Ill with the Flu

I AM SO SORRY, BUT I HAVE COME DOWN WITH A MAJOR DOSE OF FLU.

I WLL BE BACK SOON👇

Epilogue to 'The Happy's'

"14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."   Romans 12:14   NKJV

It would be an injustice, if I didn't offer an epilogue to our recent study of 'The Happy's' So I want to concentrate on Matthew 5:11-12 and Romans 12:14-19, just to reinforce a few issues.

Jesus made it very clear that, He had come, not to make life easy, but to make us great. He said in Matt 5:11-12, 'Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.' Do you know something? It is so difficult to be able to do this, especially when you have been treated like a doormat and walked all over; or been made a laughing stock in front of people you know and thought, supported you. It is so hard to brush aside hurt such as this. But Jesus says, 'great is your reward in heaven.' Think about it, Jesus is telling us that it is possible to rejoice and be exceedingly glad, so it has to be possible, but, only in God's strength. The more you try to do this on your own, the more likely it is to fall flat on your face. Therefore, we need God's help and this means, staying connected to Him through prayer and His word.

Moving on to Romans 12, we see in verse 14 'Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse'. Again, let us be honest, when we have been wronged badly, it is difficult not to

curse someone, either by colourful language or saying something bad about them. If we curse someone, it is not necessarly the type of words that could do them harm; it may just be detrimental about them - which is bad enough. Verse 17 tells us to 'Repay no one evil for evil' This was Jesus redefining the OT standard of. 'an eye for an eye' to turning the other cheek. But, watch this, v18 says 'If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.' One person may want reconciliation but the other one doesn't. God does not hold us responsible for this but, expects us to at least try to put things right. If we try and it fails, we have done our best in God's eyes; so, don't beat yourself up.

Finally, do not try to avenge yourself, you will never be successful, and may even make it worse. No, leave it to God. He is the one who will avenge. As Paul writes in 12:19 ' Vengeance is mine, I will repay.' God has said this so, leave things to Him. You have done your best.

So there we have it, there is much more as I wrote yesterday so, try and dig into this study and let me know by email, how you get one. I'd love to hear from you grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

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 Happy's Part 7

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. "  Matthew 5:9. NKJV

THE HELPERS   Dr David Jeremiah says: 'The word translated "Peacemakers," comes from a verb meaning to 'join together.' It pictures two opposing forces that are now being reconciled (Mt 5:44-45). Peacemakers experience joy and excitement as they help others reconcile with God and one another.'

The peacemaker is a mediator who resolves conflicts between estranged parties. Identifying the truth and addressing the sin, and then constructing a bridge between those who are at odds with one another. It's a difficult ministry as I found out both in my social work career and pastoring a church. However, it is one in which we will be called sons of God because we resemble our Father - our Daddy.

When you are around people who are at loggerheads with each other, do you make a quick getaway to let them get on with it, or do you listen and attempt to bring peace into their situation? 

This will show you whether or not you are a peacemaker or not. Don't worry if you are of the former and make a quick getaway. We are not all called to have the same gifts and ministry. If we were, we would either have too many plumbers and not enough electricians, or we would have a painter and decorator working as a car mechanic. It wouldn't work very well.

So, if you feel that you fit into the mould of the peacemaker, tell God this. He already knows but, He likes you to acknowledge things. Don't be frightened to put yourself forward; if you don't fit the bill, Jesus will soon tell you and lead you into your own ministry. 

The world needs peacemakers; just look at the state of the world at this time. It is chaos because each leader wants to do things their way and won't negotiate. We could be on the brink of WW3 if they don't find a peacemaker to speak wisdom to them. Obviously, this may not be you, but, the world around you needs a peacemaker. Therefore talk to God and seek His wishes for you life. You could be of so much help!

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 Happy's. Part 6

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."   Matthew 5:8   NKJV

THE HOLY   These people have extremely good motives, holy thoughts and a clear conscience. In Christian circles. They are highly thought of because of the lives that they live- with holiness and joy. The Greek word for Pure is cathartic. A cathartic moment cleanses the soul.

Jesus focused much more on the hearts of His listeners, instead of their ability to maintain the rituals of the law. He preached against obeying the law in action only, rather than out of true love for God. In other words, He wanted us all to have heart knowledge and not just head knowledge. 

Senior Pastor Tony Evans comments on this: 

'Purity of heart involves being authentic before God, so come clean with Him about the good, the bad and the ugly, and you'll see Him operating powerfully in your life,'

                                                      (The Tony Evans Study Bible, Matthew 5:8 p1099 footnote)

Tony Evans mentions being authentic and he is spot on with this. However, I believe we need to go one step further and be, transparent, Being transparent, means that people wherever we go will be able to see our heart - where we are coming from and what's on our mind. Jesus has already adopted this for each of us; He can see the 'real us'. 

This is essential if we want to live our lives in purity and holiness. May I offer a challenge to us all?? When we speak to other Christians, whether it be via the pulpit, home group or whatever; we are on our best behaviour, right? We want to do this right so act accordingly. However, what is really happening in your heart at the time you are delivering this to people? If you were transparent, they would see this but, we can choose to hide this away. Now, this is where the challenge kicks in, Prior to you delivering this message, preaching, teaching etc, you may have had an upset with your partner, a family quarrel or an altercation with another motorist. Therefore, you are not at your best, so what you are about to say, may be of an hypocritical manner.  So, why not share this with whoever you are about to speak to. There is nothing wrong with being honest, and let's face it, it happens to us all. There may be others there, who through your testimony receive freedom as they share theirs too. This is called being transparent. As you share this with the people, they may pray for you and then, you will deliver something that could never have come from you earlier. Your purity will flow from your heart into theirs.

Think about it.

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 Happy's Part 5

"7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."   Matthew 5:7   NKJV

THE HELPERS   For Christians, mercy is a Spirit-led ability to offer, practical, compassionate and cheerful love towards those who are down on their luck at the time. The merciful (helpers) will obtain and find happiness and reward in being full of mercy towards others.

When you think of it, one only has to glance around the city, town or neighbourhood where you live, and you will find people who need help or someone to just listen to them without judgement. They require mercy but, for some, they have been forgotten in the system and are just a number or name on housing registers and social care. They may be in the system, but, they may be at the bottom of the list. It is rather similar to the man healed at the pool of Bethesda. The water was thought to contain medicinal contents and when  the water was stirred up by an angel, the first in the pool would receive healing. This man had no chance; because of his disability, people always beat him to it. Jesus, who in this scripture, can be classed as the helper. He healed him there and them  John 5:1-15. 

Just around us, there are people who have been disabled from birth; from an accident or even a veteran hurt in battle. There are disabled people who suffer from a bowel complaint and may have a stoma. Again, there may be the people who are suffering a marital breakdown or, are bereaved. There also those who suffer PTSD or are depressed. People need help.

My last comment is difficult because, a lot of people won't accept help; they class it as charity so, we must respect this. But there are many others who will accept help. During our time of running a Day Centre for Homeless People or anyone who needed a friendly ear, new clothes and food, we discovered that there are a lot of hurting people about and, they are not all homeless or drug or alcohol addicted. We just need to look around and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. They may not thank you for the help you give them; they may even rip you off but, God is pleased when you offer to give yourself as a helper to them.

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 Happy's. Part 4

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

                                                                                     Matthew 5:6   NKJV

The Hungry  These are the people who seek justice and holiness, and most importantly, God in whose presence 'is fullness and joy' Psalm 16:11. Justice, is the quality of being fair in the interest of justice. This requires that every person be treated according to the same standards and with the same respect, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender or of any other social category. God desires equality and this includes not pointing judging fingers against someone whose sexual preference is different to our own. God loves the trans and gay people of our society; however, it is the act of homosexuality, He finds an abomination (Lev 18:22; 20:13). It most certainly does not mean that we disown them; we welcome them as a friend, if need be, but do not become involved with their way of life. Anyway, how will they get to know Jesus if we avoid gay people. Jesus spent time with all kinds of people. 

Regarding Righteousness, bible ref.com provides and interesting piece of this verse:

'Commentators point to two possible meanings for "righteousness" as used in this verse. First, Jesus could be talking about people who are eager to be declared righteous by God. They want to be made righteous, themselves, and to conform to the will of God. In that way, they are sincerely seeking to be saved. Those who come to trust in Jesus for their forgiveness from sin will receive exactly that from God (Romans 5:17). They will be saved. 

Another view is that Jesus has in mind those who are hungry to see righteousness "win." They long for justice to prevail. They want what is right to overcome what is wrong and evil in the world. These people, too, will be satisfied, because the kingdom of heaven will bring an end to all unrighteousness. Their appetite for righteousness will be completely satisfied.'

At the end of the day, all of us have something about us that Jesus would prefer we didn't have. None of us are perfect, so stop trying to be because you'll never make it. Living our lives for Jesus is the best we can do and, if we let Him down, repent and then accept His forgiveness and move on. Don't listen to the taunts of the evil one telling you that, God will never forgive you now. He is just telling lies. Move on with an ever-increasing desire to continue your thirst for righteousness. This is all Jesus requires of us.

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 Happy's. Part 3

5"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."   Matthew 5:5  NKJV

The word Meek is best understood as "gentleness," or a refusal to take control by brute force or manipulation. Meekness, from a Christian perspective, is about faith. It is about trusting God to win the battle, instead of going to extremes to win the battle on our own. The concept is often referred to as "strength under control," rather than "strength seeking control

This is exactly opposite from the world's common understanding. Most believe the world to be controlled by those strong and ambitious enough to take what they want. They feel the world belongs to the rich, the dominant, and the bold. Jesus flips the coin over and He declares that the true inheritors of the earth are the meek. 

It should be said that true meekness takes courage; we must wrestle with ourselves to trust God's plan and His character. It's hard to be humble and patient when we cannot fully understand how good, will win in the end. It takes every bit of faith you have.

Meekness implies a humble acceptance of one's lowly position before God. By trusting in Him, the meek will inherit the blessings of God's fulfilled promises. Today, the meek may inherit scorn and ridicule from some people, but a day is coming - possibly, not too far away, when they shall inherit the earth as they reign with Jesus.

As Philippians 2:5: says:

5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

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