Worry and Anxiety

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God - "  Philippians 4:6  NKJV 

We know that we shouldn't do it but, we still do. We worry about this and are anxious about that to the point where we are ready to shout, 'What are we going to do?' We can laugh at this but, God doesn't. He has told us firmly in Matthew 6 that we should not worry and He reaffirms it here. But still we worry.

What is the point of worrying anyway? We have sleepless nights and think about these worries all through the day but, they are still there. If we can do something about them, then go ahead and rectify this. If we can't, there is no point in worrying. Worry is like sitting on an exercise bike with your legs pedalling like crazy. You become tired, out of breath but, you haven't gone anywhere, you are still in the same spot.

The root of our worries is our reluctance to trust in God. We should leave it to Him because there is nothing we can do about it. I remember hearing Ray McCauley preach about this. The church had received a massive bill for something and their funds could not cover this. He said that he refused to worry about it and said to God, 'Lord, this bill is Yours, not mine. You wanted the church to carry out an outreach. Now we can't meet the payment. Lord, I give you this bill because I'm off home and refuse to worry about it.' You may think this was a little course speaking to God like this but, that is what he did and the bill was settled not long after.

Anxiety is a distraction and it disables us and slows down our production. It affects our health and it definitely affects our relationships. Behind closed doors at home, this is the place that we can be 'us' and say it how it is. The thing is, if we have family listening to these complaints, worries and anxieties, it is not very edifying to them. We can be 'us' yes, but we need to ensure that we keep Jesus uppermost in what we say and think.

When we are stressed out by all of this, we can tend to make unwise decisions. Don't do this. Our first point of call is Jesus. He cares and He will help if we get out of the way and let Him. Just remember, being anxious and worried robs us of our joy and when we have lost our strength, then we can easily cave in.

Let us not allow this to happen, Let is bring it to God, the One who knows all the answers. Let us pray for that inner peace to flood through our life. Jesus does not want us to be anxious, worried or fearful. We are a valuable commodity, so let us look up and grab hold of the victory that is available so freely.

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

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Where did you come from?

"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."  1 Timothy 1:12-14  NKJV 

Paul found mercy and forgiveness even after his intense persecution of the church. Therefore, God surely offers you, I and others salvation. He does this by His grace, which is God's undeserved love, unearned and freely given favour.

So, no matter what we did wrong, if we have repented Jesus has forgiven us and given us a new life 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.'  2 Cor 5:17.

This is amazing news that Jesus counted us faithful, even though we got into all kinds of things. We may have been awful before we met with Jesus but, as we repented, He washed away the sin, the bad bits in our life and declared us His child. That is grace.

Surely this is something to shout about; to sing and praise God. Who else in this world would have been so kind to us, so loving? Many people gave up on us and walked away. Jesus didn't walk away, He walked towards us, this is the difference. Other people were ashamed of our behaviour, Jesus took our shame away. We longed for a new start in life and Jesus met this need when others said, 'No way'. His grace overflowed towards us.

Paul says that he was ignorant of his wrongdoings because of his unbelief. His eyes had not been opened to committing this sin. I agree with this, the things that I was involved in pre-Jesus, I too acted in unbelief. I did at times though, have something within me showing me that it was wrong. And I am sure Paul did too, in fact, all of us.

But now, we have this new life in Jesus. We have a hope for the future. Our insurance stamps have been paid up by Jesus and we can say with confidence that we have a place reserved in heaven when the time comes John 14:1-4. Through Jesus, you and I have a testimony to share with others. It is edifying to share this with fellow Christians but, it is far more worthwhile to share it with unbelievers. Many of them give us the opportunity by asking why we became a Christian. When they do, don't draw back in embarrassment. This may be the only chance they have to find Jesus. It is so important that we take the opportunities. After all, we have Good News to share. Everyone likes good news.

So, have a good day. Spend some time with Jesus and consider with Him what you have just read. And thank and praise Him.

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 

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What is Jesus like? Part 2

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about"  Philippians 4:8  The Living Bible 

With our text from yesterday (1 Cor 13:4-8),  and the text above, we see a picture of Jesus. We ask what He is like, well this is a good reflection of His love and care to us all.

In this piece of scripture, Paul tells us to fix our thoughts upon what is true and right. Well Jesus Himself told us that: 'I am the way, the truth and the life' John 14:6. He only speaks the truth to us and everyone who is near and, what is more, He is the only one that we can truly rely on in this world. Think about that for a moment. Our close friends will let us down no matter how much they tell us they won't. Our spouse, the one that we are in covenant with, will fail us at times. So will our family. We've all been let down at some point throughout our lives but, not by Jesus. Some may say they have but, that's a lie from the devil because He never lets anyone down. 

He is pure and lovely and He helps us to be this way as we walk with Him. The problem comes when we lose our way, going off on our own. However, like a true Shepherd, He will always seek us out. He wants to impart these qualities upon us too, so that we stand out in a crowd, drawing people to us wherever we are. He has changed so many lives throughout our world and, He isn't finished yet. And what's more, He has commissioned you to be part of His workforce - Team Jesus. What a privilege, to be chosen by the King of kings to bring people into His kingdom! 

There is so much evil and sadness in our world. We only have to glance at the news to see how it is escalating. Young children stabbing people, rapes, abuse, wars and people who are living through hell-type situations. Prayer is one of the answers for this because it changes things. We may not see how it does but we should never give up on it. 1 These 5:16 sys that we should pray without ceasing. So don't stop, keep pressing in.

How wonderful Jesus is; how lovely and gracious. It's difficult to explain the pain that people are suffering throughout the world but, know one thing, Jesus is in control, it may not seem like it at times, but never doubt that He is. Just be grateful for that and thankful for what He has given you. What is Jesus like? He is truth, He is Light, He is God; He is your King but He is your friend, the One that saved you, loves you and holds you in His arms when you need this. He will never let you down. Now this is something to praise Him for, isn't 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 

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What is Jesus like? Part 1

"Love is very patient and kind, never boastful or proud, 5 never haughty, or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. 6 It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices when truth wins out. 7 If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. 8...Love goes on forever."  1 Corinthians 13:4-8  The Living Bible

What is Jesus like? We've all wondered and may have pictured Him with long black or grey hair and a beard. Some people who obviously do not know Him, describe Him as the 'baby Jesus'. One thing He is not, and that is a baby. He is the warrior, truly God and wants to be your best friend - your forever friend. Some people have claimed to have seen God and I in no way dispute this, they may have. I have had visions of Him myself but, have never seen Him face to face. Moses did though. The first time, he heard God speaking from a burning bush and then throughout his ministry he mentions seeing Him. However, these were probably a Theophany, which is an appearance of God or a god - to a human being. A divine manifestation. But this is only my interpretation of what it says in scripture, Moses and some other people in our lifetime may well have seen Him. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

I personally believe that this scripture is a true interpretation of Jesus, together with Philippians 4:8. Let us remember that God is love (1 John 4:16).  Think about your own life, Jesus has never been impatient and unkind with you, has He? All the things that you have done wrong - daily, if you're like me, He is never irritable or touchy with us and He never holds a grudge, like we do quite often. What about when someone wrongs you however small it may be. You and I may throw a wobbly, making a massive mountain out of a tiny mole hill. Jesus doesn't. He notices, of course He does but, many times He remains quiet. Jesus is 100% loyal to each one of us. Can we say the same about how we are with certain people? Jesus believes in us and will not listen to accusations that are thrown at us until proven. Even then, He is faithful and never judgemental and when we repent, He chooses to forgive. He doesn't have a Record of Wrongs book. Have you got one? Before I was a Christian I had a library of them and even now, I am tempted to get the pen out and write things down. But I know if I do, Jesus will not be pleased and will remind me that He has always forgiven me, so I should them.

One thing Jesus does and I'm grateful for, is that He always thinks the best of me, whatever I do. And He is the same with you. Whatever you do, wherever you are, He remembers that you are His child, I wouldn't be surprised if He has a photo of you in His wallet. He adores you.

This description is only a small fraction of what Jesus is like. Put this together with Philippians 4:8 and you will begin to get a deeper understanding of Jesus. But there is much, much more that we can find out about Him each day. So keep looking!

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 

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Don't let the devil disable you

"No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear."   Ephesians 4:29  CSB 

If you have a particular church ministry, you are a target for the evil one. Especially if you are the worship leader for the day or if you are preaching the word. You are in a very vulnerable position. Let me explain:

Let's say for example that it is Sunday and you are the preacher for this particular day. Prior to leaving home you have an argument with your spouse - a pretty bad one. Words are spoken that either of you don't mean but they pierce you both and hurt. You are minutes away from leaving home and your spouse says she is not going with such a hypocrite. You manage to persuade her and on the way there, the two of you continue to bicker. Finally arriving at the church, people are making their way into the building and you notice that there are a couple of people on the door welcoming people. The last thing you want to do is hug someone or be nice and polite, but you put on a false face and exchange pleasantries. 

Following more hugs and welcomes from fellow Christians inside the church building you take a seat. You are both invited to sit on the front row - Yuk. The worship goes by and it only seems seconds before it is time for you to hit them with your sermon. The lecturn is right in front of where your spouse is sitting and every word that comes out of your mouth, you notice a frown that appears to be saying, 'You hypocrite, you need to practice what you preach, matey boy.' You try to avoid these eyes that appear like daggers, but in the end you have to get on with it.

Who is in the wrong here? Well, you may say the devil, after all he is the author. But he is not the one in the wrong, you both are. Yes, your spouse was taunting you with bad feeling, but you were also in the wrong because you preached a sermon in your own strength. It is doubtful that it was Holy Spirit based. It would have been better to take one of the leaders aside and confess that you had had a bad row on the way to the church and you feel bad about it all. They would be faced with two choices, either release you from preaching that day or offer to pray for you both. The latter would have been more favourable because, this would have brought about a peace, that you both needed. You would then have been better placed to preach the word that God had given you.

We are normal, human beings. Just because we are Christians does not mean that we will not have arguments. And let's face it, what better time for the devil when you are going to minister. If this has happened to you, it's ok, you are normal. But realise one thing, rows are powerful weapons so, if you are ministering on a particular day, be prepared, the devil will try and launch an attack. Be alert totally, because the attack may not come from where you expected it to. It may be designed to block you in another area. Be prepared. 

This is not only for people in a ministerial position, it is for us all. The devil is roaming around ready to pounce 1 Peter 5:8. Be ready at all times. Train yourselves to recognise what is happening before you become involved in an argument; not easy I know, but it is achievable and essential. And put you armour on.

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 

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The World v Jesus

"Do not love the world, or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."        1 John 2:15  NKJV

This verse should be read properly with, a discerning heart. God is not wanting us to hate the world. He wants us to love the world but not the evil things that go on in it.

God made this world back at creation and He was very pleased with His efforts. In fact, He took the next day off and rested as He looked at what He had created. Sadly, before too long, Satan ruined this by tempting Adam and Eve to allow sin to enter the world. But God has never stopped loving this world or His anointed people.

We are not to hate the world but, the things that draw us away from God. Just think of all the wonderful things in the world at this time - you and your family, a nice house to live in and a job that helps pay the never-ending bills. Look around our country - beaches, landscapes, nature and fresh air. Yes, there are some weak spots at this time but, that is not God's fault. It is down to bad planning from certain people. If we consider that our Father created this world and ourselves in six days, imagine what heaven must be like after 2000 years or so. It is unthinkable because, at this time, we just cannot comprehend this thought. God made everything for us too enjoy.

But. we are not to love the world (of sin that opposes God and His precepts). Satan has created a morally evil system and this is opposed to all that God is and holds dear. John is not talking about us loving the world; he is not talking about Planet Earth. He's talking about this organised system that is headed by Satan, that draws people away from God's love and will. We should have the love of the world within us but, not the sin and lust that it contains. Tony Evans gives us a good example:

'A ship belongs in the water, but the water doesn't belong in the ship. You are to be in the world, but the world should not be in you'.  Copyright Dr Tony Evans

The world is a beautiful place, and we need to make the most of it. At this time, without it, we would not be able to survive. Sadly, rather like Satan attacked the Garden of Eden, he has done the same to the whole of the world. But he won't win, he can't, Jesus has already won. But until the day when we enter Paradise, let is enjoy what we have - what God has given us through His love, and let us refuse to love what the world has to offer if, it doesn't meet with Jesus' approval.

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 

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Make the most of every minute

"Pay careful attention then, to how you live - not as unwise people but as wise - 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 CSB 

Time is so important and, it is the one thing that we are running out of. None of us know how long we have left on this earth so, we need to make the most of every second. Don't waste your life. What opportunity is God giving you to maximise your potential? 

In other versions of the bible, it tells us that we need to be redeeming the time because the days are evil. To redeem means to buy back. Now we can't change the past - what we have done or not done but, we can certainly change things now and quickly. We need to take every opportunity that we are given. Once it is over, it is over.

We shouldn't be wasting time and opportunities by making the same choices we always make. What used to work may not work now, so be flexible. Don't be afraid to change routines but, be sure that God is in it. If He isn't, it is the biggest time-waster of all time. 

We need to understand what the Lord's will is (Eph 5:17). In the Amplified, it tells us straight: 'Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.' How do you do this? By asking Him and listening for His reply. He will answer you whether by that inner voice within, by scripture or another way. So be ready and don't make a move until it is confirmed by Him.

The devil can use people to distract us and swallow up our time. Many of us have spent much time with someone who will not accept what we say about Jesus. They come up with question and argument throughout the conversation. While you are spending time with these, someone may be near you who genuinely wants to know about Jesus. Don't be hoodwinked. Just be polite and tell them that you will discuss this with them on another occasion. This happens a lot after a service where people require prayer or counsel. If you are wise, you can spot the people who just want to swallow up your time and cause wasted opportunities with someone else.

Some of us are afraid to say, 'I'm sorry but I can't help you at this time. Perhaps we could meet up another time.' To avoid wasting time and opportunity this needs to be said, so that you can help the ones that really want Jesus; the ones that have problems that only Jesus can help with and that time is right now. It may be too late later.

All of us need to realise that the clock is ticking. We shouldn't be putting off until tomorrow, what is important today. Tomorrow may not happen for some.

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