Jesus - the Way

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me."                                                        John 14:6 NLT

Jesus mentioned three very important points in the verse: Way, Truth and Life.

Over the next few days let us dig into this verse, starting with the:

WAY

When we talk to unbelievers about our faith they often come up with a negative point, such as: 'How do your know you will be going to heaven when you die?' It's a good question and one that we may have used before we became a Christian. This verse is very clear that the only way to God is via Jesus. He is the only way in; He holds the door way if you like. The NLT footnote on this verse says, ''Jesus is the way because He is both God and man. By uniting our lives with His, we are united with God. Trust Jesus to take you to the Father, and all the benefits of being God's child will be yours.'

When we consider the road to Jesus being narrow it can be daunting. Jesus Himself said, 'The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it' Matt 7:14. However, it is wide enough for the whole world to pass through, IF they choose to. That is the important bit. The only way we can get into heaven - to possess eternal life - is through Jesus and, many refuse to walk through this gate and so lose their position in heaven. The strong bit is, they will possess eternal life but, they will have this in hell, and that is not a recommended place to go to because, there is no turning back from there. So, Jesus is our path to our Father.

Jesus is also the way we should do things - the way we speak, the way we act to other people and basically, the way we live our lives. As we know, not many unbelievers go to church, except to weddings, funerals or Christenings. As Christians, we are the bible or the church to them. The way we handle our lives gives them an example of how the Christian life should be. And this doesn't mean walking around with the largest bible you can find, in our hands and a massive cross around our neck, singing hymns at the top of our voice. This only makes people believe that we are weird. Look how Jesus went around, people were just drawn to Him because they could see and feel there was something different about Him. He drew people to His Father.

What about the way we drive? You know, that annoying person in front of you driving at 20mph on a major road. Is your way to tailgate him or her, blasting them with the horn and then overtaking at 70mph, cutting them up? Let me ask you, would Jesus do that? I don't think so; He would wait patiently until he had the chance to pass - safely. That's His way and, should be our way too. (Memo to self - take note of this Grahame). Joking aside, if Jesus is the way, which He is, then we should be living in this 'way.' Because Jesus wants us to.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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You can't hide sin

"Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then, not do it."   

                                                 James 4:17  NLT 

How many times do we fall for this? We know that we shouldn't do or say a particular thing but, we do it anyway. We tend to think that doing wrong is sin but, as we meditate on this scripture, it tells us that sin is also not doing right, when we should do. An example of this is finding out that a person within the church is sexually abusing a minor. Just because this person may be an upright member, does not give us the right to be quiet on this subject and sweep it under the carpet because you know the person well and revealing it could cause a major scandal. As citizens of the UK we have an obligation to report this matter to the authorities. It is against the law and in the eyes of God - sin.

It is a sin to lie and also a sin to know the truth and not tell it. In God's eyes, it is sin to speak evil of people by criticising and judging them. It is hard to like some people. No matter how hard we may try, there is just no connection. We are to love people but it may be hard to like them. Some people have a problem with this one. How can you love someone without liking them? It's a faith thing; we love them through Jesus Christ, we don't say bad things about them, we just love them. Ephesians 4:32 says: 'Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." Being kind to one another is showing people love. It doesn't mention that we should like everyone. As long as we are loving and kind to whoever we meet, we are doing what Jesus commanded us to do. Keller says:

‘The Bible says we should do all we can to live in peace with everyone, love them, but we are not commanded to like them. Are we commanded to love them? Without a doubt. If love means wanting the best for someone, we should desire that everyone we meet know and love God and accept Jesus, His Son, as their Savior.’

Read more at: https://www.lobservateur.com/2020/01/15/keller-are-we-commanded-to-like-everybody/#

And there it is in a nutshell. Not liking someone is not sin as long as we show them the love of Jesus; they may not know Jesus so, by loving them we are giving them this opportunity.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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God didn't answer my prayer

9“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.   Matthew 7:9-11  NLT

You may say after begging God for something: 'Why doesn't God answer my prayers if His Word says, "Ask and Receive?'  There is a very simple answer to this, He gives what He feels is right for you and what you need, good gifts. God knows your future, He knows that if you asked Him to allow you to win the Lottery, you may not handle it properly. Many would go crazy and spend money like there is no tomorrow. Alcohol, the good life, adjusting overnight from what they were into what they are now. Some people have died because of this process. It may appear extravagant to pray to win such a large bulk of money, but many people do and it changes them because, they have not been used to this lifestyle. 

God is a loving God that longs to bless us but, He must be allowed to know what is best for us. To Him, some of the things that people ask for are like a poisonous snake and will only ruin a life. As we learn to know God better, we begin to ask for what is good for us and then, He grants it - good gifts. He is not stingy - not at all. He is our Father and therefore, He knows what is right for us. If you are a parent, would you give your child something that will be no good for them? Of course not. So, God is the same. He only gives us what we need but at times He will throw in a blessing too, like parents do.

If you have made Jesus your life, then He is the one that is responsible for ensuring that you have the best in all things. When scripture says, 'Ask and Receive,' as you ask with God in mind, He will bless you. As you walk closer with Him you will begin to realise just how much he loves you and how much He wants you to depend on Him for everything. So, if you get into a financial problem through no fault of your own, you can rely on Him to work on your behalf. If someone is wronging you, as you say to Him, 'Help Lord,' He will be right there to deal with the situation. In fact, you can rely on Him for everything. Don't get me wrong, He still wants you to be responsible and do whatever in the right way. But, when you find yourself in a scrape, He can be relied upon to help you.

So in all honesty, when you do things God's way, your prayers will be answered.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

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The Qualities of Love

"Love is patient and kind."                 1 Corinthians 13:4   NLT 

What is love? Well, if we take a look at 1 John 4:16, we read: 'God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.' The creator God is not only our Father but, He is love. Therefore, straightaway we know what love is, it is God. Let us look at this love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:

'Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.8Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages b and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!'

This piece of scripture perfectly describes God. Thankfully, He is patient with us, even when we make mistake after mistake, He remains kind and never asks 'Why did you do that? We don't even have to give Him an explanation why we have messed up. Check out The Prodigal Son in Luke 15. As he returned to his father he was rehearsing what he would say but, when he arrived he never had the chance to say it all, such was his father's love for him v18-21. God is love or Love is God.

God does not even keep a record of our wrongs; thanks goodness for that. He would have lorry loads of mine if He did. Don't laugh, you would would be the same. Can we say the same about the record we keep of wrongs that people have made against us? Let's be honest, we all have records of the wrong that people have done to us. I have a library of them at home but, come on, so do you, be honest. Don't you think it's time that we all threw them away - shred them and remember them no more. 'Well, that's impossible,' you may say. No it isn't, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26 NKJV). If God holds no wrongs against us, we have no right to hold them against other people. Time to throw them out, people.

Verse 8 in the NKJV says 'Love never fails' So, if God is love, then this means that God never fails - never ever. I know it sounds strange calling God love but hey, I didn't write the bible and the bible says, 'God is love.' If this wasn't so, why would John write this, it wouldn't make sense. Tony Evans comments:'God is love. This truth is revealed to us in the Word, but it was also revealed on the cross, where Christ died for us.'God is love' is not simply a doctrine in the bible; it is an external fact clearly demonstrated at Calvary (Rom 5:8). God has said something to us, and God has done something for us.'

                                                         The Tony Evans Study Bible

Therefore, God is love and Love is God.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

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'What shall I do Lord?'

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take."   

                                                                                       Proverbs 3:5-6   NLT 

You have the offer of a job; it looks tempting but what are you going to do? The job you are in is ok, it pays the bills, but this offer is a dream come true. It's a new company and with an elevated position, you will be on a good salary, but you may think, 'what if the company goes bust after a few months? I'll have lost everything.' Decisions and more decisions.

From time to time, we all have to make some sort of decision - where to live? What area to work in? Should I get married or should I join the Armed Forces? These are all important questions to ponder and they need a wise answer for us to process. Perhaps you are wanting to go to Uni and go through all of the entrance exams and interviewing but, halfway through this process, a good job offer comes your way. Should you go for the years at Uni with practically nothing to live on or, should you take this very good job that is offering a good salary right now?

As a Christian you can ask God for direction, but when He doesn't answer quickly, you may not have the time to wait, so you go rushing in and make a hasty decision, just hoping it's the right one. Take a look at this verse and make up your own mind:

'Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes'

                                    Proverbs 19:2  NLT

Is it really worth dashing in before you are fully persuaded it is the right decision? Of course, we can't always be certain, However, with God, you can be. Take a look at our text above. We either believe God's Word or we don't. He will never mis-lead us, He is always truthful. But the thing is, He doesn't always give us the answer straightaway and we just have to remain patient. This is not because He wants to keep us guessing, not at all. There are things that He knows that we don't and He needs to test the way ahead for us. There is no rush no matter how much you think there is; God is always on time, never late, never early. Just the fact in our earlier example of waiting for a place in Uni and also being offered a job, speaks of confusion and the only one who promotes this is the devil. Don't go there.

At this time, you may be waiting for something that is important but also something that is causing you stress. Now the devil loves stress, so once again, don't go there. Just relax and wait for the divine decision. You will know when it comes because your heart will pound with excitement but, also with relief and the knowledge that this is God.

However, until that moment, (that may come sooner than you think), keep alert to God's wishes and refuse to rush into anything.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Restored to serve

"After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?'                                                     John 21:15   NLT 

Remember, Peter had denied Jesus three times - totally denied Him to save himself. Now was the time for Jesus to forgive him and restore him and give him his final ministry, from fisherman to evangelist. 

Note what Jesus asked him in v15, 'do you love Me more than these.' Jesus wasn't asking Peter if he loved Jesus more than he loved the other disciples. He was asking him if he loved Jesus more than they loved Jesus. Watch this. Jesus used the Greek word for love Agape, which is a self-sacrificial love. Peter answered with the Greek word phileo which signifies affection or brotherly love. Jesus was asking Peter if he was still the most committed disciple because he had professed a more superior love for Jesus in Matthew 26:33-35. Was he still in competition with the others? But Peter answered with phileo love, the love between good friends, and Jesus told him to feed His lambs.

Jesus again asked Peter, 'Do you love Me? (Agape love). Peter told him, 'Yes Lord, You know I love You' (phileo love). Jesus answered, 'Then take care of My sheep.' (Agape love). On the third question, Jesus used phileo love, 'Simon - do you love Me? This hurt Peter, but Jesus wanted to be sure if Peter had learned his lesson. Peter had to face his own true feelings and motives when Jesus confronted him - whether he fully understood where he had gone wrong the first time. And Peter was humbled by it all, he had lost his superior, arrogant and argumentative attitude, the one that signified to the others that, 'I'm better than you.' He realised that he had nothing to prove; this was not a game where the players are in competition with each other. Jesus had called them all to be equal.

With this over, Jesus was able to restore Peter because, Jesus could see that he didn't think of himself more highly than the others and Jesus was now able to use him efficiently.

Don't ever think yourself better than anyone else. You are who God made you to be, that is all. You are not a copy of anyone either, you are unique, and the gift God has given you is yours and fits you well. We are not in a battle with team members, we are united together and called to work this way.

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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The Armour Part 2

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  

                                                                            Ephesians 6:10-11   NKJV

Today, let us continue our study of The Armour of God:

FAITH

This Shield is the weapon that protects our faith. The devil fires darts at us in the form of, insults, condemnation, setbacks and temptations. The Roman soldier’s shield was covered in leather and could be soaked in water. This would extinguish the flaming arrows that were fired at him. Our faith in God and His promises extinguishes the lies and hurtful attacks from Satan. These arrows come at us like scud missiles. Bob Gass coined the acronym for SCUD as SATAN CONTINUOUSLY USES DISTRACTIONS.

SALAVATION

The weapon for this is the helmet. The head is the most vulnerable part in battle and so Satan will keep trying to put doubt in our minds. The helmet of salvation protects our mind from doubting God's salvation work within us. Doubt is a big element if we allow it. It's the opposite of faith so, what we believe by faith in God, Satan counteracts by giving us doubt. When we doubt, faith doesn't work.

WORD OF GOD

This is the sword of the Spirit. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), He used the Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. He spoke to Satan with authority and in the end, the devil had to leave. he was no match for the Sword. We too, need to learn to quote scripture whenever we are in any type of attack. It is not the time to sit down and panic but, to stand in the mighty power of God, with the sword and speak to the spirits of darkness. 

PRAYER

Jerry Vine, author of the Vine's Expository Bible writes: 'The greatest of Christian warriors is measured not by scars on his back, but by bruises on his knees. The best warrior is a kneeling warrior.' Prayer is an indispensable weapon in spiritual warfare, we cannot be victorious without it and yet, it is one of the most neglected weapons in our armour. 

Remember one thing, the battle we fight on a daily basis has already been won, this is why we are called, 'more than conquerors' (Romans 8:37). We just have to grasp hold of that fact. As you put on your armour daily, you are a victorious warrior. Don't you forget that!

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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