To get out, you must put in

"Whatever He says to you, do it"                  John 2:5   NKJV

This is a very powerful statement, one in which we would do well to adhere to. Jesus was at a wedding and disaster struck - the wine ran out. This was a socially unforgivable thing to happen, one which would bring shame on the host. It's possible that Mary, who was with Jesus, was a relative to the wedding couple and so, she wanted the best for them and the best - Jesus, was standing right next to her. She knew He could deal with this. Mary spoke to Jesus, but Jesus, who had begun to change this relationship from son to Saviour, gave His answer in order to help her refocus and on this this (2:4). The term 'Woman' was not a reference demeaning statement but one of respect. The statement, 'Whatever He says to you, do it' was a general one to the servants. She knew Jesus could and would honour the host and so she left it with Jesus. And we know that He did this. In fact, they had, in the region of 4320 glasses of wine, assuming that they were from the 30 gallon pots. That is some party.

Note what Mary said in this statement. She said 'Whatever He says' not think about what He says. We often use that comment when someone asks us if we would do something or go somewhere- 'Ok, I'll think about it and let you know.' We should never do this with Jesus. Mary was emphatic about this, we must obey to be in favour and blessing with Him. Let us not forget, He knows the best way; He knows the outcome. It is unwise to disobey Jesus. He never forces us though, but the emphasis is on the fact that He knows the ideal way.

You see, with Jesus, we may not have what is required to get a job, or become promoted, invest in property or start a business, so naturally, we speak to Him about it. This is what Mary did that day, the difference being, Jesus was right beside her. For us, we speak to Him through prayer, He is still right beside us. He will answer but, probably not straightaway. This doesn't mean He has rejected our request; we just have to wait, and as I've mentioned many times, the waiting can be difficult. The timing has to be right. With the wedding party, there was a need for a quick answer and Jesus did this. Don't become despondent if the answer doesn't come at once however.

Jesus is a giver, we, if not careful can become takers. This is where we need to put Jesus first in everything. It's almost like He says to us, 'Give Me what you've got and I'll give you back what you need'. It's called tithing - a sore point with many people. Many have the attitude that they can't live on what they have coming in anyway, to give some of it away is ridiculous. But it is not, if you want to be blessed start tithing the first tenth of your income. Yes, it may hurt but, if you trust Jesus, He will not let you down. We don't give to receive, not at all. However, we do give because God expects us to. Read Malachi Chapter 3 and you'll see what I mean. I once heard someone say, 'give until it hurts'. This may sound extreme, but isn't this what Jesus did for us? Just saying.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Evaluation of Nehemiah and his work

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"Slaves obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ."     Ephesians 6:5  + Nehemiah 1+2 NKJV

I thought we would delve into Nehemiah and his recent work on the Jerusalem wall. As you will remember from yesterday, the king had agreed to allow Nehemiah to go and work on the wall, as long as he returned when it was completed. Nehemiah promised he would. The king also sent letters to confirm that it was his wish for this to happen, one which included being given some timber for the gates of the wall.

Nehemiah, despite being well-respected by the king, had never had this type of conversation with him and waited in fear for the king's answer. But it would seem that Nehemiah's bad news had touched his heart and God caused him to show Nehemiah favour. He even provided a guard for Nehemiah so that he would have a safe journey. God never lets us down and He can provide what you never thought would be possible.

Nehemiah worked on the wall and in 52 days, it was completed. This delighted Nehemiah and the Jewish people and He was appointed governor of the region. He served in this capacity for 12 years and then, as promised, he returned to serve the king. However, not long after this, Nehemiah received word that trouble had flared up in Jerusalem. Therefore, he once again asked the king if he could return there, and was allowed. He put this problem right and served a second season as the governor. 

It can be seen from this account that Nehemiah, was a very trustworthy man and this is why doors opened for him. He noticed opportunities where others, would give up, believing it to be impossible. He cared enough to make himself available for God to use and obtain mighty rewards.

My conclusion to Nehemiah's work is:

(1)  He was faithful and trustworthy, therefore, this was noticed by the king and God could use him. God can always use people such as this.

(2)  The king noticed his faithfulness and was willing to help him.

(3)  The king provided timber and protection. God thinks of everything

(4). Nehemiah never forgot his promise and returned to serve the king

(5)  The king was able to trust him even more and allowed him a second trip

 

Remember, a faithful person will always receive favour from God. He will cause people to bless us and doors to open that no one thought could ever happen. We should though, always be determined to keep our promises. God never disappoints and never wants us to either.

People notice when you are serving Jesus Christ 100%. They may not say anything but, they take note of it and it sows a seed.  

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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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.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

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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  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

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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  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

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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

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

Check it out

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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

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

Check it out

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