Did you think you wouldn't get shot at?

"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."   v16                                             Ephesians 6:10-18.  NIV

No matter who you are or where you come from, if you belong to Jesus - a Christian, you will be attacked by the devil in some way. He will use whoever is available to give you a bad time. This is his style; you see, he's not like God who can be everywhere at one time and do everything at once. No, he is limited so he has to recruit others.

Now these people may not even know they are being used, some will but not many. Usually the devil will use family, friends, neighbours or whoever he can, to have a go at us. You are usually in for an attack when you have done something significant for God, or you are planning to. If he can prevent you doing this, he is pleased, so don't allow him this pleasure. You must realise that there is a war going on - a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). You enlisted on active service the day you asked Jesus into your life, so you are in the middle of it.

Life can be ticking over very nicely and then, WHAM, a flaming arrow is fired at you and it may bring heartache, panic and pain. This is why we need to put on the armour of God each day and hold up the shield of faith to extinguish the flaming arrows that come our way. The shield is based on the Roman shield that was covered with leather, which was then soaked in water. The reason being, the flame-tipped arrows would be put out as they hit the shield.

Don't think you can get away from these attacks. No, we have to learn to stand up to them and refuse to allow them to deter us from going forward and having a good day. Unfortunately, after certain attacks - the ones that really hurt our hearts and disarm us, we can feel like folding up and running away. Don't allow this to happen. Stand up and pray; take control of the situation in Jesus' name and gain the victory. Don't settle for defeat.

Have you ever felt that you are at the bottom of a deep mine shaft and you've managed to climb up to the top. Just as you are going to climb out, something happens and you fall back to the bottom again. That's how certain attacks can make us feel. It's rather like making a promise that you'll never do a certain thing again and when you do, you feel that you will have to start all over again.

Just think for a moment, if you were at the bottom of a mine shaft, you would not have to climb up to the top to be able to get out. No, Jesus would be right there with you and, what's more, He would take us through a door and show us a new way out. There is no need for us to flap or become upset, He knows the way and and will help us as we call on Him.

How are you coping today? Remember our text last week? 'Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28 NIV. That is the answer. We are in battle and trying to sort it out ourselves may just make it worse. Give it to Jesus. He knows what He is doing! 

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Make the most of every moment

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, (16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17) Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."                                                                            Ephesians 5:15-17.  NKJV

We are called to walk circumspectly, which means carefully, wisely and cautiously as a person would walk through thorny ground, not as fools, dashing in and ripping our skin on the deadly plants. God wants us to seize the opportunity for the glory of Jesus. It isn't so much as making the most of our time but making the time we have with Jesus, here on earth, count.

David Guzik comments: "This is another reason why it is important to walk wisely. Jesus spoke of a time when;  'Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.'  (Matthew 24:11-12). Surely we are in those times, because the days are evil."

We only have to look around our world today, terrorism is rife with terrilble beheading and people being blown up, all in the name of religion. Murders and rapes are on the increase as is the many stabbings in many parts of the country. People are beaten up and robbed in broad daylight and very little is done about it. People are frightened to go out on the streets in some parts of our country. And it is not only in the UK, it is worldwide. Just check out what is happening in the news Surely we are entering into end times!

The Apostle Paul says, 'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, (4) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.' 2 Timothy 4:3-4. In other words, they will believe the lie that God does not exist and put it into practice.

The Bible speaks the truth, it is the Word of God and it was predicted many years ago that we would be going through such times, and even worse as the days go on. We need to take notice of the times. We need to be alert to what is happening all around us, and we really do need to make the most of our days. Time is gradually running out, the hour glass has the sand running through it, and eventually it will run out. Therefore, we as Christians are called to walk circumspectly, not as fools taking no notice of what is going on all around.

The Apostle Paul adds to this passage: 'But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfilled your ministry.'   2 Timothy 4:5.

Do I have to say anymore?

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Watch the Pharisees of today

"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me'. So he followed Him. "   V9                                            Matthew 9:9-13.  NKJV

 Matthew, the tax collector was just sitting in his office carrying out his work, when Jesus turned up and told him to follow Him. It may have seemed a strange thing to do but, Matthew received what Jesus said and followed Him. We have already seen this in John 1, where Jesus called other men to follow Him. However, this one was a little different. Matthew was a tax collector - quite a hated person then and not so different today. I dread my tax return each year.

Now Jesus had already upset the Pharisees earlier when He had healed a paralytic on his bed. They had accused Him of blasphemy saying that no one can forgive sin except God. Therefore, Jesus had demonstrated that He had the authority to forgive sins and heal a person too. In other words, He was letting them know who He was and where He had come from. However, they wouldn't accept this truth, very much like people who knock Christians today. Now here was Jesus sitting and speaking with the tax collectors and sinners (V10). 

In Jesus's reply to the Pharisees, of why He was doing this, (V12-13) Jesus told them firmly that He had come to call the sinners to repentance, not the righteous. The righteous can take care of themselves but sinners are lost without Him. Jesus didn't mince His words; He said it as it is. He had a mission and He would fulfil it no matter what. 

It can be very much the same today in certain circles. I created a place in our church basement for the homeless and broken to come. They were fed, loved and accepted and they had a place to rest for the day and where possible, we gave them new clothes. We never had any trouble from them, in fact, they were better behaved than some of the church members. However, rather like Jesus was knocked by the Pharisees, we were also knocked by the Pharisees of the day. 'We don't want that type of person here,' was one of the statements. When the homeless guys started coming to the Sunday services, I was asked by my superiors, if I would be willing to hold different services - one for the church members and one for the 'Down and Outs'. My reply was, if they could should me in scripture where Jesus did this, yes I would comply. This closed the conversation.

People do not like their comfort zones stirred up. Anything out of the norm is a 'No, No', and if you step out of their circle, you will find that you will quickly become unpopular. The way I see it is, if Jesus was unpopular, then I am proud to become unpopular with Him. It is not a time for pussy-footing around with rules and relegulations made by man; it is a time to stand up for Jesus, to preach His Word and live it for as long as we can. Certain people even want parts of the bible re-written so that it fits in with new trends and life styles for today. We should never allow this. It is time for Christians to stand up and keep standing. We either follow Jesus or we don't. There's no place for watering things down to fit life today. The Word of God is still The Word of God. This is the bottom line.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Are you tired and and worn out?

"Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." 

For all of us, the road becomes weary and we can end up stressed out tired of endless chores, work and life in general. Jesus here, is saying that He has the answer, 'Come to Me - I will give you rest." He mentions taking His yoke upon ourselves. What actually does that mean? Well firstly, the yoke He mentions is submision to Himself. We can't keep, keeping on or something will break within us. We are only weak; Jesus is strong. Therefore, He tells us to come to Him and lay our burdens at His feet and He will help us to achieve them and also give us rest. 

Secondly, Jesus was a carpenter in Nazareth before His ministry began. Legend has it that He made the best ox-yokes around. These were wooden frames that were made so skilfully that they fitted around the neck of the ox so that it could be controlled. This could also be done in pairs. It is said of Jesus that His yokes, 'fitted well'. Whether this is fact or myth we don't really know. However, it is quite possible that it was true because He had His workshop in Nazareth and was well known for His work. This actually is a great analogy for the yoke that Jesus wants to give us. He takes great care to supply us with the best and He would only want us to be fitted with the finest. 

Jesus watches us on a daily basis and He sees the pressures that come our way. Really, this is the time when we need to take Him at His Word and say to Jesus, 'Lord, please help me with this.' There may be an unexpected bill, a demand or another issue that is causing us pain. In a way, Jesus would like us to say to Him, 'Lord, I have this bill. I haven't got an idea how I can pay it, but You do, so I'm leaving it to You to sort out for me. I'm not going to worry about it'. Now this may sound quite rude to speak with the King of kings in such a way. But check the scriptures out; He tells us not to worry about such things, but to seek Him and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to us. (Matthew 6:33). It's a burden and He asks us to take the burden to Him. He wants us to act in such a way and He wants us to be free of the pressures that life puts on us.

Life can bring us torment and anxiety at times and we need to adopt a way to avoid this stress. Jesus has the answer here. 'Come to Me'. Some of us may be wrestling with disappointment today but, Jesus will crush every disappointment and break every chain that the devil places on us - if we allow Him to. He is our burden-bearer, our fresh hope and He offers us a refreshing that no one else can. Just take a look in Psalm 23:2-3 and see how He helps us to lie down in green pastures and leads us beside the still waters. Picture a beautiful, warm sunny day doing this - relaxing. He wants to restore our soul - our mind, will and emotions, all of this stuff that crushes our brain and cause distress. 

All of this is available to us as we obey Jesus' words, 'Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.'

Now I don't know about you but, that seems to be a great idea!

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Don't be stubborn like the mule - listen!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye. (9) Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you."       Psalm 32:8-9.  NKJV

This Psalm considers how we need to allow God to direct our day and walk with Him. He offers to instruct us about the way forward; to teach us His principles; to direct our course in all things and guide us into healthy and prosperous living. However, if we are not tuned into God we will miss what He has for us. How can we hear properly if we are not listening? We can't. We need to be open on a regular, daily basis to what God has for us.

God quite clearly tells us in this Psalm of David, that He wants to be part of our lives. He wants us to get things right in all we do. Therefore, He is willing to show us the way ahead, but, are we willing for Him to do so. Let's be honest, often we consider that we don't need any help, we can do this on our own. One example is when we purchase a new implement for the home.  Very often the instructions are neglected and we press on putting it together only to find, it doesn't quite work properly. It seems to be a common practice, especially with men, that we don't really need to view the rules, we know how it is supposed to work. We can do this.

This all falls in with having a stubborn streak. We can be unteachable. As verse 9 says, 'Do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding'. Isn't this what we are being when we tend to think that we know it all and don't need to be taught or shown the way forward? When we act in this way, we demonstrate that we have no understanding. Things may be okay for a time but pretty soon, they will start crumbling because we have no understanding - no root - no direction.

Many times, people are 'saved' and almost immediately, believe that they are called to be preachers or evangelists. They don't need any training or discipline. They believe God has called them and this all that they need. That may be so for the odd individual, but usually God expects us to have a time of training to gain the wisdom and knowledge that is required for this type of work. See how the disciples were taught by Jesus. He didn't send them out straightaway. There was a time where they had to sit at His feet and gain understanding.

We live in a very busy and unsettled time. Our lives can be stressful and the demands placed upon us totally over the top. Put this against living in a time of 'Lockdown', where there is uncertainty about where it is all going to end up and the worry of how we will manage if we lose our jobs or money. We need guidance. We need instruction and direction. In fact, we need Jesus! He is the only one that is certain in this whole world. He will never leave us or let us down; and what's more, He knows the way ahead.

This is why He offers to instruct us and teach us in the way we should go; but if we don't allow Him to do this, we are being like the horses and the mules - stubborn and on a crash course to possible ruin. 

Spend time with Him; allow Him to show you the way through the situation that you are in right now. Submit to Him and ask Him for guidance. Pray and read your bible and listen to what He says to you. It really does make sense.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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