Are you in competition with someone?

"And when He was in the house He asked them, ‘What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road? 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest."               Mark 9:33-34   NKJV 

Jesus and His disciples were on their way back to Capernaum, when He overheard them arguing. He had reminded them that He would have to suffer death in the very near future but, He would be resurrected back to life three days later. Although sorrowful, they didn't really understand what He was telling them and focused more on who would be the greatest in the Kingdom. They may have meant, who would be in charge after Jesus had died, ignoring the resurrection. Whatever they were thinking, there was a dispute among them about this and Jesus knew about it.

When they arrived, they all sat down and Jesus asked them what they had been arguing about. However, they remained silent, possibly because they were embarrassed and ashamed about what they had been disputing. It was almost like they were suffering the silence of shame. Jesus knew their hearts though and started talking to them that if they wanted to be first, they must become last being a servant to all. In other words He was discussing humbling themselves.

Whether we are in work, at church or just in your house or garden, you will always find competition. 'My dad's got a better job than your dad'. 'Our car is much bigger and faster than your old wreck.' Then of course, there is the job vacancy, where candidates battle it out to gain being noticed and score points. You only have to watch The Apprentice to see what I mean. Here candidates live together in a house, laughing and joking and, seem like friends. However, this is short lived when they begin tearing each other apart in their bid to win.

It can be like this in a church environment. Some preachers feel that they are better at sermons than others. Others, after preaching, wait for the 'pat on the back' from the congregation. RT Kendall often mentions how he has felt he wanted this at times. But, there is no competition in the Kingdom of God. It doesn't matter to God that someone has led thousands to Jesus and another person has only had one person. God is not impressed by a competitive spirit. This is not the Olympics, it is Calvary that we come from and Jesus wants each one of us to focus on this. He has no favourites and He is not impressed by fancy showmanship. He is interested in people coming to salvation and that is all. And this should be our uppermost thought too.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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Hear properly and use what you're given

"For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."                Mark 4:24-25    NKJV

Jesus makes a statement in v24  that is very important. He says, 'Take heed what you hear.' We must listen carefully to what is being said. If we are not concentrating, we may hear only part of the conversation and make the rest up. The result being, we get it drastically wrong. When we are listening properly, we need to ensure, if it is a confidential matter, that we keep it that way. We must never disclose other people's business, unless they ask for this to happen. We need to respect people's privacy and not turn to gossip.

God wants us to listen and learn about His Word. Once we have processed this, He may wish for us to share it with people who need to hear about how Jesus can change a person's life. To do this, we need to study His Word. We also need to get alongside Jesus and be really connected to Him. When we can do this, we are ready to be used. However, don't ever think that you know it all and there is no need to study anymore. If you do this, the little you know will be taken away from you and Jesus won't use you until you have learned this lesson.

Listen to Him with spiritual understanding and receive His Word properly. This is how the disciples had to learn when Jesus was speaking in parables. At first, they were lost and couldn't understand what He was saying. They had to learn, and so do we all. As we share what we hear, we'll be given more. If we keep it to ourselves, we will lose it.

Look at this example:

Jesus had given three men various talents. To one He gave 5 talents, to another two and to the third one 1 talent. The first two invested theirs and made more. The third one was different, he dug a hole and buried it. Let's pick up the story:

Then he who had received the one talent came and said, "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you you have what is yours." 26 But his lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away."     Matthew 25:24-29

Don't just flick through this scripture, learn it thoroughly, because if you want more from God, you have got to abide by His Word.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Don't hide from the truth

"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to the light."            Mark 4:21-23   NKJV 

A lamp is never lit and then placed under a bed, unless you are looking for something. A lamp is for light. When it becomes dark, we are able to function better when the light is switched on. We can see better and others can see us. It's easier to read or get involved in a hobby, such as jigsaw puzzles. It is pretty difficult to do this when the room is in darkness. There are also the health & safety issues to consider. When it's dark it is very easy to trip over. 

Why would one want to hide the light? It seems a very strange thing to do and can promote suspicion. A burglar may want to hideaway from the light but it is unusual for someone else to hide the light away. A light helps us to see properly; to find something and also points to what may be hidden in the darkness.  If we look at Jesus' interpretation of this parable, we find He is intimating that, if we put the light under a basket or whatever, we may have something to hide. We should all be aware of this because we have all hidden things from people and tried to hide it from God. Adam and Eve first did this (Genesis 3:8). They knew they had done wrong, so when they heard God walking in the garden, they hid in shame from Him. But they were found out and paid the penalty. And so will we be. Nothing can be hidden from God; truth has a way of emerging when you least expect it.

We should never hide away from the truth. There may be times when we have to face up to the truth with another believer. They may be in error or living in sin. It is always difficult to do this and there are times when we know what we should do but, fail to do it because we don't want to become unpopular. The lamp of truth should always be lifted up and we have to confront certain issues as we come up against them. Some people don't like to face the truth and it is easier to keep quiet. But when we do this, we become involved also because we are covering up the darkness instead of shining the light on something that needs to be addressed. Please note, if you need to address something with a fellow brother or sister, this does not mean you have to dash off and declare it to one and all. Just a gentle confrontation is helpful, the person then has the chance to repent and be free without the danger of being targeted. However, be careful here, it all depends on what the situation is about. If there is abuse involved or something else that is serious, this cannot be swept under the carpet and appropriate action needs to be taken by referring this to a governing body. In a serious situation like this, one cannot turn a blind eye. 

This really highlights how important it is to live in the Light. We do not belong to darkness and we should never tolerate it - ever. We may be Children of the Light but, let us remember, the devil is only too pleased to creep in when he is able. He's a thief after all said and done John 10:10.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Receiving the Seed Final part

"He taught them many things by parables" V2 of  Mark 4:1-9   NKJV

We now come to Item 3 and our final part:

'And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked, it and it yielded no crop.' v7,

The heart can become so crowded that the clutter blocks the way we should go. If we're not careful, we have too much going on in our lives and we have to seriously prioritise things. It's wrong if something is more important than Jesus. He should be priority one and can be if, we put Him in His rightful place and sort out the other things. Often the many things in our life, are not as important as we think they are. For instance, some people attend meeting after meeting in their endeavour to please God. But, consider this, are we really pleasing Him by doing this or, pleasing people. Do we attend for God or is it because we don't want to hurt the person who has invited us? God will never tire you out! Check this out below:

There are probably two type of people in our modern world: Type A and Type B.

TYPE A  These people live on their stress. They have to attend every meeting and be in every place that they believe they should be. Their family and friends take second place to their very busy life style. They work their lunch break and then dash off to their next meeting. On the way, they feel they need the loo, but they are afraid to stop because everyone they have passed, will get back in front of them again and anyway, they will be late for the appointment. This is life for them but it leads to burnout!

TYPE B  This type of person never seems to get things done at all. They mean well but seldom have the motivation to get going. They move at snail pace and are always late for meetings and appointments. They rarely finish a job, choosing to start another one with the promise that they will do the last one, later. This seldom happens. 

If you are one of these type of people, stop right now and find a happy, working balance. Type A is not helpful to you or anyone else. It's a recipe for disaster. Type B is a recipe for never achieving anything. Something must change, and quickly, because you life is getting choked with overload. 

Your spiritual life needs structure and a strong foundation. Jesus is the answer to these. He is the foundation and once you begin to understand His desires for you, He will help you build a structure that, if you keep Him in your life, will never collapse.

If you want to achieve the level of seed sowed on good ground (v8), you must hear the Word of God; accept it, live it and by this you will bear good fruit. Jesus does not want you having cares and worry in your life. It doesn't belong in the Kingdom of God because, we are supposed to give them to Him, who then disposes of them. 

So from today, determine that you are now going to be the person God wants you to be and that, you will only go at His pace. The only type of person you need to be is, a 'Type Jesus Person'

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Receiving the Seed. Part 3

"He taught them many things by parables" V2 of  Mark 4:1-9   NKJV

Let us look at item two of this scripture:

(2) 'Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.' v5-6.

If we are not careful, our hearts can be like rock. Very little can penetrate. This may be because of past hurts and the damage these hurts have caused. They can be long-lasting. People build walls around themselves, limiting those who are allowed in, and this is not many. They make inner vows along the lines of, 'No one will ever do that to me again.' So there is an inbuilt radar system that appears to send signals to the brain, saying, 'This person can't be trusted.' This may be true but, then again, it can be your refusal to allow people to get too close.

Some people find it difficult to even trust God. The hurt and disappointments have been so devastating that, a hard shell has been formed over the heart. Therefore very few things are allowed to enter in and if they do, there is never any depth to it because the hardness prevents any reasonable root. Initially, the Holy Spirit is allowed in and the person feels full of joy and empowered. Sadly, this is temporary and it soon fizzles out because there is no depth to store this in.

People in the church today are very much like this. They smile and engage in conversation for a short while but, they never become so close to someone, just in case they are hurt. They may have trusted someone very much and then suffered the loss of something, like money for instance. They have have been ripped off. They may also have been promised so much, but it has never happened and they feel let down , rejected and disappointed. There may also have been a painful, failed marriage. Sadly, this can be life and many have been subjected to this kind of thing. You may be one of them.

How can someone find a way through this hard-heartedness? Well the first place to start is with Jesus. People are people and some may rip you off - not many obviously but, they are around. Jesus will never do this to you - NEVER! Jesus actually says: 

'As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love' John 15:9.  Again in John 17:23 as He was praying to His Father  'I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.' You can't get a more perfect love than this, and Jesus couldn't love you any deeper than He does. You are a special treasure to Him.

Therefore, you now have something to build on. It is now time to get serious about your relationship with Jesus. If you want Him, He is there right inside of you - if you have asked Him into your life? So, forget the past and press on to the future, beginning in the 'Now'. Admit to Him that you have a hard heart towards Him. He knows this already but He still wants you to confess this to Him. Stop trying to run before you have the basics and ask Him to come and forgive you, thrill you, excite you and totally liberate you. If you do this, you are on the way to a deeper walk with Your Friend - Jesus.

More tomorrow!

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Receiving the Seed. Part 2

 "He taught them many things by parables" V2 of  Mark 4:1-9   NKJV

Let us go a little deeper into our study of the Parable of the Sower. Keep an open mind as we walk through these verses and apply the content as required and led by the Holy Spirit.

(1) 'Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as He sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.' v4.   

Life is busy and unless we discipline ourselves to a given task, we can easily be led astray. This is especially true where our Christian walk is concerned. Think of a vegetable garden. The ground has to be perfect if you want prime veg in return. This means it needs digging over thoroughly, weeding and composting. Some veg, such has peas, need finely raked soil, whereas cabbage can be rough. The seed may have been planted in pots prior to transferring to the ground; some seed goes directly into the ground. Throughout the growing process, the ground needs weeding, hoeing and a check for pests that may eat the veg. It takes love and dedication so you may be rewarded with a nice harvest. If you neglect the plants; forget to water, weed and generally leave them to their own devices, you may find that the birds or other garden predators have eaten most of the produce.

It is the same with our walk with Jesus. Our hearts must be properly prepared so that we can be open to what He is teaching us. Changes have to be made in our lives, to make way for things of God. If we have asked Jesus into our heart, then our bodies are  temples where He resides within us. If our body is contaminated with sin, the Holy Spirit cannot dwell there; sin must be dealt with first. Paul says in Romans 6:12-14:

'Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

'So, we need to ensure that our hearts are right before Him. Firstly, we confess any sin and allow Him to forgive us. This incidently needs to be done daily. Secondly, we discipline ourselves to reading the bible, praying and generally allowing God to do His work within us. Watch the hard heart. You may have been hurt so much in your life, that you refuse anything or anyone to get close to you. Love finds it difficult to penetrate. Therefore, you may find that Satan can come and snatch all the goodness of God away from you. One minute you're floating in the air, the next, down in the dumps. A YoYo Christian is not very reliable to God, so make sure you change this. God won't hurt you so, start trusting Him. Get into the things of God!

More tomorrow

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Receiving the Seed. Part 1

"Then He taught them many things by parables" V2 of  Mark 4:1-9   NKJV

A Parable was a favourite tool of Jesus. He told stories from everyday life, of which He used to convey important truths. Here, He teaches in Mark 4, about various ways that seed is received:

'Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as He sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.' v4. 

To have seed harvested successfully, one must prepare the ground properly. Likewise, the human heart is like soil and must be prepared to receive the seed of God's Word and be cultivated in order for it to provide fruit. Rather like seed of the earth, it must be planted in the heart and taken care of, studied and understood properly, before the harvest can come. To have a hard heart, means that Satan (the birds of the air), can snatch it away before this all begins. In the garden, the earth, if trod on too much, can become hard and the seed finds it difficult to cultivate. It is a similar thing to have too many distractions in your life that take you away from having a quiet time with God.

'Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.' v5-6.

In Palestine at the time, the ground in certain places, had only a thin layer of earth on the top of solid rock, so therefore, whatever was planted was not very successful because of the lack of depth in the soil combined with the hot sun. Therefore, there was no root. This represents the believer who only has a shallow belief. At first they receive Jesus eagerly but after a short time, the attraction fizzles out, when things become hot, taking their attention away.

'And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked, and it yielded no crop.' v7,

This is the crowded heart and pictures a person who receives the Word with gladness, but want their old ways too. They have many weeds growing within them - anger, lust, worries, fear and yearning for riches and other things. They never truly repent, and spend their time with one foot in the world and one foot in the things of God. Consequently, the spiritual seed has no room to grow,

'But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop -" v8.

This final section describes the person who accepts Jesus fully and is empowered to live for Him daily, even though they have moments of sin. When they do, they repent and move on.

Take a look at all of this and realise that we have a part in all of these explanations. The difference being, there has been a determination to overcome, no matter what.

Over the next few days, we will have a look at these areas and attempt to expound them more and discover where this takes us.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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