The Prayer of Trust

"In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never 

be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.

2Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defence 

to save me. Therefore, for Your name’s 

sake, Lead me and guide me.

4Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength.

5Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You 

have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. 

3For You are my rock and my fortress."    

Psalm 31:1-5.  NKJV

This Psalm is really a lament. A lament has a strong element of trust in God. These type of Psalms, grow out of the confession of trust.

In v1 David writes 'In You, O LORD, I put my 

trust' This portrays a young bird seeking refuge under its mother's wing. In the CSB version it reads, 'LORD, I seek refuge in You'. 

Psalm 91:4 says 'He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and buckler.' This indicates complete protection from all harm. This can also be read as leaning on something or someone for spiritual support and guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6. 

In 31:5 comes an important statement from David, 'Into Your hand I commit my spirit' This is declaring total dependence on God for everything - his life is 

in God's hand to do with what He pleases. These words were also spoken by Jesus prior to His death on the cross Luke 23:46. And, then again by Stephen before his death Acts7:59.

Many, many others have done this also. It is something that all Christians declare as part of their commitment to Jesus. When we were saved, we asked Jesus into our hearts. This means, we gave Him everything and placed Him in charge of our lives and are willing to do what He wants, and go where He chooses. Are you willing to do what He wants you to do? Are you also willing to go where He wants you to go? Are you willing for whatever He wants from you? This is what committing ourselves to Jesus, means.

And when we do, He takes care of the rest. Do you feel challenged?

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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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I nearly gave up

"I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living".

                                                                                    Psalm 27:13. CSB

David wrote this Psalm with certainty in his heart that God would not let him down. Even if He made David wait to the final minute, David knew that He would rescue Him. This is something that we, Jesus' believers, need to take on board and live out. Some believers have been known to say such things as, 'I feel like giving up on Jesus and making my own 

way in life.' That is a very foolish and risky thing to declare. God never lets us down. He may make us wait for our requests, but, that is not because He likes to see us climbing the walls, waiting for His help. Not at all. God will not be rushed but, He will be on time and before He answers our prayers, He will assess the situation and see if there is any danger in it for us. Sometimes, He may not answer the way we asked Him to. These are the times when He has decided that the request is not right for us. He protects us.

When we are waiting for what seems like years, it can be awful but, that is the time to relax and consider David's words above,"I am certain that I 

will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living". Note the word 'Certain.' David was certain that He would see God's goodness while he was still alive. In other words 'Now, in this lifetime.' This was why he was able to say, 'I would have lost heart, unless I had believed.' NKJV. Note the word 'Believed,' David was not only certain but, he believed. He looked at the answer through his faith-filled eyes (2 Cor 5:7). He knew that there was hope in God, and He was patient and waited for the right time. And this is what we need to do, as well.

David didn't say, 'I nearly gave up'. He said, 'I would have lost heart, unless I had believed - ' And this is the way we need to live. There is hope in Jesus Christ! Bob Gass once said, 'Look beyond the eclipse, the sun will shine again.' So stand up straight, dust yourself down and praise God until 

that wonderful moment when God will act on your behalf (in the land of there living). Don't give up hope. Don;'t be tempted to say negative words such as, 'I nearly gave up.' Check out what the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:29 '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'.' 

So there you have it; stay in faith; remain certain that god will deliver, and He will.

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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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Do pets go to heaven?

"Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good."    Genesis 1:24-25.  CSB

Today, I would like us to consider the destiny of our pets when they die. For those of us who are going through this loss of a pet right now, it can be a dreadfully painful time. The love that was once there on four legs disappears and, with it goes a part of our heart. One of the first things that we want to know is: 'Are they now in heaven; will I see them again.?' However, this is a question that many can not answer for sure. 

C. S. Lewis, a well-known apologist for the Christian faith in the 1900s and author of the famous book series The Chronicles of Narnia, is known for his assertion that animals would get to heaven through their owners' relationship with God. Therefore, a Christian's pets would be found in the new heaven because of their owner's faith.

"The theory I am suggesting ... makes God the centre of the universe and man the subordinate centre of terrestrial nature: the beasts are not co-ordinate with man, but subordinate to him, and their destiny is related to his. And the derivative immortality suggested for them is not a mere amende or compensation: It is part and parcel of the new heaven and new earth, organically related to the whole suffering process of the world's fall and redemption." (C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, Chapter 9, 1940, p. 145).

Again, Billy Graham wrote: "I think God will have prepared everything for our perfect happiness. If it takes my dog being there (in Heaven), I believe he'll be there."

— Rev. Billy Graham, often called "America's Pastor"

And yet, over the years, I have met many church leaders who frown on the thought that a pet would have a place in heaven when they die. One thing that is uppermost in my mind is, If God created animals in the first place (Genesis 1) and considered that what He saw was good and then when He flooded the world (Genesis 7) why did He save so many pairs of each animal in the ark? The obvious answer is, because He wanted them to continue to live and breed many more. So, in my opinion, God loves the animals and gives us oceans of love through their existence in our lives. So why, would He prevent them giving us comfort when we are in heaven?

The Reverend Vet Jenny McKay, an associate pastor in Cheshire writes" 

'None of us can say for sure if we will see our beloved family pets, and indeed, all other created beings, in the afterlife. However, a careful consideration of the Old and New Testament, the reflections of the saints, particularly St Francis of Assisi, and other renowned theologians and scientists of our time, builds a strong case that in 

the renewed Kingdom of God, we will meet again'.   Psalm 36:6
https://www.christianity.org.uk/article/opinion-do-animals-go-to-heaven

So I am firmly convinced, that when I go to heaven, my furry friends will also be there to greet me. 

I hope you obtain peace of mind, that you will too.

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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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Meditate on these things

"Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things".

                                                                            Philippians 4:8   CSB

When Paul wrote this verse, he was encouraging us to consider that this is an excellent description of Jesus. Let's break the verse down:

Truth  Jesus is the truth, always has been and always will be. Whatever He tells us can be relied on. He will never lead us astray. He is for the truth, lives for the truth and wants us to be the truth in Him. It is the only way,

Honourable  Basically this is being noble of character. If only we can take this on board, people will flock to us because, the world is dishonourable. People, even though they probably don't realise it, are searching for this quality.

Just  Jesus stands for justice. This is why He died on the cross because the world was unjust and in Him dying for our sin, He gave us the chance to live in the same manner

Pure  This means to have no sin, which describes Jesus fully. The word pure is associated in Greek writing as a word for Holy, sacred and immaculate. He gave us the opportunity to live this way by accepting us unto Himself. He helps us daily to live this way. 

Think about the others characteristics of Jesus; He is lovely and it is lovely to know Him and realise that one day we will meet Him face to face. He is commendable and of a good report. Wouldn't you like someone to think this about yourself - 'He or she is commendable and they really live up to what they profess?' That would be an awesome thing for someone to say about you, wouldn't it? Well, they will if you live closer to Jesus, walk with Him daily and get to know him even better than you do. Like I say, you are the bible to unbelievers.

He is praiseworthy. Just think, when we praise Jesus, it is like the devil runs away with his hands over his ears. He can't stand this. Praise stops satan in his tracks, so, we need to praise Jesus more and more.

In verse 8 of the NKJV, 'If there is any virtue.' The word Virtue is a rare word in the New Testament, but generously used in Greek writings. In the Greek it is a word called aerate, which means moral excellence as described in the CSB interpretation above.

So, to meditate on these things is to, deliberate, evaluate and compute over and over. Can I suggest that you do this, if you don't already?

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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

Christ in you, means VICTORY!

"You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world".  1 John 4:4  CSB

John is speaking about antichrists, which are in the world already. An antichrist opposes and replaces Christ with the goal of distracting and derailing Christians from pursuing Jesus. These are anyone who tries to take Christ's place. However, the main antichrist will arrive prior to the tribulation.

Here in this verse, John encourages us with three areas:

(1) You belong to God. At the time of your salvation, you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour and, because of this, you belong to Him. The devil doesn't like this one bit so, he will attempt to bring fear upon you, together with confusion. These little antichrists will do all they can to mislead you and lead you down the wrong path. They get into the church, some as prominent leaders. So, beware, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for who he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Resist him and keep your eyes open.

(2) You have overcome the world. 'For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, 4because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith'. 1 John 5:3-6

(3) The Power of Christ its within you. The power of Christ who lives in the believer, is greater than the power of the world. The Holy Spirit is far stronger than any attack by the Devil. The believer needs to allow this encouragement to avoid being fearful of satan, and rather to trust the Lord and obey His commands. By doing so, we can overcome the powers of darkness and walk with boldness in this life.

We can never take the devil on alone. We need Jesus and He reigns in your heart and is far more competent to deal with him at any time of day or night. So be wise, armed with the fact that the one who dwells within you - Jesus, is able to fight your battle. Beware of fighting your own battles and give it all to Jesus, even if it is petty. Remember, things that are small in the beginning, can grow into major sizes. So keep nothing back; give it all to Jesus and, be reassured that Jesus has your back.

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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

Is everything futile?

2“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” 3What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labours at under the sun? 4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it hurries back to the place where it rises."    Ecclesiastes 1:2-5   CSB

As a young Christian back in the 80's, I was totally confused when I first read this by Solomon. In fact, I read it in the Good News version and it read that 'Everything is useless.' To my new convert mindset, it sounded extremely confusing and some people, still find Ecclesiastes this way. So let us take a look at what he actually meant.

The word futile literally means 'breath' and implies that something only has fleeting value and then evaporates  like a puff of air. One could understand this statement  as meaning that everything is worthless - hence, useless. But really, it is saying that everything is short-lived and quickly passes by. A generation is born and another one dies; the sun rises and then sets; we wake up and then go back to sleep, we go to work and then retire, and on and on.

Many scholars believe that Solomon didn't write this book because of the dating of certain events. However, many others believe that he did and the dating that the other scholars suggest, are wrong. The thing is, whether he did write it or not, it is the message that matters and the writer declares that life receives joy and meaning, not from riches, fame and work but, from from reverence for God and obedience to His commandments. All human accomplishments will one day disappear but God won't, His word stands forever, even though there is ,'a time to give birth and a time to die' Ecc 3:2. Dying, for the believer means transferring to another destination, and that is heaven where we will spend eternity.

Solomon shares his heart and knowledge of God in chapters 3:9-15: 

"What does the worker gain from his struggles? 10I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied. 11He has made everything appropriate in its time.

He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. 13It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. 14I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him. 15Whatever is, has already been, and 

whatever will be, already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted".

So therefore, don't shy away from reading this work of Solomon, especially the poem in chapter 3:1-8 which makes interesting reading and is bursting with wisdom and intellect.

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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

Don't kick and struggle

"I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with my eye on you, I will give counsel. 9Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding, that must be controlled with bit and bridle or else it will not come near you."   Psalm 32:8-9.  CSB

A young horse or donkey, requires a lot of work by its trainer before it can be ridden in safety. It  requires instruction, patience and discipline before it can reach anywhere near this standard. Initially, it will kick and struggle and show lots of stubborn-ness because it resents someone teaching it. Because of its reluctance to obey and be pointed in the right direction, it may have to wear a bit and bridle so that it can be shown the right way to go. Even then, the struggle is on for this to happen, especially with the stubborn donkey. It may be a long time before the horse is ready to be ridden, however, with the donkey, it may take a lifetime.

Just think for a moment, aren't we like this when someone tries to show us what to do - to change the way, we know is the right way? Don't we kick and struggle because we resent being told what to do or that we are wrong in our thinking? Okay, we don't require the use of a bit and bridle to teach us the way, but, some of us come close to it.

It starts in our youth, possibly following school, college or university. A lot of us, have this feeling of superiority, that we know it all and don't wish to be shown any other way. We soon learn that life is not like this, especially when we start in a job. Let me say this, you may have all the degrees possible and be more qualified than the boss that stands before you telling to what you need to do. However, he is still the boss and he may not be able to match your certificates, diplomas and degree papers, but he probably has more experience than you have at this time and he definitely knows the way the job goes. So discipline and obedience is the name of the game if you want to remain there.

It's the same in our walk with Jesus. He knows the way we have to go and, from time to time He will place people with us who we need to listen to and obey. Just because you have read the bible through four times, does not make you a Bishop. You are still inexperienced in your faith and God wants to direct you and instruct you through, using these people. Being harsh and argumentative with them will get you nowhere and will also give you a bad reputation. Stop kicking and struggling and let the person mentor you until you are ready to 'fly the nest'.

Remember, God has placed you where you are at this time. He is watching over your progress and will not take you to the next stage until, you are ready to go. His word to you is, stop struggling and kicking out and receive the instruction and teaching that He wants to give you. 

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

Lord Jesus, I have sinned   

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