Wasted words

 "But he denied with an oath, 'I do not know the man.'      Matthew 26:72     NKJV

We have been looking at words that we speak - sometimes in haste, and the effect they have on others. Let us look a little closer at some more.

Much of the words we speak are just wasted words. Many times we  can hear the phrase, 'You're speaking a load of rubbish,' and there may be an element of truth to this. Take for instance the way various regional accents say things. For example, in Sheffield an expression of astonishment may be phrased, 'Well, I'll ga t'foot of ah stairs'. Whereas, in Nottingham, the phrase would be, 'Well, I'll ga t'ta ah'rouse. (our house). When I was a youngster, it wasn't unusual to hear a mother who was exasperated with her child, to shout, 'If ya fall off that wall, our Jimmy, and brek ya leg, don't come running ta me'.Phrases that make us smile but when you consider it, all are wasted words.

I like the one that Woody Allen said, 'I'm not afraid of dying, I just don't want to be there when it happens.' Again, comical but also full of denial. Peter used denial when he was accused of being with Jesus. Jesus had been arrested and Peter was not far away, in a court yard. Jesus had predicted that before the cock crows, Peter would have denied him three times; and it happened that way. Now here he is still denying that he had been with Jesus just to save his own skin. Be honest, wouldn't we have done the same? 

We can often deny Jesus, especially at school or in your place of work. It isn't that we out and out deny Jesus, but we can hide the fact that we are a Christian until we have sussed the place and the people out. On the other hand, we can come straight out with our faith and that is usually a conversation stopper. Everyone is different, It's helpful to let people see that there is something different with you, something that draws them to you. If you stand there with the biggest bible you can find and start preaching a lengthy sermon about the sins of the world, it may not go down too well. They'll just be wasted words and you may have ruined your reputation. On the other hand, if you gently allow people to see Jesus in you and, when they ask, answer their questions openly and honestly, the words you speak will not be wasted. If they don't make an impact straightaway, they will certainly be retained for future reference.

Therefore, make it your business to use your words wisely and to make them count. We can't afford to speak wasted words. People need life, and you can offer it.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Be careful what comes out of your mouth

"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."    Colossians 3:16-17     NKJV 

What we say is very important; what comes out of our mouths can be a blessing or a curse. It can bless or do damage to the listener. Be careful. I remember someone telling me a story some time ago. Where I live, is near to the Jurassic Coast, famous for fossils, dinosaurs and other such historical and geological bits and pieces. The story goes that this chap was standing right on the very edge of one of these, very high and dangerous cliffs. A crowd were calling to him to come back but he wouldn't. Suddenly, a Christian chap ran over to him and they spent a long while in deep conversation, the result being they both jumped off.

You may be shocked or even smile at this story but, take on board, that in our haste to speak with someone in such a position, the wrong things can be said. We need wisdom. You may not come up against such a situation as this, but the very ordinary day to day things are equally as important and words of wisdom need to be uttered so that a major fall-out doesn't take place.

Our words are important and we need to be careful what we say. However, on the other hand, we need to listen carefully to what is being said. When we visit a friend's house, they may say something such as, 'make your self comfortable'. This doesn't mean that we can shoot upstairs, get in their bed and have a snooze or watch some TV. Do you know what I mean? By saying this, they just want us to be comfortable and at ease.

We really need to be in control of what we say and what comes out of our mouths. Proverbs 15:1 says, 'A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.' It is very true. Check out some more: 

'A fool's lips enter into contention' and his mouth calls for blows. A fool's mouth is his destruction' and his lips are the snare of his soul' Proverbs 18:6-7.

'He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.' Proverbs 18:13.

'A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth, from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit'  Proverbs 18:20-21.

Whatever we do or say, should be in direct line with the Holy Spirit. He is our guide and He always leads us into the truth. Therefore, let us re-channel our words to fit into His plans for our lives. 'Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.' Ephesians 4:29

The bible is God's word to us and carries many regulations and guidelines. This last verse is one of the guidelines. Practice this and you will not go wrong, because you will be imparting grace to the hearer.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

It will surprise you, what the Lord has done

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; 3 who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles."                                     Psalm 103:1-5    NKJV

I've looked at this Psalm many times over the years, yet there is always something new to see and learn about. This is because the Word of God is living, exciting and always worth delving into. This is how gems come out. 

King David here, encourages us to bless the Lord with all that we have. Everything within us and all we have externally. And when we bless Him, this includes being grateful for everything He has bestowed on us, not just material things but, our health and the ability to live our lives safely each day,

It helps to spend a while writing down all He has blessed you with. It is important to do this. This is why the writer wrote this song"

'Count your blessings name them one by one, count your blessings see what God hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done'

                                                                                                       Johnson Oatman Jnr.

Once we write down all that we can remember about all God has done for us, it will surprise. After a while, it is so easy to take things for granted. Take for instance, air. We need this to be able to breathe and yet, it can so easily be taken for granted. It doesn't hurt to say thank you to God for this vital thing He has done for us. Try and think of other things.

He has forgiven us for all of the things that we were once involved in, what's more He will never again mention it because He chooses to forget. He thinks the best of us. You may have been healed of something. What a joy to have you heath restored in such a way. Then of course, He has redeemed us from a place called hell. We are now en route to Heaven. We are crowned Kings and Priests to our God Revelation 1:6 and we are satisfied and every part of us is renewed.

Try and spend a little time thinking about all that God has done for you. Write it down and use it as a tool to give Him thanks and praise. Count your blessings, It will surprise you when you realise all that Jesus has done for you. 

Bless His Name

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

I will not fear

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear, What can flesh do to me?"   Psalm 56:3-4     NKJV

Fear is a big problem in our lives today. We lie awake at night, worrying about this and being fearful about that. If we allow it, it takes over our complete lives. Bob Gass used a brilliant acronym for the word fear, FALSE - EVIDENCE - APPEARING - REAL. I love this. Just stop and think for a moment; there is a lot of truth in this acronym. Most things we fear or worry about, never happen and we have wasted all of that time in turmoil. It is just false evidence but there is a part that tries to appear real, the one that causes the doubt.

Of course, some fear is real and we have to learn how to manage it better. If we can do something about it, then do it. If we can't, then there really is no use in worrying about it. This is not denial that I am talking about here, not at all. It is having the ability to say, 'I will not fear' and then giving it over to God; rather like yesterday's reading, 'Roll it over'.

At the time of writing this Psalm, David was consumed with fear. However, he decided to think it through properly instead of reacting in haste. He compared the size of the problem (in his case, the enemies all around), to the size of his trustworthy God. When we compare the size of what we are fearful about against how big Jesus is, then we are able to cope. "I will not fear'.

Doing this, changed David's focus and it will yours too. Adopting such a perspective transforms how we face negative circumstances. Those four words, I WILL NOT FEAR, pack a punch. It is a declaration. The devil may think he has penned you in but, with Jesus, he never can. If he killed you, you will still meet up with Jesus in Heaven. Our insurance contributions are paid up - fully.

We will get afraid, it is a certainty. However, when we do, we need to say out loud, 'In God I have put my trust, I will not fear.' I'm not saying that if you do this, everything will be hunky dory. It probably won't. But you will have someone very special at your side, fighting on your behalf. Jesus Christ. In fact, you will have God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, all on your side.

Now that is good enough to say, 'I will not fear'.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

 

Roll your baggage over

"Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established."    

                                                                                                        Proverbs 16:3    NKJV

I remember back in 1970 when I was being posted overseas. As a young soldier, I struggled with all of my baggage from Euston Railway Station to Euston Air Terminal  Anyone, who remembers their first posting will sympathise; I had all of my baggage. All my army kit and my own suitcase too. I had to keep stopping because of the weight of it all. I couldn't afford a taxi, even though a couple stopped to see if I needed a fare.It was a nightmare. Recently, I thought about my plight in Euston, London, I wondered how it would have felt if Jesus had turned up and asked me to give Him the bags. It would have been wonderful.

I now realise, to a degree, how a camel feels in the early morning sun, worn out and thirsty with a massive weight on it's back. Proverbs 16:3 says, 'Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.' The Hebrew word for 'commit' is to roll, roll down, roll away or remove. The picture is of a camel burdened with a heavy load; when the burden is to be removed, the camel kneels down and tilts to one side and the load rolls off. This scripture encourages the reader to roll his care over to God's care. Do you get the picture.

We carry many burdens each day that could so easily be 'rolled' over to God. Psalm 55:22 tells us to "Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you." Again in Matthew 11:28, 'Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'  Why did Jesus say such a thing? Simple, because He knows us through and through. He knows how we take on too much, our loads and sometimes other people's too. He knows how we worry and fret because we are trying so hard to balance all we have to do and how it would be so easy, to just give up and walk away at times. He wants us to use His strength. Don't forget, on our own we can do nothing, but with Jesus we can do all things, Philippians 4:13.

Ask yourself, 'Isn't it about time that I stopped trying to do everything? Isn't it time that I only take on what I can manage? The thing to do, is roll it over to Jesus and allow Him to break all you have got to do into equal parts - important ones first - and then proceed through the agenda until you have achieved it. Then take a break with Jesus, before you start the next. He knows what He is doing; at times, we don't. Roll it all over to Him and refuse to be heavy laden again.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

  

The Joy of Your Salvation

"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation"                        Psalm 51:12      NKJV 

I think back to when I was first saved in October 1980. It was sheer bliss. Can you remember when you first came to know Jesus? There is no feeling like it. Nothing else mattered, it was like living in a bubble of joy and excitement. Nothing could come close to this feeling, it was a part of Heaven.

But then, 'Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love'  Revelation 2:4. What has happened? Well, after a time - the honeymoon period - we can tend to take things as they come and allow the busyness of life to take over. All of a sudden we may lose our job and we have bills to pay, or illness may strike. This all takes the wind out of us. Instead of taking the problem to Jesus, we try to work it out ourselves and the pressures really begin to form.

There is nothing like that introductory period with Jesus but, it doesn't have to stop there. He wants it to carry on. He doesn't want you to leave your first love, He wants you to carry on as you started and build upon it. He is Your Rock and Your Foundation, without Him you are nothing John 15:5. He is still the same Jesus that you met in the beginning. He still loves you and He is still exciting.

Nothing that you are going through at this time is a problem to Him. He can find that needle in the haystack, believe me. Nothing is worth leaving Him or putting Him in second place.

Why don't you come back to Him right now and find that excitement and contentment once again. You haven't lost your first love. You know where He is. Come to Him now:

Lord Jesus

I realise that I have left my first love and that wonderful place of excitement and joy. I can't live without You, Jesus. I need You every day, in my life. Therefore, I choose to return to You and give You the first place in my life from today. Please help me to realise that You are with me in the honeymoon periods and the times of pressure. Please forgive me for leaving You out of my life so much. I now ask that You will take my life and use it to Your Glory.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Confession and a new start Part 2

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit."    

                                                                                                Psalm 51:10 - 12     NKJV 

Yesterday, we had a look at adultery and the devastation and betrayal of it all and how it can completely destroy relationships and family life. Today, let's focus in more on forgiveness and how God really can promote a brand new start.

1 John 1:9 states: 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' That is it in a nutshell. This is how God operates, once we confess all that we have done wrong, He forgives and chooses to forget about it all. The sad thing about sin is that, it cannot be erased from a person's mind. If someone has been betrayed by adultery, it can be total torment that plays on the mind every day. It ruins relationships because the injured party becomes paranoid believing that their partner is committing adultery again. Many marriages break down because of this, but they don't have to.

If the adulterer confesses their sin and repents, the wounded party, if they want the relationship to continue, must forgive otherwise, they too will not be forgiven their sins when they ask Mark 11:25-26. Some marriages can't survive this and the offended party, chooses not to forgive because, they did nothing wrong in the first place. But they will still be held by this statement when they eventually meet Jesus.

If a marriage is worth saving then, something has to happen and that is forgiveness. It's a wonderful thing to forgive someone and receive forgiveness yourself. The world may not forgive but God will and He expects us to as well. Just think for a moment, where would we be if Jesus told us that He would not forgive us for something. It would be awful. Thankfully, through the blood shed at the cross, we are forgiven.

You know, none of us are perfect and, we make mistakes, some of them are very costly. You may be one of those people. You may have made the biggest mistake of your life. All you can do is ask for forgiveness and trust that God will bring you through this. If you truly mean it, He will, but it may not be the way you would have wanted it to. You just have to trust Him. 

If you are the injured party, just think for a moment; do you love your partner or are you willing to lose them. The decision has got to be yours. If there is a tiny speck of love left, then if you wish to give that speck to Jesus, He can perform something wonderful and turn that speck into an atom of love and security. He truly can. 

You need to seriously think things through - the both of you and if, there is a chance, take it.

Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE