Saturday 4 December 2021

Why?

"There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven"     Ecclesiastes 3:1     The Amplified Study Bible


People all over the world utter the phrase: 'Why, why has this happened?' It is a universal thing and one of the most spoken of phrases. Just the word 'Why?' drums up the curiosity within us. Of course there are positive 'Whys?' and negative ones. It's the negative ones that probably cause the most pain whereas the positive version are more of a study term.

The definition for the word 'Why' is usually, 'For what purpose, reason or cause, has this happened?' We need to know if something that has happened is our fault or not. Have we done something that has caused this thing to happen to us right now. Little children can be so curious about things and live their earlier years asking, 'Why, mummy, why?' And when we try to give them the reason we can receive another 'Why?'

When we ask God for something and He doesn't deliver, straightaway, we can begin to wonder why, especially if someone is ill and we pray for healing and nothing happens. We are left with the petition, 'Why?' This is where you may be at this time. Sometimes, it feels like God has gone on a long journey leaving us to manage on our own. Perhaps one of the best things to do, is to draw on past victories that God has given you. You know for a fact that God would never leave you, that is just a lie from the evil one. Remember when things were pretty grim and you were asking God, 'Why Lord?' David drew on God's strength when his men were considering stoning him because the enemy had taken their wives and families. He could have kept asking God, 'Why, and getting nowhere. Instead, he inquired of the Lord, strengthening himself and asking for His direction and help. Read this in 1 Samuel 30. 

God always has a way out. It may not be what we would have chosen and it may not come straightaway, but it will come. He won't let you down. There is a reason for things that happen and sometimes, we never find out the answer. We just move on, standing in the strength of Jesus. 

So for you today, whatever has happened or whatever you are going through, try and remember the past victory days, encourage yourself in this and remember the God who rescued you then, will do the same again

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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Friday 3 December 2021

You are Anointed

"It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil."                                                                                                Isaiah 10:27    NKJV 


It may not seem so in times of trouble, but if you belong to Jesus, you have an anointing from God. 1 John 2:20 tells us clearly that: 'But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.' Psalm 92:10 also says: 'But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.' However, when the pressure is on, you may tend to forget this and allow all the flak to come your way and practically destroy things. Make a decision today, no more. You stand in Jesus and He gives you the victory.

When the pressure is against you, it can feel like the weight of the world's problems are upon your shoulders. Have you felt this way just lately? You may have you quiet time with Jesus each morning and walk with Him throughout the day but, the weight is still there. What is it? The  answer to this is burdens. Burdens weigh you down, you worry about them. You give them to God and then take them back and worry some more. 'What about this?' and 'What about that?' 

Jesus does not want His born again, anointed people to have heavy burdens upon their shoulders. One minute, everything appears fine and then, the telephone rings and burdens come your way. You cannot prevent bad news; You cannot shake off pain as if it never existed but; you can allow God to take the weight off your shoulders, if you cast it over to Him Psalm 55:22. 

What has been happening in your life just lately? Are you feeling good about things or, are you burdened with worry and fear? Think for a moment, if you have an anointing from the Holy One and know all things, as John tells you (above), then surely you know, without doubt that this burden and fear is not yours to carry, it needs to be transferred over to the One who can carry it and dispose of it properly - Jesus. I know this is not easy, I have been there; but it is essential that you do it. Worry kills; fear stops faith, burdens weigh you down so you do not know which way to turn. But you do know the way to turn and that is to Jesus. It is the only way in times such as these.

You have an anointing; you are anointed. Anointed people are special; anointed people know the way forward and this is you. Accept it and move forward accordingly!
Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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Thursday 2 December 2021

Your riches

"How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God."   
                                                                                                     Mark 10:23-31    NKJV 

Rich people are not barred from the kingdom of God. It is ok to be rich. The rich can be useful for God's work by financing certain projects or blessing someone who desperately needs help. The problem comes when the rich person puts their bank balance before God, by trusting in their wealth first. Tony Evans puts it this way:

'The problem is not wealth itself; the problem is a wealthy person who trusts in his wealth'.
                                                                              The Tony Evans Bible Commentary

Jesus can test people with their wealth; take for instance His conversation with the rich young ruler Mark 10:17-22. The ruler had asked Jesus how he may inherit eternal life. Jesus' reply wiped him away, 'One thing you lack, go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up your cross and follow Me.' v21. Here, the rich young ruler became sad and reluctant to do this, for his riches were his most prized possession. 

Being rich will not buy you happiness or peace. It will not buy you genuine friendship or good health; and it most definitely will not buy you salvation. Many rich people have died, quite young, leaving their riches behind for someone else to enjoy. Financial comforts are not transferable to heaven. The richest person in this world is the one who is committed to Jesus, the one who has given their life to living for Him, and that is you! What you have is transferable to heaven - your love for Jesus. If God has blessed you financially, that is brilliant, enjoy it but, make it submissive to Jesus. He is your most important possession, not what you have in the bank.

There is nothing quite like something you have been wanting for such a long time, turning up, unexpectedly. This is a blessing because it comes from your Father in heaven, Jesus told us that as we seek first His kingdom, that all the we need will be added to us as well Matthew 6:33. Don't lose sight of this gem; you may not have a lot but what you do have is priceless

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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Wednesday 1 December 2021

Salt

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavour, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."                         Mark 9:49-50    NKJV


Salt had a great value in bible times. It would be used for medicinal purposes, such as sores and wounds, where it's saltiness would purify the wound, albeit in a very painful way. It was and still is today, used for seasoning our food. In most of the TV cooking programs, you will almost always hear the presenter saying that the food needs more seasoning. Salt used in this manner is a personal choice; for some, the use of salt gives the dish the taste they require; for others, it is a revolting choice. At the end of the day, it comes down to a person's preference. Salt can also be used as a preservative. I have been around many old farmhouses where the typical farmer's wives have joints of meat hanging from the ceilings after being salted. It may sound strange to many people but, to country people, it is a way of life.
It is said that many Roman soldier's salary was salt. For their efforts, salt was their payment and the saying, 'He was or was not, worth his salt', originates from this practice. 

Believers are called to be like salt in promoting peace among fellow believers v50. This demonstrates the preserving power of God. 
The term 'Seasoned with fire,' originates from the Jewish Law where every sacrifice had to be seasoned with salt before it was offered to God on the altar Leviticus 2:13. This was known as the Salt of the Covenant Numbers 18:19. We too, are tested with fire to ensure that we are acceptable to God 1Peter 1:6-9. This is hard to endure as we go through these times but, it is a purification process that shows our genuineness and dedication to God. It gives us our saltiness.

Just like in cooking, the use of salt is a skill - too much and the meal tastes awful, too little and it may also not meet the grade for some people. Getting the balance right is essential. I speak here as an example to people who like to have salt in their diet. If you, the reader, do not use salt, then forgive me, please.

As salt brings a good seasoning quality to food, then a believer, using the saltiness of God's Word, brings value to a fellow believer. A person who has lost their saltiness is unable to bring seasoning to the people. A person with saltiness is able and brings the peace of God.
Where do you stand with this?

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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Tuesday 30 November 2021

Who associates with sinners? Jesus does.

"How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"v16   
                                                                                                          Mark 2:13-17    NKJV 

Discrimination was rife in Jesus' days, as it is today. Some say it has gone over the top. However, when a person is less thought of because of the colour of their skin; who they are or where they live, then it is wrong. The Pharisees were renowned for their pompous attitudes and deeds, and today, it is no different.

Matthew or Levi, was a tax collector; not a very popular person in their day because they were thought to over charge a person and keep the money for themselves. In the Pharisee's eyes, they were unclean because they worked for the Gentiles. and their whole business acumen was suspicious. Jesus' reputation was not helped because He spent time with them, eating, drinking and in their eyes, socialising. Actually though, Jesus' intention was to speak to them about the kingdom of God and that was all.

The religious leaders had misunderstood Jesus' mission and, so have many churches today. We see homeless people begging in the street and it can be so easy to give them a wide berth, thinking, 'If I gave them some money, they would only go and drink it away'. That may be so, but ask yourself, 'Do I have the the right to judge these people?' We don't know where they have come from in life or what has led them to be out on the streets. Yes, they may come from unsavoury backgrounds and have unwholesome intentions, but then again, they may not have. Some are genuine. I worked with ex-prisoners and people with addictions for some time when I was pastoring a church and I learned that they can come up with the most convincing of stories about what had happened to them in the past. Some were war hero's, ex veterans down on their luck. The thing is, I was not there to judge them, just to be discerning, show them the love of Jesus and try to help them in whatever way we could. We ended up opening part of the church as a day centre where we clothed and fed as many as we could. Many ripped us off that's true, but they were ripping Jesus off, not us. That was the difference. As long as we continued to show them love and meet as many needs as we could, we had done our job. We did have many successes.

The thing is, Jesus said, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance' v17. And this is the bottom line. People who need Jesus may not be dressed in nice suits and frocks but may be smelly and dirty. However, to Jesus, they are precious and lost.
Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
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Monday 29 November 2021

It is your turn

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'                                          Mark 1:14-15    NKJV  

John was no more on the streets, his mission was near its end, he was in prison. He had fulfilled his mission and now, it was the time for Jesus to take over. This is the way it is, a person's ministry starts and then ceases when their mission is complete. From thereon, it is time for new blood to take over. It has always been this way; there was John the Baptist, then Jesus. Peter, John, James, Paul and the others then followed, the difference being here, Jesus was within them, guiding and blessing. Eventually, it is our turn. God always has a plan and will have until He comes to claim us.

Let us concentrate on ourselves You may be a believer or you may not. If you are a spirit-filled believer, God may be calling you to do great things for Him, like the others did. It may be full-on, such as a preacher, pastor or evangelist in a full time position. It may not be; your calling may be to tell your family, friends and work mates about Jesus, Why is this? Because it is your turn. You have the opportunity to serve God each and every day, just by being Jesus to the people you meet. If you are not a believer, you have the opportunity now - it is your turn. Don't take this opportunity lightly. The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is near. Do not miss out; we have to spend eternity somewhere and surely you would prefer to spend it in heaven, the alternative is total separation from God and from all who belong to Him - eternally. 

Eternity is a long time, in fact timeless. Jesus told us here that we should repent and believe in Him. You believe it when you hear on the TV that a new series is coming soon, why then, don't you believe when Jesus says, 'I am coming soon - believe'. 
Today is your turn, you have two opportunities:
(1) If you are a believer, it is your turn to serve Jesus anyway He wishes. Will you say yes?
(2) If you are not a believer, it is your turn to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Will you?

To accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, having your sins forgiven, say this prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to accept You as my Lord and Saviour right now. Please forgive my sins and come and live in my heart - forever. Please fill me with You Holy Spirit. I give You my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

If you said this prayer, your time is fulfilled, you belong to Jesus. Serve Him, walk with Him and love Him. He will never let you down. That's a promise.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 
 
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Sunday 28 November 2021

In the Wilderness

"Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him"                                                                            Mark 1:12-13.  NKJV

The wilderness can be described as a dry, desolate and uncultivated region where little vegetation grows. It is burning hot during the day, especially around noontime, and freezing at night. In Jesus' day, it was roamed by wild animals such as, bears, leopards, jackals, dangerous snakes and spiders. Not a nice place to be on your own.

However, let us first get this right, Jesus was not alone; the Holy Spirit had compelled or driven Him there by a strong wind. He also had angels there to minister to Him continually. Israel had been in the wilderness for forty years, Jesus was there for forty days but, I am convinced that Jesus had the worse deal. He was isolated from civilisation, among the wild beasts and tempted by Satan. The word forty, is used in scripture as a considerable time and it was also considered as a testing time. In comparison, the Israelites repeatedly disobeyed and rebelled against God during their forty years. Jesus' forty days were victorious, demonstrating the power of God over the devil, when led by the Holy Spirit.
How difficult the must have been for Jesus; let us not forget, He was in His humanity. Just the fact that angels ministered to Him gives us the answer. It would have been very hard going, this is the reason for the angels, who would have given Him sustenance and encouragement.

There are times in our Christian walk that we, have wilderness experiences, where we feel so dry and weak. It can seem like everything is being piled upon us and, no one seems to care or take notice. You may be feeling this way at the moment. Be encouraged, this can happen to us all, you have done nothing wrong. There may be things akin to wild beasts around you, threatening to attack. They may be in the form of temptation, or bills that need to be paid but very little in the bank to pay them with. You may have family issues where words have been spoken that have hurt; you may have been ignored by your family or left out of something that you used to belong to. The pain or the humiliation may be so great at this time that you feel like you can't take anymore. But you can, for the same reason that Jesus overcome His wilderness experience. He was not alone, neither are you. You also have your own personal angels around you Psalm 91:11-13. You have the Holy Spirit to guide you and help; and you have your friend Jesus who knows what it feels like to be in your position.
Call on Him now, He will be so happy to help you Psalm 91:14-16.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 
Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers
Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 
 
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