Are you Content?

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world,

and it is certain we can carry nothing out.     1 Timothy 6:6-7   NKJV

Today's question, are you content? Are you content in all you have; content in what you do and content in how you live? You may be more financially solvent if the kids have now left home. When you first created your family, it was sweet but there were always problems - bills, mortgage, rent, clothes, in fact a never-ending list of 'Needs'. Has there been any improvements to this since they went off to start their own way in the world, or are there still pressures? 

Contentment is a state of being satisfied; could this describe you? You go off on a well needed holiday and it is bliss as you live the life - sun, alcohol, good food and entertainment. When your holiday is near its end, the satisfaction begins to fade and you focus on getting back to reality - work, bills, pressures and the many things that tend to be stressful. In fact, there are many people who dread the feeling of having to return to work after time off. It is natural, especially if you've had a holiday. ~ After I or 2 weeks away you had begun to unwind, and get into relax mode. But it didn't appear long enough and it flew by. Now discontentment is trying to establish itself.

Can you remember when you were a child or teenager; you probably couldn't wait to be an adult and earn money and a fancy life style. The thought satisfied you and you felt that this would make you you content. Now, adulthood has reached you and you may well want to return to your younger days of no responsibility; and when you get much older and your body doesn't work like it used to, now frustration is added to the situation. 

We are not satisfied, check out what Max Lucardo has to say on this subject:

'We are not satisfied. Contentment is a difficult virtue. Why? Because there is nothing on earth that can satisfy our deepest longing. We long to see God. The leaves of life are rustling with the rumour that we will see Him. And we won't be satisfied until we do.'

Therefore, until that day when you see Jesus face to face, learn to take each day as it comes. Just go with the flow, no matter what life throws at you. If you can change it, do so. If you can't, no amount of worrying is going to help, is it?

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

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'

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 will have success!

"So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), 16that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away".                                                        Joshua 3:14-16   NKJV

God may give you the most amazing of things to do for Him. This may be to test your faith by assessing how far you would go for Him. Here He chose Joshua to finish the task of Moses and take the Israelites through to the Promised Land. Now this was some mighty task for Joshua but, after being prepped by God and assured that He would go with Him and give him the success that was needed, Joshua went off to prepare his men for this mission.

Now there was much to prepare for, one thing was that, wives, children and livestock would remain on this side of the Jordan until the soldiers had done their work by making the place safe.  Families and livestock would then be allowed to join them. God looks after you, at the beginning of any type of ministry, there is uncertainty and 'What if's' but God covers this by taking care of loved ones until it is safe for them. The River Jordan was in flood and highly dangerous to navigate at  the best of times, but at harvest time, it would break its banks and flood water would be all around. 

They were not only entering the Promised Land but, were also taking with them the ark of the covenant carried by the Levites and accompanied by the priests. It was a tall order, so they made camp for three days in order to plan the situation properly. Joshua also sent out spies to check out the land. Finally, it was time to move and they were assured that the river would part so that they could proceed over on dry land to the other side. However, nothing happened until the priests stood in the water. As soon as they did, the water was forced back instantly so they they could pass through to safety and a new life.

Notice, nothing usually happens until you make the first move. God may have called you to do a certain task but, He expects you to initiate the first move. Now this may be by making a telephone call to accept something; writing a letter of acceptance or whatever else may be needed. Once you do this, God will throw open the door and lead you through to your personal Promised Land.

If this is speaking to you. and you accept, say 'yes' to God and then make the initial move that is needed. God will then take your hand on your next adventure.

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

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'

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. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Don't fear getting old

"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing"

                                                                                 Psalm 92:12-14    NKJV

You're never too old to serve God as there is no retirement in the Kingdom of God. Look at some of the mighty people of God we read about in the bible; some like Moses, didn't really start their ministry until he was 80. At a time when most people have retired and relaxing in their garden, Moses was about to go on a bizarre mission to bring Israel out of captivity. Therefore, don't ever write yourself off and don't allow anyone else to do this either.

As a believer in the Lord Jesus, you are considered righteous and therefore will flourish like a palm tree. Now the roots of palm trees reach to hundreds of yards as they search for water. Their roots go deep and so should you. It's not over until God says it is so, write that book, start the bible study, start street evangelism or whatever. If you ask Jesus, He will tell you. And don't be afraid to preach if you are asked. Always be ready to give an account for your faith ( 2 Tim 4:2 ).

Set your love upon Jesus and Jesus will honour and deliver you. Whatever trouble you may find yourself in, He will be with you and will deliver you. Call on Him and He will hear you and answer you. However, God doesn't always answer us in the way we would expect. A footnote in the NKJV Spirit Filled Bible for Psalm 91:15 says;

'Although the psalmist (and reader) are not promised total immunity from calamities, the Lord assures us that He will be present with those who call upon Him and that, He will deliver and honour him'  Psalm 91:15 Footnote Spirit Filled Life Bible NKJV

It is true that when we become older our energy level can become lower but gentle exercise is there for the taking. Not only can we do physical exercise but we can also keep our mind fit by studying the Word. And what's more, you don't have the problem of work pressures

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

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'

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. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Angels

"9Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways".

                                                                                           Psalm 91:9-11   NKJV

An Angel is a spiritual or heavenly being whom God sends as His special messenger or helper to human beings. They are not to be identified with God Himself because He created them (Psalms. 148:2,5). They serve under His direction and are obedient to His commands (Psalm. 103:20). Special functions of an angel are delivering God's messages to human beings (Luke 1:13), protecting God's people (Dan. 3:28), relieving human hunger and thirst (Gen. 21:17-19) and praising the name of the Lord (Psalm 103:20-21). Before the creation of the world, certain angels rebelled against God and therefore were cast out of heaven. The ringleader of this revolt was Satan.

Billy Graham wrote in one of his many books, everyone is assigned at least two angels. Now that is encouraging but have you ever seen them?  Neither have I. However, I have known that they are around; time and time again I have been rescued from certain dangers. It is wonderful to know they are there. I don't believe that we should speak to them, God does that and sends them into action. Many would disagree with this and feel that we should send them out to do our bidding. Opinions differ and until proven wrong, I prefer my way. We must remember that angels are created by God just the same as we were and are messengers. 

God gives His angels charge over us (This is where Billy Graham feels we have more than one angel). They are sent to keep charge over us and protect us. Someone may say,'If that is true, why do Christians die in accidents or murders?' I really don't know the answer to this. What I do know and believe is, that, if God said it, I believe it. 

I am just grateful that God places his angels around us. We are protected in all directions; we are loved from all directions and he is with us from all directions.

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

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'

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. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Are you being bullied?

"A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth".                         Isaiah 42:5   NKJV

Jesus was bullied; people threatening Him, false statements were being made about Him and let's never forget the cross where He suffered a terribly painful death after being bullied by the soldiers. The difference between Jesus and ourselves at that time was, at any moment He could have overpowered them all scattering them far and wide. But He didn't, you see what held Him to the cross was not the nails that had torn His flesh, but Love. Love kept Him there so that each one of us could be sin-free.

If you can, think back to a time when you remember being bullied. It was frightening and scary and you may have felt intimidated too because of the onlookers expecting you to retaliate. It was an awful time and there may have been a moment when you wanted to retaliate but bottled out at the last moment. The bullying may have lasted for some time but then again, it may have been short-lived because the bully moved to another district with their parents.

The bullying may have carried on into your adult life, where you dread going to work or living in your home area. A word of encouragement, Jesus is in charge -"A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth". He knows all about what you're going through and He is very willing to help. I remember many years ago when a chap gave a testimony at a church meeting. Apparently, where he worked there was a man who continually bullied him and came near to hurting him. This chap told the meeting that he finally called out to God for help. That same day this bully died of a major heart attack. Now you may find this quite extreme but, it happened and it is a lesson that Jesus will avenge when one of His children are in problems.

At this time, do you feel like a bruised reed? Have people been bullying you; walking all over you or treating you very badly. If so, give it to Jesus. Proverbs 16:3 NIV says: 'Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.' The word 'Commit', in the Greek actually means to roll over and gives the picture of a heavily laden camel at the end of it's journey, rolling on the ground allowing the load to slip off. In the same manner, we can roll our problems over to Jesus.

So whatever you are struggling with today, roll it over to Jesus and He will sort it out for you.

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

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'

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. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Yesterday has gone!

"This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." 

                                                                                      Psalm 118:24  NKJV

Notice this emphasis on the words 'This is the day.' Yesterday has gone and all we have is Today and this depends on how you approach this day. No matter what we try to do, yesterday has gone; it cannot be lived through again - ever. Film-makers, may be able to take us back in time but it is a false time; a time in which can never be. Keep it for the movies, not for your life.

You may try to live in the past; many try it and, many fail. It just can't be done. You can hear a song on the radio, which takes you back over the years to what was a happy time or, a sad time. Music has a habit of doing that, the same as special places or even special days. You may choose to re-live that memory but, let's face it, they're empty dreams - the house is empty and the people have moved away, type of thing.

The Word clearly says, ''This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it' Note the phrase, 'we will rejoice and be glad in it.' That is a declaration. The Psalmist knew that yesterday could not be incorporated in today and so, he wrote it firmly. Yesterday may have been happy - but sadly it has come to an end. It is over. Yesterday may have been sad - it has gone, the only one who is keeping the pain going, is you. You have a future or the chance to remain in the past, it is your choice, no one else's.

King Saul finished his life as a Yesterday's man. Initially, he had been a somebody. But the anointing was lifted from him when he decided to do things, his way instead of God's. Therefore, he became Yesterday's man. Don't you become Yesterday's man, it is not something that God has ordained for you. He designed you to be, today's man. Therefore, leave the past where it should be. If there are nice memories in your past, by all means, take them with you but, don't try to live in those memories. As Paul said in Philippians 3:13 'forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.' It really is the only way to live so, filter it into your Daily Life with Jesus

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

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'

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. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Love

"Love never fails                        1 Corinthians 13:8      NKJV

Just meditate on these words for a moment or two:

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;  6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails".  v 4 -8

These words describe Jesus totally. If we had spent years with Him, we would never be able to comprehend the love that Jesus has for each of us. Just think of where you fit into these words. You may have let Jesus down over and over but, His love never fails. He is totally fixated with you, this is why He took your place and your sin on the cross.

If He feel this way about each of us, don't you think that we should feel the same way? Imagine what it would be like if we lived this way all the time, especially when people are rude or nasty towards us. Then of course, there are those who gossip about us; point the finger and always seem to want to hurt us. Imagine if we responded to them with the words above.

This is being Jesus to whoever we meet, live with, work with or associate. Look at the difference this could make to situations. People want to be this way, they just don't know how to be. We hold the blue print. Jesus lives in our heart and by acting this way to whoever, they will know that there is something about us, but what?

We know that it is Jesus within us but they don't and we have the wherewithal to be able to introduce them to Jesus. Imagine getting to heaven and someone Jesus has cast aside because He doesn't know them, walks up to you and says, 'Why didn't you tell me about Jesus?' That would be totally shame. Don't ever be in that position. We don't know how it will be in heaven, but, that could happen.

Show people Jesus; show them these words and lead them to know 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 2025 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

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084G9S4FD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2