Living by Faith

"But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."                                                                                Matthew 6:33.  NKJV

This is one of the most quoted verses in the bible. We heard it at Sunday school and church and preachers are still quoting this in their sermons in church and on God channels on the TV. Why? Because it is true. When we place God in the driving seat of our lives and trust Him to provide whatever we need, He blesses us.

Back in 1982, I successfully interviewed with the Elim Pentecostal Organisation and began my training with in-depth bible correspondance courses. At that time this was permissible and an alternative to full time bible college. God led me to a local Elim church, where I began serving, full time, in an assistant's role to the pastor. The only problem was, there was no financial remuneration, I had to trust God for our needs. I had a wife and two children still at home. My wife had a job but this only met the cost of the bills and basic shopping. 

We had learned the basics of faith but now it was time to put it into action; and we did. We never went short of anything. We came home one evening wondering what we were going to have for dinner and greeting us on the doorstep, was a piping hot crockpot of the best casserole I have ever tasted. We had money put through our letter box. We needed a car but couldn't afford to even run one, let alone buy one. My wife came home from work one night in a company car with all expences paid including petrol. Someone had lost their licence through drink-driving and God used their lack of wisdom to bless us. We prayed for clothes and found the most incredible bargains. At one time, I needed shoes, so I asked God. I looked in a shoe-shop window and there was a brand new pair of leather shoes, my size for only £1. You know something, those shoes never wore out. I ended up giving them away to a homeless chap who was equally blessed.

Yes, we cut our teeth on faith. God has shown us that as we trust Him, tithing what we owe to God, He will take care of the rest. It's not always plain sailing though. Sometimes, God will have you wait until the very last moment before what you need, arrives. James Hudson-Taylor once said, 'If we can only wait right up to the time, God cannot lie, God cannot forget. He is pledged to supply all our need.' And this is so true. God is faithful but you have to take Him at His Word to find this out. One thing He asks is that we honour Him with a tithe from what we receive. It may seem impossible to do this, but as you obey - putting Him first, miraculously you will find that He will bless you in return. You cannot outgive God, give to Him and He gives back, usully much more than you have given as well.

You may be struggling at this time. Let me encourage you; place God first in your life; decide to honour Him with your tithe and then trust Him. Read your bible, claim promiises such as the above text and watch how He looks after you. Sometimes, I see the birds eating some amazing stuff that they haven't paid for, yet God has supplied. If He will feed the birds, He will not neglect you. Read Matthew 6:25-34 in an attitude of praise.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

He's your A to Z of your Life

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."          Proverbs 3:5-6.  NKJV

The above scripture was our baptismal text back in 1980 when my wife and I went through the waters of baptism, following our conversation. Forty years later, we are still trying to live this way but like us all, need a constant reminder of the way ahead. 

In days of pressure and torment, it is easy to forget that we have a God who is 100% for us, wanting to show the way through difficult and life-troubling events. Charles F Stanley writes: 'Any time we spend wondering about how to get out of a touchy situation is time wasted. God's guidance is more than sufficient for all the tests or trials we might have to face - but in order to benefit from it, we have to seek it out.'

When we don't know what to do about a given situation, the first thing we should do is submit it to God and then slow down and wait. Then, when we feel He has answered us, before we do anything, we need to ensure that we have a sense of peace to go along with the plans and ideas we have submitted to God.

If we just make up our own minds about a situation, it can be a recipe for disaster. Many people have made big mistakes - me included - by dashing in without praying first. God should be our first port of call. We need His guidance and His direction. However, to be able to do this, we need to trust Him with all of our heart. This is the bottom line; it underpins everything we belive in. If we can't trust God we are in big trouble. He's the only one we can fully trust. 

Look at it like this. When we go on a trip, we usually check the route out on a map or to be more up to date, a Sat Nav. This usually ensures an accurate plan of the route that we need to take. Without these things, it can be a little daunting to be lost in the middle of nowhere. In a similar way, we need Jesus as our Sat Nav. He knows the way 100% and will sweep the road of all obstacles that may be in your way. 

Learning to trust God is imperative, it is essential to a happy life. He's committed to us and wants us to be committed to Him. He wants us to rely on Him, asking Him the way ahead and what to do about a particular thing. He is our Father and wants to act as such to us - His children. 

Whatever you are deliberating about at this time; whatever is worrying you or whatever you have to do, put God first. Trust Him, Lean on Him, Acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. He knows the way; He sweeps the obstacles off the path in front of you; He's your Road Atlas, your Sat Nav, He's your compass; in fact, He is your A to Z of your life.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

No discrimination

"Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?' For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans." v9

                                                                                                        John 4:1-26.  NKJV

Jews and Samaritans, were two groups who didn't have anything to do with each other. Jews believed the Samaritans had been tainted by the pagan nations among them (Deuteronomy 7:1).  Furthermore, a Jew would become ceremonially unclean if he used a drinking vessel handled by a Samaritan. In a Jew's eyes, all Samaritans were unclean. In addition to this, men in biblical times did not generally speak to women in public. 

And yet, here was Jesus going through Samaria, meeting the woman at the well and asking her for a drink. He was breaking everything that Jews believed. Even His disciples, on their return from buying food (v27), marvelled at Jesus sitting and talking with her.

You see, with God there is no difference in our race; the colour of our skin or where we originate from. With God there is no partiality (Romans 2:11). He loves everyone and by this acount here, shows that He is against racial discrimination.

Jesus, having walked  a long way in the midday sun, sat at Jacob's Well in Sychar. It was hot; He was weary and He also had a thirst. All of this demonstrates His humanity. He was God and yet He was a man and He underwent all the things that a human being goes through each day. He noticed the woman drawing from the well and asked her for a drink. 

What followed was an amazing account of Jesus telling her all about herself, Himself and His coming Kingdom and the peace and love that she could have. It affected her so much, that she left her water carrier and ran into the city telling them all about the event. She said, 'Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' (v29). Samaritans expected a Messiah, but their rejection of all the inspired writings after the Pentateuch, meant that they knew little about Christ. They thought of Him mainly as a teacher. However, this woman was so affected by Jesus that her excitement was infectious, and she brought the whole city to Jesus. Quite an evangelistic feat.

Jesus' heart breaks over the whole of racial discrimination. In Jesus's opinion, we are all equal and he treats us as such. He has no favourites, we all have a ministry to run. In Jesus' eyes, whatever we do for Him, is equally important.

Sadly, politics can enter into our Christian faith so much, that we can end up making the politician more important than Jesus Himself. Yes, God is interested in how the nations will be run and if the politicians place Jesus in the rightful place of their work, it will be.

One day, God will totally rule in Heaven and on the earth. He will demonstrate how kingdoms should be managed - with Jesus on the Throne. Until then, let us avoid all form of discrimination and keep Jesus firmly in our sights on a daily basis.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Don't let anger get the better of you

"'Be angry, and do not sin,' do not let the sun go down on your wrath. (27) nor give place to the devil."                                                                                  Ephesians 4:26-27  NKJV

The Greek word here for 'place', is topos which emphasises that believers can actually give ground in their lives to satanic control. But this doesn't mean that we can just become angry and let rip at someone and then the blame the devil for it all. If that was the case, all of us could go out and have affairs, be the meanest person around and rob people and say, it was not my fault, the devil was in control. No, it means that you gave him the control. What we have to be careful of, is our anger. If we don't control it, the devil can get in and use us to bring about mayhem and division in our lives and the life of the church.

Most people, at sometime in their lives, fall to anger, some more regularly than others. To be angry is not always sinful. People have righteous anger, rather like Jesus when He cleared the temple from people who were using it as a marketplace. However anger that burns within us is dangerous. It can bubble away within until, POW, it erupts and that can cause devastation, whether it be in a relationship, a workplace or in the community. The moment we give in to anger, we have lost control. Don't give the devil an opportunity, rise above it. Kenneth Copeland often says, 'If you let the devil into the back seat of the car, pretty soon he's gonna want to drive.' Do you get the idea? Take control of it it before it takes root and ruins things.

A lot of married couples fall out this way. One of them offends the other and instead of putting it right straightaway, they carry it on and an atmosphere is caused where neither one of them will speak or say they are sorry. This is where the devil can get in. It only takes one little spark to cause a forest fire. (James 3:5). Our text today highlights this fact: 'do not let the sun go down on your wrath'. All it does is give the devil a foothold. That's all he needs to come into a person's life and causes devastation. Don't allow this.

The more we focus on being wronged, the more it affects us. We allow the offence to go round and round in our heads and then, we can begin having conversations with ourselves, plotting what we'll say back to the person or how we will take revenge. We can become so wound up about it, that we may begin to make inner vows such as, 'I'll never allow anyone ever to do that again' etc. etc. When we have been wronged, we can allow it to damage our whole feelings about the person and it can soon turn into hate. Don't allow this. Nip it in the bud, quickly.

"It's ok for you to say that, but you don't know the hurt it caused me.' You're right, I don't know the hurt it has caused you. but I can see the hurt that it is doing to you now because you're not letting it go. Let it go!

You may well be in a position such as this. Someone has offended you and it hurts. If that person is living within your home, then action needs to be taken straightaway. Life's too short for this type of thing. Can you forgive and forget the situation? Or can you talk the matter through with the person or with a trusted friend. That may help. 

On the other hand, do you need to go to someone and tell them that you are sorry? It is very important to do this. God expects us to put things right, not hold grudges or refuse to forgive others (Matthew 7:1-2 & Mark 11:25-26).

Jesus left us with peace (John 14:27). Why not flow in that peace right now!

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Write out your feelings

"My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer."                                Psalm 45:1.  NKJV

LOVE

I’ve never known a love so strong, love so kind, Grace so sweet,

‘Twas what I sought, back along, a love so fine, faithful to meet.

He guides where this man has never trod, A way that opens up for me, 

His name is the Almighty God, He’s turned me round, made me free. 

Although, His presence can’t be seen, I know His love is all around, 

Calvary – the cross, is where He’s been, And I can shout that I am found.

 

One day, I’ll see His smiling face, We’ll talk a spell to pass the day, 

That’s a thought that I’ll embrace, Until in front of Him, I’ll lay.

                                                            Copyright 2018 Grahame Howard 

I wrote this poem a couple of years ago. It was a time when I wanted to express myself, express my love for Jesus, but I didn't know how, other than what I know best. Therefore, I wrote my feelings down.

If you've never written down your feelings towards God, why not give it a try. I find that when I praise God, if I don't discipline myself, I tend to become distracted in my busy mind and I go off track and never really get to the point of praying what I mean. So for me, writing things down is much easier.

What I like about this method, is that one can go back over what you've written. It is definitely not an alternative to prayer. That should be uppermost. However, it is a way of getting over to God, how you feel - rather like writing a letter. It is also quite refreshing to do something such as this. It doesn't take any great skill. No editor is going to scrutinise it and rip it apart, unless of course you want to publish anything. It is just a way of communicating with your Father and making sure that what you want to say, is said. Too many times we say the wrong things and wish we hadn't. Why not give it a try. You may find that it works for you.

Here's one more to whet your appetite:

Jesus

Amid the flutter of a bird in flight,  I saw the figure like a shining Knight,

Gleaming and shining in the new day's sun, like a man in armour from the battle won.

He walked towards me and took my hand, gathered me up, walked along the sand,

He took all my trouble and all my care, gave me His love, for me to share

He said, ‘don’t worry, I’ll work it out for you’ ‘My Word is steadfast and My Love is true’

‘Together we’ll walk till your work is done, then you’ll come into the arms of the Risen Son’

                                                                              Copyright 2010 Grahame Howard

                                  

The Dream is Not Over

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose hope."                                                                                   Galatians 6:9.  NKJV

Don't give up; don't lose sight of what God is doing. You may be five minutes away from your harvest. Don't give up now.

Phil Baggaley in his song, 'The Dream is Not Over, really gets the message over. Mal Pope sings:

'The dream is not over, it lives in my heart,

and for this holy calling, You set me apart,

There's an unfinished symphony waiting to start,

The dream is still strong and alive'

                                                               Written by Phil Baggaley; sung by Mal Pope.

                                               The Fisherman Remembers Album

This is not only an amazing song, full of faith and encouragement, but it has a great message too. Many of us need to remember that the dream is not over. God planted something in your heart, probably a long time ago. You've been waiting but up to now, nothing has happened. Let me encourage you, your dream is not over, it's still strong and alive; it has just not come into fruition yet. Don't give up now, it will happen, it's still alive.

It is still alive because it lives in your heart. God put it there and He's longing to set you free to do it, but the timing must be right. Be patient, he has given you a holy calling - He has set you apart for the task. You probably know what it is and it burns within you wanting to burst out and get on with the job; but wait on God. He has not forgotten you and He has not changed His mind either. No one is qualified for what He has in mind, only you!

There's an unfinished symphony waiting to start. Now this may be music but also, it may be something else. Remember, this is your unfinished symphony. You're willing to get going but at this time, God is holding you back. Now, bear in mind that He knows your willingness to get on with the task and God is not one to leave jobs unfinished. This means, if he's said it, it will happen. Why? Because 'the dream is not over, it lives in your heart, and for this holy calling, He's set you apart, there's an unfinished symphony waiting to start, the dream is still strong and alive.'

One day soon, God is going to set you free and your feet won't touch the ground. He is excited and 100% for you. Get praying; get studying and get in place. Your time is almost here!

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Do you want to be made well?

"When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, 'Do you want to be made well?' v6               John 5:1-15.  NKJV

This man had been disabled for thirty eight years and day after day, he took his place by the pool waiting for the moving of the water. It was a tradition that an angel would stir the water up and the first person to step into the pool, would be healed - totally. Unfortunately for this man, he could never make it owing to his condition so he always missed out.

William Barclay comments, 'The man had waited for thirty eight years and it might well have been that hope had died and left behind a passive and dull despair.'

                                                                       William Barclay, The Gospel of John Commentary

Actually, it may have been that the man was content to lay there, after all, if he was healed he would have to find a job to provide for himself. He had never been used to that. I remember a time about thirty years ago, when my wife and I had been ministering to a lady with a severe disability. Immediately, she told us that she didn't wish to be healed as she would lose all of her benefits. Unbelievable, but some people are like this.

This man however, was adamant that he wanted to be healed and he gave Jesus his 100% attention and consequently, he was instantly made well. William Barclay continues, 'The first essential towards receiving the power of Jesus, is to have an intense desire for it. Jesus says, 'Do you really want to be changed?' If in our inmost hearts we are content to stay as we are, there can be no change for us.'

The lady that my wife and I spoke with, was firmly saying, I don't want to get well.' There was no intense desire for healing as it would be too costly for her. On the other hand, this man was totally committed to it, whatever it would cost him. He valued his health.

 When it comes down to a deep-rooted illness or disability, we need to have that intense desire to be healed. This is not the time for doubt to be allowed to enter into the situation. There is no room for, 'Hopefully, I'll be healed, but if not, I'll still believe in God.' There's no faith in such a statement. Scripture tells us, 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.' 2 Corinthians 5:7. And we serve a God, 'who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist, as though they did.' Romans 4:17. 

When we are ill, good health does not exist, that is why we have to believe and agree with God’s Word and call good health into being. Do you want to be made well? Then you need to believe these scriptures.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com