Overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit

"Others mocking said, 'They are full of new wine."  Acts 2:13  NKJV  

Wherever you go and whatever you do for the Lord, you will always have the mockers around. Sometimes they turn up from nowhere, at other times they reveal what you had always suspected. They are not your friends and are sent to distract and take your mind off what is God's plan. They are very convincing sometimes, and at other times they can be brutally nasty. Avoid them.

We see a different Peter here. One moment he is standing with the other disciples v14, the next, he is addressing the crowds. What had happened? The fear had gone and he had turned into the man of God that Jesus had forgiven, re-built and blessed in John 21. And now, with the overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit, He was on fire - a preacher at work. Peter told them that they were not drunk but they were living the word of the prophets. He really laid it on thickly letting them know that if they had been observant to God's word, they would known this. Peter continued:

'Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"  Acts 2:36-38

Peter carried on preaching; he was alive for Jesus and he was living out his calling. He preached and around three thousand souls were saved that day. Now, for a preacher who has never preached before, that really is something and he must have felt elated, however, he would be sure to give the glory to God. 

The church today needs this power. Sadly many sermons are preached with very little response. to them. Altar calls are intermittent. There appears to be more time allocated to worship than there is to God's Word. People may say that worship is still God's word but, that may be ambiguous. We need God's word being preached in the power of the Holy Spirit with so much power that, souls are saved, lives are changed and the name of Jesus is glorified. Amen?

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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

 

 

 

 

The Holy Spirit

"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind."  

                                                               Acts 2:1-2  NKJV

Jerusalem was packed at this time. It was a holiday season -  the Day of Pentecost and many people from far and wide visited for this purpose. The disciples, were still avoiding people because of their fear of the authorities, so they were together in the house. Notice a very important thing, they were together of one accord in one place. They were united in Jesus. An important emphasis is made connecting unity and obedience in order to experience the presence, the power and the influence of the Holy Spirit. If a church is not together in unity and obedience, no matter how much worship and praise is offered, there will be very little that happens in that place. If people are at loggerheads and back-biting with gossips of all kinds, the Holy Spirit cannot work in such a fellowship. Changes will need to be made of which, making Jesus the central part of the church should be uppermost. 

The disciples were together and 'suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind' v2. I was in Burnham on Sea a few years ago and I decided to walk down to the beach. The tide was coming in but, it was far off on the horizon. I busied myself taking a few photographs when suddenly, there was an awesome sound, rather like an express train had gone by. It was the tide, I never knew that it came in so fast and so noisy. It was quite an experience. I relate this experience to the sound that the disciples heard that morning. It would have been awesome and very supernatural but the bonus was when tongues of fire came on them and they began to speak in other

 languages.

This is not to be confused with the heavenly language that the Holy Spirit gives us for our powerful prayer life. This was much different because visitors to the city were hearing their own language being spoken. Everyone was speaking in each other's tongue and this brought confusion but also a desire to know more about it. If they had been speaking in their own heavenly language, no one would have been able to understand them and they may have been labelled as mad. As it is, some began spreading it around that they were drunk. They were not intoxicated with wine but they were overdosed in the Holy Spirit. They would also never be the same again. Watch this space!

 

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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 has a plan

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth."   

                                                                Acts 1:8  NKJV 

Jesus was getting ready for His ascension into heaven. Therefore, He wanted the disciples to understand their role in His plan. It was preparation time. He told them that within a few days they would be baptised with the Holy Spirit. They understood this because, Jesus had already prepared them. If you look back at John 20:21-22, we read:

'So Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' 22 'And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'

This was a foretaste of what He had for them very soon. They needed strength to be able to meet the daily problems that they were receiving from their enemies and therefore needed a certain authority that could only come from Jesus. The full level of The Holy Spirit would come very soon.

As I mentioned, Jesus was preparing them. He wanted them to be ready but it was essential that there was a waiting period for this to take place. Preparation is essential for the Christian worker, they need to be equipped with the Word of God. Once you are on the streets, you need to be sure of what you are saying to people. So they had a short time of prayer and meditation as they prepared for the greatest test of their lives.

Note how Jesus planned things out, giving the disciples a blue print of the areas they would go. It was systematic. Later, the Holy Spirit would have the total control but, until then, this was the plan. Be careful here. It is so easy to take the control and run ahead doing your own thing. Sometimes, people don't seem to go as quick as you feel they should go. The truth is, it may work both ways and they may be thinking, 'I wish they would slow down and work with us.' As much as some people don't like it, there is a need for team work. There are no Lone Rangers in God's Army. We must be united and in step with each other. Otherwise, the devil will have a heyday. Remember Eve in the garden?

Therefore, allow God to knock you into shape. He has an awesome mission for you so, get ready.

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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

 

 

 

 

He's alive again

"And behold there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it."   

                                                                 Matthew 28:2   NKJV 

I love the last part of this verse 'rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.' The angel was declaring that Jesus is alive. Let's face it, the angel was no mere cherub. He was so astonishing and awesome that the guards who saw Him were terrified and passed out. What the officials had feared, had happened - Jesus had escaped but, not in the way they had felt, by His disciples taking Him out of the grave. Not at all, Jesus had declared that He would arise and there was no denying this fact.

The words of Phil Driscoll say it all:

'He's alive again, the stone's been rolled away, He's alive again, He's no longer where He lay. He's alive again, you can hear the angels say, let all the world rejoice, He's alive'

However, for Christians, this is not an annual appointment on the calendar. It is an everyday experience - Jesus Christ is Alive! The devil couldn't hold Him. He blew the lid off hell and after that three day experience, He blasted out of there like and Exocet missile.  Jesus Christ is alive, the stone's been rolled away and this means, the stone holding you back from living fully for Jesus. Something has held you back, it may be fear, it may be embarrassment, but today, the stone has been rolled away and you are free.

You may not have much financial or successful comparison with others but one thing you do have is Jesus. He is your forever friend, your confidante, your encourager and protector. He is your everything. It is time to make a stand for Jesus. In this world there are too many people telling us that we should not do this or it is wrong to be in opposition to their beliefs. As Christians, we are labelled as troublemakers and old fashioned. The bible is outdated and should be re-written. Well, I say, no way, not today or any day. 

These people have no right to walk all over us. Jesus paid the price for sin, He hasn't changed, He is still the same Jesus. From now on, will you make your stand for Jesus? Will you refuse to follow the world and its changes and promote Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords? Let's do it.

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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

 

 

 

 

Alone and hurting

 "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning"   Psalm 30:5   NKJV

Jesus had died on the cross and His body had been placed in a tomb. It was over!. Many of the disciples were devastated. They had never really understood what Jesus had been telling them over the past three years - that He must die and be raised again. This would all be going through their minds as they tried to cope with their grief.

Grief can completely wreck a person's life. We think death happens to other people, it doesn't cross over into our lives. The thing is, we never really give death a thought, it's too painful to comprehend. However, when it invades our own personal space, it is hard to handle and people can go through all sorts of confusing emotions trying to make sense of it all.

Loss brings change - many of them and this can be difficult to negotiate. The process cannot be rushed and it can take an age before some are strong enough to be able to cope. When a person has invested their whole life with someone and that person is no longer with them, their whole life can fall apart. You may be going through a loss right now. There are no right or wrong ways to do things. The big factor is time. We need to allow ourselves to come to terms with what has happened and work through the early stages of loss very gently.

To a degree, this was probably how Peter and the others were feeling. They had given everything up to follow Jesus and now, as they tried to remember what Jesus had been teaching them, a feeling of utter loss was upon them. 'What are we going to do now?' You can just hear them as you try to sit in on their conversation. They may have been irritable or felt a sense of betrayal. It is hard to think how they were feeling at this time. Be honest, when you have felt let down by someone, badly, it is difficult to feel good about the situation. This was part of the process, they had to sort through their anger and frustration before they could do anything else.

Deep down though, these men and women had been handpicked by Jesus Himself; they were a special type of people and given the time, the Holy Spirit would bring to mind what  had been happening. And He will to you as well.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Like the disciples, you may be devastated by what has happened in your life just lately. Please be encouraged to take your time, the sun will shine again for you but only when you are ready to walk on with life.

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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

 

 

 

 

The Cross

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."   Luke 23:34   NKJV

Jesus' body was totally disfigured and in awful pain but He still had to carry His own cross until, someone was found to assist Him. There were two criminals with Him about to share the same fate. One blasphemed all the time, the other one tried to keep him quiet. All around, the excitement of a public execution was thrilling most of the onlookers. They cursed Him, ridiculed Him and were totally disrespectful. As the soldiers drove the nails into His body, the pain must have been awful. Have a splinter in your finger and it hurts, imagine a 7 inch mail through His feet and hands. It is also possible that a larger nail was placed between Jesus' legs, in the crutch area. This would allow Him to bear His body for a short time.

As the cross was hoisted up with Jesus on it, it rattled down into the hole and this must have pulled some of his muscles out. On the ground, some cast lots for His clothes. Some feel that Jesus had seamless clothes which would have made them in the class of designer. However, we have nothing to prove this theory. From the cross, Jesus shouted,"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  But many were too busy watching the proceedings to hear. One of the criminals at the side of Jesus, continued to blaspheme Jesus, but the other one said, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom. Jesus replied, 'Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.' (Luke 23:42-43.) This comment from Jesus, ends speculation that initially when we die, we may not be with Jesus, that there is a waiting time. Not so, Jesus said 'Today' and I believe it.

From the 6 hour (12 noon) until the 9th hour (3pm) there was darkness all around. Why? Because the Light of the world had been taken out. 

We all have our own feelings about the cross and many are so personal. Yes, Jesus suffered in such a way so that we, may have freedom - salvation, forgiveness and life. He did it all for us that day 2000 years ago. But, He will be back, the evil could not even attempt to keep Him locked in death. Thank you Jesus

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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

 

 

 

 

The journey to the cross

"Now when He said to them, 'I am He.' They drew back and fell to the ground."  

                                                            John 18:6. NKJV

Jesus' life continued to be one of humiliation and suffering. He was betrayed by a friend - Judas, who was in His own team. Even though Jesus knew this would happen, it would still hurt after being together for so long. When trust is broken, it can rarely be repaired to the place it was initially. Jesus asked them who they were seeking and when they answered, He replied with the powerful words, 'I am He.' Jesus spoke the divine name, the one God had spoken to Moses about, and this became a powerful moment. The people, including Judas drew back and fell over. This must have been a mighty moment to witness, and yet, they appear not to have mentioned it. Peter always ready for action, took his sword and cut off the high priest's servant's ear. Straightaway, Jesus rebuked him and picked up the ear and healed the man. Amazing.

The soldiers and officials took Jesus with them to be questioned by the high priest and then before Pilate. The latter could find no fault in Him but, because of his position and the demands of the people, he had Jesus scourged prior to crucifixion. 

Peter kept himself at a distance and began to deny he even knew Jesus to save himself. As predicted by Jesus, on the third denial, a cock crowed and Peter went off deeply upset. Let's not forget, this too would have been so hurtful for Jesus. 

In the meantime, Pilate had Jesus scourged, which was a terrible thing for anyone to suffer. A whip was used with leather strips on which each had pieces of bone, broken pottery or metal sewn into them. Thirty nine agonising stripes were inflicted on Jesus. The whip would wrap around the body and then it would be pulled, violently, leaving the body badly lacerated and the victim in terrible pain. Jesus suffered 39 of these lashes and it is difficult to describe how it affected His body. Afterwards, a crown was weaved with very long thorns and this, when completed, was forced on to Jesus scalp. That in itself would have been barbaric. The soldiers dressed Him in a purple robe and then they struck Him, spat on Him, pulled His beard and no doubt, things that we are not told. All the time they were shouting, 'Hail, King of the Jews.' Later He would be taken to the crucifixion site.

It is hard to know what was happening that day. The level of evil was everywhere and you can guess that Satan was loving every moment of this torture scene. On thing is for sure, despite His human form, Jesus stood the test of time and never uttered a word of vengeance or anger to the people who were hurting Him. He didn't have to, His time would come following His death and He would rise victorious as Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. Until then, the cross was in sight

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 2024 Grahame Howard.                                

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com  

If you would like to contact me, grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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