The Importance of Joy

 "The thief does no come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."    John 10:10   NKJV

How does your joy get stolen? The devil is no fool; he knows what he is doing; he knows how to disarm you and will use this to disable every plan that he can. He knows that if you keep your joy, you will be strong and equipped for battle (Nehemiah 8:10), therefore he has to steal it away before you gain the victory.

Think about this. How many times do you determine to be victorious and joyful, only to fall at the first hurdle. You cannot just click your fingers to become joyful; it would be great if there was a button that you could press to discharge this joy. James writes, 'Count it all joy when you fall into various trials' James 1:2. Therefore, this shows us that you have to assume this joy, it is not necessarily there in the first place. It is how you view the things that come against you.  Tony Evans writes:

'What you focus on governs how you feel. The reason why many of us stay grieved for so long, is because we stay focused on what is wrong. Rather than finding our chief joy in the Lord, we turn on the TV to escape. We enter into illegitimate relationships to escape. We get involved with drugs or alcohol to escape. If your focus is properly situated on the Lord however, He will give you His joy; and His joy will give you strength.'

                                                                                    The Tony Evans' Bible commentary

Joy contains an intense, ecstatic happiness. It makes you feel wonderful; you cannot fail to praise God when you feel this way. You take great pleasure in praising Him, therefore, you are filled with the strength to achieve your goals. The joy of the Lord, is the joy that springs up in your heart because of your relationship with God. It is a God-given gladness found only when you're walking in unity with Him. Remember, when your goal is to know more about the Lord, the by-product is joy.

What James tells you in James Chapter one, is not easy to accomplish; but if you can manage it, it gives you the ability to cope and get through each problem that you face. When you think about it, it is another opportunity to praise God. Whatever is happening to you at this moment, remember, He is still on the throne. Jesus' joy shone through as recorded in Hebrews 12:2. The joy that was set before Him, made Him endure the cross, despising the shame and He did it all for you. You may say, 'Yes, but He was God'. That is true, but He was in His humanity at the time. He still hurt and He still bled and he still died. The same Spirit who was with Him, is the same Spirit that is in you. Being joyful is not easy to accomplish all the time but, if it provides you with God's strength, it is well worth reaching out for it.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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You are His special treasure

"You are the children of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. 2 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth."                                       Deuteronomy 14:1-2    NKJV 

God did not approve of the Israelite's behaviour of cutting themselves and shaving the front of their head in an act of mourning for the dead. This was embedded in pagan and Canaanite ritualistic behaviour. God told the people that they were a holy people, chosen by God who classed them as a special treasure.

Have you ever stopped to consider that God, sees you as His chosen, special treasure. It may sound unbelievable but, it is true. This is the way that He sees each of us. You belong to a holy nation. Therefore, you should be living up to this. You are not a copy of another person, so stop trying to be. God knows you as yourself not someone else. Don't imitate rituals, don't become involved in them at all. The only thing on your mind and in your life, should be Jesus.

Let your life so demonstrate this - you are different, you don't follow the crowd, you follow Jesus Christ. Some may mould themselves on pop stars or a Hollywood movie star and then, they become disappointed when they realise that it was only a pipe dream. You don't come from Hollywood, you come from Heaven - a child of the Living God. You are different.

Because you are special, you need to take care of yourself. This means eating the right food and keeping your body in trim. Diet and exercise all lead to a healthy lifestyle. If your waistline has suddenly expanded and you are finding it difficult to fit into your clothes, this is a good indication that you need to check this. You are special; you are set apart and sanctified. You know who God is and, in return, He knows who you are too. The bottom line is, God wants you fit and healthy. Ensure that you eat the right food, not for religious reasons or to be like someone else. Be fit and healthy because this is what God wants for you, His special person.

Now this doesn't mean that you have to join a gym, buy all the lycra you can find and punch your body into shape. Not at all, although, if you feel that is ok for you, then go ahead. For the average person, God wants you fit and healthy. The wrong type of food can give our bodies lots of problems including, diabetes and heart problems just to mention two. Be honest, you know that you need to keep a check on yourself health wise. Therefore, with the New Year almost upon us, why not get your special body into shape. 

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com          

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Have a forward focus

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."                 Philippians 3:12-14    NKJV 

This past year or so have been real testers. What with lockdowns and all the frustration and panic that this has caused people, it has been a difficult time for us all. However, you should always have a positive attitude; there is a New Year ahead of. Obviously, you don't know what the outcome of this will be but, you have the opportunity for new ideas, fresh hopes. Let's face it, if you give up hope, there is very little left.

Yes, you may have messed up a little bit throughout this past year but, don't give up; you are not perfect and you are trying your best to get your walk with Jesus right. You are one of the people who should never look back. You are forward person. When you are tempted to look back, you see all of the hurt, disappointments and failures. They are the past, the future is ahead. Move on, you can't change the past but you can be instrumental in framing the future. Looking back is like looking into a rear view mirror; stop this and look towards the bigger view - through the windscreen. Anyway, think for a moment, when you look into the rear view mirror, you are leaving things behind and that is the way to accept this. So move forward.

There are things that you would have done differently but perhaps there is nothing you can do to change this now. Forget these things, discard the failures, hurts and disappointments. Why focus on them? It is the past, they are gone, you are probably the only one that will really keep them alive. Don't! The future is ahead, focus on that. Have a forward focus.

Think about that phrase for a moment, 'Have a forward focus'. When you have this, you look ahead, your hope is ahead, that's how plans are formulated. A Forward Focuser, doesn't allow distractions to hold them back. They count the cost yes, but they go by faith and there is always an element of risk with this. Really, this is where the excitement begins to form. When you involve Jesus in your forward focusing, He will place great ideas in your mind, ideas that can turn into success stories. So, have a forward focuser mindset - be known as a Forward Focuser!

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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You raise me up

"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 

There is a most beautiful song released around 2003, entitled 'You Raise Me'. It was made famous by an American Christian named Josh Groban. Westlife also covered it but I actually preferred the Aled Jones version.  The song goes like this: 

'When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary, When troubles come and my heart burdened be,

Then I am still and wait here in the silence, until You come and sit awhile with me.

There is no life, no life without its hunger, each restless heart beats so imperfectly,

But when You come and I am filled with wonder, sometimes I think I glimpse eternity

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains, You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,

I am strong when I am on Your shoulders , You raise me up to more than I can be"

                                                                                    R Lovland and B Graham

These words say it all and interlink with scripture perfectly. There is no need to be afraid or fear anything because, we can be assured of Jesus' help wherever we are. Isaiah 46:4 Amplified version compliments the words of this song very well:

'Even to your old age, I am He, and even to your advanced old age I will carry you

I have made you and I will carry you; be assured I will carry you and I will save you'

No matter what you may fear or how you may be concerned of how you will manage in old age, Jesus has got this covered. He will be there and will carry you. If you fall, He will raise you up. Today you may be weary, troubled or burdened but, wait, He is coming to help, you only have to ask Him and he will help. What a wonderful friend we have in Jesus. He never lets us down.

And whatever is on your mind today, He is there for you and will carry you if need be. Don't worry!

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com          

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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The greatest present you have ever had

"Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanual, which is translated, 'God with us"                    Matthew 1:23    NKJV 

For many people, Christmas is the greatest time of the year. Families join together and presents are exchanged, great food is enjoyed and hopefully, peace is spread around. It is Jesus' birthday and the world over many shout out 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS! And thanks to Jesus, He has made all of this possible.

But there are still many who do not know Him, they cannot share this day with Him the way we do. Perhaps you have a family member or friends with you today and you are concerned that they do not believe. This may actually be you. The words of a famous Christmas Carol come to mind:

How silently, how silently, 

the wondrous Gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts,

the blessings of His heaven

No ear may hear His coming

But in this world of sin

Where meek souls will receive Him still

The dear Christ enters in

Do you know Jesus as the Lord of your life, as your Saviour? You can do now and this could be the greatest Christmas you have ever had. Why not give your life to Him right now and make this a memorable year:

Lord Jesus, I come to You on this special day. I have never really known You, but I so much want to today. Please come and live in my heart and forgive all of my sin. Fill me please, with Your Holy Spirit and make this Christmas Day, the best ever. Amen.

Now go and enjoy the rest of your life.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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Have you heard?

"Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end."                                                  Luke 1:30-33   NKJV 

The announcement the Angel Gabriel gave Mary,  must have been super scary for this young girl, no wonder she asked how it could be. She was a virgin. But picture the scene that followed, Jesus the Messiah born to her in a stable in Bethlehem; shepherds and great kings bringing amazing gifts and the wonderful feeling of the peace of God around. A song, which is not usually classed as a traditional carol, gives a great picture of the feeling that must have been around at the time.

'Do you hear what I hear?' written by N Regency and G Shayne is a beautiful song and well worth a listen. A piece of it reads:

Said the King to the people everywhere, listen to what I say

Pray for peace people everywhere, listen to what I say

The child, the child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light

He will bring us goodness and light

Jesus, the King of kings and the Prince of peace, was born in the cold stable in Bethlehem, and no one fully knew what would happen from thereon. But He rose to be our Lord and Saviour - the Messiah, the one that offers us peace, love and eternal life. The dates of the birth may not be as we know them, this doesn't matter. What does matter, is that, Jesus, our friend, was born and He will reign forevermore. This is the great news of Christmas. Picture yourself there, in the stable, gathered around the manger. This sleeping baby who, despite the cold, is at peace. Can you see Him? Would you have guessed that this little baby could be the Messiah, that He would be betrayed and hung on a cross to save us from our sin? Would you have guessed that He would be resurrected and offer us a place in heaven?

Do you hear what I hear? The cries of this baby are now cries for His people. He wants us all to be with Him in heaven. Do you hear Him call? Will you accept Him this wonderful Christmas Eve, as Your Lord and Saviour? Do you hear what I hear? He wants to bring you and your family, goodness and light.

Lord Jesus, thank you for Your constant love. Thankyou, for Christmas Eve. Lord I want to realise in my heart, the true meaning of Christmas. Therefore, I give myself to You, today. Please come and live in my heart, forgive me my sin, fill me with You Holy Spirit and please, be my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

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He came to us

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."    

                                                                                                     John 1:10-14    NKJV 

The Christmas carol 'Once in Royal David's City' originated as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander and was later put to music and published. A section of the words from this great piece of work read as:

He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all

And His shelter was a stable and His cradle was a stall

With the poor, oppressed and wholly, lived on earth Our Saviour holy.

Jesus, as we know, was born in Bethlehem in a stable. A very humble birth but one that would change the world forever. As John puts it in verse 14 of our text, 'the Word became flesh'. Being fully God, Jesus came to us as a child and little did anyone know what an impact He would have on this world. Humble beginnings to the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will come down to earth once again which is called the second Coming. This will be when He comes to claim His church - all of those who belong to Him. This may be sooner than we think. The world is decaying rapidly and the evil is rampant.

If Jesus was walking around today, I believe that He would spend a lot of time with the oppressed - the homeless, addicted, the abused, the lonely and poor. One has only to observe who He spent time with throughout the gospels. He came to earth as a babe, grew into a man and commenced His ministry and reached out to people who would accept Him. Rather like we see here within the text, many refused to accept or recognise Him. It's the same today. However, He will not give up on us. He cares too much for that. The Saviour who suffered so much, still reaches out His hand to all who will accept Him. This is why He came down to earth from heaven; Jesus fully God and Saviour of all, loves you, yes YOU! Don't be among those who refuse Him. You have a right to become children of God because He says so.

Why don't you receive Him now:

Lord Jesus, I recognise that You came down to earth from heaven for me. Forgive me that I have refused You in the past. I accept You now, as Lord and Saviour. Please come into my life, forgive my sin and fill me with Your Spirit.

In Jesus' name. Amen

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com          

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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