Don't look back

"When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”              Genesis 19:17.  NLT

We can see from the consequences of this scripture that it is very unwise to disobey God. Sodom was a city full of sexual sin, so bad that God decided to destroy it. He sent two angels who met with Lot. He persuaded them to stay with him overnight. However, men from the vicinity heard about this and pounded on Lot's door, wanting to have sex with them. The conclusion to this was, the angels blinded the men and grabbed Lot, his wife and daughters and encouraged them to leave the city. The one warning was, 'Don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.' Lot persuaded the angels to allow them to go to a small village not too far away. The angel agreed. On the way out, Lot's wife looked back to the city and was instantly turned into a pillar of salt. v26

When God speaks to us, it is wise to take notice of what He tells us. For Lot's wife, life was over - she paid the price. We need to think about this and match it with other scriptures. In Luke 9:62, Jesus said: “Anyone who puts a hand to the plough and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Jesus was basically saying if we commit to do something, don't look back or you may give up and go back. The Israelites had cried to be rescued from Pharaoh in Egypt but when Moses brought them out, after a time, they started moaning about this and that and wanted to return. The result was, they didn't make it to the Promised Land.

Paul said in Philippians 3: 'Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us v13-14. There is no point in looking back to 'what was'. If it is a pleasant memory then that is ok. However, yearning for what you had, where you lived and what you did, is pointless. You no longer have that life so, what's the point in yearning for it. If you have given something up in order to serve Jesus, don't look back from the plough. If your heart is still there then you will be unsettled to where you are now. Forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead. That is the method to take; it may be hard-going initially but press on so that you can reach your goal. It will be well worth it in the end.

You may have left a certain place to enter new beginnings. It may feel strange and you may begin to miss what you left behind. It's natural but, with perseverance you overcome this. Just think, God may well be wanting to bless and prosper you. You may not see it at first but don't give in, things will get better. That's a promise.

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.

A Song of love and gratitude Part 2

"But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. 7Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger.
8Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet."    Psalm 18:6-9    NLT

Can you remember the time when you were so distressed that you didn't know what to do? This is the distress that David had been feeling. He feared for his life because he thought that he may die because of it all. God heard him and He will do you too, no matter what is happening in your life. In His sanctuary He sees everything. He knows what is happening to you before it ever happens. Sometimes, He will intervene before things do happen but, them again, at other times He watches and waits for your call to Him.

David here could be describing the Lord's descent from heaven to earth, what with the reference to earthquakes, flames, darkness and rain. This will be a time when the whole of creation will shudder at God's coming. This destabilisation of the whole earth will be a means of God's judgement. Mountains will shake because of the Lord's anger. David could see the end of the earth years before it would happen. David may also be describing how he called on God and He opened the heavens and came down to rescue Him. Whatever he envisaged it was happening or will happen.

Have you ever thought about what happens when you call on God for help? As David writes here, He hears us from His sanctuary. However, we have Jesus right beside us and we only have to speak to Him and He will help. It can be a complicated issue when young Christians try to get their heads around what happens in such circumstances. Do they call on God in heaven such as David did? Or, because Jesus is with us, should they just ask Him for help?  I suppose it all comes down to the Trinity, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and God the Son, three separate persons in one God. As they are all fully God, we have the opportunity to call on Jesus or God. So whether we pray to God in heaven or Jesus in heaven or on earth, as they are the same God, it doesn't matter. Jesus dwells within us as does the Holy Spirit. The easiest way to accept this is to just pray to God in Jesus' name or Jesus Himself. As I've said, the Holy Spirit, still fully God, dwells within is or around us.

Whoever we call on, we need to remember all that they have done for us and, will do in the future. We are so privileged.

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.

A Song of love and gratitude Part 1

"1I love you, LORD; you are my strength. 2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my Saviour; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and

he saved me from my enemies."         Psalm 18:1-3   NLT

Over the next few days, let us look at David's song of love and gratitude to God. He wrote this song on the day of his deliverance from his enemies, including Saul. Just look at some of the things he sang about. 

First he thanked God for being strong for him in a time when he couldn't possibly have helped himself. There are many times when we need to do this. Think of a time, probably recently when you know that Jesus reached down and rescued you from something. You may have been on ground that was making you sink under the weight of fear and anguish. But, Jesus was there to put your feet upon solid ground - rock,  and built a fortress of protection around you. Where else could you ever receive this type of protection; even a bodyguard falls under greater strength. Jesus is the bodyguard to beat all bodyguards, and He is never taken over by anyone who is stronger - never!

Jesus is our shield, our image of protection, salvation and victory. He is the one that we can rely on when everyone else has deserted us. Think of those lonely, scary times when you thought some human help was around you, only to find that they had left you on your own. The going had become too tough for them and in order to save themselves, they deserted you. This happened to Jesus prior to His crucifixion, in the Garden of Gethsemane, His disciples chose to sleep instead of being there to support Him. And when He was being led to His place of crucifixion, many deserted Him, even His own Father 'My God, my God, why have You deserted Me?' Mk 15:34. Jesus knows what it is like to be left on His own and therefore, He will never allow you to go through problems without being by your side. He is our place of safety.

When we call upon the Lord, we can be sure that He has heard us, therefore, this gives us an opportunity to praise and worship Him. King David wrote a song of praise and gratitude to God on the day of his rescue and then sang it, no doubt at the top of his voice. We can all sing and praise God. You may sing like a Nightingale but then again it may sound like a Jackdaw with a sore throat. It doesn't worry Jesus, it is what is in your heart that matters to Him. So why don't you spend some time just worshipping your friend, your protector, your rock and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let Him know the gratitude that is in your heart for all that He has done and will do. He really is on your side.

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.

Sin and Forgiveness

"1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."   Ephesians 2:1-10.  NLT

Everyone is prone to sin, it is something that we struggle with daily and will continue to do so until we reach heaven. I John 1:9 says 'But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.' However, this does not include the deliberate acts of sin, where someone commits sin blatantly, believing: 'Well God will forgive me anyway, so let's do it.' This a dangerous way of living - a very risky thing to do and one that we should avoid at all costs because we are risking our salvation.

Dr David Jeremiah writes 'Christians who do not regularly confess their sins, weaken their relationship with God and their relationship with Him becomes distant and strained.'

David Jeremiah here, is talking about the Christians who struggle with their sin daily and forget all about asking forgiveness. This leads to a weakness in our walk with Jesus and should point to the fact that we're not in tune with Him. The people who blatantly and deliberately commit sin - adultery, fornication and lust - just to name a few, are living in a precarious position.

But for the majority of us, Jesus has provided freedom, hope and salvation to all who walk in His name. He knows how difficult life can be at times. Remember this, when you say or do something that was not what Jesus would say or do, and repent straightaway. ~You will then be forgiven.

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.

Strategy, Blessing & Encouragement

1Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land. 2You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the town.”

                                                                               Joshua 8:1-2   NLT

Confession and repentance to God brings freedom and opens the way forward. When God next spoke with Joshua, it was with a different outlook, God had a plan and Joshua was listening. God told him to take all of his troops to attack. 30000 would go first and hide in ambush waiting for the enemy to come by. The next day, Joshua would go with the rest of the troops and when the enemy saw and attacked them, they would run away as they did before. When the enemy had ran by after Joshua, the troops in ambush would go into Ai and completely destroy it. The enemy would see this but, it would be too late because Joshua and his men would turn around and attack and kill them. This time they would be allowed to take the spoils of war for themselves, the king  would be executed and the land destroyed.

It was like a game of chess; the strategy was amazing; God was the chess master. As long as Joshua held up and pointed his spear at Ai, victory would be theirs v18. God was totally in charge this time. As God had said to Moses in the Book of Instruction, an altar was to be built on Mount Ebal from uncut, unworked stones with details written upon them. Joshua did this and the altar was finished. Archaeologists have recently discovered an altar on Mount Ebal but, there were no instructions written on the stones. However, this could still be the altar Moses referred to.

Assessment  

*  When we confess our sin to God, He hears our confession and through Jesus' blood they are wiped out. He doesn't hold grudges; He chooses to forget the wrongs and He blesses us

*  Note how Joshua's listening skills had improved. He ensured that all of the troops went into battle this time and, they had the victory. We should always listen properly, getting all of the information before we step out

*  Look what happens when we are in God's blessing and involving Him in the planning. Sometimes, God tells us to do things that we can't work out, rather like Joshua holding up and pointing his spear at Ai. Whether or not it seems right, it is always best to do what God is telling us to do. It brings victory and success

*  Building the altar according to Moses' instructions may also have seemed pointless to some but, it was a matter of honouring God, honouring Moses and obedience to our Father. Obedience is the way to God's heart. He loves us to do what He tells us.

Conclusion

When we put God in the driving street, it is a smooth ride but, as I say many times, if we allow Satan into the back seat, pretty soon he is going to want to drive himself. Avoid this at all costs. It is the difference between Blessing and Chaos.

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.

   

Lessons to learn

4So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai 5chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralysed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.   Joshua 7:4 -5.   NLT

It can be described as a disastrous day for Joshua because his army were defeated in a most humiliating manner. What had happened? Where was the elite efficiency they had shown when they took Jericho? Answer - there was a root of sin that had taken hold and caused this defeat. Let's examine this more deeply.

When they had defeated Jericho, Joshua gave the order that nothing should be taken from the camp, except silver, gold or iron for the treasury of the Lord's house. However, a man called Achan couldn't resist and stole some for himself. He hid this in his tent on return. In the meantime, Joshua decided  to attack Ai and again, sent out spies. On return, they discussed the strategy with Joshua and told him that just 3000 troops would be enough to attack as there wasn't many enemy to be seen and they could be easily overpowered. The problem was, they underestimated the enemy and after being chased, they suffered terrible defeat.

What caused all of this? Joshua had become too complacent and overconfident and he didn't even consult God about the attack, he just arranged for it to happen. Because of not being in prayer with God, he also failed to recognise that Achan had stolen some of the Lord's treasure and therefore his sin had disabled them. 

Assessment  Don't ever go into something in your own strength. Commit it to the Lord, you can't do it alone. Don't neglect prayer. Like Joshua, don't become puffed up with pride. it was like he had become too big for his boots. This cost him dearly.It had become devastation and the buck stopped with Joshua, he was their leader. Because of this, they suffered shame and their reputation was smashed in a moment. This led to Joshua feeling sorry for himself and calling a 'pity party'. His protests to God were rather like the previous Istaelites who called out in the desert, 'Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you being us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us?' V7. Joshua had the audacity to blame God for all of this. But God told him to get up instead of lying on his face crying out. God told him that someone had stolen some of the things He had ordered to be set apart. He said that in the morning, Joshua needed to gather all of the people and He would show him who did this. Joshua would then need to deal with it. Achan was singled out and he and all of his family were destroyed, burned and buried. Where they were laid is called The Valley of Trouble V26. 

What are the lessons to learn here?

Doing things your own way. Don't ever leave God out of your life, include Him in the planning Proverbs 3:5-6, John 15:5. 

Complacency Don't become so puffed up that you are too sure of yourself. Only God knows the way, not you. 

Deal with sin  Don't let it fester; remember one bad apple will ruin the whole lot. Sin cannot be swept under the carpet. It needs addressing because it is a blot on your ministry and testimony.

Final word  When you have messed up and confessed and dealt with the sin in your life. Thank and praise God and then, move on, don't begin to feel sorry for yourself.

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.

The walls fell and a promise was kept

"Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.”     Joshua 6:22   NLT

Read Chapter 6 and you'll get the full story. However, in a nutshell, Joshua gathered his troops and under God's direction, set off to walk around the perimeter of Jericho. Seven priests led the way, blowing their horns, followed by more priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant. Then came Joshua and the fighting troops. They were to march around the perimeter of the town once a day for 6 days. On the 7th day, they had to walk around it seven times and on the seventh time, the priests would blow a lasting blast on their horns and the rest of them had to shout as loud as they could. They did this and the walls of this mighty town fell down, leaving only the house that Rahab lived in. The soldiers rushed into the town and killed everything in sight.

There are a number of things that happened here which are notable:

Obedience  Joshua obeyed all that the Lord had told him and he claimed the victory. This reinforces the need to listen properly to what God tells us. Hearing the word properly brings victory. If Joshua had missed out anything that day, it may have been a disaster.

Noise  Scripture tells us to: 'Shout to the LORD all the earth, break out in praise and sing for joy' Psalm 98:4-9. Praise opens doors or like here, brings down walls. The priests were up front blowing their horns with all their might. The Ark of the Covenant symbolising God Himself was following behind and everyone else were shouting as loud as they could. Praise brings victory.

Promises  God keeps His promises and so should we. There is so much disappointment when a promise is broken. Always, to the best of your ability, keep you word. Joshua was diligent here and reminded the two spies to keep their promise to Rahab and go and rescue her and her family as was planned (v22). Keeping promises makes people feel wanted and secure. 

Protection  Rahab's family that day, must have wondered what was happening when the walls fell down. Rahab's house was built into the wall and her house was all that was left standing. Rahab though, was a woman of faith, she may have been tempted to fear when this happened but it would have been temporary because she knew she was under a promise - an oath. She knew the spies would come for them as they had said. Do you realise the protection that you are under each moment of the day. God is in you; angels surround you and as you pray for His protecton each day, he is happy to oblige.

Finally, if God promises you something; if He tells you to do something for Him, never listen to other people's attempts to dampen your faith. Get counsel yes, but receiving good counsel and robbing of your faith are two different matters. Be cautious in all you 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.