Walk in the favour of God

"For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield."                                                                                               Psalm 5:12    NKJV 

There it is again - the Shield. This time David is talking of a Shield of Favour. What actually is favour? It can be defined as, pleasure, desire, delight, grace and hesed. Those who take refuge in God and His favour, will be glad and sing for joy.

A regular example of favour in practice is asking God to find you a parking space. You may laugh, but it is true. He cares enough even for this. Many is the time I have driven round endlessly searching for a space, all to no avail. Then, I have remembered - PRAY. When I have prayed about it, success. It may not always be instant but, it works. You see, if you are surrounded by a Shield of Favour, God will perform the most amazing things.

I remember being told by a university, that there was no room for me on a very important course. I would have to wait until next year. I knew God wanted me on this course and at this particular university, so I prayed about it. Fifteen minutes later, I received a telephone call from the same person, telling me that the most amazing thing had happened, someone had just dropped off the course and there was now a place on it. Would I like it? You bet I would.

This is God's favour on His people. You can ask Him for a nice spot in a restaurant and you'll get it. Yes you will, because He cares about you. You may have a very demanding job and a busy life outside of work making it difficult to balance it all. If so, ask God for His divine favour, in fact, as you are surrounded by it, 

'Confess and believe that you are walking in the favour of God and receive all of His benefits.'

This includes the benefits of a Shield of Favour and the benefits mentioned in Psalm 103:1-5.

Your life will begin to be transformed for the better!

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Don't let your dream die

"Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God." v2   

                                                                                                              Psalm 3:2-4    NKJV 

Joseph was a dreamer; his brothers were dream killers. However, as we know, they learned their lesson. Here David is facing the same type of thing - dream killers and faith robbers. But note what David says in v3, 'But You O LORD, are a shield for me, the glory and the One who lifts up my head.'

Wherever we go, we will come up against opposition, but like David we need to allow God's shield to be around us. The shield protects us from fiery arrows, and let's face it, this type of flack is not of God. It comes from the devil, otherwise we wouldn't need the shield.

'You won't get healed, that's ridiculous.' This is a regular statement today. Well, in a way, it may be true, because we're healed already by His stripes 1 Peter 2:24. Think how many times you have been so tired and confused as you listen to such comments as this. But remember, He is your glory and the One who lifts up your head.

He's always around us and all we need to do is call on Him and the result will be, 'I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill' v4. As we pray before we go to sleep, He sustains us v5. David said, 'I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around' v6. In other words he was saying, and we should say the same, 'I believe what I choose to believe. If you don't agree with me, then that is your choice. However, you will never stop me following God no matter what you say.'

Never let your dream die

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

You've still work to do

"(Growing in grace) they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age. They will flourish and be vital and fresh (rich in trust and love and contentment.)"   

                                                                                Psalm 92:14    Amplified Study Bible 

If you are thinking of retirement, forget it. You can retire from your job, that's ok. However, there is no retirement in your Christian life. You have work to do for God.

You may think that you are too old to keep being involved in such things. Wrong! He gives us strength in old age to fulfil what needs to be done. (Psalm 92:10). As we press on, regardless of age, He allows us to grow in grace. So this tells us He will continue to shower each of us with favour and will give us wherewithal to enter His gates with thanksgiving and Praise.

He wants us to thrive and bear fruit, thus prospering in our old age. This way, we will be a mentor to younger people as they grow older too. If there was retirement in old age, Mose, Caleb and Joshua wouldn't have been serving God until they died in service. Then, of course, what about King David and a host of others throughout the bible.

As we serve God in such a way, we will flourish and be vital. Stop there for a moment. Vital, among other things, means 'to be necessary to continued existence and effectiveness; extremely important and essential.' The Free Dictionary. That is you. As you serve God in old age, you become necessary to continued existence and extremely important. God shows people that you are vital to His work, and you are. You need to believe this.

You will also become fresh, like you have a new strength within your soul. That is the Holy Spirit who gives you the power to achieve what He wants you to achieve. He trusts you, immensely and and is content to send you out to do whatever He has planned for you. That in itself is wonderful. The world may write you off when you become old, but Your Father in Heaven believes you are vital to His work.

Therefore, believe and receive this, It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about you, it is what God thinks about you that matters. And He thinks you are pretty wonderful.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

And then 'Suddenly'

"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind."   

                                                                                                                  Acts 2:2    NKJV 

The 'Suddenly's' figure in most people's lives from time to time. Everything can appear peaceful, when 'suddenly' something happens. Do you know what I mean? I remember one of these 'Suddenly's' a few years ago. I was walking along the seashore with my dog during Storm Brian, when 'Suddenly' the dog broke free and tried to run into the water. Well, it couldn't really be described as water but a raging torrent with very high waves. I rushed to pick him up and 'Suddenly,' the biggest wave I've ever encountered swept over me and dragged me out to sea. By the time I realised what was happening, I was in deep water about forty feet from the shore, The tide took me back to shore and before I could get out, it dragged me back out again. This went on for a few minutes and I didn't think I was going to get out. 'Suddenly,' there was a woman there, from nowhere and she took my hand and pulled me out.

That was a scary 'Suddenly' I can tell you. Thankfully, not all 'Suddenly's' are like that. The Apostles were sitting in the upper room when 'Suddenly' there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.' The power of God came upon them with tongues of fire and their lives were changed forever. In fact, that day, more than 3000 souls were saved. That is a great 'Suddenly'.

Like we've seen, 'Suddenly's' can come when we are least expecting them. We can be broke one minute and rich the next, all in the blink of an eye. You may be at work, at home or minding your own business, when all of a 'Sudden,' God turns up. It can be exciting but also scary too. 

We can encounter both positive or negative 'Suddenly's'. Some may have an accident or be taken very ill quite quickly. We never know what's around the corner. Therefore, we need to make the best of what we have got. Life can change quite 'Suddenly'.

The great thing though, as Christians, we know that God has our back. He is watching our every move and, as we involve Him daily in our lives, He will guide and protect us. He is our Shepherd (Psalm 23).

Today, determine that you are going to live every moment walking in the power of God. Everywhere you go, everything you say, allow Jesus access to each moment. Then, when the 'Suddenly's' turn up, you will be more in control of what happens.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

What is your giant?

"There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight and so we were in their sight."    Numbers 13:33     NKJV

There will always be differences in opinions, wherever you go. People will not always agree with you because they may have a different perspective of the situation. This was the case here; Joshua and Caleb were saying that, no matter, they were well able to overcome the situation. The others that had been in the spy team, was giving the people a bad report bringing fear and doubt upon them. 

Joshua and Caleb, were coming from the perspective which Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 4:18,  'While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' In other words, they were saying that they were looking through the eyes of faith - the kind of faith that says, nothing is too difficult for the Lord. This is the type of faith that gets things done.

People bring bad reports into our lives whenever we mention that we feel God is leading us to do a particular thing. They may be saying it from concern, but it can still stop us from achieving what God wants us to achieve. Faith-people don't believe bad reports, they only believe good reports. There may be giants ahead but, with God on your side, they are going to have to move.

What is your giant? Do you have one and do you allow it to limit you? Some people will always try to squash your faith. 'You need more experience, you're too young' And when you're old, 'You're too old for something like that, you need someone younger, with more energy'. You can never win, so why try. There are quite a few faith robbers around, they suffer from defeatist mentality, read you bible and you'll find quite a few.

Giants will come our way - a new job; a house move or starting your own business. You can easily be talked out of taking the step. It's a confusing time. Therefore, many people back out and later, live to regret their decision. Others go forward and they too, may regret it if it is a bad decision, but then others, are blessed in their efforts. It really is a difficult time and one where you need some wisdom. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says: '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,' 

This is where we should look first - God. The proof that we are not trusting God, even when we say we do, is when we turn to other sources first.

Who do you turn to first?

He cares for you more than you realise

"And the LORD said, 'I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows."    

                                                                                                             Exodus 3:7     NKJV 

God's concern for His people is paramount to His thinking. His heart broke because of the plight that He saw His people suffering in Egypt, and He decided to do something about it. His heart was breaking because he cared so much. And, He feels the same way about you too. Did you realise that?

He sees all and hears all. He knows about the bullies, those taskmasters who make your life a misery. He is aware of these unfair dealings that happen to you and wants to deal with them. The thing is, you need to call out to Him 'For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved,'  Romans 10:13. Did you get that? Whoever; you are 'whoever', and God is waiting for you to call out to Him for help. When you do, He will be there.

Moses was just a shepherd. He had his memories of who he had been in Pharaoh's house. He could remember the status he had. But now, memories was all he had. Do you feel this way? Do you remember the past with fondness and wish those days would return. They won't, so stop trying to remember them. They are over; God has turned the page and He has something more wonderful for you. You are today's man or woman!

God chose Moses to go to Egypt and speak with the new Pharaoh and ask him to release the Israelites. Moses response was, 'Who am I? In other words he was saying 'What can I do? I'm nothing special. I can't even speak properly, I get all confused, I would look stupid trying to speak to Pharaoh. And, don't forget Lord, I had to flee Egypt because I killed that man. No, I can't do that'. How would you have felt in Moses' position?

You may say, 'I'm nothing special.' Is that so? Then why did Jesus go to the cross to save you; to save you from that awful situation of eternal death? Why did He rescue you from that major problem you had recently - that possible eviction from your home; that continuous unemployment, that life-threatening sickness? Why was that? If you are not special, why does He even bother with you? 

Think that through and realise that you are so precious to Jesus; you are loved; He cares for you and wants to use you in His service. You see, He chooses who he chooses. If He has chosen you for a task, then you are the one who can do it. Instead of asking, 'Who am I? think 'Who do I belong to? You belong to the King of kings and he loves you, He cares about you. And now He is saying, 'Come on, let's get this job done.'

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

You're standing on Holy ground

"Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."  

                                                                                                          Exodus 3:1-5   NKJV 

The back of Sinai or Horeb, was known as the back of the desert. It was a deserted and derelict place; dry, hot, dusty and boring terrain. Nothing else. It was by no accident that Moses led his flock of sheep around there. 'He had spent forty years in Egypt thinking he was a somebody; forty years in the wilderness learning he was a nobody and was now, going to spend another forty years seeing what God can do with a nobody' (Dwight L Moody). It was a divine appointment. He was not 'Yesterday's Man', and neither are you.

He saw a bush burning. Now this was not unusual to see this in such a dry and hot place, but this was different. It kept on burning without going out. It also spoke to Him, calling his name. It is quite interesting that, Moses answered it and said, 'Here I am.' It makes one feel that he knew about God and, this was possibly right, after-all, his father in law was a priest. 

Now, this is called a Theophany - an appearance of God or a god, to a human being; a divine manifestation. Now, here was Moses in a lonely, hot desert with a bush speaking to him. It was not exactly an everyday event.  But, Moses recognised that it was God and spoke with Him. How does God speak to you? If He can speak through a bush, then He can speak via a TV program or sermon, music, a book, a sudden unexplainable circumstance or the bible. It is not usually in an audible voice but something that you feel inwardly and, you know without doubt, that it is God.

Note how God told Moses that the place where he was standing was holy ground v5. Wherever God is, it's holy ground and, as He lives in you, He is all around, so it is holy ground and we need to respect it as such.

God had a plan for Moses and He has one for you too. If you don't know it already, He will show you as you remain on holy ground

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE