Caring for the sheep

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"He makes me to lie down in green pastures.'   Psalm 23:2   NKJV

Let us take a further look at Psalm 23. It's a well-known fact in the farming world, sheep will not lie down, unless four requirements are fulfilled:

(1)  Free from fear

(2)  Free from tensions

(3)  Free from the torment of parasites

(4)  Free from the need to find food

Therefore, they need to be at peace. Anything that startles them or what they perceive to be a danger, they will avoid at all costs. They need to be secure, loved and wanted. Any wild animal will spark a great fear within them and their stubbiness to lie down will be ever-present.

They must be free from tensions and strife. Any little thing such as this, will cause them to be difficult to handle. Sheep, understandably, suffer from parasites. Out in the fields all day can open them up to this torment. It aggravates them. And some sheep become quite hungry and may go looking for food from other fields. This opens them up to threats of attack and being lost.

Think about this and consider it in your life. After-all, we are God's sheep and can have similar struggles. Definitely, we can become stubborn, thinking that we know best. Some of us don't like taking orders from leadership and resent them being this way. Like the real sheep, we may find it difficult to lie down in green pastures. Some of us can't rest and become fidgety quite a lot. We may huff and puff, adding to the tension and aggravating other people too. Complaining soon follows in such conditions and, like the early Israelites in Moses' day, moan and groan about whatever is happening around us. Instead of complying, we tend to be stubborn.

God has done amazing things to ensure that we are comfortable and free from any of these problems. He wants us to lie down and be at peace; and He has addressed and taken care of any stumbling blocks in our way. So, don't you think that we need to reciprocate? 

 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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Watch the sectarianism

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"But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  40For he who is not against us is on our side.  41For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward"   Mark 9:39-41  NKJV

John was quite concerned that some people were casting out demons in Jesus' name, yet they didn't belong to their team; therefore they forbade them v38. Jesus' reply above, was that these people were not their enemies, but were also fulfilling the Word of God, albeit, not from their team.

Again, in Philippians there were similar accounts addressed by Paul's followers. There were people preaching Jesus to whoever would listen but, didn't belong to their fold. Paul wrote from his prison cell:

'Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:  16The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;  17but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel.  18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice'. Philippians 1:15-18.

These latter people were not against Paul and his apostles, but probably preaching out of selfish ambition. However, Paul said that it was ok. As long as Jesus was preached that's all that mattered.

Not everyone will be in your church, that is obvious. In fact, they may not even belong to a particular fellowship at all. But they belong to Jesus and if they don't belong to a church, this is up to them, not you or I. Many people today, have broken away from their churches and yet, they are on fire for Jesus and, are producing results. You may say that they need fellowship and teaching. They also need to be accountable. Perhaps they had all of this, but from one thing or another, they were hurt, bruised or badly treated by leadership or other people. They may well receive their teaching from reading their bibles, study and fellowshipping with Jesus. And it seems to be working. Therefore, perhaps we need to be open to this and understanding. As long as they are focusing on God and have not backslidden, they should be allowed their choices.

In conclusion, I'm not suggesting that people should leave their church and go it alone. Not at all. If church works for you, that is brilliant. However, we must be aware that many are not attending church and yet have a deep relationship with Jesus and, it suits them. 

We must allow choices to made.

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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The hallmark of serving Jesus

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“In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.11And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Mark 6:10-11  NKJV

Reading this piece of scripture for the first time and, without experience of Jesus, it could mean to the novice that Jesus was telling the disciples to curse the people who would not help them. David Guzik comments on this: 

'In that day, if Jewish people had to go in or through a Gentile city, as they left they would shake the dust off their feet. It was a gesture that said, “We don’t want to take anything from this Gentile city with us.” Essentially, Jesus told them to regard a Jewish city that rejects their message as if it were a Gentile city. It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gommorah in the day of judgment: The implication is that some will be judged more severely than others in the day of judgment. Of course, none will have it good in hell; but perhaps some will have it worse than others will'.  David Guzik Enduring Word

Dr David Jeremiah adds his comments: 

'To the Jews, dust symbolised cursing. So the Jews would often shake off the dust from their feet when they left a Gentile region as a way of cleansing themselves from pagan influence and as a testimony against the Gentiles (Acts 13:51). Footnote on Mark 6:10-11 David Jeremiah Study Bible

Let's get this right, Jesus was not encouraging His disciples to curse those who rejected them. Many Christians today recommend shaking the dust off our feet when someone, will not comply. Basically it is saying, 'I've tried my best, I'll leave you with God'  Remember, we should never curse anyone at all (Romans 12:14.

Jesus was also teaching His disciples when He sent them out for the first time:

8He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—  9but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics'. v8

Jesus wanted them to trust Him and rely on Him for their daily needs, whether it be food or clothes to wear. And He says the same to us. He knows that we have, and need, jobs to pay our way in life. But, He was reinforcing the fact that it is He, that supplies what we have. This is why we ask Him to bless an interview when we are going for a new job. Our life is in His hands, and that's the way He wants it to be.

So remember Matthew 6:33-34 and make it a prayer

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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Why do you doubt God?

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"Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" v38      Mark 4:35-41  NKJV

This, in itself, is not a faith-filled statement! Of course He cares! Jesus was asleep and there was a storm brewing. Life brings us many storms from time to time, to believers or non-believers. They just happen, many times without warning. But we should never forget that, as Christians, Jesus is with us. Mark 4:35-36 shows us this; He was with them but, was so tired, possibly from preaching, or just wanting the disciples to cope on their own. If then, we realise He is with us, and that He will bring peace into every situation (John 14:27;16:33), He will bring us through the storm. Look at verse 35 again - He intended to get to the other side; so how much proof do we still need to accept this fact? 

Does Jesus care? Of course He does, this is why He is with us. But, we must remember to be sure that He is with us. Mark 4:36 says 'Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat'. When I say that we must remember to take Him with us, I mean, we must be in connection with the Holy Spirit. Let me explain; as Christians, Jesus lives in our hearts but, we must cultivate this relationship by staying in fellowship with Him. 

Can I ask, why are you so fearful? Why do you doubt God? He has provided all that we need and much more will follow. He answers our prayer, albeit not always straightaway. He is faithful and will never - I repeat, never let you down! Whatever you are going through at this time, it may feel like He is sleeping because He hasn't answered. But in this piece of scripture, Jesus was in His humanity, so needed sleep. Not any longer. He never sleeps and sees and hears everything. He is in the boat with you as you go through this storm. Just try to be patient, He's working things out, therefore, be at peace.

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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You are loved

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"You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."   John 17:23. NKJV

If you wonder if you are loved, then just read this verse. Jesus is saying that God loves you and I just as much as He loves Jesus. Let us not forget that the Father gave up His Son - Jesus, to die on the cross in a most humiliating and barbaric way just for you. He gave up His Son for You.

There was no other way, Adam had blown it big time in the Garden of Eden when he ate the forbidden fruit. This, as you know, flooded the world with sin. Now God is a Holy God, and cannot look at sin. So, without God in our lives we were snookered. There was no way of ridding ourselves of our sins. Therefore, we were doomed.

David Guzik from Enduring Word writes: "Then Jesus expanded the idea, now praying that the unity among generations of believers to come would also demonstrate to the world that Jesus loves His people, and loves them after the pattern of God the Father’s love for God the Son" (and have loved them as You have loved Me).

God had a plan. He always does, and this included coming down to earth, Himself but, as a man - Jesus. 'The Word', which was Jesus, 'became flesh and dwelt among us.'  John 1:14. The purpose for this was, 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.' John 3:16.

God loves us so much that, He took the heartbreaking decision to sacrifice His only Son, Jesus, so that we would be able to live and enjoy eternal life with Him. And Jesus, proved His love for each of us and carried out His wishes. So, we are loved, but at what a price!

People tend to skip this verse unsure of what to say. To some it may seem blasphemous to say such a thing, but it is fact God; loves each one of us as much as He loves Jesus. 

And with that in mind, don't ever think that you are not loved, that you're a reject. You are not a reject, you are a redeemed believer of Jesus and that is something to shout about.

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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Why are you so troubled?

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"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me" v1

                                                                                            John 14:1-5   NKJV

The word 'Believe' that Jesus used here, recorded in John is used over 90 times in the Gospel and elsewhere. The Greek for this word is Pisteuo which means literally to 'Place one's trust in another.' Therefore, you believed in Jesus for your salvation, can't you trust Him for everything else that life brings before you. He is able! 

Many at this time believed in Jesus' miraculous powers but, they would not believe in Jesus Himself. These people wanted a political Messiah and could not believe in someone who suffered for their sins. Jesus told them about His imminent departure, which would have made His disciples feel extremely insecure. But, He also said that He would be back; He was leaving to prepare a place for them, then He would return.

And for you and I, He is preparing a place in heaven, in fact, it may even be ready for us now. However, He cannot return until the right moment - when the Father tells Him to go. When this happens, and we don't know when, not even Jesus knows, but, when He does, we'll be out of here and installed in our mansions, whatever they are. 

Until then, we have absolutely nothing to fear; you know Jesus so, your insurance premiums are paid up - He paid the price on the cross, so there is no fear for us. If we die today, we'll be with Him, if we are still alive when Jesus comes, He will gather up all of His people and we will be whisked away - the Rapture.

So, you may have money problems or can't pay some of the high energy costs, Jesus doesn't want you worrying. He also doesn't want you suffering hypothermia so, if you are cold, either wear extra clothes or put your heating on. If you trust Him, then He will supply. It all comes down to faith, whether you trust Him or not. There's no if's or buts to it. It is fact (Matt 6:33-34)

Stop worrying and being troubled, your Good Shepherd is in control

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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Our Shepherd Part 4. Can we lose our salvation?

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27My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  28And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

                                                                         John 10:27-28. NKJV

Can a person's sin or failures result in the loss of salvation? This is a topic that many Christians have struggled with, whenever they have sinned and are riddled with guilt.

Concerning our text above, Jesus makes the same promise two different ways: 1 believers will not perish and 2 no one can take eternal life from them. Jesus Himself says that He gives us eternal life when we are saved, and that we will never perish nor fear that someone will be able to snatch us away from His hand. Yes, we will sin and, keep on sinning throughout our earthly life but, the guilt that we will suffer because of this sin, will always bring us to repentance. And this is the difference between believers and unbelievers - we know what is wrong and, the Holy Spirit within us, convicts us of this leading us to repent.

Ephesians 1:13-14  says 'In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.' In other words, we have been marked with the owners name, rather like a shepherd would do with his sheep for identification purposes. We are marked by Jesus' name and secured as being His possession. This is our guarantee performed by the Holy Spirit within us "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory'. Ephesians 1:13-14. NKJV. And also "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption'. Ephesians 4:30

The Holy Spirit is your seal and guarantee of your inheritance and salvation. No one can change this. Aren't you blessed to have Jesus as your Shepherd?

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

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