Lust and Adultery

27“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.     Matthew 5:27-30   NLT

This is something that the devil has a hold over in the Christian world. Some Pastors and other leaders are becoming involved in this and churches and lives are falling apart. As we can see from Jesus' words, one doesn't have to physically commit adultery to become guilty of this, it can become part of your thought life. One may think that it is not too bad, 'no one knows about it.' You're wrong, God does and the devil does as well and if it is not nipped in the bud, it could lead to actually doing it and the destruction of all that God has given you.

Jesus in His discussion here, uses some barbaric suggestions to stop this lust. Firstly, He mentions gouging out the eye to prevent this. But He didn't mean to actually do this - even blind people can lust. It's the same with chopping off the hand, this still wouldn't stop the lust because it is in the heart and thoughts of a person's life. What He meant was there is a need to get rid of the sin - the bad habit or something that we treasure before it becomes worse and we lose everything. So therefore, there is a need to examine our lives for anything that causes us to sin and take necessary action to remove it.

You may think, 'I'm not that type of person' and that may be right but, if your eyes stray to the opposite sex whether in the street, the TV, magazines or films, then there is something within that if ignited could break out into flames. We are human and it can be a normal reaction to look. However, if this 'look' causes a feeling of lust within, there is a need to cast it out before it becomes worse.

There is temptation around every corner; to avoid it we would have to go and live on the moon. But we don't have to respond in a worldly manner to this temptation. In fact we should be on guard because the enemy is all around us, trying to trip us up. Don't allow him to do this.

People become addicted with adultery, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling just to name a few things. Any of these addictions can break a life apart; they can lead a person to lose everything they hold as valuable. Ask yourself; is it really worth 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 Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.

Unwanted and Uncared for

"11I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbours — even my friends are afraid to come near me.When they see me on the street, they run the other way."

                                                                Psalm 31:11   NLT

There are many times when we feel so unwanted and rejected. This makes us feel uncared for and can lead us to feeling sorry for ourselves. Many things can make us feel this way, a broken marriage is one. If a partner leaves the marital home, the partner left behind can begin to feel this way. Gossip can begin around the vicinity of the home and, as always, gossip always comes up with the wrong conclusion. A person can receive a label and this label sticks like glue. Sometimes people don't want to know, some because they don't really know what to say, so, they say nothing. The loneliness and the pain of the broken relationship is placed all upon the partner who is left behind and they feel dirty and guilty about it all.

It is similar to when a person dies. If it is a husband or wife who has passed away, the partner who is coping with all of this turmoil may not have any help at all. There are expenses to make such as funerals; bills to pay; pensions to be changed in fact a mountain of paperwork that has to be completed. It has to be done and many times there is no-one to help out. Initially there may be the bereavement card, the well-meaning people offering their condolences and then the funeral to cope with. Family may help but, the help is nothing like the help they would have received from the person that has passed. It is just one wedge of sadness.

There are many steps that these people will go through. For the marital one, there is that hope that their partner may return. However, with a death there is no chance of that, it is final. As the grieving partner goes through all of these stages of grief, people who know them, sometimes even family, may begin to feel inadequate with this person crying all of the time and may not visit again. If they see them in the street, as David puts it, 'When they see me on the street, they run the other way.' There are many other ways that a person can feel rejection, one of these is if they have been in prison and when released find that there is no one who will want to be with them. They too feel unwanted and uncared for.

As morbid as this may sound; as you read through this, there are people around you who are feeling this way. Through one thing or another, they are lonely especially when they see people walking around hand in hand being happy. They long for this but never seem to find help. Are you one of these hurting, lonely people or do you know someone who is? Is there something you can do to help them - offer them a meal or a coffee or just visit for a chat. Could you invite them to church or to go somewhere they may like. Yes wisdom is needed when you mix with someone that you don't really know that well, but perhaps you could do something to help them

I suppose it is a case of 'What would Jesus do?' They need to know that there is life out there for living and it may be a time their life that they need to hear:

'But I am trusting you, O LORD saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands.'

                                                                                  Psalm 31:14-15

Loneliness is awful; these people need to know that someone cares for them.

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.

Watch the Pride

"6When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” 7Your favour, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

David was well aware of how prosperous and successful God had made him but, even though he gave God the glory, He had kept a little back for himself. Just look at the phrase,“Nothing can stop me now!” This statement showed how security had made him feel invincible. He knew the riches and power he possessed came from God but, they also had gone to his head making him proud. The wealth, power, prosperity and fame that he possessed had intoxicated him, making him self-reliant, self-secure and independent of God. But all this false security can be shattered in just a moment. We should never be trapped like this; our dependence and security is upon God, not ourselves or the riches we have.

David said something quite interesting, 'Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered We know without doubt that God will never leave us 'Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God said; "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." Hebrews 13:5. So what was David saying here? 1Peter 5:5 gives us the answer 'God opposes the proud but, gives grace to the humble.'

There is so much that we still need to learn about. In fact, in a life time walking with Jesus, we will still have questions that need answering when we meet Him face to face. This is why it is imperative to keep reading your bible, it is our blueprint of the way forward, all the questions we have can be answered in God's Word.

Don't get me wrong here, God wants us to succeed; He most definitely does not wish for us to be poor. But what does poor actually mean? To most of us in the western world, we have grown up in a society that has running water, food, schooling, clothing and everything that we need for our basic survival. We mostly take this as being normal. As we we grow into adulthood, we learn skills, get a job and make our own way in life. We may not have a lot to live on - some, only have the basics. However, we are not poor. 

Poor can be summed up in the millions of starving and homeless people in faraway countries where just to have a mouthful of water and soup is a luxury. And yet, some of these people have a much deeper faith in God than the majority of our brothers and sisters in the west ever have. We take it for granted; but they have to wait or beg for it and rely on God far more than we have ever done. So, let us be grateful to God for all He gives us and humbly accept that we may not have the best of luxuries that richer people have, but what we do have is a blessing from God.

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.

Come and talk with Me

"My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”                Psalm 27:8   NLT

David sought God's guiding presence everyday, not just when he needed it. When troubles came his way, he was already in God's presence and prepared for whatever came his way. This makes so much sense. We too, should do the same instead of calling on God when troubles come our way. Many of our problems could be avoided and dealt with so much easier if we walked daily in the Spirit of God.

Here we see the wonderful relationship that David had with His Father. The NKJV version of our text reads, 'When you said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, 'Your face, LORD, I will seek.' But I find the NLT version more personal and warm  "My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” How lovely that God speaks to us in this way. God is a Holy God and requires our praise and worship yet, He desires our company too; He longs that we spend time with Him just resting in Him and chilling.              

Bibleref.com says

'To "seek God's face" is to strongly desire His presence and blessing. David responded to the Lord's invitation wholeheartedly. Perhaps, as David  he recalled the Lord's words in Deuteronomy 4:29, 31: "You will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul…For the LORD your God is a merciful God, He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them." In Jeremiah 29:13 the Lord promises: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Our prayers for an awareness of the Lord's presence and blessings must never be halfhearted or complacent. We must pray fervently with the whole heart and in faith (James 1:5–8; 5:16).'

We see therefore that it is God's desire that we go to Him and talk with Him, and our response should be, 'Lord I'm coming'. This is such a special thing - Almighty God, asking us to go to Him and speak with Him. As I've mentioned earlier, if we remain in God's presence daily. we can listen and talk with Him as much as we want to. We are also clothed in His protection Ephesians 6, something that is our daily requirement.

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.

You're being watched

17For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.    Luke 8:17  NLT

One thing that I'm fond of doing is, People watching. When we're out shopping and my wife goes into the Card Factory, I know she is going to be in there for hours. So, I sit on a form outside and just watch the world going by. There is so much to see - good or bad and, if you have studied psychology like I have, it is interesting to see the habits and rituals that people go through. I find it an interesting pastime. Probably you do the same. I've had many analogies for this blog by carrying this out.

But, while you're watching other people, they are watching you. If they know that you're a Christian, it can be worse because some of them love to find a fault. I remember one chap about 20 years ago, who observed me at road traffic lights. It was hot, it was a nightmare because the traffic just wasn't moving. In the end, I remember winding the window down and shouting, 'Come on, what's the problem'. Little did I know that my lovely Christian brother was looking from his car on his drive. He never let me forget this and, spread it around the church that I was really angry and the words that came out of my mouth were terrible. I challenged him about this but, he pretended that he was only joking. Therefore be careful, you may have the same Christian friend watching you.

But more importantly, there is someone watching us who is far more upright and this is Jesus. He sees all, even when you get home and the 'Behind Close Doors Syndrome' comes into play. Home is the place where we tend to relax and for some, have a day off Christianity. The thing is, this does not work. Christianity is all or nothing. You cannot pretend that no-one can see or hear you when you're chatting at home. Jesus witnesses everything. He doesn't spread it around though but, He does make His point. 

It is so easy in the privacy of your home to say what you think about a church issue, the pastor, elders or Tom, Dick or Harry, (whoever they are). Joking aside, Jesus hears and sees all and sometimes He is hurt and dismayed by all of this. Probably, it is time that we all need to nip this in the bud and remember that, we have a constant guest staying in our home

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.

Your Friend but, also your Sovereign Lord

“Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God."               Exodus 3:5   NLT

Not many people have looked at a burning bush that talks to them. Bushes in parts of the world, do catch fire when there is an intense heat from the sun and there is an arid dryness around the place. But, the bush that Moses saw that day, was not burning up and what's more, it was speaking to him. This must have been quite scary, especially when you're in the middle of nowhere and the voice is telling you to take your shoes off. No wonder Moses covered his face.

God is your friend but, He is also your Sovereign Lord. Moses needed to realise that the place he was standing was holy ground. He covered his face because he was frightened by it all and he knew from the brightness of the bush, that he was looking at a vision of God. Taking off his shoes was a sign of reverence, conveying his own unworthiness before God. It is true that God is our friend but He is also God Almighty. To approach Him in a very casual manner shows a lack of respect and sincerity. 

How do you approach God in worship? Some people lie down before Him. Others raise their hands in adoration, others just close their eyes and get carried away by the emotion of it all. Some worship Him, in church, with a mug of coffee in their hand. Worshipping God is essential as He adores us doing this; however, I have a question, do you approach Him casually or do you come as though you were an invited guest before a King? When you consider this question, it may be necessary to adjust your attitude so it is suitable of approaching a Holy God.

When we know that we are standing on Holy Ground, we need to act accordingly. There is a time to be casual towards Jesus and enjoy a coffee while you're speaking to Him. But when you are in an attitude of worship before Him, it is appropriate to recognise that you are standing before a holy God on holy ground and give Him all the honour and sacrifice  He deserves.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes  3:1   NLT

Yes, there are many times to enjoy Jesus and His love. He is a great friend and loves to share His life with us. However, their many times, when we should remember just who He is and give Him the honour and respect that He deserves. 

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.

Mind Games

1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.   Romans 8:1-2. NKJV

We know the devil is a liar; he is very skilled in this area. If we are not walking in the Spirit, we can be sidetracked when he says or does something. The thing is, he can be so convincing, but, only when we allow him to be. When Jesus died on the cross for each of us, he took our sins and declared us not guilty. This is fact!. So why do we become entangled with the devil's lies about us being condemned? 

The Word above, clearly tells us that we once were condemned but, when Jesus died on that cross, and we accepted Him as Our Lord, we were set free from any bondage. Paul in Chapter 7 had just finished writing about being condemned and not in control of himself and, he concluded that Jesus Christ had saved him from his body of death (7:24), and he gave thanks to Jesus for this. He also said something important in verse 25, 'So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.'

Paul knew that he was involved here with Mind Games. The devil was tricking him and giving him the feeling of condemnation. Have you never had that? You do something and deep down you wished you hadn't. You repent immediately and you are forgiven. But then, your battle begins because the devil will do all he can to convince you that you are guilty - 'God will never forgive you now.' Yes He will!

This is why Paul encourages us all to renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2). One thing you need to take on board and remember it, is, the believer's judgement day is behind them at the cross of Calvary (John 16:11). The unbeliever's judgement day is ahead of them. Don't forget that. When you were saved, your sinful baggage was removed by the blood of Jesus and you are no longer condemned. There will be no judgement day for you, it was already sorted at the cross.

So therefore, we need to use our minds to concentrate on what is really happening around us. Lies and accusations fly around all the time but, your name is not on them but Satan will try to convince you that it is. Take control of it: '3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,  6and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Cor 10:3-6

Note verse 6 'bringing every thought into captivity'. This is Mind Renewal and it helps you to make a spiritual assessment of what is being said or happening around you. 

Just realise, when the devil comes along and breathes a lie into your mind, cast it out in Jesus' name, refusing to dwell on it any longer, or you might just believe 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 Check it out. Just tap on Grahame Howard books.