Wholeheartedly

"11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  12Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  13And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  14I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive."                   Jeremiah 29:11-14. NKJV

Have you ever stopped to consider how much God thinks about you? Check out verse 11. He has many thoughts about how to lead us into a stage of peace, giving us a hope for our future. When was the last time that you really felt at peace? No matter what was happening around you, you remained peaceful. I think many would find it difficult to remember such a time.

Although this piece of scripture was written by Jeremiah to the Israelites who were captive in Babylon, it is still relevant to us today. God gave the captives a promise to hang on to and, He does the same to us too. He made a promise of rescue and hope for the future. But, there was a condition.

We are to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. The New Living Translation puts it like this, ‘In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me. 14 I will be found by you' Jer 29:12-14 NLT. You can't get it any plainer than that. Give God all you've got, seek Him, dedicate yourself to Him - wholeheartedly and you will find Him. Not that He is hiding, far from it; but He expects our full attention, at all times. If you want the best, you have to do the rest. In these present days of failing economy, there is only so much any government can do or are willing to do to help. You can place your economy into God's hands. If we allow Him to, He holds our future but only when we serve Him wholeheartedly. 

There is a crisis throughout our world but, you may also have a crisis of your own. You have a choice. Either fall apart in fear, or seek God. If you do seek Him with all you have got, He gives you His promise, 'I will be found by you.' Note the 'I will'. He doesn't say, 'I may', or 'I'll consider it'. No, He says, 'I will'. He promises 'I will deliver you from captivity'. 

What is keeping you captive? What are you a slave to? God says ‘I will'. Are you willing to allow Him to deliver you from whatever it is that is keeping you bound? If so, it will cost you all you've got. The price? Total commitment to God. Follow Him wholeheartedly and then, He will be found and will deliver you!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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He will give you the strength you need

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. 29 He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might, He increases strength."        Isaiah 40:28-29  NKJV 

Do you want to live a life that pleases God? Then you need to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), because without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Tony Evans comments:

'You must operate by faith, even if you must do so alone and go against the accepted norms of the day. You must believe with expectation that God responds - regarding His will for your life - when you seek to please Him.'     Tony Evans Bible Commentary, Holman Publishers.

But to do this, you need strength because the way ahead can be rocky and dangerous. God knows this and watches our every step. It is almost like He has cameras around, all over the place watching every move we make. He never faints, nor grows weary. In fact, He never sleeps. He understands us through and through knowing our thoughts and what we need. He is invincible.

Have you ever felt so weak that you feel you can't go ahead? God knows this and therefore gives power to the weak v29, and watch this, 'And to those who have no might, He increases strength' v29. His door is never closed and He's available 24/7. Therefore, when you can't sleep, speak to Him and allow Him to encourage you.

Read again the words of Paul, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness'  2 Corinthians 12:9. God has the all sufficient strength for each one of us. We should never try to go it alone, because, if we do we may fall. You need strength and you need to walk by faith. Do you know this - really know and believe this? Then why do you doubt at times?

2 Timothy 1:6 says, 'Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you' For this to happen you need to have faith and you you need to live it, eat it and sleep with it. Faith isn't something you pick up and use when you feel it will come in handy. It is for you to flow in, all the time. Jesus used the term, 'O you of little faith' Matthew 8:26. He used this quite often to His disciples.

You need to cultivate the ability to see the unseen, 'While we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal'  2 Corinthians 4:18. 

If you want strength then, live by faith.

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Remember where you came from

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off, have been brought near, by the blood of Christ."                                                   Ephesians 2:13   NKJV  

Part of my pastoral ministry back in the 90's, was working with the homeless, hurting and people with some type of addiction. In fact, a lot of people called them 'Down and Outs' - a typically discriminating label. We created a Day Centre in the basement of our church and God provided all we needed, carpeting, central heating, furniture, kitchen appliances, a shower and food. We needed to provide them with regular meals. We fed them, helped them with necessary forms, court support for who needed it, clothing and helped them find somewhere to live.

It was a hard ministry to be involved with and we had much criticism from people who didn't want this 'type of people' in the church. But we continued and, with an amazing crowd of volunteers, we had a successful ministry. Many asked Jesus into their hearts and attended the church. I remember one chap saying to me, 'I looked out to sea this morning and I felt so happy and grateful for what I have', which incidentally was nothing of material value' but he did have Jesus.

Yes, there were many who ripped us off or stole from the church, but this goes with the territory in this type of work. We also had many who didn't want Jesus and, that was ok - their choice. However, those who did, I believe were genuine and Jesus made a difference in their lives. It was almost like the Apostle Paul was speaking the words of our text to them - 'But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ.' Whatever happened to them since then, I feel Jesus has His hands upon them.

Many of us could also apply this text to our own lives before we met Jesus. Perhaps you were homeless, had an addiction or were just totally broken. Think back to those dark, lonely days and count your blessings that you have moved on from there. Jesus has changed you and your whole life. Doesn't that make you want to praise Him and shout, 'Thank You Jesus'.

The Angel of the Lord - the pre-incarnate Christ, drew you to the Father. Once you were far away but, He loved you so much that through certain life events, He brought you to Himself. You were saved and now you are free. Because of Jesus, you have a place in heaven. Give Jesus a shout of praise as you remember where you came from!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Be like the Bamboo

"For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity."                                                                       Psalm 24:16  NKJV 

In my daughter's garden, there is a Bamboo bush. It is actually rooted in her neighbour's garden, who brought this over from an Asian land when he was in the services. It has spread to my daughter's side. She has cut her side down many times, all to no avail, it just grows back more vigorously.

This is what Bamboo does. I'm reminded of a film I saw some time back. It was presented by a Christian organisation. I forget the title but, it concentrated on an Asian country. Many of the Christians were being persecuted because of their faith. The authorities imprisoned many in Labour camps, others were beaten and shot because they would not renounce their faith in Jesus. One particular man, just before he and his family were killed said, 'We are like the Bamboo. You can hack and cut us down but, we'll just grow back taller and stronger.'

Just let that sink in for a few moments. Our text today is very similar, 'For a righteous man, may fall seven times and rise again.' The enemy can rip a person apart but it should not stop them. As they get back up they will be doubly effective for God. A Christian in this mode is unstoppable. 

All over the world, at this moment, Christian people are being tortured, imprisoned or killed because of their faith. Yet, it doesn't stop them, they press on as much as they can. Why? Because they are like the Bamboo - they are unstoppable. Many Christians in the Western world, threaten to give up and walk away when they're hurt. We need to re-assess ourselves. 'We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us'  Romans 8:37.

So we need to stand our ground and never give up. James 4:7 says, 'Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.' Again in 1 Peter 5:8, 'Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith - '

So, be on your guard, the devil's around somewhere. When he attacks, stand your ground and defeat the moment. If you're caught out and fall, get back up again straightaway, don't lie there. Be like the Bamboo - unstoppable!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Don't be scared or overwhelmed

"The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." v7      

                                                                                        Psalm 34:1-8  NKJV

Things overwhelm us at times and the problem is, we find it difficult to cope in these dire circumstances. We've all had days - possibly weeks, where whatever we do appears to be wrong or, we resolve the issue only to find another arrives to take its place.

This is the time to stop and re-focus. God may be attempting to gain your attention by allowing things to go pear-shaped or, the devil is attacking you, causing mayhem. This is why you need to re-focus and seek God's counsel. Try it, and as you focus on God, ask Him what is the way forward. God's Word says, 'I will instruct you and teach in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye'  Psalm 32:8. Grab a coffee and wait on God for the answer. Ask yourself, would God allow me to become upset and angry over what is happening? He may allow things to go wrong in order to get your attention but really, would He want to upset you? Possibly not; therefore you know who the culprit is - the devil.

Now focus on the fact that, 'The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them'. The angel of the Lord is no ordinary angel. He can do much more because, He is the pre-incarnate Son of God - our deliverer Jesus. Look what v4 says, 'I sought the LORD and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears'. Then again in v8, 'Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.' I like the CSB's interpretation, 'How happy is the person who takes refuge in Him.'

Are you fearful at this time? Fear is the opposite of faith. So, anyone who is fearful, will find it difficult to move in faith because the fear will rob the faith. This is how Peter sank after walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33). He took his eyes off Jesus (faith) and put his eyes on the raging sea (fear), and he sank.

So, today you need to recognise that the angel of the LORD is all around you. He is with you and will not leave. Your flesh wants to fear when problems arise but, we must learn that, we are no longer servants of the flesh, but obedient to Jesus. He is far greater and will give you His peace about what you ask. Get on and have a good day

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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Just Praise Him

"Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful."  

                                                                                       Psalm 33:1-3  NKJV 

Did you catch that? Praise from the upright. Who are the upright? You and I, if we have Jesus in our hearts. God recognises us as upright people and when we praise Him, He receives it as beautiful. God also recognises us as righteous (v1). 'For He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him' 2 Corinthians 5:21. You are righteous because of Jesus.

You may not be a composer and you may not be a singer either. However, the latter we all do when in church as worship bands make their music. But to write a song is another story. We can all have phrases go through our minds, especially when we are having our quiet times with God. But have you ever tried to put these phrases - which contain praise and worship unto God, into a song? It would appear that we can (v3) 'Sing to Him a new song, play skilfully with a shout of joy'. Now this may be referring to a new worship song that you have heard. But, are you open to the possibility, leading you to singing your own song? It doesn't have to be a No1 best seller, it is just your intimacy coming through for God. Try it, you may be surprised.

You may feel that your singing ability is not good but, as we have seen, He finds your praise as beautiful - a sweet lullaby from an upright Child of God. I'm reminded of an old black blues singer - Blind Willie Johnson, from the deep south of America. He used to play his steel guitar and sing his own praise songs in churches, street corners and wherever else he was invited. I have an album of his and when I first played it, I wondered what I was listening to. He was an amazing guitarist but had a voice like sandpaper. Often, his wife would join in. One of his popular songs was 'Praise God I'm Satisfied', recorded on the veranda of his own cabin. I heard it a few times and was struck by the love and intimacy he had for Jesus. His wife would often join in while she swept the cabin floor and in church. She had no singing ability. However, it is pure joy just to hear them praising their Saviour. It was like a Heavenly choir and I know God loved it.

Blind Willie and his wife were upright people and, so are you. Therefore, start praising Jesus; write your own songs and make your own music. God will think it is beautiful and, others may too

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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When God speaks

"For the Word of the LORD, and all His work is done  in truth."   Psalm 33:4   NKJV 

Has God been speaking to you lately? Has the Holy Spirit been stirring within you, leading you to get up and get on with what he is leading you to do? And, you know what that is too, don't you?

It can be scary but, very exciting when God calls you to move into your talent, your gifting or your ministry. People may have knocked you in the past but, God hasn't and, never will and anyway, it's God who counts not anyone else. 

As we see from today's text, His Word is spoken in truth. He will never mislead you. God spoke to Moses and instructed him to bring His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. No easy thing! Moses wrestled and disagreed with God but, in the end he knew he had to do this. After many meetings with Pharaoh, he managed to secure their release and they all set off on their journey. Eventually, they reached the raging, Red Sea. After much discussion, Moses obeyed God 'Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground and the waters were a wall to them'  Exodus 14:21-22.

God spoke and the water formed into walls on either side of a roadway through the sea. Amazing. In Psalm 33:7 it reads, 'He gathers the water of the sea together as a heap,' v9 says, For He spoke and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast.'

When God speaks, things happen, what He creates, stands. You are a created person aren't you? Then what He says to you; you will stand. You will achieve what He sends you to do. I believe God is saying to us, 'When I speak, if you will obey Me, it will be done - it will happen!'

God created many amazing miracles in the past and, He hasn't finished yet. What's more, you are included in this, if you do what He asks. There is something that you used to do or dreamed about doing, but because of lack of support and encouragement, you stopped. God wants you to begin again; He wants you to write that book or song, play that instrument; go to college or whatever else. When God speaks, His words are full of encouragement. So do it!

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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