You have a future

"For this is what the Lord says: “When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you”— this is the Lord’s declaration — “plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you 13You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you” — this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place from which I deported you.”       Jeremiah 29:10-15.  CSB

Jeremiah was led by God to write a letter to the Israelites who were in bondage in Babylon. He 

wrote that God had told them that He would free them in 70 years. He told them not to listen to so-called prophets who tell them lies, but hang on to what He has told them. He will deliver.

And God did just that. They were freed from 

Babylon and returned to Canaan. Now watch this, God told them that He would listen to them, 

when they pray to Him. As they seek Him, they will find Him. He will restore to them what they had lost. Best of all, He told them that He had plans for 

them - for their well-being, not disaster and, that they had a future. But the most important thing was that they needed to seek Him and pray and He would then hear them and listen to them. The condition was that they had to seek Him with all of their heart. And God lived up to His promise and made this happen.

It is the same for us. Many of us have lived through some sort of pain and heartache and it has been most difficult to do this. But - listen - we made 

it, thank God! Now let's look at all of this. No matter what you went through in the past, you have 

a future. You may have lost out on something but, God will restore it and more. He has a plan just for you - you are that important to Him and, He wants to give you hope. Therefore, seek Him wholeheartedly, pray more than you ever have before and God promises He will listen and He will act on your behalf.

You may have lost money, possibly by being ripped off. God has more money than anyone could ever have and, He is generous. Someone may have done you wrong. Don't seek revenge or curse them, pray for them and let God sort it out for you - He will.

You need to take on board just how much He loves you. He even gave up His only Son for you, so that you had a future and a hope. You have a wonderful future!

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

 

"I want more"

"The LORD is my Shepherd, I have what I need."   Psalm 23:1   CSB

The immortal words of Oliver Twist were, Please sir, I want more,' are in stark contrast to what David says here, 'I have what I need'. 

We are leading up to one of the most costliest times of the year - Christmas. This is a time when families spend an awful lot on presents and food for each other. It is a happy time, one people have looked forward to all the year. Yet, some of these families can't afford to spend cash on extravagant things; therefore, they use their bank card and this is where debt can begin to take over. When the bill comes in, it is so easy to just pay the minimum amount and let the balance ride over to the next one. The problem is, during this time, there may be other purchases you make and the balance goes higher, until it is a colossal amount and you need help.

For many, there is always that yearning to think, 'I want more.' Oliver's request was out of need - he was hungry. However, for many, their request is out of greed and this is where the problem lies. In Jesus, believers have all they need. This is what David was expressing. Deep down he knew that if he needed more, God would grant it. But, he was willing to be content. Are you content? Do you consider that you have all you need? There's a big difference between what you need and what you want. Need and greed require monitoring. If you continually want more, perhaps this may be something from your childhood, where your parents gave you everything you wanted. This has carried on into adulthood, leaving you wanting more and more.

It may be that you need a touch from God. He gave you all you need in Jesus; and there is much more He wants to give you. However, but not if you are asking from greed.

Jesus knows what you need. He is not tight in His giving but, praying to win the Lottery may not be on His agenda. It may be a nice idea to be so financially solvent that you can buy what you want. But one will never find satisfaction in having money. True satisfaction can only be found in Jesus and He will give you what He knows you need and what you would like to have. So trust Him.  

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

Rooted and Grounded in Jesus

"and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love".   Ephesians 3:17-18. CSB

To be rooted and grounded in Jesus is, to dwell in the fullness of God. We are rooted and grounded in 'Love" which is God (1 John 4:8). In fact, we open ourselves up to a wonderful, spiritual relationship with Jesus, built on this love. We are rooted like a tree and grounded on a strong and sound foundation - Jesus the Rock.

Notice the word 'dwell' in our text. This suggests 'settling in at home,' This is a lovely way of putting it. Christ lives within the believer’s heart. He has made His home with us; and we know how cosy it is to be at home but, it is much more cosy knowing Jesus is with us at home.

The love of Jesus is so great that it is beyond our understanding: 'Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us ' Eph 3:20. 

His love is amazing. This fullness of God is the abundance of gifts that flow from Him.

The Galatians became in error. They had witnessed all that Paul did in their presence, the miracles, the power of Jesus that came through him and they decided that they wanted this themselves. They began doing things in their own strength and were captured by the Jewish persuasion, using circumcision as the Jews did. They were in danger of running ahead of themselves. They were striving for perfection through their own efforts and Paul had to write to them :

3Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? 4Did you experience so much for nothing — if in fact it was for nothing? 5So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard —   Galatians 3:3-5  CSB

It is utter foolishness that once someone has tasted the love of Jesus, that they branch out in their own strength. A recipe for disaster.

A tree cannot exist without water; in the same manner, we can't exist without Jesus. As the tree is rooted and grounded in the earth, so we need to be rooted and grounded in Jesus. It is the only way to live. Remember, we can do nothing without Him John 15:5. Therefore, take a good look at your walk with Him. Are there changes to be made? If so, allow Jesus to help you make those changes. It so makes sense. You cannot bear fruit any other way., 

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

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

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

Check it out

 

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 

Check it out

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 

Check it out

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