I must do the Father's will

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"                                                    Nehemiah 6:3     NKJV 

Nehemiah had been devastated to find the temple and the wall of Jerusalem in ruins. He therefore, determined to do something about this, immediately. As he served King Artaxerxes with wine, the king noticing how sad he looked, asked him what was wrong. Nehemiah told him and was given the king's permission and support to go and re-build this mighty work.

This wasn't without threats. Sanballat, an influential Samaritan together with his followers, were in total opposition to this happening and did all they could to stop the work, through discouragement, intimidation, threats and intense pressure to quit this work. However, Nehemiah refused to give up and I believe there is a lesson to be learned here. The road ahead may appear weary and opposition rife, but when you are in the will of God, things like this will come your way. This is how you know that you are doing right. The devil doesn't like it and will try to stop you. But soldier on, you are on the right road.

Finally, it was finished and there only remained the task of fitting the city gates. Sanballat sent Nehemiah a word. But Nehemiah, quoting the message writes, 'Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm.' Nehemiah knew that he was trying to take him away from God's work and even kill him. He therefore sent him back the words of our text, 'I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?'

Satan, will always use someone to take you away from the Father's business. You may be praying and studying the Word, when someone rings you or calls. Now this may be important, but it us usually a distraction from spending quality time with God. Many things can happen to try and prevent you doing God's will. You may suffer persecution and discouragement from people, who make light of your intentions. There may be opposition from some source. The distractions can be endless. However, the bottom line is, don't give up. Carry on.

People may think that you are insane for doing certain things, they may feel that you have 'lost it'. That's ok because if God likes what you're doing, that's all that matters.

Therefore, have this attitude, 'I must do the Father's will.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Practice forgetfulness

"14 forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 15 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

                                                                                               Philippians 3:14-15    NKJV 

It's time to forget the past and move on. Yes it has been a difficult time and yes, you have been hurt and scarred. But, it's time to go forward and get on with your life!. The only one who is miserable, is yourself; everyone else has gone ahead. God is calling you to be forgetful. 'You can't say that.' 'I just have and I can, because it is written here in God's Word. He says, 'forgetting the past.' How clearer can that be?

Here, Paul is dis-satisfied where he is - he wants to keep growing. He doesn't wish for his past and his hurts to hold him back anymore. He has a job to do and a life to live and he wants to do both to the best of his ability and claim the prize.

To be successful in your Christian walk, you need to have a short memory and let go of the things that have held you back for so long. Stop looking through the rear view mirror and start looking through the windscreen, ahead.

"Is God forgetful then?' No, not at all, He just chooses to be that way for your sake. When you confess your sin to Him, He doesn't write it in His folder and file it away until He needs it again. No, that is not His way. When you confess your sin, He chooses to remember them no more. You will remember them but, He won't because He chooses it that way. So don't you think it's time to take a leaf out of His book - the bible? 

It is useless re-visiting hurts and failures. They will never go away if you allow yourself to keep them. It is time to throw them away - cast them to God, He's good at dealing with such stuff. Yes, it's time to cast them over to God and start living the life that Jesus has given you.

Can you say Amen to that? 

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

He will carry you

"Even to your old age, I am He, and even to grey hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry and will deliver you."                    Isaiah 46:4    NKJV

As we grow older, we grow weaker and possibly more frail; but God never does. He is the Ancient of Days. He remains infinitely strong and sustains us as He did Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham and Paul.

There's a contrast between the true God and the false gods of the nation's. In this text, Babylonian gods, Bel and Nebo, possibly also known as the god of Marduk and his son, were lifeless idols who couldn't do anything for themselves and even had to be carried around on carts. Tony Evans, in his bible commentary on this piece of scripture, writes:

'While the Babylonians had to carry their gods, the true God of Israel, carried His people from the womb to the grave. Whom would you prefer to worship and serve?' 

For all of us, times can be very hard. We go through seasons of difficulty and at times it is hard to see a way through it all. This may be where you are at this time. Life may have used and abused you; you may even have lost all that you have. But one thing that you haven't lost, is the love and friendship of Jesus Christ. Things may have worn you down and you may have been mistreated and taken for granted, even discarded. But never by Jesus; He is there beside you; He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24.

Things will get better, you can be sure of that; however, at this moment, He is carrying you and will continue to do so until you can manage on your own. During this time of confusion, try and focus on Him. I know that you may have many questions which contain, 'Why'? The thing is, at times there are no exact reasons for why things go against us. It may be a learning curve, then again, it may not. It may just be a season of difficulty. But even when we turn the light out and are in total darkness, we know the light will come back on again when we press the switch. Perhaps, this is what you need to do - press the switch - turn on the light by talking to your bestest friend, Jesus. He is the Light. But remember, there is no shame in being carried. Perhaps, this is what you need at this time.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Worry, Fear, Heart Attacks and Ulcers

"while we do no look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

                                                                                                   2 Corinthians 4:18    NKJV 

It seems a strange title today, to include 'heart attacks and ulcers'. However, constant, stress, worry, anxiety and fear can lead a person to be sick in this way. Worry is a killer and it is one thing that we all struggle with from time to time; some more often than others. It is time to stop this.

We don't know what is going to happen from one moment to the other; and when we worry, we are fretting about something that has not happened yet, and furthermore, may not happen at all. We have sleepless nights, pacing the floor, tossing and turning in bed, all for something that may not happen. I remember when I worked in a very busy social work office and the paperwork would be skyscraper high. On top of that, the next morning I would have back to back appointments and an afternoon session in court. I would worry about it. However, mostly when I had arrived at work the next morning, appointments had been cancelled along with the court case. I had the time free to attack the paperwork. What I learnt, was that if you allow Him to be, God is in charge.

When are we going to realise that Jesus told us not to worry - it was a warning, He knows the damage it causes. For many of us, to hear the words, 'Don't worry', are like hearing, 'Don't breathe'. We are so used to it. Breathing is essential, but worry, not at all. To worry about something that is scheduled for tomorrow or some other time, is futile. It's a temporary thing. We need to be focusing on the unseen things. That is where the faith is. Stop focusing on what is seen and focus on what is not seen. 

I suppose, to worry, is a natural thing. I said a 'natural' thing. But we are of the 'supernatural', so it is in Christ that we overcome this huge hurdle. But it takes practice to learn the art of being worry free. At first, we can give all our problems to Jesus and then, take them back again as we walk into our day. But the more we keep practicing and standing on the relevant words of God, we can achieve this.

Are you going to choose to be worry free from this moment forward?

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Ponder this by Hazel Howard

"And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death (holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing.)                          

                                                                                        Revelation 12:11     Amplified Bible

Who are they? Us, you and I and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Who have we overcome? The accuser from Revelation 12:10, who keeps bringing before our God, charges day and night. 

How have we overcome him? By the blood of Jesus being shed on the cross and the utterance of our testimony, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and He said in John 19:30, 'It is finished'. And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. 

Wait a minute, what did Jesus say? He said, 'It is finished'. His sacrifice of obedience had done it. Done what? Overcome and conquered all that the devil can throw at us. 

Wear God's Armour from Ephesians 6:10-18 :

The Belt of Truth

The Breastplate of Integrity

The Gospel of Peace on your feet

The Shield of Faith

The Helmet of Salvation

The Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)

and declare that you are covered in the Blood of the Lamb and, the word of your testimony is that Jesus Christ is Lord and He has said, 'It is finished'.  Revelation 12:11 & John 19:30

God can give us no more than that. The rest is up to us to use what we have been given. Surely we are an impenetrable force, for the Glory of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords.

(In Matthew 16:19, Jesus said 'I will give you the keys of Heaven.' Is this one of those keys, or is there something else for me to study?

Copyriight 2021 Hazel Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Whatever - fix your thoughts on Jesus

"Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

                                                                                                       Philippians 4:8    NKJV

Habits, attitudes and lifestyle follow from the mind. Therefore, believers should set their minds on virtuous things. In order that we don't lose our peace; Paul gives us the list of things above, that we need to meditate on.

One of the reasons we don't keep our peace is because we tend to dwell on things that are set in opposition to the peace that we need. We dwell on lies that the devil whispers into our ears. We also dwell on bad things that have happened to us. The problem is, if we continue in this vein, we can become anxious and even, paranoid.

We can hear a whisper about something personal to us and, as we focus on this, which may be a lie, it becomes amplified and before long, it has become a major problem. It may be a lie from the evil one, but because we have focused on it for too long, we have believed it and now it is the truth. 

You may have had these times; times when, no matter what happens, this lie is uppermost in your mind, so much so that it has begun to torment you. The awful thing about this, is that it has just been that - a lie. There has been no truth in it at all, and you have wasted all of this time tormenting yourself and others that you feel was involved in this.

Unless you have any proof to something, please consider that it is a lie from the evil one who is insistent on sending you torment and fear. Instead, think about good and wholesome things. For instance, think about Jesus; about all he has done for you. Do you really think that He would want you to fret the way you have been doing? Of course he wouldn't. Instead, He would say to you, 'Whatever things are lovely, think about such things.'

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

Don't forget your belt!

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth."       Ephesians 6:14     NKJV 

Paul had just finished describing how we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against Satan and his demonic forces. He then goes on to discuss wearing the armour of God. Now at this time, he would have been in prison, so seeing Roman soldiers would have given him the creativity to write about armour. I would like us, to take a look at the belt of truth.

Roman soldiers, and indeed many ancient soldiers before them, wore a long tunic under their armour which protected their abdomen. They used a very wide belt to gather up the surplus part of their tunic so that they could operate properly. Hence, girding up the loins - tightening the belt so as not to hinder their action or possibly trip up. The belt held everything together and they were then prepared. The metaphor of tightening one's belt may have come from this time. 

Some people think that the belt is not part of the armour but, it is an essential part. Without the belt around a soldiers waist, the soldiers undergarments would be flapping around and cause him to be distracted in battle. Wearing a belt, keeps everything in place so that, the rest of the armour is a better fit. The soldier is then prepared for battle.

Think about that for a moment. Without the truth girded around your waist, you will never win the spiritual battles that will come your way. It prepares you for strenuous activity. Truth serves as the central point of the battle at hand. If truth is lost, the battle is lost also.

We need to operate in the truth. Jesus is the truth and we need to walk with Him in such a way. (John 14:6) We need to be honourable and if we desire for God to bless us and our work, we need to be 100% truthful in all that we do, think or say. Hence, why we need to put on this belt of truth, daily.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE