A Glance at Philippians 4 Part one

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice."             Philippians 4:4  NKJV

The joy that God gives us is not based on agreeable circumstances but on your relationship with Jesus. This joy means to delight in and take pleasure in. Christians face troubles all over the world but need to rejoice in the trials that they face, because they know God is using these situations to improve their character.

All over the place, we are all suffering the same consequences - Lockdown. The pandemic is a plague that has crept everywhere, and even though there are now vaccines to address this, it will probably be a long time before we can return to what we consider normality.

Tempers flare and frustrations become worse but we have got to go through this. This plague is a killer. Now, who is the author of this? Yes, you're right, the devil. 'The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy.' John 10:10a. He is the culprit that people should be blaming. But be at peace, God has given us a great defence - a secret weapon and that is joy. 'The joy of the LORD is your strength.' Nehemiah 8:10.

It is this joy that we have in God that sees us through each and every situation. This is why the Apostle Paul repeated himself in our text for today. 'Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice.' Note that it says ALWAYS, not just for blessings or happy occasions. In everything.

This is our way out; our exit, our get out of jail free card. It is our freedom from all problems. Joy is our strength. It fixes those difficult times; it fixes those Lockdown blues; it fixes the pain of separation from our loved ones because of the restrictions, the loss of jobs and everything else. 

Joy is a choice that we have. We have to choose to rejoice through difficult situations, not because we have them. We all have this choice. If we refuse to make this choice, then we have to go through on our own. If we choose to take it up, we will have the strength to face all things. This is why Paul repeated himself. He knew how important it was to rejoice in all things.

What do you think?

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

A Pseudo Christian

"having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people, turn away." 

                                                                                                        2 Timothy 3:5   NKJV

There are people around who say all the right things in the Christian circle but, it is an outward pretence. They are pseudo - false. The Apostle Paul warns us about such people in 2 Timothy 3 & 4. If you've not read it recently, it is worth a read again.

We can be deceived by such people; after all, the devil is the ultimate deceiver and will do all he can to spread his pseudo truth whenever and wherever, he can. 

Pseudo Christianity goes through the motions of religion but never gives the deity to Jesus Christ. It is selfish and self-seeking. It can consist of unbelief, pride, greed, lust, unforgiveness and gossip. Let's be honest, we can all have these from time to time, but we're looking at a permanent form, the Pseudo Christian.

Just look at the evidence here: the person has a form of godliness but denies its power. Some may gather such a person into their fold because they say what they want to hear, not what should be said - itchy eared people 2 Timothy 4:3. This is serious stuff, because if there is no repentance, Jesus will come and remove their lampstand from it's place. Revelation 2:5. In other words, He will withdraw and His presence will no longer be in that church or that person.

We need to look within ourselves here. I've mentioned that it is serious stuff and it is. Can you honestly, hand on heart, approach the Throne of God and be confident that your place in Heaven is guaranteed? Some may say, no one can guarantee this, but you can. If Jesus has washed your sin away, you have a place in Heaven and you can confidently approach Him. 

But are there any things that are unseen by people, things that you may do or say when you are alone? Really you are not alone, because Jesus sees what you do - all the time. Can you honestly be confident that if you were to die today and stand before Jesus that there would be nothing that He could bring up about you?

Scary stuff isn't it? This is why we have to look within ourselves and if we know we are guilty of something, repent. Can you say this prayer from Psalm 139:23-24:-

'Search me O God and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there are any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.'

Now, relax and listen to see if God reveals anything. If He does, repent and know that you can be confident of a place in Heaven.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

You will bow the knee

"Now when He said to them, 'I am He', they drew back and fell to the ground."

                                                                                                     John 18:6   NKJV

How many men would it have taken to arrest Jesus? Two or three at the most? Here we see a detachment of troops - possibly 500 men, officers from the chief priests, the Pharisees and of course, Judas. They really must have been unsure of who they were dealing with and were not wanting to take any chances. This in itself, is worth noting. They recognised that Jesus was a man of power and they were not going to take any risks.

Jesus' use of, 'I am He.,' revealed Him as God and all of them fell to the ground, overcome by the awesome power of God.They hadn't got a clue what was happening to them. Jesus demonstrated His power and proof that, no one can take Him on and win. They had come to arrest a meek peasant and instead, they were met by the majestic person of God.

Without realising it, they had to bow the knee before Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords. In the chaos of this happening, Jesus could so easily have taken total control and brought them into the Kingdom there and then. However, He knew that He must be obedient to His Father's plan. There were far more that needed to be saved from sin than these few.

It is comforting to realise that, whoever is against us and how much they may hurt us, they cannot have the final victory. Jesus will win and they will have to bow the knee to Him. He will also prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Psalm 23:5. We will have the victory at a banquet before them. Jesus will make sure of that.

There are plenty of very evil people in our world today. They kill and maim people, drug and traffic them to faraway countries, never to be seen again and to be used as sex slaves. Terrorists kill innocent people, there are rapes. The list is endless and God's heart breaks. But the day will come when they will have to answer for all of this. There will be no escape for them, unless they repent beforehand. They will be taken to the very Throne of Jesus. There, they will have to bow the knee and confess that Jesus - the Name above all names, is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11.

It will be too late for them to repent when they're before the Judgement Seat of Jesus. They will be judged and taken away to everlasting hell. These people just do not realise the risk that they are taking by taking on Jesus Christ. He is unbeatable, and no one will ever get the better of Him. No one.

Let us ensure that we keep our hearts right before Him at all times..

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Give and receive

"And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no wine.'" 

                                                                                                               John 2:3-8.  NKJV

It is good to re-visit scriptures from time to time because, there is so much we can learn from them. Each time it can be different. Here, Jesus, His mother and disciples are at a wedding in Cana. Disaster begins to form when they run out of wine. Mary says to Jesus, 'They have no wine.' After a short deliberation, Jesus tells the servants to fill the large stone jars full of water, right up to the brim. They do this and draw some off and take it to the master where it is found to be the finest of wines. The day is saved.

We later see Jesus surrounded by a multitude of hungry people. However, there is no food. Jesus speaks with Philip, who puts on his accountant's head and informs Jesus that it would cost a great fortune to feed all of the people. (Lack of faith). While this is happening, Andrew joins the conversation informing Jesus that there is a lad there with five barley loaves and two small fish. (Suggestion of faith). Jesus, obviously speaks with the young chap and takes the small amount of food, thanks God for it and instructs the disciples to distribute the food to the people. The food has been multiplied and there is more than enough for all of them and no doubt, much left for the young lad too. (A harvest) John 6:1-11.

What had happened in these two events? Well, Jesus took what they had given Him and He multiplied it. And He is doing the same today. Let me tell you, it is impossible to out-give God. It can't be done. The more one gives Him, the more he gives back. Many people today are fearful of tithing. They hold back and then wonder why God holds back too. It is our duty to give God His share of what we receive. Some people say a 10th or 10%. However, if you give  God what He is owed, say for instance a 10th, of your income, this is called a tithe; anything over this is an offering and God will honour you and give you back a harvest on this one.

Many don't like this type of discussion and close down. I felt like this when I was first saved. If you're on a small income, it may seem impossible to tithe a chunk of it. 'How will we manage?' Very well actually, if you haven't found out already, then try it. However, don't fall into the category of robbing God of what He is owed. Read Malachi 3 to get an idea on this.

Everything we have, God gave us in the first place; our wives, husbands and children to name a few. They are on loan to us. Just think of all the things that God has given you. Then think of all He wants to give you as well. The bottom line is, 'we want from God and He wants from us'. It is a two-way circuit. He doesn't need the money, not at all. He just wants to see how much we trust Him with what He has given. Also, He wants our brothers and sisters in ministry to receive a decent living too, and this happens when we give our money.

Think about it. What God gives is good. But you've got to be in it, to win it.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

The Right Side

"Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." 

                                                                                                                      John 21:6   NKJV

Peter and some of the other disciples were missing their daily walks with Jesus and it was a deeply rooted loss. For Peter even more. He held himself responsible for letting Jesus down and no doubt held himself responsible for His arrest and death. It would appear that the others knew very little about Peter denying Jesus, as they didn't mention it. It was good to know that gossip was not rife in their circle. However, they all felt the loss, nothing was the same without Jesus. They were numb, bored and hurting. 

Peter decided that he was going fishing and the others followed. However, the night was unfruitful as they caught nothing. It may have been that their heart wasn't in their work. As daylight opened, a voice was heard from the shore, Some chap was having a BBQ and wanted to know if they had caught some fish. They shouted back that they hadn't. 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some'. They had nothing to lose and cast the net on the right side of the board, which was starboard. This was not as unusual as you think. Many times, someone would stand on the shore while some men were fishing in their boat. With the moon shining on the water, the person on the shore could see a shoal of fish round the boat, better than the fishermen could. So it was not so much of miracle but rather a lesson in trusting Jesus to come up with the goods, and He did.

They had a massive catch and were unable to draw it into the boat. John said to Peter that it was Jesus. With that, Peter plunged into the water and waded back to the shore, which was about 100 yards away.

That morning they had breakfast with the King and He cooked it. That is amazing in itself. Can you imagine Jesus cooking you breakfast? He probably would if He was still here in physical form. This brings to mind, what is the right side? We know it is the starboard side of the boat - the right hand side as one looks forward to the nose of the boat. But what was the significance of the 'right side'? It's simple, it is the right side - the right place to do things and Jesus knows these places. It is the right side to work on, the right place to go and the right side to do. Only Jesus knows what is the right side for each of us.

Probably you need to find the right side to do something or right place to go. Jesus knows and you need to seek Him. As you can see from this text, the disciples didn't call out to Him initially, but He was watching and when He directed them, they obeyed and received 153 fish - a mighty blessing for fishermen who needed to exist.

If He did it for them, He'll do it for you as well.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Have you lost your hope?

"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.'                                                                              Psalm 27:13   NKJV

Have you ever been so low that you feel that all hope has departed from you leaving you in total despair? Well, as long as God is with us, we will always have hope and that's a promise. Hope is always there but we have to hang on to it in bad times.

Some may say that its easy to think that way when things are going well. But what about the pain of a broken marriage with separation from the children? What about the loss of someone so precious that there seems no hope anymore? Then there is the misery of losing a job or business but the bills keep mounting up leading to possible bankruptcy? The list is endless and there is no quick fix that can change the situation. For many, Lockdown has been devastating. Jobs have been lost, homes re-possessed because mortgage payments have not been met and then the pain of a loved one dying from Covid. 

With all this happening, it's difficult to see where God is, but He is still on the throne. King David wrote in our text  'I would have lost heart UNLESS I HAD BELIEVED.' Did you get that. David didn't lose his hope despite every thing that was coming against him, he still believed in God and he knew, deep in his heart that God would rescue him.

This really is the way forward. Realising and believing that no matter what, God is still with you. he'll never leave. And what's more, our verse continues, 'That I would see the goodness of the LORD, IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING.' That is something to shout about. He is not saying that you'll be ok when you get to Heaven, everything will be ok then. No, not at all. David is saying that he would have lost heart if he had not believed that he would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. In other words, whilst we are still alive. I don't know when, I can't tell you that. What I can tell you is, you will see the goodness of the Lord whilst you are still here. He is going to come and bless you. Why? Firstly because He loves you, secondly, because he has seen the awful time that you have been through and He didn't like it one bit. Therefore, He's on His way to bless you!

Can you believe that? David did, and it kept him going. If you can as well, it will keep you soldiering on. You are about to see the goodness of the Lord. Say that to yourself out loud, 'I am going to see the goodness of the Lord.' Keep saying it until it is more than a belief, it is total fact. It is coming if you don't give up. Can anyone say Amen to that?

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Don't neglect what God wants to give you

"So be careful how you listen; for whoever has (a teachable heart) to him more (understanding) will be given; and whoever does not have ( a longing for truth) even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him."              Luke 8:18   Amplified Study Bible  

This verse has been so misinterpreted over the years. It is often quoted that God gives many possessions to one and takes things away from another. I suppose we've all heard things like, 'Oh yes, the Lord gives and the Lord takes.' This is not true. It is not about materialism but about spirituality.

To be only hearers of God's word and not doers, can lead to destruction. What is the use of knowing it all if we never put it into operation. It's like knowing how to drive a car but never getting into the driver's seat and driving off. We need to hear and then live the life putting God's word out into the world; showing people that because of Jesus, we are different and so can they be. Do you remember the story of the man who built his house on the sand, with no firm foundation? It fell in during the stormy weather conditions and he lost all.  Luke 6:49.

We need to hear properly when God speaks; when we hear Him through bible reading or sermons or in our hearts. We then need to receive it with gladness and we will be given much more. Have you ever had that wonderful feeling that you just want to read more and more about Jesus - you just can't get enough. This is what I'm saying. The more we hear, the more we will receive.

More of what, some may say? More desire to hear God's word and a clearer understanding of what He is saying to us. The more we do this, the more we will receive. If we lose this habit through neglect, then the harder it will be to get it back. We can lose that special place with God.

One word of warning, we need to be careful that we don't fool ourselves that we know it all; we've read the bible through six times and know all the key verses. That can be like the Pharisee. They had plenty of head knowledge but it didn't come from the heart. We need to receive heart knowledge and we only receive this by working at it daily. Take for instant an athlete. He or she will work out daily, for many hours until they are really fit and well-toned. If they then neglect this, their body will become flabby. This is how it will be for the person who doesn't work out in God's word.

Be careful that you don't neglect what God wants to give you - and that is a lot. You have got to put in, to be able to take out, and believe me, God wants to give you the best of things.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com