Consider your ways

"(4) Is it time for you, yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?(5) Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways."

                                                                                        Haggai 1:4-5.  NKJV

Most of us are pretty good at making excuses, 'Yes, I'll do that in a minute,' we say, but the minute never comes. Or we may see something that needs attention when we're out and about, but instead of attending to it, we can have the opinion, 'Well, someone will do it, it needs it but I'm pretty busy at the moment.'

The Ancient Hebrews had this kind of attitude. For one reason or another, the temple lay in ruins but instead of focusing on this, forming a team and putting it right, they decided to put their own comforts first. They rebuilt their own houses into dream homes and neglected God's house - the temple.

Let's put this into a personal perspective; God's Word tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We have been cleansed from all unrighteousness. We have been made whole, a friend of God. And yet, many of us, can be tempted to place God second in our lives.

This may sound harsh, but many Christians do not tithe their income whether it be from their earnings or a pension. Many feel, 'I can't afford to live, let alone give my money away.' And yet, when you consider this, it is God's money in the first place and he's not asking for it all, just a tenth.

What about God's Word? Many bibles hardly see the light of day. Others are taken to church once a week and then, placed back on a shelf. To live the way God wants us to live, we need to read His Word; we need His direction and we need a relationship with Him. Christianity is not a pastime; it is a way of life, we cannot afford to neglect it.

This is why God is saying, 'Consider your ways.' It's a wake-up call. He must become first in your life. He must be your comfort, nothing else.

It's time to reflect; time to consider and time to decide!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Pray and keep on Praying

"Pray without ceasing"                                                     1 Thessalonians 5:17.  NKJV

What does that mean? We would never get our daily tasks done if we spent all the day on our knees, praying to God. The Apostle Paul didn't mean that, or that we should walk around constantly mumbling to God. He meant us to have a constant attitude of intercession. Throughout the day, things pop into our minds that require prayer. These may be important issues, such as praying for someone who is sick or who is desperately in need of help. There can also be less important prayers, such as lost car keys or bringing to mind something that you have forgotten. Everything is significant to God and can be addressed as we go about our busy day.

We may have choices to make from time to time and they are important to our way ahead. We should never dash in haphazardly; this is the way to disaster. Rather we should pray and seek God first. Proverbs is a good place to start:

'Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

                                                                                                      Proverbs 3:5-6

Prayer is a time-saver and a life-saver. Charles F Stanley says: 'The Lord knows exactly what you need and will always answer your prayers as is absolutely best for you.'

Sometimes we have so much to do; so much on our mind, that we don't know where to begin. But God does, so give it to Him. He is the expert at finding a way through!

You may not be a good pray-er. Your mind may drift off making you lose concentration, but you don't have to be a great prayer warrior. You just need to be you. Just talk to God rather like you would speak to anyone else. He'll listen and offer advise and help. Intercessors dedicate their lives to prayer and are leading lights in breaking through spiritual battles. However, you may not have the capability to pray like that and that's ok. It's a specialised ministry. Just talk to Him and ask Him the way ahead. rejoice in Him and you'll be praying without ceasing.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

The Father saw and had compassion

"But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion."

                                                                                            Luke 15:20.  NKJV

Have you ever been lonely, so lonely that it hurts? Seeing couples in the street, walking by hand in hand. How you wished that was you? The Father saw and had compassion.

  What about the time when you were in great trouble and there appeared no way out of it? The fear and sleepless nights of anguish it caused and visits to the GP because you couldn't cope with things. The Father saw and had compassion.

  Then of course there was the time you were expecting to get that special job or high-flying promotion. But at the last moment, you were shunned and the job went to someone the boss had wanted from the beginning. The anger and frustration you felt. But the Father saw and had compassion.

  And the biggest hurt of all was when that special person in your life died and was taken from you; and there was nothing you could do to prevent it. So much pain! And yet, the Father saw and had compassion.

  There are so many life events that come our way, some good and others, not so good. We cannot avoid them, they just happen and they're so difficult to negotiate. There are so many questions that go unanswered.

  You may be able to bear witness to one of these examples, or maybe something similar. When you're going through such times, it's difficult to believe and realise that there is a God who cares. But there is, and He hurts because you do. When you're shot at, He's shot at too. When you're treated badly or hurt so much, He is treated badly and hurts so much.

  And this is because, when you asked Jesus into your heart, you became 'one', with Him. You're in Him and He's in you. Whatever you go through, He cares and has great compassion. There are no answers to why we do have so much pain at times. We're tempted to say, 'Why did it have to happen to me; why not so and so, they deserved it, I didn't?' But this type of thinking has no purpose because there really are no answers.

  One thing we do have is God's endless love and devotion. He was the one that was there, feeling pain for you. He was the one who brought you through it or, will bring you through. Why? Because He sees and has compassion. 

Things do get better!

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Keep Fit

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."

                                                                                    1 Timothy 4:8.  New Living Translation

Many people take care of their human bodies, dieting, exercising and eating all of the right foods. The world emphasises ability, along with beauty and success. It can become a competition if we allow it - going to the gym, pumping iron to ensure muscles are developed better than anyone else. And then, there is jogging - pushing yourself on much further each day and possibly entering a marathon.

Looking after our bodies is being a good steward but there is a limit. It should never be done at the risk of neglecting our spiritual body - our relationship with Jesus. We can have the most amazing, muscle-rippling body and be incredibly fit and in great form, yet this will not accompany you to heaven when you die. The six-pack, muscle-rippling, power-packed and amazingly shaped body will be left in the grave.

It's good to be fit and it's great to take good care of yourself, but not at the risk of your relationship with God. Just imagine spending that type of dedication in reading and studying your bible, praying and walking with Jesus. You may do this, and that is wonderful, but many don't and these are the ones God is speaking to today.

God longs for this kind of relationship and this kind of attention. He yearns for the commitment and dedication that you give to other things, but not to Him. He longs for you! He created you and He loves you. He is the only one who can give you what you're searching for.

Get the balance right. You can still do the things in the exercise world, but give more time to God. In fact, take Him with you to the gym and on that jog. Enjoy your exercise and keep fit, but be sure to keep fit in Jesus too.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Stop seeking the glory

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

                                                                                                   Luke 10:17-20.  NKJV

Have you never tried to seek the glory? Of course you have. It's a human thing. We all like to receive praise and a pat on the back as we receive the attention from people when we've done something for them or the church. In fact, it's quite possible that we have waited for someone to comment on our efforts - to tell us that we have done a jolly good job, 'Well done'. But when it hasn't happened, when our work has gone unnoticed or worse still, not received the accolade we feel it deserved, we have become hurt, and felt like leaving the church.

This can happen if we have preached a sermon, led worship or a bible study. We can find ourself looking for positive comments afterwards. All of this can, if we're not careful, lead us to becoming puffed up with pride. We are seeking the glory instead of giving it to God.

The disciples had been sent out in pairs to various cities, to preach about Jesus. They had been very successful and on their return, had excitedly reported all of this to Him. He had encouraged them but also gave them some wise counsel: 'Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.'

Prior to this statement, He had said, 'I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven.' v 18.

Jesus was gently reminding them that they should give the glory to God and be grateful that they are used in such a way, and not like satan, who had wanted to share the Kingdom of God because he had become puffed up with pride when he was an angel in heaven, and had been cast out of his place because of this rebellion and pride.

So just be grateful for who you are in God. Be thankful that Jesus has saved you and uses you to help further His Kingdom and give Him the glory in everything you do, because you are a precious and valued member of His Kingdom.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

You can't do it in the flesh

"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts."

                                                                                 Zechariah 4:6.  NKJV

'What are souls without His grace? They're as dead as the branch in which the sap does not circulate. What is the church without Him? It's as parched and barren as the fields without the dew and rain of heaven.' Anon quote from Secret Power Dwight L Moody

To do things in our own strength is not enough. It achieves nothing in Spiritual terms. Preaching the Word or teaching God's principles without the power of the Holy Spirit, will achieve very little. It's rather like pumping water at a well with no water in it, or trying to drive a car with no petrol in the tank. It's pointless.

  And yet, week after week, many ministers preach a sermon and there is no fruit from it at all. Now this can be because there has been no altar call to offer prayer for people touched by the Spirit; there has been no time for a sermon or because the Word was given in the flesh; there was no room for the Holy Spirit.

  This happens all over the world. The Word is preached and yet, there is no response. God said in Isaiah:

'For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'                     Isaiah 55:10-11

When God speaks, there will be a response. If not, we have to question if it was done in the flesh. However, this is not just a pulpit thing, it is in our everyday lives. Do we live our lives in the Spirit or struggle on in the flesh? We may not all be pastors, but whatever we do, we are all called by God and many of us are in danger of burning ourselves out because we are living in the flesh instead of allowing God to work through us. Also, we are trying to do too much. We need to rest at times.

  Jesus said, 'Without Me, you can do nothing.' John 15:5. So stop what you're doing for a moment and ask God to fill you with His Spirit; and then determine, from this day, you will only walk in the Spirit.

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com

Psalm 139 - Final part

"(23)Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; (24) and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

                                                                                 Psalm 139:23-24.  NKJV

Check out Psalm 139:17-18; David writes: 'How precious also are Your thoughts to Me, O God! How great is the sum of them! (18) If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.' God thinks about us - always. Have you ever picked up a handful of sand and as it flows through your hand, tried to count the grains of sand. It's impossible. Imagine how many grains of sand there are to a beach. Impossible to count, yet David says that God's thoughts towards us outnumber these. That's a lot of thoughts. He therefore, thinks about you and I continually. Amazing. This is how He knows us so well. He knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. He knows when we're happy and when we're sad; when we're afraid  and when we're anxious. So why don't we go to Him sooner when we have problems  that are weighing us down?

David was a soldier, probably the equivalent of today's Special Forces. He was a true veteran. Therefore, he struggled with people at times; people who were rude about God. He wanted to wipe them out. He was a king, but also a human being who had been through the hardest of battles. Ex-soldiers often need de-programming when they finish their service. However, God was gracious to David, as He is with us. David had rough edges and so do we, and they take time to be healed and changed.

This is probably why David wrote our text verses V23 & 24; 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.' Many people over the years have used these verses as a prayer, asking God to reveal to them areas that need changing. However, be warned, this is a very risky prayer to pray, God will take you up on it, so you need to be prepared for the fact that He may reveal things He is not happy with; there may be painful areas to repent of and there may be much heart-searching.

I say this, as we can so easily rush into praying things before we have considered that there may be a cost to what we pray. With this prayer, I can assure you, there will be; but it will be a positive step. God will be gentle, as the Holy Spirit reveals issues that we need to address. But it will be worth it.

Are you ready and willing to pray this? If you are, fasten your seat belt, put on your armour and let's go:

'Lord Jesus, search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen

Copyright 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@hotmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com