - if we do what we have been advised, all will be ok.

 God is not worried. His word still tells us not to be afraid, or to worry. He is still telling us to be at peace. (John 14). It is a time when we need to take on board His Word to us:

 "Be still, and know that I AM God; I will be exalted among the nations , I will be exalted in the earth."
                                                                        Psalm 46:10.  NKJV

 If there is anything that you can do to change the situation that we are in, then go ahead and do it. But, you have to admit, there is nothing we can do - except rely on the Word of God. There has never been a time in our generation when we need Jesus more than now. He is calling out to the nations, offering Himself to us.

 At this time, the only thing that you can do is pray and then commit yourself to Jesus:

 'Lord Jesus, this is a scary time that I am going through. I can do nothing to change it, except call on You to help me and my loved ones. I give myself to You this day. I surrender to You and ask that You will show us all mercy. Jesus forgive my sins, live in my heart and be my Lord and Saviour from this day. I give myself to You.
Today Lord, I will be still and know that You are God and that you will glory the Name of Jesus throughout this world..  In Jesus' Name, Amen

 Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard



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Tuesday 24 March 2020

Never stop Praising Him

"The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!"
                                                                                      Revelation 4:8   NKJV

These were Cherubim - the highest ranking celestial beings. They represent all the vital forces of creation whose primary function is worship. They never rest from doing this and are forever watchful- they are fully alert.

As we've heard many times, praise stops satan in his tracks. It is such a powerful force that it is a wonder why we don't do it enough. It should be the first thing we think to do when we wake each morning and the last thing we do before we go to sleep. Praise surrounds us with power. It takes us to the very throne room of God. Remember the Apostle Paul, together with Silas? They were in the stocks at midnight, in a filthy, rat-infested dungeon. Yet, they were praising God. And what happened? Their chains fell off and all the doors of the prison were opened. Now that is powerful stuff and it was all down to praise. Praise opens doors. It wins battles. It changes lives. It will change yours.

You may feel that you haven't got the time to praise God. Well, make the time. It's more important than anything. Just look at Jesus. He was brutally tortured and abused and finally murdered, left hanging on a cross. Crowds of people were jeering at Him. But look at Him now! He is no longer on that cross. He's the King of all kings; the risen Lord of all lords. He is our King, our Saviour. Look at Him now! He was the Lord Almighty. He is the Lord Almighty, and He is the Lord Almighty - Jesus who will come to gather all of His friends, all of His people, all of His Children - us - to Himself and take us all to be with Him in Glory forever and forever. Now if that doesn't make you praise Him, you need some help.

It doesn't matter what is going on in our world today. Yes, it is a little scary. We're dealing with the unknown. It can be like sitting and looking at a large hill, waiting for impending doom to come over it and annihilate us. NEVER! We are Children of the Living God. How dare this virus come against us. It is pestilence. But Jesus will deliver us from the perilous pestilence (Psalm 91:3-6). 

Come on, Stand up. Now is not the time to sit here feeling afraid. It is time to stand and when we've done all we can, still be standing (Ephesians 6:13-18).

Stand and if you get knocked over, stand up again. But whether you're standing or have been knocked down, keep praising Jesus.

Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!"

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard












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Monday 23 March 2020

Be sensible and follow the guidelines

"Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe."
                                                                                          Proverbs 4:26.  NLT

 David Guzik comments on this verse:

 'When we carefully ponder where we are headed, it helps to establish our wise direction and help us to not turn to the right or the left.'
                                                                     Copyright David Guzik Enduring Word

 There are a lot of warnings and news flashes about at the moment. They are all concentrating on what we should do to protect ourselves, our families and the NHS from the Coronavirus. Pubs and restaurants have closed; theatres and other meeting places and people are being advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people wherever possible. 

 Of course, this can lead to panic and has already in some places. People are panic buying, others refusing to stick to the guidelines. There is confusion and unrest around the world as the virus begins to spread and consume people's lives.

 God would want us to be Spirit-led but not to be flip about this. Yes, we were healed by the stripes of Jesus but that doesn't mean that we put ourselves to the test by ignoring the advice from professional healthcare officials and blatantly going into risk situations. We need to be wise and walk in the Spirit of God.

 We all have choices and at the moment a lot of these choices are limited because of the virus. Love would not wish for us to be selfish and go to places where we could infect other people. So therefore, even though it is difficult, there is a need to heed the warnings from our government and stay safe.

 This doesn't mean that we are giving into fear - not at all. It means that we are being obedient in obeying those who rule over us (Hebrews 13:7.) There's a lot we can still do. Most of us have social media. Therefore, we can contact people, checking to see if they are ok or if they need anything. We can encourage each other and pray for people. There is a way through this and Jesus is the way. He will lead us to victory!

 Jesus says, 'Let not you heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me.' John 14:1. Jesus will not let us down. Just be at peace and don't worry. Stick to the guidelines and be sensible.

 Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com


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Sunday 22 March 2020

Spider's webs and Cobwebs

"The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way."   Psalm 140:5.  NLT

 I want us to look at the significance of the spider's web and a cobweb. 

 SPIDER'S WEB
This is an intricate collection of silky threads, rather like a net, that is designed to catch a spider's prey. An unsuspecting creature is drawn to this fabulously designed spectacle and has soon as it sets foot on it, is helplessly trapped by its stickiness and the many threads. As the creature struggles, it becomes more and more entangled and food for the spider. Some spider's can actually feel the vibration of the threads when something touches it and will spring out to capture it, instantly.
The spider's web is a wonderfully made, work of art. It is absolutely fascinating how this creature is able to spin such a thing. Webs, draw the wildlife photographer because of the wonderful colours it creates when the sun shines on it. However, the web is a trap and once entangled within its threads, it is very difficult, if at all, to become free from it.
An analogy of the web is when someone is drawn away into temptation and becomes trapped, unable to set themselves free from its hold, such is the strength of the attraction. Believers and non-believers alike, can become trapped within a web-like being. A person is never out of the danger of being ensnared and the only way out is to be rescued by God Himself.
People with addictions are easy prey for the web-like being along the way but so is the average Christian man or woman who look at something or are tempted to do something and are trapped in this web of destruction. 

 COBWEB
The cobweb speaks of something that is deserted and neglected. A cobweb, is very often a spider's web that has been abandoned and left to collect dust. This describes a person's life when they neglect the most important parts of their lives and allow it to stagnate. Many marriages fall apart because of this stagnation. People's careers are shattered because of the lack of attention to the most important parts that are required to keep things fresh and exciting.
Bibles can become left on a shelf, collecting cobwebs, because they are never opened. Christian lives and ministries need regular attention or they become dry and lose their attraction.

 Has your walk with God become entangled in webs, whether it be the spider's type, where you have become trapped in a sin, a bad relationship or something else, or cobwebs, where you have neglected your Christian walk? It's never too late you know. If you're stuck in the spider's web, call out to God now and allow Him to rescue you. If it's the cobweb type, again, call out to Him and open your bible, put on some Christian music and get back on the road, walking with Jesus.

 Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard


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Saturday 21 March 2020

'Lord, I can't do this,' - Yes you can!'

"If you've run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?'
                                                                              Jeremiah 12:5.  NKJV

 Hey, you've come this far, so you can go further, yes? Don't give up now! It's a challenging time, that's true, but you need to be able to contend with what's happening in your life now; otherwise, when further challenges come - and they will, you won't be able to manage.

 You have to lean to manage the place that you're in at this moment before you face the challenges which will come tomorrow, because they will be greater. If you can't manage what you are going through today, you will surely struggle in the days ahead.

 But you can manage today if you don't look too far ahead. Today is enough. At the moment this is all you can do. Jesus told us:

 'Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.'   Matthew 6:34.  NKJV

 In other words deal with today, tomorrow is too problematic to think about when you've got today to get through. Take one day at a time.

 The floodplain that God mentions to Jeremiah in this text, is the area around the Jordan. It's a thicket, rather like a jungle and lions used to roam around in there. Don't forget that Peter told us that our enemy, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Basically God is saying today, make sure you get in control of the situation you are facing because the road ahead could be difficult, and the devil is not your friend. Be alert!

 However, be reassured that whatever lies ahead - whatever - you can do it, with Jesus by your side.  Philippians 4:13.  

 Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com


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