Diligence

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart"           Galatians 6:9   NKJV 

In all that we do, God wants us to be diligent. The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23  'And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.' Take a look at the word 'Heartily'. It means 'With warmth, sincerity together with zest and enthusiasm. and respect).' This is the way Jesus served the people He met and still does with us today. He wants us to be the same too, whoever we may meet along the way. Diligence also means to be earnest and persistent in application to an undertaking with steady effort and attentive care.

This is not always easy with difficult people - the one's who may have become stubborn in their later life. Let us not forget that elderly people have lived a long life doing what they feel is right. Their values may be the same but, the way they interpret life in 2023 may be a lot different to yourself, especially if they have a sickness such as Alzheimer's or Dementia. So they need more time to process things and many times they may either get it wrong or forget they were going to do a particular thing. Love and patience is a must with people such as this.

You may be looking after an elderly person who has a sickness. It can be so painful to watch the person you love acting as if you are a stranger or being stubborn in whatever you say or ask them to do. Remember today's reading, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap.' There is a promise there. God will honour you as you honour others and, you will reap blessing.

Diligence also affects the way we work for an employer or the voluntary work we may do, especially in church. We should always work as if Jesus is the boss; we are serving Him not your manager or whoever it may be. Would you leave early from work or cut corners, if you were working for Jesus? I wouldn't think so. However, time after time, some people leave their place of work before the clock says it's time to knock off. You may go in early to help out with the work, but, that is your choice, you should still ask your boss if you can finish earlier that day. This is being diligent

Putting the refuse bins out for an elderly neighbour is another diligent act and shows the love of Jesus. Helping others when you can and asking for nothing in return. This all shows people that you care and when they may ask you why do you do this, you can tell them.

I never like to end without giving someone the opportunity to ask Jesus into their life, or, re-dedicate their life. If that is you, pray this prayer and please let me know:

contact me, CLICK HERE

Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

Copyright 2023 Grahame Howard.                                 

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com          

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

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Harsh and Soft words

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."   Proverbs 15:1  NKJV

I make no apologies for using this verse on a fairly regular basis. It is something that is very much needed in our stress-filled world of today. How we respond can either bring a smile of approval or light a fire. We live in such a 'Fast-filled' life style - fast food, fast cars, fast check out operators and fast-minded supervisors demanding more and more from us. It is difficult to keep ahead of it all.

All of this can lead us to be stressful in how we handle people and situations. Mothers taking their children to school can be like a racing track drivers. The mothers have a schedule to meet and if you get in their way on the road, you're history. Supermarket checkouts can be a nightmare where people become impatient and start pushing the shopping trolley into your back. Then, when eventually, it is your turn, the checkout operator sends the goods down at rocket speed, sometimes before you have finished emptying the trolley. Stress and more stress. At this particular time, if someone said the wrong thing to you, it could cause a war.

Warren W Wiersbe comments on this: 'Our words can bring peace instead of war, calm rather than chaos. This verse isn't advising us to compromise the truth and say that what's wrong is really right just to avoid conflict or confrontation. Rather, it's counselling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude even when we disagree with others. This can diffuse the situation and make it easier for us to settle the matter peacefully.'

                                                                   The Wiersbe Study Bible/Warren W Wiersbe/ Holman

If you have a dispute with a person who speaks softly, without any animosity, it is very difficult to argue with them. A soft voice keeps the calm. On the other hand, if you go in with both guns on rapid fire, or like a Kung Fu fighter, with a rising voice of harsh words, you will only end up with a terrible outcome. The stress of life can cause frustration in itself without making it any more difficult.

If a person begins to speak harsh words with you, if you can keep calm, listen and then speak softly to them, you are in control. The other person is on the way to losing control. If you join in with harsh words, it will end with a bad outcome. This is why, Solomon rated this issue as important. Remember the devil is sitting there stirring you both up, happy to cause division. Don't let him. If you are both Christians, then your opposition will know this point. However, if it is an unbeliever that is speaking with you, it would be such a bad witness to speak harshly to them; after all, they probably know about your faith. This is why the devil wants to make it worse.

KEEP COOL

I never like to end without giving someone the opportunity to ask Jesus into their life, or, re-dedicate their life. If that is you, pray this prayer and please let me know:

contact me, CLICK HERE

Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

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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Get ready to flow in God's Power

"If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."   John 8:31-32   NKJV

This is the message that Jesus spoke to the people who believed in Him. He taught that, people who live and walk in Him will have spiritual knowledge and grow in freedom from sin. God wants us to do more than believe. He wants us to speak what He says. In other words, speak out the truth - the power of His Word. Speak His words, speak the scriptures because, the Word of God is life:

'For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division soul and spirit - ff.'   Hebrews 4:12.

Therefore, we need to recognise that, as we speak God's Word into situations, we have the power to remove obstacles, such as:

(1)  'Devil get out of this person, because you are overcome by the blood of the Lamb'

(2)  'Cancer, leave this body because by the wounds of Jesus this child was healed'

(3)  'Finances, come into line, because my God shall supply all my needs'

                                                          Sourced from www.linkedin.com 

Just look how Jesus told us to speak to problems: "Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea" and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.'  Mark 11:22-23. The authority we exercise in faith allows the believer to speak directly to the obstacles of life and get them to move. If you have true faith in the God of the bible, you have spiritual access to divine power. God has already blessed you 'With every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ' Ephesians 1;3. 

Tony Evans puts it this way 'Through faith in Jesus, you have access to divine power. It's like having a contract with the electric company. Since you have a legal relationship with them, they provide you with electricity. Nevertheless, you must access that power by flipping the switch.'   Copyright Tony Evans

People get a little edgy when we speak about faith issues but, we cannot get away from the fact that, Jesus Christ gave us the commission to carry out His work. (Mark 16:15-18.                              

I never like to end without giving someone the opportunity to ask Jesus into their life, or, re-dedicate their life. If that is you, pray this prayer and please let me know:

contact me, CLICK HERE

Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

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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Instead of Complaining be patient instead

"If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt', they moaned. 'There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death."   Exodus 16:3   NLT

Complaints, moans and groans; blaming and criticising. Sound familiar? We hear this type of thing wherever we go, even in church settings. We can all be like this at times. Where does it come from. Well the obvious answer is Satan. He loves winding us up so much that we start whinging about things. Difficult circumstances can often lead us to stress and then complaints and criticisms generally follow. The Israelites didn't really want to go back to Egypt but, when the chips are down, we say things that really, we don't mean. The Israelites were desperate for things to change - NOW! Impatience was setting in and because of this, they were losing their focus - their trust in God. Their mind was so full of all the wrong things; that they saw nothing that was right and positive. We can so easily be like this when the pressure is on. We need to resist this temptation to grumble and accuse and learn to trust God more and more. After all, He is the only one that can change things.

When we come to understand that the words we speak, have the power to invite either God or Satan into the conversation, we will begin to be more careful what comes out of our mouths. Solomon wrote: 'The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.'  Proverbs 18:21. Ponder this statement for a moment. The Israelites were speaking from Satan. With their moans and groans, criticisms and accusations, they were speaking death and were testing the Lord because they were accusing Him not Moses - a dangerous thing to do. Things are tedious and frustrating at times but, we need to exercise patience knowing full well that God is at work and will bring things about if we just wait. Psalm 27:14 says, 'Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.' Again, 'But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.'  Isaiah 40:31.

So there you have it. Be very careful what you say and how you say it. Don't forget your body language too. Without speaking, your body can give off negative or positive vibes. 

Whatever is going on in your life, remember, God will sort this, if you let Him!

I never like to end without giving someone the opportunity to ask Jesus into their life, or, re-dedicate their life. If that is you, pray this prayer and please let me know:

contact me, CLICK HERE

Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

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

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084G9S4FD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

 

 

God's heart breaks over Jerusalem

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See your house is abandoned to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."    Luke 13:34-35   CSB

When we consider the things that are happening in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel, this piece of scripture seems almost prophetic. People are dying, being taken hostage, raped and are watching their homes and their families being wiped out. Is Jesus watching what is going on? Yes, He is but He is unable to help because they refuse to recognise Him and call on Him. This has been the case since Jesus walked through this same land. Tony Evans comments on this:

'At the thought of Jerusalem, the city that housed the temple, Jesus lamented over the centuries of rejecting God and His prophets. As a hen desires to protect her chicks, Jesus longed to do the same for Jerusalem. But since the holy city was rejecting the Messiah, He would have to reject the city. After Jesus' death and resurrection, Jerusalem would not see Him again until His return to reign as King in His Kingdom when believers call out, 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord."  Copyright Tony Evans

And it is still the same today. The Israelites have a choice, the same as we do. If they will only call out to Him for His help, accepting Him as the Messiah, then He will come and help them. The term 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, actually means Baruch Haba, B'shem Adonai' (We bless you from the House of ADONAI).

Jesus longs to hear these words, He longs to gather His children together as a hen gathers its chcks under its wings. But, at present, they continue to reject Him.

And many other people do this as well. Take for instance, our own country. Many have heard tales of Jesus in school, Sunday school, church and possibly in general conversation with people. Some watch Songs of Praise and it goes in one ear and out of the others. The devil has blocked the ears of people and we have the power to syringe them. How do we do this? Speak the Word to them. Pray, pray and pray some more. In Jesus' name, break the power that the devil has over them. We need this and Israel does at this very moment. Can you spare a little time to pray for them?

I never like to end without giving someone the opportunity to ask Jesus into their life, or, re-dedicate their life. If that is you, pray this prayer and please let me know:

contact me, CLICK HERE

Lord Jesus, I have sinned and I ask you to forgive me and be my Lord and Saviour. Please come into my heart, fill me with Your Spirit and give me a brand new start today.

In Jesus' Name. Amen

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

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084G9S4FD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2