Walk in the Truth

"And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."    John 8:32   NLT 

How can we know the truth? What is the truth? Well, firstly, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you will know that He is the truth: 'I am the way, the truth and the life' John 14:6. You will also see in this verse that He is the only way to access the Father in heaven. So, you say you know the truth, or better still, know about Him, but do you know Him. There is a big difference. Satan knows about Jesus but he doesn't know Him personally. In verse 31 of this chapter, we read, 'You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings.' 

Notice the if in this verse. This is a proviso - a condition. If we want to really know Jesus, we have to remain faithful to Him and abide in His Word - the truth.

John Avanzini, an American Christian Financial Advisor says, 'You cannot walk in a truth you do not know.' So, we must know Him before we can do this. The Greek word for 'Know' is Ginosko and means: to possess the knowledge that has an inception, a progress and an attainment. It is the recognition of truth by personal experience.  Greek Dictionary/Strongs. Ginosko is associated with the British word Prognosis which gives the  meaning of the truth in the medical world.

If we are to walk in the Spirit, as God's Word encourages to, then you must: let 'the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing  what your sinful nature craves'

Galatians 5:16. Verse 17 gives us an understanding of what our sinful nature craves for which is just the opposite of the Truth, therefore:

(1)  Acknowledge there's a battle  

(2)  Admit you are powerless and submit to God

(3)  Exercise self-discipline.          

(4)  Don't ignore the consequences, they bring disaster

Don't just assume that you know the truth. Get to know Jesus properly; talk to Him, obey Him and walk with Him on a daily basis. Remember, your enemy - Satan, wants to trip you up (1 Peter 5:8). Don't give him an inch. If you do, he'll take a mile and you will pay dearly for it. 

You will know that you're walking in the Spirit when you're able to refuse to be involved in anything that is not of God. But, this is something that you need to practice everyday. It doesn't just happen.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

LIf you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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What's the Point Part 2

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us."                                                                Philippians 3:13-14   NLT 

Sometimes trying to do a good job and pleasing someone is like, wading through thick mud. In fact, as you continue to do this, you may sink. 'What's the point?' you may think, 'I've got nothing else to give; my heart's not into this anymore.' But before you do, just stop a minute and think this through. Who are you really working for, man or God? If it is man, you might as well leave because you will never be able to please some people. If it is God you're working for, don't just leave. You're a soldier in God's Army, leaving without permission would be  deserting your post. No, take this to God and pray a while. There may be something God wants you do, or say and until you do, you're stuck with it. Promotion may be up for grabs and this may be you in your boss's job. This happened to me years ago, but that is another story. If you leave now, you may just lose the post that God wants you to fill. So ask Him.

Marriages are often the target of our enemy, Satan. If he can get us to walk away, commit adultery  or just behave like a stubborn mule, then he is happy. More and more Christian marriages are falling apart and a lot of these are happening to leaders. It's easy to neglect a partner and family when you are so important that you can't take time off. The neglected partner may feel 'What's the point?' and become involved with something or someone, that they shouldn't, just because they are bored or lonely. Don't allow this to happen. Whether you are in leadership or in a job or even retired, make sure that time is allotted to your partner. Time is short so, make the most of every moment. Peter told husbands, 'you husbands must give honour to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.'  1 Peter 3:7  NLT

Before the WOKE society gets on to me, Peter is not inferring any derogatory statement by calling the wife as weak. He was just recognising women's physical limitations, especially in his day. But really, he was also giving out God's wishes that the wife should be classed as a valuable vessel which can be broken if not taken care of.

And that is the point. God wants us to live our lives open to His direction. Just think, if a married couple are at loggerheads, how can they pray together? Prayer will be hindered. In fact, everything, if we look at things in the negative will be hindered if we keep saying, 'What's the point?'

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

LIf you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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What's the point?

11"Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.' 'We'll come too,' they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night."   John 21:3  NLT 

Try and picture the scene, Jesus was no longer with the disciples, although some of them had said He had appeared to them (John 20:19-29). They were hurting, lost, disappointed and felt let down and, when Peter went out fishing they all went with him. But, after all their hard work all the night, they caught nothing. These were skilled trawlermen, they knew their business and yet, nothing. What was wrong? Their hearts were not in their work. A part of them was missing and that was Jesus. In fact, my guess is that they were ready to give it up, 'What's the point?' They were broken.

All of a sudden, there was someone shouting from the beach, 'Throw out your net on the right hand, side of the boat and you'll get some.' v6. They suddenly realised it was Jesus and steered the boat back to the shore. Peter however, couldn't wait, he jumped into the water and staggered through it to get to Jesus and they all had some barbecued fish together.

Note what happened here. The disciples were all shattered at the loss of Jesus, especially Peter who blamed himself for denying Him. They encountered loss and all the hurt that it brings with it. Shattered dreams, broken promises, nothing to look forward to. No wonder they felt like saying, 'What's the point?' Then, all of a sudden, they hear Jesus calling to them. Wow, what a difference that made - despondency and defeat to exhilaration. And as always, Jesus gave them a Word of life 'Throw out your net on the right hand, side of the boat and you'll get some.'

Whenever you are feeling down, never give up. Jesus is around. He'll rescue you. Probably Peter and the rest of them had not worked since Jesus died on the cross. He knew their finances were down so, He provided 153 large fish (v11) which would boost their income incredibly. Jesus knew what they needed and He provided it: provision, love and assurance.

Perhaps you're at the place where you feel, 'What's the point?' There's every point and He will bless you like He did the disciples. Don't you dare give up!

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

LIf you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Our Good Shepherd Part 2

"The Father and I are one."    John 10:30   NLT

Here, our shepherd , the Lord Jesus, gives the clearest statement of His divinity ever made. Jesus and His Father are not the same person but, they are one in essence and nature. To understand this, we have to look at the Holy Trinity:

There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are three separate persons rolled into one. 

To explain this better, imagine an egg. One egg has three different parts - the shell, the white and the yoke. Three different parts but, it is still one egg. https://ahearttoknow.com/how-to-explain-the-trinity-to-children-free-printable

Therefore, God has three different persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three different persons but in one God.

So, Jesus is not only a good teacher but He is also God. His claim was unmistakeable but, still the religious leaders refused to grasp hold of it.

Throughout our world today, The Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are still at work and there are still people who refuse to accept who they are. It is very clear in the bible that God came down to earth as a man - Jesus: 'He came into the very world He created, but the world didn't recognise Him. 11 He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him'  John 1:10-11. And they are still rejecting Him, and yet, the world needs something when the going gets tough. Drugs may take the problems away for a short time, the same as alcohol may give a boost to the morale. However, when it wears off, the problem is still there. One cannot be saved from all of the pain and heartache with such things. Only Jesus can, and will provide release.

Have you ever made Jesus your Lord and Saviour or, like the leaders and people of the past, do you resist and reject Him. The fact remains one day everyone will meet Him when we die. This is the judgement when we all have to stand before Him and give an account of our life. If anyone still has sin in their life, they will be disallowed entry into His kingdom. Why, because, Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Accepting Him and asking Him for forgiveness means, you will be able to enter His kingdom, Jesus said: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.'  John 14:6.

Don't gamble with eternity. It will be too late when you stand before Him. You need to know Him before you die. Why not be sure by saying this prayer to your shepherd:

'Lord Jesus, I give myself to You; please be my Lord and Saviour and forgive my sins. I ask you to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and, help me to live for You, from this day forth.

In Jesus' Name. Amen'

You are now saved and belong to Jesus. Get yourself a bible and read it and find a good church.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Our Good Shepherd

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep."  

                                                                               John 10:11   NLT 

Jesus is our shepherd. He knows us through and through and He knew us before we were even born. As we get to know Him better, we learn to trust Him more; we follow Him because we know His voice - HIs Word the bible. In Jesus' time on earth, a shepherd would sleep over the doorway of the fold to protect the sheep from whoever may try to steal or harm them. Today, Jesus does the same for us. When we sleep, He is there watching over us; the difference being that He doesn't sleep. He has no need to because He is supernatural.

You and I have His protection. Psalm 23:4 says: 'Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.' Just consider that statement for a moment; (1) He is our shepherd and when we get into scrapes He protects us with His rod. A shepherd would beat any wild animal that tried to attack his sheep. Jesus will protect us too, obviously not with a rod but, if we allow Him, He will handle things for us. (2) Sheep have no sense of direction, they will follow their shepherd but occasionally, one may wander off and become lost or trapped. The shepherd will take his staff and rescue them and lead them back to safety. This is a wonderful analogy of how Jesus works for us. We often veer away from the main direction we are heading and, find ourselves in situations we shouldn't be in. Once again, if we allow Him, He will come and rescue us from certain dangers. Notice that I have used the words, 'if we allow Him' twice. We have free will and God respects that. If we decide to wander off and get ourselves into danger or situations that are not helpful for our faith; then unless we call on Him for help, He will allow us to go through this pathway. The choice is ours.

When you consider it, we have all that we need to live happy and joyful lives. In John 10:10 NKJV, Jesus says: 'I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.' This echos what David wrote in Psalm 23:1: 'The LORD is my shepherd, I have all that I need.' Our good shepherd ensures us that we are well catered for; our needs are met, over and above abundance. Isn't that something to praise Him for?  Who else would do all of this for us? No one, not even a multi-billionaire would be able to match this deal. And don't forget, in addition to this, we have eternal life. Our insurance premium is paid for in Jesus Christ. 

This deal - is real. Amen? Amen

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Jesus and the miraculous

"Then they were eager to let Him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination."                              John 6:21   NLT

Jesus had only just fed the Five Thousand and the crowds were astonished at what He had done. They thought Him, the Prophet who was to come (6:14). They felt He was so remarkable that they wanted to take Him by force and, make Him their king. This was not because they recognised His deity but, that He would establish for them what they needed and feed their selfish gratification. Jesus avoided the limelight, He was not a show-piece, He was God's Son and had a mission to accomplish. He knew that they could bring about the 'damage factor' - completely ruining what He had set out to do. So He slipped away promising to meet up with the others later on.

All of what happened that night, demonstrated exactly what Jesus is about. He loves us and when we are up against trouble, He is their to help. Later after Jesus had failed to return, the disciples set off to row across the lake. When they had rowed about three or four miles, a strong gale hit them and the sea became very rough. From the hills, Jesus was watching their progress and set out to meet them. This is how Jesus is with us. He never stops watching over us and when trouble is in store, He will be there waiting for our cries for help. He went to the disciples and spoke encouraging words to them. They were eager to let Him into the boat. When they invited Him, they immediately arrived at the shore and safety. This was a mighty miracle.

However, there is some debate about whether Jesus did actually walk on the water or had the boat already grounded on the shingle. William Barclay, in his commentary to the gospel of John seems to think that where they had set off, the lake was only about four mile or so across.  As they had already sailed about this distance, were they not already on the seashore? Perhaps, because of this, Jesus had walked round the coast to meet them. However, David Guzik quoting other biblical scholars says:

i. “From this detail given by John it is inferred that the ship seemed to move automatically, without sail or oar, in obedience to His will: so that without effort of the disciples or crew it quickly passed over the remaining distance (two miles or so) and came to shore.” (Trench)                Enduring Life  David Guzik

Tony Evans says in his Bible Commentary:

'One moment they were in the middle of a stormy sea; the next moment they had miraculously reached their destination. Don't miss that, once they were willing to receive Jesus into the boat, He dealt with their problem and delivered them where they needed to go. When believers recognise and respond to the presence of Jesus in the midst of their struggles, they invite the supernatural into their negative circumstances'.

Bruce Milne also supports the other comments in his book The Message of John.

The NKJV, KJV, NLT and CSB versions support that Jesus climbed into the boat. However, many others neglect to comment on this. The fact remains that Jesus performed a miracle that night and lives were changed forever. My thoughts on this are, yes, the boat was quite a distance from the shore, in deep water and Jesus walked out to them on the water. The next moment, after being invited into the boat, they were at the shore. You may feel differently about it. 

Whatever, we can't get away from the fact that, we need to ask Jesus to help us when we are in troubles. he is there beside us and rather like the disciples called to Him to climb in and were saved, He will do the same for you and I. Why? Because He loves us.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Nothing you do for Jesus is ever wasted

"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."                       1 Corinthians 15:58   NLT

Just read that verse again. Nothing you ever do for Jesus is ever useless or wasted. You may make a cup of tea or coffee for someone in the church. No one really notices because they are busy chatting. But, God notices and He is very grateful for what you did. You may straighten the rows of chairs in the church, give chorus sheets and newsletters out as you welcome people on the door. You may also sweep the car park outside. You may get a thank you or a nod but the one who is immensely grateful is God because, you are serving Him and every little bit of service is precious to Him; it is never wasted.

There are leaders and followers in the church and in the world. Sometimes it can be difficult to serve a harsh leader or boss. They may be rude, hostile and two-faced. They may be what leaders should never be, but we need to be honourable to them:

"You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you - not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel"  1 Peter 2:18). At times, it can seem that we are slaves and treated as such but, God will bless us when we serve to the best of our ability. Other leaders may be difficult, arrogant even, but just serve them and leave the rest to God.

Some Christians find themselves in places of work where, the bosses are hard and clash with their faith. I've been in situations such as this and it is not easy. But, at the time, I decided that as long as I am not forced to compromise my faith, then I can handle it and God will take care of the rest. And He did. It's a matter of working enthusiastically for Jesus and remaining strong and immovable that keeps you going.

When God sees your faithfulness, He is never far from blessing you. He will handle what you can't do. If you try and handle things on your own, you will suffer for it. In our working world, we need to be aware that not everyone will like us because our faith brings conviction. It irritates some people and they resent your presence. You may have noticed people being aggressive towards you, even downright rude for no particular reason. This is more likely because your presence - the presence of Jesus, brings guilt and conviction to them. 

Just be string and immovable, do your job well as if you're working for Jesus and, nothing you do will be wasted.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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