Watch the scams

"Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  Matthew 10:16  NKJV 

Wherever we look today, there is a scam going on. It becomes very difficult to know who is genuine and who is a fraud. These people are skilled in their art of misleading and robbing people. I have written several books over the years https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Grahame-Howard/author/B00356R978?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

and from time to time people contact me for updates. The other day I received an email from an agent from Barnes & Nobles - a major book seller and publisher. This lady wanted to know if I still hold the copyright for a particular book and would I like to receive a lucrative opportunity to place this title in 600 book stores worldwide. Initially, I felt this indeed could be a good deal but then, I felt God saying, "Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." This brought me to my senses and after doing a few checks, I found out that there is a scam going on around certain companies. I therefore, reported the email and will take it no further.

Now if I had not been wise and avoided God's voice, this 'lucrative opportunity' could have ended costing me a small fortune. These scam artists are everywhere and there's not an hour of the day where people are losing their money. So be careful and make sure you don't rush into something no matter how wonderful it may seem. 

A snake is a crafty reptile and hides and waits for the right moment to attack it's prey. It has four characteristics: (1) A deadly tongue, (2) Crawls into situations, (3) Lies and waits and (4) Strikes and bites. When you think about it, scammers are no different, they also have these characteristics. But also, the snake is wise and sensible and it is prudent. They watch out for themselves and are aware of those who don't have it's best interests at heart. 

Be wise and ready for the unexpected. Remember, your enemy, the devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. That unexpected telephone call when you're distracted with busy-ness, can be costly if you fall into their trap of over-speaking. Even though you may be ex-directory, they can still get hold of you so, don't take a day off being sensible. You may regret it. 

Also watch the ads on Facebook and Instagram. They have so many wonderful deals to offer us but, once some of them get their hands on you, they can clear your bank account out in a moment. I could go on for hours here but, thank God that Jesus has our back. He knew about such things over 2000 years ago. This is why we need to be conversant in His Word. It is our road map to life.

Be wise in all you do. Don't rush into things without praying things through. Don't be fooled by a sweet-talking person who wants to save you money. They don't - they're after yours. So be careful.

Have a scam-free day

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

Do you know the Truth?

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  John 8:32. NKJV 

So what is truth and how do you recognise it? We live in a world today that is full of lies. Scams are around every corner and people are ready to make a fast buck out of us whenever they can. It is hard to trust anyone these days. What sounds genuine enough can turn out to be false and it can come with a cost. Marriages fall apart because of lies and deceit; some people can;'t be trusted in their jobs and lose their position. The problem is, we can all begin to be tarred with the same brush. It's got to the point where we have to earn our trust. This is so sad.

John Avanzini, an American Christian lecturer write: 'You cannot walk in a truth you do not know'. And he is right, we need to know the truth before we put it into action and then we must obey that truth. It's the only way. Verse 31 says, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.' Therefore we need to live and remain in a truth, this truth will set you free. And this truth is Jesus Christ. We have to abide in Him, remain in Him and continue in Him always. 

Once you know the truth, you are free. You can relax and refuse to be taunted anymore. God said in Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Jesus reinforces this in John 16:13 with, 'However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come.' 

Jesus is the Truth and He wants you to be as well. 

When we are walking in the truth, people will notice the difference; they will begin to notice something about you and will trust you. You will find that you will be entrusted with more responsibly, whether at work or in your friendships. People will begin to feel at ease with you. It is such a relief to be able to trust someone and Jesus wants you, to be that someone. This is what it is all about; people will notice the truth in you and this truth will set them free. Why? Because, they will notice Jesus Christ, and this truth will take the chains off their life and you'll begin to receive people's respect.

So get to know the truth even more and then live it out to all you can. Live the life for 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 

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Give Him what you have!

"Jesus said to them, “Fill the water-pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.  8And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it".  John 2:7-8  NKJV

Jesus was at a wedding with His mother; the disciples also tagged along. A little way through the ceremony, they ran out of wine and Mary, automatically looked at Jesus because, she knew He could take care of this situation. 'Whatever He says to you, do it!' she told the staff. Jesus told them to fill the large pots of stone with water and serve this to the guests. A miracle happened, the water became wine.

Jesus words to the servants could well have said, 'Give Me what you've got and I'll give you back what you need.' Even though Jesus wasn't ready to reveal His identity yet, He wanted to please His mother and, you know what? He wants to please you too. But there is a strategy. To get out, you must put in. No deposit - No return. If you don't put money in your bank, you will have nothing to fall back on when you need cash.

In the famous Christmas Carol: In the Bleak Mid Winter, we find the words, 'What can I give Him - give my heart.' This is the rule of obedience but, in giving Him your heart, it also means giving Him the rest:

(1) Your life

(2) Your time

(3) Your hobbies

(4) Your family

(5) Your job

(6) Your money

And this is just for starters. Some people are fine with the first 5 on the list but, No 6 is a difficult one to handle. Jesus wants all of what we have. He is not trying to make money out of us. There is none of 'Give Me your money and I'll send you a blessing.' You may hear this on certain preaching channels on TV. But you will not, hear this from God. The reason He wants you to give Him your money is to demonstrate your obedience and reliance upon Him. He can give you more than you could ever need in a second. But He wants your everything, to know that you trust Him.

Most people tithe but many don't but, it is up to you, the individual. Jesus will not bludgeon you to tithe. However, it is spiritually healthy to do so. You can't out give God, the more you give, the more He will pour back to you. He is faithful and there is nothing to be scared about when you give. Don't be under pressure with this; God will show you and you will know if He wants you to bless someone financially or start tithing in your church etc. But, remember the words above: 'Give Me what you've got and I'll give you back what you need.' To put this into action will be the highway to blessing.

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

 

 

You're a candidate for a miracle

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success".  

                                                                              Joshua 1:8  NKJV

Many people think prosperity and success is having power, prosperous contacts and a relentless desire to get ahead. But God taught Joshua a better strategy: (1) Be strong and courageous because the days to come will not be easy. Therefore, prepare for this. (2) Obey God's law and 

(3) Constantly read and study the book of instruction - the bible. So to be prosperous and successful, follow God's Word to Joshua. By the world's standards, you may not be successful but in God's eyes, you will be and, He is the one that matters.

Sticking to this strategy is a recipe for success. As Hazel Howard says, 'It doesn't say God will do it for us. It is down to us, we determine our future.' I heard a preacher once say, by doing this, 'You are a candidate for a miracle.' We need to think, meditate and speak the Word, nothing else. Keep the Word in your mouth. 

When you think about it, we can do most things when we have someone behind us. There are times when we have to go somewhere important. Just the thought of it makes us feel uneasy. However, if someone volunteers to go with us, we feel much better and accomplish it well. Whatever we do and wherever we have to go, we have someone who will be there with us, and His name is Jesus. God tells us in v9 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go'. Note, this is not advice, it is a command. We do well if we live by this.

There is no substitute for obedience, consistency, discipline and perseverance. It is the secret to to prosperity in its entirety. Miracles do happen and often when you least expect them. We have to position ourselves properly. Where God is, there is success therefore, stick close to Him. Allow Him to teach you things that you never knew. He has the answer for that thing you are struggling with so, why struggle, give it to Jesus. Learn more and more about Jesus on a daily basis. He has a lot to offer each one of us and, He is generous, believe me.

So, get into the Word. Forget the newspaper that will just depress you. Grab your bible and get edified with the strength of Jesus Christ.

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

Persistence

"But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”  

300 years before Nehemiah's time, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and the people carried away as captives. The land was re-populated by other captives from the Assyrian

population some of these intermarried with the few Israelites who remained. These were called Samaritans. When the Jewish people eventually returned home, they refused to have anything to do with these unclean people. They were a hated breed.

Now Sanballat, was governor of Samaria and he expected to be governor of the land which contained Jerusalem. But Nehemiah's arrival put paid to that. Nehemiah became governor of Jerusalem and positioned himself to re-build the city wall that the Babylonians had smashed down years ago.

Sanballat brought discouragement and intimidation to Nehemiah's work and taunted him with questions such as recorded above. Check these questions out and match them against what Satan may say to any of us who are doing a work for God. (Possible answers below) They were arrows designed to maim and cause them to stop the work as the wall would only fall down again. However, Nehemiah was having none of it and committed the work to God. Nehemiah and his men 'had a mind to work.' v6. Nothing was going to make them quit.

You may be trying to achieve something for God but are coming against obstacles, therefore. Don't Give up, success begins at the beginning and continues with consistent action. (1) Refuse to accept the devil's lies. You are not feeble, you are able (Phil 4:13). (2) God is the restorer. He has given you the task and He will ensure you are equipped. (3) The devil will try to mock your acts of service. Don't listen to him. (4) You will finish what God has set before you. You will see it happen - just believe. (5) God can turn the rubble of a building site into building blocks for a palace. Again, just believe.

Listen, the devil's plan is to make you feel so useless that you will lose interest and go else where. Stay where you are and get the job done. Speak importunity to yourself; speak faith to yourself, speak persistence to yourself and speak the words, 'I can do this!' Because you can.

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

God's Word Seals the Deal!

“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills
shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”  Isaiah 55:12-13   NKJV

In this piece of scripture, Isaiah describes the wonderful day when the Messiah returns. 'You shall go out with joy and be led with peace.' And we certainly will if we are here to witness this glorious event. If not, we will be safe and sound with Jesus anyway. Isaiah gives a wonderful picture of nature celebrating and praising - imagine the mountains and the hills breaking forth into song and the trees of the field clapping and praising God. We shall be clothed in strength as we join in the Post Exilic Return, Messianic and Eschatological excitement of the world to come. It will be breathtaking to say the least. No wonder he says that we shall go out with joy! 

But that is for the future, which of course, could happen anytime, even now. Until then, it's not over yet. Times may have been difficult of late for many people - the weather and the constant rain and flooding; the economy bringing about financial worries and then to top it all, a change of government and whatever this may bring us. But think, you have made it this far and Jesus will help you get even further if you allow Him to. Let's just look at a few topics here:

Joy To possess this, one must have determination and be proactive. Things do not usually come and land at our feet, we have to get up and grab things and make it ours. For this we need the joy of the Lord which gives us the strength to exist.

Peace  Realise that God is with you in this, whatever it is. He knows the way through and will give you the courage and the willpower to overcome. Peace will yet again flow!

Praise  This breaks down doors and releases chains and barriers that have kept you penned in.

Grab hold of it and start praising Jesus.

Thankfulness  This melts God's heart.

There is another verse that was written prior to this piece off scripture:

'So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void,
but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it'.

                                                                                                   Isaiah 55:11

God's Word is backed by faith and full of power. If God has said it, it will happen. If He hasn't said it, it won't. Therefore, listen carefully to what God is telling you. Don't improvise or add to it, just take it as it is because, God's Word seals the deal. Read it again; it is God's Word that comes out of His mouth (not yours) It will accomplish what He pleases (not what pleases you) and it shall prosper in the thing for which He sent it (He sent, not you).

Sorry if this sounds strict but, God's word is strict and He wants it delivering properly. So there you have it. There's a time in the future that will affect us all but, until then, there are things that we need to do. 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

Soar like the eagle

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles."   Isaiah 40:31  NKJV

In times of great stress, our coping mechanism may fail to work or cooperate with our needs. Minor problems can appear like giant ones and, whatever we do, nothing seems to work. Where our coping skills were once in good working order, they may now have departed and life can take on a major problem. Whatever you do, don't confess that you are at your wits end or, you may receive this. Remember, what we confess we can receive. So be careful what you say.

When life is like this, we need to rise above the worry and anxiety, but how? One way is to look at this scripture in the 40th Chapter of Isaiah and read v29-31:

"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.
30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,
31But 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".

It is almost as if it is saying:

'I am receiving power to overcome, the Lord is increasing my strength.' If you then read and own the following words, 'Power to the weak' and 'Strength to those who don't have it.' You're on your way to receiving this. Then call out to God that He may affirm it.

You may need to be patient and wait on the Lord but, He will renew your strength. To 'Wait' for the Lord entails confident expectation and active hope. So mount up with wings like eagles, run and don't be weary, walk and not faint. In fact, reach new heights in Jesus.

Check out the eagle - to mount is to ascend. An eagle does not flap, it soars. When trouble comes it waits for the breeze and lifts off with hardly any effort. It will soar graciously. We flap - the eagle soars. There is a big difference. In comparison to the human, the eagle has a lot to teach us. If a predator comes near, it just flies higher - higher sometimes than what any other bird will risk. The eagle avoids the hassle. The eagle can be a dangerous bird, many other birds risk getting torn to pieces by trying to attack it. However, nothing seems to trouble it. There is a great lesson to learn here. We would be far better ignoring some of the things that attempt to trouble us and concentrate on the things that really matter.

Like the eagle, rise above all of your worries, fears and hassles.

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