Record of wrongs

"(LOVE) - and it keeps no record of being wronged."   1 Corinthians 13:5   NLT

This is an area in which we all have to be careful of. Be honest, how many records have you kept of people that have wronged you? Two books full? six or even a whole library of them? You may laugh, but we shouldn't be doing this. 'Yes, but you don't know what they did to me.' No, I don't, but God does so let Him sort this for you. 'It makes me angry when I think about it.' Well stop thinking about it, then you won't be so angry. It's not as easy as that.' It is if you want it to be. It's a choice, one we all have to make. 

What did Jesus do when He was being tortured by the soldiers before His crucifixion? What did He do and say when He hung on the cross? 'Father forgive them because they know not what they're doing.' We all have choices; we can either choose to write it down in our Record of Wrongs, seething with anger and revenge every time we read it. Or, we can choose to forget it because, it is not edifying us when we think about such things. It is making a decision that no matter how wronged we have been, it is of no use to us. It is holding us back because it burns within us. Making the decision to cast it away from us and towards Jesus, is the most sensible of things we can do.

When you do this or consider it, you may be bombarded by all the reasons you shouldn't ever forget what was done to you. You have been used and abused, made a laughing stock and hurt to the core. Why should you forget this? Why should you let someone off the hook? Because, it is holding you back and let's face it, Jesus wants you to forgive and that means not rising to the bait when it comes into your thoughts again - which it may do. Be mindful of one thing, who is actually doing this to you? Who is making your life a misery by keeping the wound open? The person that hurt you isn't. They may have died and yet the memory is still there. It's the devil and he doesn't want you to let anyone off the hook. If you let him, he will reduce you to a bundle of hopelessness. This is not God's best for you, is it? Therefore, rise up and decide to dispose of the record of wrongs from now on. And start living live to the full; start living your life as Jesus intends. Hold your head up high and make your Daily Life with Jesus count.

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'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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It's time to saddle up

"If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses?"  

                                                                Jeremiah 12:5   NLT 

Life can be difficult at times. One minute, we think that we have succeeded in something, the next, we find we are way off target. It's like being at the bottom of a mine shaft and somehow you manage to climb up. As you reach the top and are just going to lift a leg to get hold of the ground, you slip back down to the bottom again. Frustrating? You bet it is and you need all your willpower to keep going.

Jeremiah was wishing he had remained a priest; this way he would have had an easier life than a prophet. But a prophet he was to continue and would be battling with the Jordan countryside including jungles with wild animals. In prayer with God, he mentioned his complaints and observations and God's answer is our text today: 'If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses?" In other words, it was like God was saying 'If you think this is bad, how are you going to cope when it gets really tough.' 

Not the kind of response Jeremiah was looking for, but God doesn't always answer us the way we expected Him to.

Like we read the other day, in 'Walking through Mud' (8th Dec) "You've walked through thick mud; Jesus walked along a dirt path carrying His own cross. You have been mistreated, badly; Jesus suffered the worst mistreatment ever. He died an agonising death but, what did He say, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do'  Luke 23:34." We made a choice to follow Jesus - a commitment, Jesus didn't force us, we said 'Yes' to Him so, we can hardly back out now or complain because we're getting our hands dirty. We're soldiers, and soldiers have it tough but get the job done no matter what. We are the same- God's soldiers, therefore we have to toughen up.

Think of it this way, if you are going through a rough time at present, you are in training and you must dig your heels in. God will help you but, it is never easy. But, do you know something? God always picks the best - the elite, and this is what you are. He has faith in you; He knows that you can do this. So grit your teeth, Jesus is right beside you, saddle up, get on your horse and race off to where God is sending you. 

You are the elite!

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'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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If you preach it, live it

"So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they preach."   Matthew 23:3   NLT 

In the world today, preachers and teachers of God's word, are expected to live what they preach and, this is how it should be. They are responsible for showing people the way ahead - the truth and nurturing them forward. Above, Jesus is talking about the Pharisee's attitudes. To the Pharisee, righteousness meant outward conformity to God's law; they ignored the inward condition of the heart. They commanded but didn't participate. Jesus considered them hypocritical, religious dictators and, quite often vipers.

Much is expected from teachers and preachers. James says, 'Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.' Basically, teachers are in a very responsible position. They are responsible for handling God's word and, their example should affect the people they teach. This is living the word. Mind you, this includes anyone who officiates as a leader in a home or prayer group or anything similar. We are all to adhere to the Word of God.

I would take it a step further as well. As a child of God, we should all be ambassadors of Christ. This means when people look at us, they should see Jesus. John Stott, comments in a journal from the CS Lewis Institute on 1 John 2:6:

'First, I think it is important for us to make a general statement, as the apostle John does in 1 John 2:6 "he who says he abides in Christ ought to  walk in the same way as He walked." In other words, if we claim to be a Christian, we must be Christlike.'

                                                                              John Stott, Becoming more like Christ

As we have mentioned many times, the average person in the street, does not read a bible. When they know that we are 'Religious,' they watch how we act, what we say and some will actually say, 'Is that the way a Christian speaks or acts.' In other words, we are the closest thing to Jesus that they normally see, even if they go to a church service. If I may say, many people are on their best behaviour in church but, at home or out and about, they can be very different. This should not be. We should carry the fragrance of Jesus wherever we are and whatever we do. This means when someone cuts us up in the car, instead of tooting the horn and gesticulating to them, we should remain cool. Difficult? Yes it is, but with practice we can do this.

So there it us, we are all accountable to Jesus for whatever we say or do and, at the moment, there is still time to get it right, I hope!

If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now:

'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