Giving to God

"And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. 3 So He said, 'Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; 4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."    

                                                                                                      Luke 21:1-4    NKJV

To the casual observer, it appeared that the widow gave next to nothing compared to the richer men. But to Jesus, she had put in more than all of them. They gave out of their surplus, she gave out of her poverty. The rich people's offering would have made a loud noise as they put it in the receptacle but, the widows two mites would have been heard in heaven and that's what matters.

A mite, also known as a lepton, was a Jewish coin and the smallest used in New Testament times. At that time, it would have been worth about 1/64th of a denarius, the denarius being a day's wage for the common worker. Therefore, it would have paid for six minutes of work, two being twelve minutes; and yet, today, one cannot buy one of these certified ancient coins for less than around $9000 on the internet.

The widow's offering demonstrated her total dependance on God, she gave all that she had. Jesus noticed this demonstration of faith, trust and love towards God and, He notices when we give whether it be a tithe or offering to the church or to another source. Some people are desperate for financial help and, if we can help because of our financial abundance, God is impressed and honours us. Sadly, some may say, "I'm sorry to hear about your financial status, I'll pray that you won't be evicted,'  and then walk away. If we have the resources to help a person who is desperately in need, it is something that we need to consult God with. If we have the funds perhaps He may want us to pay someone's bill, buy them a lunch or give them a gift. After all, it is God's money in the first place; He has the first call on our finances.

Let me ask you, do you tithe? It is something that God takes very seriously. Many people give a tenth of their income or some other figure. Really, whatever you give, is helpful to the kingdom of God or other organisation. We can never out give God, He will always supply back to us. The widow knew this; she knew that she could give all she had and God would honour her. Do you know this?

'Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need'. (Mal. 3:10)

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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It will be ok

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."    Isaiah 41:10     NKJV 

The popular singer/songwriter, Keith Green before his untimely death, wrote these words in his song 'When I hear the praises start'

'My precious bride, the day is nearing, when I'll take you in My arms and hold you

I know there's many things that you've been hearing, but you just hold on to what I have told you.'                                                                                       Copyright Keith Green

The message is clear, there are so many things around us that point to hatred and ungodly actions, but just hold on to what God has told you. No matter what has happened to you or is happening all over the place, just hang on to Gods word. There are wars, famines, earthquakes, terrorism, murders, rapes and many other types of evil going on around us. However, as Jesus told us in Mark 13, this does not point to the end times, they are just the birth pains.

You may have been wronged just lately and hurt pretty badly, however God is with you and He will strengthen and help you. We are living in a time of greed where people are more concerned with themselves than with others, Take for instance when there is a rumour of a food shortage; people are in the supermarkets grabbing whatever they can and it can be close to war as they battle to do so. However, just think for a moment, you are special in God's eyes. Whatever is happening around you or directly to you, He is there right beside you and He will honour you.

Just lately, things may have been bad for you with things not going well at home, college or at work. But they are not the end for you, these are birth pains and before you know it, you will be delivered from them. People may not believe you and tell you basically, that it is stupid to believe in God. But you just hold on to what He has told you. He never lies and He is forever with you and will see you through this dilemma. 

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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So you want to be like Jesus?

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men." v5    

                                                                                                  Philippians 2:5-11    NKJV

Often we will pray to be just like Jesus, this is our ambition, we just want to be like our Master, and this is not a bad thing. After all, Jesus has got it right, He is our mentor as well as our God, we all want to walk the earth as He did. However, have we really looked at the implications of this prayer?

To be like Jesus, we need to see that He emptied Himself, by assuming the form of a servant. He still had His deity but He took on human flesh. He was fully God and became fully man. In theology, this is know as hypostatic union - two natures in one person unmixed forever. He was secure in Himself and never lost sight of who He was. He knew His identity. What about you? Are you secure in God and yourself. When you are secure in God, you will serve Him wholeheartedly no matter what.

We can never be like Jesus when we are insecure; when we don't really know our identity. Notice that Jesus emptied Himself of who He actually was. He kept His deity but He took on the role of a servant in human flesh. In other words, He made Himself of no reputation. We all like to be a 'someone,' we like to feel that we belong and people know who we are and what we stand for. But to be truly like Jesus, we may have to give this up, if He asks. 

To be like Jesus, we must allow Him the first call on our lives and we must be willing to face any flack that may come our way. A soldier gives up everything to serve His country, a soldier of Jesus does the same and when we give up everything we have, to follow Him, it may be difficult at times. The apostle Paul suffered much hardship to serve Jesus. It was His choice and He knew the risks and the cost that it would take. When we say, 'Lord, I want to be like You,' be sure you know what you are saying because there will be a cost to pay. However, there will be blessing as well, 'If anyone serves Me let Him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour him.' John 12:26

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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Lord, we don't know what to do! Part 2

"Thus says the Lord: 'Do not be afraid or dismayed because of this multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.'"                                        2 Chronicles 20:15     NKJV 

This statement underpins everything that concerns us. It's the main part of the solution to our problem but, is one of the last things that we consider when we are in a crisis. Many years ago, my wife and I were faced with a problem that needed urgent attention. We had to drive unexpectedly, overnight, to London to try to resolve this. We had one praise tape in our car and continually played one track that had the words, 'Why worry, God's in charge, the Lord of the land and sea, I'll put my trust in the one who saves and He'll take care of me.' And He did. It took a few days to sort out but God came through for us big time.

This is the value of God's Word whether it be from the bible or a song; it enriches our soul and gives us peace. What these words were saying to us were, 'Don't worry, I'm in charge, I will take care of things and you will not have to do a thing.' These are the gold nuggets that God gives us when we need them so much. He is always there for us, through thick and thin.

Here Jehoshaphat after declaring a fast, needed encouragement and God gave him this through Jahaziel, who was part of this fast. To hear that the battle was not his but the Lords, greatly encouraged Jehoshaphat and gave him a fresh outlook on the problem, and He will do the same for you as well.

You may be going through a rough time at present; one in which you cannot see a way through. However, even though you cannot see a way through, God can and He is telling you to leave it to Him, it's His battle not yours.You may have sleepless nights worrying about the problem, but God doesn't. He will defeat where man will retreat. As you give the problem to God, He will give you the victory because, He is a winner and so can you be because the battle is His not yours.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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Lord, we don't know what to do!

"For we have no power against this multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."                  2 Chronicles 20:12     NKJV 

Jehoshaphat was met with a great problem, the people of Moab, Ammon and others began to come against him in battle and he was afraid. However, he was a man of God and took the matter to Him. He decided to seek the Lord and have a national time of fasting and praying because he knew this was the thing to do. He surveyed the current threat from an unjust nation and implored God to intervene. And, this is the correct way to go.

Whenever threats and major problems come our way, and they will, our first port of call should always be Jesus. Why? Because He is our Lord and Saviour; He has control over our lives because we gave it to Him in the first place and let's face it, without Him we are nothing.

The problems and threats that may come our way, may not be in the form of a battle such as Jehoshaphat faced, but they are still a battle and we need to use every weapon that we can get hold of, to be able to survive. Therefore, when we are faced with overwhelming pressure such as this it is advisable to seek God, fast and pray and then wait. Waiting is the hardest thing of all, because our natural instinct is to rush forward to take action. However, this can only conclude in disaster because we are leaving God out of the situation. The sequence is to seek God, decide whether you are going to fast and then pray. 

Basically, Jehoshaphat was saying, 'Lord, we have a problem here and we don't know what to do, but You do and we're counting on You.' God answers prayers such as this because, we are putting Him in the driving seat. We need wisdom to know the way ahead and so we look at God's formula: '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. This is the way forward.

Maybe you have a decision to make at this time, one that is a major one and your are struggling to know the way to go. It is here. Trust in God, rely not on what you think you know. Ask him to direct what you should do and then, wait for the answer

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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No attack - No defence

"Beloved, do not avenge yourself, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."               Romans 12:19    NKJV

When someone upsets or hurts us it can be natural to retaliate and do the same to them. This is the way that the world has taught us. Tempers can flare at times such as this and there can be an urgent desire to attack or defend ourselves. If we don't retaliate, we can be classed as a coward. However, when we observe Jesus' attitude to such things we see that He never retaliated. Take for instance the cross and the pain and humiliation that He endured but hardly said a word. He didn't avenge this torture even though He could have called on angels to help Him. He chose to leave the payback time to His Father.

Be honest with yourself, how many times in your day, are you tempted to attack or defend yourself when you have been wronged. Quite often I would think. It is natural to do so and if we don't, we can be burning inside with anger. However, with Jesus on our side, we never have to repay anyone, He will do this for us if we allow Him to. Are you open to the fact that the reason He has not dealt with your enemy yet, is because you are still in the way? How can this happen? The answer to this is, we hold grudges, we sulk or slander the person who has hurt us. We become like a dog with a bone, we bury it, walk away and then return and dig it up again. It never comes to rest. If we see the person, we glare at them and there is no sign of love or forgiveness. We can even take communion while we hold these feelings towards someone. The answer to this is to give it to God.

Are you carrying a grudge against someone and having conversations with yourself of what you would like to do to them? God gives you a promise here. He says that vengeance is His and He will repay but, you have got to pass it over to Him and stop this attacking and defending that is taking place in your heart. It is eating you away and you can go no further in your spiritual life until you surrender it to Jesus. Do it today, forgive them and be free and God will take care of the rest.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

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What do people see in you?

"Then Paul looking earnestly at the council said, 'Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day'. 2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, 'God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. For you to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?' And those who stood by said, 'Do you revile God's high priest?"                                                     Acts 23:1-4     NKJV

Paul had been arrested for his faith but, as he was a Roman citizen by birth, had caused a panic and was therefore on His way to Rome to answer this. Here he is before Ananias, who was trying to get more information from him. Ananias considered Paul's reference to having a good conscience before God, to be blasphemy and ordered that he be slapped on the mouth. This provoked Paul to call him a 'Whitewashed wall.' This was quite a strange comment to make and if used today, would make people think the person was insane. Actually though, Paul was using this term because, as a high priest, it was not the thing to do and demonstrated that he didn't live up to his calling.

The term whitewashed wall can be interpreted as, something that looks clean on the outside but, is actually dirty on the inside. In other words it was hypocrisy, False teachers could be classed with this term, as could people who profess to be a Christian to people, but when alone, are far from this. Satan uses such people to spread unrest and deceit to God's people. He is intent on breaking up churches and causing mayhem wherever he can. He uses this counterfeit to spread lies and fear whenever possible.

It is imperative that we look after our own Christian testimony. To live two lives - one for Jesus and one for ourselves is not the way forward. Jesus demands all of us, nothing short of that. What is more, He knows us through and through. Therefore, if there is any hypocrisy or false ways within us, He will bring it to our attention. We are not perfect, He knows this. However, we can come close and what is more, he will help us to do this.

Have you ever spoken to someone about what they shouldn't be doing and suddenly realised that you are guilty of the same thing? If this is so, the Holy Spirit is flagging up an area that needs some attention. Nip it in the bud, with prayer before it spreads like wildfire. And then let people see in you - Jesus, your friend and Saviour.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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