Refuse to be discouraged and intimidated

"I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"            Nehemiah Ch 1 & 2 + 6:3   NKJV 

Nehemiah, a cup-bearer to the king of Persia, had been very disturbed that the Jerusalem wall was in ruins and the Jews were suffering. The king noticed his sad face and asked him what was wrong. Nehemiah, although nervous, told the king about this and quite out of character for such a figure, the king asked him what he requested. Nehemiah asked for permission to go to Jerusalem so he could re-build the wall. The king, under direction from God Himself, agreed and trusted him enough to return when the job was complete.

Can you see the hand of God here. It would have been impossible for this to happen. The King of Persia was a mighty king, but Jesus Christ was mightier. But as always happens when God has sent us on a mission, the devil used people to cause problems. This was from Sanballet, an influential Samaritan and his assistant Tobiah. They used humiliation, laughing at the thought of using bricks that had perished and were useless. However, placed in God's hands they were precious building blocks. The enemy just doesn't know how powerful God really is.

They used threats, discouragement and intimidation but none of this deterred Nehemiah. He had a divine mission and He was going to fulfil it. Near the conclusion of the work, Sanballet and Co, sent messages to Nehemiah. They wanted him to stop the work on the wall for a time and come and visit them. He knew it was a trap and sent back the message, 'I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?'. Nehemiah knew that they wanted to kill him, and he went on to complete the work.

When the devil uses schemes to attack and prevent us from moving forward, refuse to quit. Think, your success starts at the beginning and continues with consistent action. Therefore, be persistent. If God has given you the task, He'll ensure that you're equipped. The devil will use people to mock our acts of service - don't listen. You will finish what God has started - you will see it happen, just believe! (Philippians 1:6). And finally, God can turn the rubble into choice, first class bricks.

If God didn't feel you could do this, He would have chosen someone else. Be blessed and carry on the good work, knowing that your friend Jesus is right beside you.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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No matter what, be steadfast and immovable

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."   

                            1 Corinthians 15:58  NKJV 

Victor Frankl was a Jewish-Austrian incarcerated in a concentration camp in WW2. Guards took away all he had - his wife, his family, his clothes and even his wedding ring. But one thing that they couldn't take away was his freedom to choose his attitude. He had a belief, and this kept him going. He is noted for saying: 'The last of human freedoms is the ability to choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances.' And this is what kept him going through this barbaric of conditions.

This is not unlike what Paul was referring to in our text today. When things are against us, there is a need to make a stand and to keep standing. To fail to do this, we will go under. Why God allowed His people to suffer in such terrible ways is unknown. However, we must remember that He gave man freewill and when such things happen, this is the result. Suffering in such a way, is still going on in our world today; we have the Ukraine and Russian conflicts going on, Isis, terrorism, the Sudan and world leaders threaten other nations with further attack. It can be scary but, we must continue to stand.

The prospect of our children and grandchildren growing up in peace, is threatened on a daily basis. It's easy to look away thinking, 'It won't happen, everything will be fine.' But this is the 'blinkered look'. We can't just look ahead, we need to look at the bigger picture and pray. There are protests about this and that throughout the world. How about Christians making a stand for what is right? You may think, 'You can't change things,' this may be so but we can rattle a few cages can't we? Imagine the impact if, every Christian throughout the world made a stand for Jesus; for all of the hypocrisy, the corruption and unGodly living. We can make a difference! Everyone else challenges things, why not Christians challenging unrighteousness?

It is time to put on the armour that we may have left discarded and be prepared to fight for Jesus. Can I encourage every one to read Ephesians 6:10 - 18. The devil is having a hey day while we just sit and talk about it. Let is get active. 

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

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Watch the 'Con'"

"Don't let the world squeeze you into its mould."  

                                                     Romans 12:2 Philips New Testament 

Be careful about who you follow and, who you listen to and what you do about it. The world can so easily squeeze you into its way of thinking. There are so many scams and cons around so, we have to be on guard to what is around us and who is pulling the strings. The NKJV states:'And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.' Note the word 'Conformed' the writer Paul, used this word intentionally and honourably, but, our inquisitive minds can focus on the first three letters, 'Con'. Hear me properly, Paul did not mean this as it sounds, but in the setting of what goes around in our lives each day, and the message of our text this morning, it could be used as such.

There are many people who will try and mislead us both in the secular and spiritual worlds so, we have to be wise. We would be better placed to train ourselves to think differently. I've mentioned before what RT Kendall says but it makes its point here: 'Try to think what the devil would have you do and then, do the opposite.' I like this and I believe that it can be a great starting point for outsmarting him. Let's face it, we can either think victory or defeat; joy or sorrow and life or death. By deciding that our glass is half full and not half empty, we become more positive in our thinking. Someone once wrote: We can alter our lives by altering our attitudes.' 

We need to turn things around that instead of seeing things as negative, we see them as positive, instead of chores, see them as blessings. We need to be walking in blessing not as a defeatist. Don't forget, we can be our own worst enemy by the way we react to things so, determine to change this. You can do it with God's help. We should never be a copy cat by endeavouring to mould our ministry and lives on other people. God doesn't want you to be a copy, He wants you to be you!

Over the years there have been many false Christ's coming to the surface. Some cult leaders claim that they are Christ and are about to change the world by revealing themselves. Others have claimed that Jesus is about to return soon, some even giving the dates. It's true, Jesus will be coming soon but, let me just say this, Jesus Christ does not need to advertise who He is, when He will come or anything like that. In fact, Jesus doesn't know the time that He will return. Only God knows this (Matthew 24:36).

So don't be conned or misled. Get close to Jesus, Jesus will let you know when the time is right. Until then, the only mould you need to be squeezed into, is the mould of Jesus.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

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Justified

"knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified."   

                                                                              Galatians 2:16  NKJV

Justice means fair and impartial treatment - righteousness. The Layman's Bible Dictionary puts it this way: 'The act or event when God both declares and makes a person just or right with Him. To be justified is to have peace with God and hope for eternity.'

I like the way Derek Prince put it: 'The definition of Justified is "just-as-if-I'd" never sinned.' This, in one way, is a nice little slogan, the type you can see on car bumpers or back windows. However, it is the truth! This is the way God thinks about you when you have asked Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour. 'Just-as-if-I'd never sinned'. Amazing.

We can all delve back into our old life and pinpoint things that, if we let them, can make us feel ashamed. But, God does not see these, because: 'having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.'  Colossians 2:14-15.

Remember this, the devil will remind you of those times and he'll slap a giant 'guilty' sign on you if you let him. Don't let him. You have just read, Jesus made you 'not guilty', and what's more, He chooses not to remember it, even if you remind Him of it when you are under attack. You are justified; you are not guilty. Put it this way, there was a note pinned to the cross which had details of all your sins written on it. But when Jesus died on that cross, He wiped the handwriting away and wrote on it, 'Justified'.

The devil will torment you with accusations when you take your eyes off Jesus. When your eyes are on the King, your have a hedge of protection around you but, when you take them off the King, you cause a link in that hedge to be opened and the devil has access to your thinking. It's like I have said before, if you're driving your car and give the devil a lift in the back seat, pretty soon, he is going to want to drive. Be careful.

Write Derek Prince's comments down in your bible: Justified - 'Just-as-if-I'd, never sinned'

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Count your Blessings

"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."   1 Peter 5:7   NKJV 

Life can be stressful at times with pressures building up around us non-stop. It can be hard to manage all of these things and many of us feel like throwing the towel in and conceding. Don't do that. Look at things from a different angle - the wider picture. Life can be busy whether you have a job, run your own business or are at home looking after the family and possibly, trying to find a job. Our verse today, advises us to give all of these things to Jesus because He is interested enough to take care of them. I'm not saying, He will do everything for you, not at all. But, He will show you a way that is easier to handle.

When you have a lot of things that need doing at the same time, you know it is not going to work. Therefore, look at all you have to do, prioritise what is most important. This happens by looking at everything as a whole and then, breaking these down into manageable tasks. Then when you have completed this, tackle the next one. God does not want you upset or stressing out; He wants you to be blessed.

Have you ever looked at all that God has blessed you with? Johnson Oatman Jr wrote a song where the chorus reads like this:

'Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done'.

When things are going pear-shaped, we can tend to look at all the negative things around us and go on a downward spiral to the depths of depression. This is not what God wants for you. He wants you to focus on all He has done for you - the blessings. Can you remember when you were panicking because you had no money and a bill needed paying, or when there was little food to put on the table or the car had broken down and you couldn't afford to fix it? Can you remember how God took charge of all of this for you? They were blessings.

Focus on the positives of life; live expectantly knowing that, somehow, God has the answer to all of this. This is what is meant when we read 'casting all your care upon Him.' He loves you, don't allow things of the world to rob you of your blessing. Remember, the devil is a thief (John 10:10) and he will steal your joy away. Don't let him. Count your blessings instead, and you'll be surprised what God has done for you, and will continue to do.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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This is my story

"I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth"   

                                                                     Psalm 34:1 NKJV 

Fanny J Crosby, was an American songwriter and lyricist who was born blind in 1820. Bing Crosby, the well-known American crooner of the 40's, 50's and 60's, was a distant relative of Fanny. She wrote more than 8000 hymns, many of which are still sung today, one being the wonderful hymn, Blessed Assurance. Here is the first verse and chorus:

'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, Oh what a foretaste of glory divine! 

Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long'  x2

                                                                                            Fanny J Crosby

Just note the words of the chorus; she is singing her praise and blessing to her Saviour, just as King David had wrote years earlier in Psalm 34:1. 'This is my story'. We should never be ashamed or embarrassed to sing or tell people about Jesus and what He has done for us. People may protest and say they don't want to hear it, but, people have been saying that since Jesus was preaching and teaching, followed by His disciples. People's protests never stopped them, even if they had to face death or imprisonment.

You may say that you have no exciting testimony to speak of, like others have. However, you are wrong, very wrong. You are just as valuable to Jesus as the disciples were. You have a testimony; you were born again and Jesus Christ saved you from your sin and has given you forgiveness and a future, eternally with Him. Isn't that important and exciting? Of course it is; you belong to Jesus, the King of kings, you are a King and Priest unto God (Revelation 1:6). This is your story, this is your song, being able to praise your Saviour all the day long. Yes, little old you, are special to Jesus:

'Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Saviour am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.' (Verse 3).

You are in your Saviour and, He is in you. You are His and He is yours. You have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb; you have salvation, you are filled with His peace and lost in His love. What more could you ever ask for? This is your story, the story of when Jesus Christ came into your life and made you a somebody, a co-heir in Christ. Wow, do you have a story to tell all who will listen - the day Jesus saved you from your sin and gave you Blessed Assurance. 

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Watch the Rust!

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal".         Matthew 6:19   NKJV

Rust is the red oxide of iron which is formed by corrosion of that metal. Acidic substances, which includes water, come into contact with metals such as steel or iron and rust begins to form. When this happens, structures or tools are not safe because they have been weakened by the rust itself. Unless, early action is taken, rust can eat through the material rendering it useless.

Now put all of this into a Christian form; rust signifies old outdated attitudes. We may have to reconsider spiritually, ideas that are harmful before we can make progress. Otherwise, corrosion can form from our own spiritual lives. 

Let me explain, when I was a young boy, I wasn't allowed to go out and play football or cricket on a Sunday. Friends would knock on the door and ask if I was 'coming out to play' and even if I begged my dad, I was not allowed out on the 'Sabbath'. The only way I was allowed out, was if I went with him to visit my Aunt, a long bus ride a way. Even then, although I was young, I could see the hypocrisy in this but I kept this to myself. But I noted that if, God was like this, I didn't want to know. It led to me hating Sundays. Even into my teen years and early twenties, I still suffered the injustice of it all. In my opinion, not being allowed out to play with my friends on a Sunday, was an outdated attitude and I vowed that I would never enforce this upon my own children when I was married. Going to church and family times should be encouraged though.

There are many outdated traditions that are still being used today. Some people, not many I know, will not cook, clean or do any particular thing on a Sunday. It is the Sabbath - a day of rest, we hear. However, many people have to work on a Sunday because, their job demands it, such as the police, fireman, bus drivers, paramedics etc. etc. But the old attitudes and traditions bring human judgement on these things and can give the people doing this, a major guilt trip.

I am not saying that the bible needs to be updated - not at all. Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever (Hebrews 13:8), and what is in the bible should remain and not be changed to give it a more modern outlook. Some people are trying to do this - rewrite the bible to satisfy their own thoughts. Let us pray this never happens. Perhaps what needs changing is some of our attitudes and traditions such as I have mentioned. 

We, have to avoid the old attitudes towards 'Religion'. This is what they are 'Attitudes and Traditions'. Jesus does not promote this type of thing. He promotes, love and peace. Old traditions and attitudes are like rust, they cause corrosion and weaken a person's chance of faith. Let’s be aware of heavy traditions and attitudes and promote the whole Gospel in it's truth

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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