Don't let a thorn rule your life

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."      2 Corinthians 12:7-10   NKJV

Paul knew what it was like to be frustrated because what scripture describes as a thorn in the flesh. No one really understands what this thorn was but, many have speculated. Whatever it was, it was beginning to drag Paul down, in fact, he was becoming frustrated by it all. The Lord told him 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' And Paul accepted this for what had been making him weak, he was now able to be strong. 

Notice that Paul didn't moan about this thorn, not at all. He decided to look at the situation from another direction and instead of being negative about his situation, he decided that without God he is weak, with Him, he is strong and that was all that mattered to him. There were some things that he couldn't do because of the thorn, but, there were many more things he could do by changing his attitude to it.

Many Christians are afflicted with some type of disability. This may have been the results of a serious illness. It may also have been caused by an accident of some sort or a medical condition that was caused by surgery or medication. When a person can't do what they used to do because of this condition, frustration can take up residence, quickly followed by depression and anger. The frustrating thing is, no matter what they say or do, it cannot be changed, unless Jesus intervenes and alleviates this problem. Sometimes He does but at other times He doesn't. We don't know the answer to this but it is not because He doesn't 't care, He does but there is a deeper purpose that He has in mind. 

How better qualified is a person who has their own kind of thorn and who can help a person in a similar situation? You may be one of these people who has carried a thorn for sometime and you may be struggling with the affect of it all. Consider that God just might, want you to help others in this situation. You won't know until you ask Him. And you won't be in any condition to help anyone if you don't accept what has happened, so think on that one.

There are a few things that you can't do anymore, but there are a host of things that you can do. As long as you have breath, you are a candidate for God's work. So let Him know that you are available.

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

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Allow God to instruct you

 8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you. 9Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.                                                                                     

                                                                          Psalm 32:8-9.  NKJV

God gives us many promises that we can trust and rely on; this is one of them. These verses have given me the victory every time I have claimed them. Perhaps you would benefit from claiming them too.

If you are at high school, college or university, you will have noticed that it is not always plain sailing. Much study has to take place to be able to achieve  success and it can be very tiring and stressful at times. Look at our two verses again, God tells us that He will instruct us and teach us the way we should go. I know for a fact that this is true. Like most people, I had exams and essays coming out of my ears years ago and when I initially read through the requirements, I had that negative feeling that, 'I can't do this, I'll never cope. However, I was wrong and I accomplished all of my requirements with good results. But it was not my academic skill that got me through them, it was God showing me this promise. I firmly believed it and it paid off.

You may have done this as well. On the other hand, you may be sitting there with your head in your hands thinking, 'This is impossible.' It is not but,there is a condition with this promise. Check out v9: ' Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.' Basically if we kick and scream, refusing to understand or take note of God's promise, then you will have to find your own way through all of this, and, it may not be successful.

God wants the best for you; you're at the centre of His thoughts daily and He always wants us to be obedient to His Word. Why? Because He is right and He knows the way to go. He has all of the answers and what's more, He is willing to share this with you. But, if you remain stubborn, sadly you are on your own until such time you ask Him again for help.

This promise is not just for academic concerns but also, for everything in our lives. He wants to show us the way forward, teaching us and protecting us. But He will not force His help upon us; we have to ask and if pride takes over you, you will struggle big time. It's far better and easier to do it God's way!            

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.

                           

Accept that He is with you!

16And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”   Judges 6:16  of v13-16    NKJV

Gideon, a man of God, was given a commission by God to go and relieve Israel from the oppression of the Midianites. However, rather like Moses had been, he was full of excuses. However, God told him something that we all need to take on board - reassurance: 'Surely I will be with you' 

This statement is one that Jesus made to His disciples and consequently to us too “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19

therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.    Matthew 28:18-20

In our walk with Jesus, troubles will come and attempt to overpower us if we let them. It is not easy at times and it would be easy to throw in the towel and walk away from the Christian life. But hey, that is what Satan wants you to do. Through your relationship with Jesus, you have become a threat to him. He has a plan and he doesn't want you spoiling it like you have been doing. So do as Peter tells you: 

6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  9Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  10But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  11To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 5:6-11

You need to realise what Jesus has given you; do you know the impact you make on this world when you walk down the street with the power of God upon you. You should do. Satan does, and this is why he doesn't particularly like you and wants to make your life very unpleasant. But, you have Jesus right beside you - your Commander and ~ Chief and He has given you a commission. Therefore, accept that He is with you and continue to do what Jesus wants you to do.

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.

When you have lost your way

"Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path."     Psalm 119:105   NKJV

Have you ever been out at night, completely in total darkness, and in  the middle of nowhere? You may know where you are but, until you receive your night sight, it could be anywhere. Suddenly a light is shone in the darkness and you may be able to get a bearing where you are, although a good fieldcraft person would have a compass and be guided by that or the stars. It's the same in a dark tunnel, when there are no trains about. Some tunnels are very long and as you walk along, you have no idea of where you are because you can't see the stars. A compass from a 'phone may not even work as you have no signal. All you can do is follow the rail tracks, obviously avoiding the high voltage one. Suddenly, you may see a light as you reach the tunnel's exit and it is jubilation.

In a way, it is a similar experience when a person has lost sight of God. It can be a dreadful time. You may feel that the Holy Spirit has left you, but He hasn't, it is you who has moved. This has happened because of a situation that has completely taken over your thinking. It could be anything, debt, worry, illness, a marital breakdown or something very similar. Your brain has been so absorbed in this problem and perhaps you haven't even prayed about it because, it has taken over.

At times like this, you need to focus on the Light - Jesus Christ but, sometimes that is the last thing you want to do because you are so discouraged. King David knew all about times such as these. In Psalm 42, we see how everything appears to be getting on top of Him and he becomes so discouraged. He starts going down Memory's Lane and remembers how he used to be a somebody (v4). He then comes to his senses and speaks to God and himself

5Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

                                     Psalm 42:5

We need to do this quite often. Life events come our way, and we become overrun by them and they take over everything. They can reduce us to being disarmed - the battle is taking us over. Don't let it. You will have times such as this but, seek the Light (Jesus). He is right next to you just waiting to help. However, He's a gentleman and won't jump in unless you ask for His help. So ask Him.

He is the Light. He illuminates your path and shows you the way forward. Your light bulb may have gone out but, Jesus is the ever ready Light.

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.

Newly created

17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.      2 Corinthians 5:17.  CSB

Romans 8:1-2 reminds us that the old has gone, the new has come. Again in Ephesians 4:24, we read 'and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness'.  When we ask Jesus into our life, we become a new creation - a new person. Take notice of this following statement and possibly write it down: 

'The forgiven worshiper is not the old person cleaned up; he is a new person.' This one line statement was taken from a footnote to Psalm 51:10 in the The CSB Apologetics Study Bible. 

To get a glimpse of all of this, we need to pick the bones of Old Testament Times. David asked  'God, create a clean heart for me and renew, a steadfast spirit within me.'  Psalm 51:10.

The heart is the spiritual nature of a person; the centre of the will with the capacity for making choices. This prayer of David, is for God to re-create that spiritual side, so that he doesn't continue to make wrong choices. Forgiveness may not be enough to solve the problem; there must be a complete spiritual renewal. 

Before the incarnation and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit appeared to function differently. The spirit came upon people responsible for administering the rule of God, such as - prophets, priests and kings etc. However, His indwelling was not always permanent as it became in the New Testament. For instance, look at how it was when Saul sinned against the Lord. He was rejected from his kingship (1 Sam 16:14). The Spirit left him. David's plea was for this never to happen to him.

Since Jesus lives and reigns within us, the Holy Spirit dwells permanently within us as the seal of eternal life. Some may say that we are sinners saved by grace and there is a truth to this. However, before we knew Jesus we were sinners but since we have become saved, the old has gone and the new has come. As our text today tells us: 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.' 

                                                                                           2 Corinthians 5:17.  CSB

We must therefore, take on board and understand that we once were sinners but the 'old man' was taken away by Jesus when He entered our lives. Therefore, we are re-created people.

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.

Overcome worry

25“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?                                  Matthew 6:25   NKJV

If there is one thing that we are good at, it is worry. We worry about this; we worry about that. When there is nothing to worry about, we worry because, it's not right, 'we should be worrying.' Possibly about 90% of the things we worry about never happen, but even then, we worry and ask, 'why?. When are we all going to learn that God does not want us worrying about anything.

(1)  Worry is inconsistent (6:25)  If we are able to trust Jesus for our life, can't we trust Him to provide our daily needs?

(2)  Worry is irrational  (6:26)  If our Lord cares for the birds, will He not care for us too, since we are more valuable than our feathered friends?

(3)  Worry is ineffective. (6:27)  Who among us can add one cubit (the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger) to our stature by worrying?

(4)  Worry is illogical  (6:28-30)  If God can clothe the Lillies of the field, can't He clothe us?

(5) Worry is irreligious  (6:31, 32). When we worry, we act just like those who do not know God; in this case, the Gentiles.

To overcome worry we need to re-arrange our priorities. Jesus said, 'Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness' (6:33). We also need to involve strategy into our program of thought. 'Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow, will worry about its own things' (6:34).

Worry means to 'divide, tear, rip apart, and to pull in opposite directions. This is what anxiety is made up with. Be concerned yes, but never be anxious or worried because Jesus tells us not to. When you think about it, to worry is not to trust Jesus and after-all, this is a command, not a request.

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.

Check out the land firstly

18and see what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; 19whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds;  20whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land.”                                        Numbers 13:18-20   NKJV

Ensure that whenever you are going to do a task, that you have given it much thought - what are the pros and cons. If you were going to build yourself a house, you would need to size the job up. Get what you need and consider whether you have the ability to carry out the job. Surely, you wouldn't just jump in and do the job without checking things over. That could be a recipe for disaster.

In briefing Moses about the Promised Land, God instructed that he send in men to spy the land out and see if it was suitable and it could be a plan. God obviously knew the answer to this, but Moses would have to be assured of its success. Therefore, Moses sent the 12 spies from Kadesh into Canaan to see whether the people who live there were strong or weak; few or many. It was information that was vital for success.

Even Jesus recommended such action: 31 'what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Luke 14:31

Great military leaders didn't just rush into war without obtaining key knowledge and information. They checked if attacks were possible and then planned, accurately what needed to be done and by whom. WW1 and WW2 show us this fact. It is the same with anything that we may face. We need to 'Know our enemy' and the possible risks. 

So, what are you planning at this stage in your life? Has God dropped an idea into your mind and now you are wondering what it's all about and how it could be done? Probably you may have a job proposal or you're thinking about starting your own business. Don't write it off thinking it can't be done. Think and pray it through; allow God to give you suggestions and take note of them. It may be nothing but, it may be the best thing that ever happened to you. Consider it; plan it; seek answers from God and imagine it all happening. It may just be a dream but, dreams do come true occasionally. 

Take it slowly, pray and listen, do the pros and cons stuff and if you have a bubbly, exciting feeling within you, it may be the right thing to do. But take it slow.

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.