Values No 5 - Thankfulness

"But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death, through our Lord Jesus Christ."                                           1 Corinthians 15:57.  New Living Translation

We need to be thankful for each minute that God allows us on this earth. Each and every morning of your life, let thanksgiving be the first thing that you do; even if it is only a hurried, 'Thank You Lord for my life.'

Remember to always thank people for what they do for you. I remember when I was a manager, that I always tried to thank everyone in my team for their work each day. Being told, 'Thank you,' makes you feel appreciated and valued. People love to feel appreciated and wanted. Each day, God gives us 86,400 seconds; surely we can use a few of them to thank God and others for what they have done.

We have so much to be thankful for:

*  That our parents gave us life
*  Our schools and teachers helped us to learn
*  Doctor's and Nurse's who fixed our ailments
*  Bosses who gave us a job so that we could pay our way in this life
*  Friends who have stuck by us
*  Wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends who have given us love and friendship
*  That we are alive

There are many other people and organisations that should be on our Thank you list. However, most of all, there is God who created us and gave us life in the first place. There is Jesus - God in human form, who gives us His friendship and died in our place for our sin. Then, last but not least, there's the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and gives us the power, the victory and the guidance to approach all things with confidence.

'The faithful love of the LORD never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is His faithfulness;

His mercies begin afresh each morning.'

                                                    Lamentations 3:22-23   New Living Translation

Each day that we wake up, God has given us a new day to enjoy, and share His love to all we meet. Why not make it an every day occurrence to say, 'Good morning Lord, thank You for this new day that You have given me.'

As you do this, great things will begin to happen.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Values No 4 - Respect

"Love your neighbour as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these."
                                                                        Mark 12:31.  New Living Translation

The Greek word agape is commonly known as Christian love. It means, respect, affection, benevolence, good will and concern for the welfare of the one loved.

Respect means, showing appreciation for what people have done for you or others. It means treating people with honour and being considerate. It also means, being polite, showing proper attention to someone. One can't have a proper conversation with someone while they speak to another on the telephone.

Respect includes extending Christian love to all people, and that means to those that we don't particularly like. For some reason, you may not like a person but you can still show them the respect that they deserve. Let us not forget The Golden Rule:

'Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.'

                                                 Matthew 7:12

How would you feel if someone totally ignored you and didn't show you any respect at all. I know what you're thinking, This has happened to you a lot, hasn't it? Jesus would tell you to rise above it; to not act as they do. Whatever, show them love and respect. You may not want to do this; you may have a better idea, which would show everyone the wrong way. No, be the better person and love them.

Ask yourself:
'Do I want people to show me love and respect?' Then show the same to them!
'Do I want to be respected?' Then show respect to all you meet. 
If your partner does something for you, are you grateful or do you take it for granted? This could be doing the weekly shopping' cleaning the house while you're at work or cooking you a meal. 

As I have said before, many times, we give off signals by our body language. If we see someone we don't like or don't wish to speak to them, we might quickly walk the other way or even blank them totally. It would be awful if Jesus did this to us, wouldn't it? At times, we can have the glare that conveys the message, 'Whatever happens, don't talk to me.' Have you this glare? I must be honest, I've had this a few times and I'm not proud of it. At the end of the day, as Christians, we'll all be together. Yes, we may be different then, but it would be nice if we begun showing love and respect now, before we go to Heaven. 

Why not make an effort to show your appreciation and gratitude to someone you see today. They may be feeling as if they're being taken for granted by someone and you just blessing them, may make them feel so good about themselves.

Go on, go and do it

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Values No 3 - Be honest

"Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbours. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will give honour to God when He judges the world."   1 Peter 2:12.  New Living translation

It is so easy to not fully tell the truth when we are speaking to someone. Some people want to be the one with the best story and can be known to stretch the truth somewhat. What we are talking about is exaggeration. Which one of us has not exaggerated at some time in their lives? I think that it's fair to say, that we have all done that from time to time. Some people, do it all the time and for them, it can be difficult to stop.

We've all heard of Chinese whispers, where one whispers something to someone and then say this to the next in line. Usually, by the time that it gets to the very last person; it is totally different to how it started out. This is what exaggeration can do.

Honesty and integrity are important values in the Word of God. Dishonesty leads a person away from the truth. It can be a false statement and can also be innuendos that can deliberately paint a bad picture of someone. It is used almost daily within businesses, where targets have to be met whatever the cost. Cutting corners can take place and bodge jobs done to save costs and reach the deadline. Many sales people, are gifted in the art of making the deal and can be known to colour the whole deal, making it seem like it is not.

As Christians, God would have us live our lives in such a way that no one can make a false accusation against us and make it stick. But, if they are successful, God can be relied on to rescue us out of the situation, if we allow Him to, without trying to sort it out ourselves.

Dishonesty, can also be committing adultery, where someone risks their whole life, marriage and family, on a fling that may lead to a very costly results. Dishonesty can also be having a secret addiction that is ruining not only our health but our bank balance too. Dishonesty can ruin any integrity that a person may have had. To split hairs, even taking a company pencil home, is stealing; yet we've all done it.

Just look at the world today. It is in total chaos. Why? Because God is not central in decision making and man wants dominion above anything and will stop at nothing to grab what they can. The world is dishonest; but we, as Christians, are called to live honest lives. Lives that will make a difference wherever we are.

Do you make a difference wherever you go? Do people know you are honest?

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

daiylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Values No 2: Don't hold a grudge - forgive

"You shall not take vengeance, not bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD".  Leviticus 19:18.  NKJV

'I'll never forgive that person; you just don't know what they've done to me." Does this sound familiar? You know, Jesus wants there to be, no place for hatred, holding a grudge, revenge, retaliation or getting even in our lives. He set us free from all of that when He died on the cross. If you think differently, sorry, but you've got it wrong.

A grudge can fester away within a person like a cancer. It can spread until it causes total devastation. It destroys the grudge-holder and quite often the person who is the reason for the grudge, knows nothing about this. 

Forgiveness is probably the most important of Christian Values. Without it, we're lost and destined to a very dark and terrible place, when we die - hell. If we hold a grudge and refuse to forgive that person who you believe is responsible for you feeling this way, then you will not be forgiven yourself:

'But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses.'
                                                                                         Mark 11:26   NKJV

'Yes, but you don't know what she did to me.' No, I don't, but Jesus does; leave it with Him and let Him deal with it for you. When we say that, 'I'll never forgive,' we are actually making an inner vow, and a vow is very hard to break. A vow is a solemn promise or declaration - a pledge. When we make an inner vow such as, 'I'll never forgive that person,' that vow is a promise that we have made but it is breakable. However, you may need prayer for this purpose if you can't manage it yourself. Usually, it requires a change of thought and you making the decision that the vow will never rule in your heart again. It other words, you're breaking the stronghold:

'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds; casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God; bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.'
                                                                           2 Corinthians 10:4-5.  NKJV

If you're holding a grudge, it is ruining your Christian walk. Make a firm decision - today, that from this moment you will release the grudge; forgive the person and get on with your life.
It may mean that you have to make a telephone call to someone to confess, forgive them and allow them to forgive you. That will be difficult but God will be delighted.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Values No 1 : Practice what you preach. Don't be a hypocrite

"(27) What sorrows await you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs - beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. (28) Outwardly you look like righteous people; but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness."
                                                             Matthew 23:27-28.  New Living Translation

For the next few days or so, let us look at Christian values and how they affect the way we present ourselves to the world. Jesus, in Matthew 7:12, quoted what is known as The Golden Rule, 'Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you' (NLT). This verse says it all. If you're wanting to be liked, loved, respected and whatever else, you must give it out firstly. In other words, you reap what you sow. If you give out bad things, then you will receive the same in return. If you speak harshly to someone, chances are they will speak harshly to you as well.

One of the dangers in our Christian walk, is what I call, The Behind Closed Doors Syndrome. You can preach, teach, pray for people and show them Christian love and compassion. You can then return home and throw a wobbly over something that either happened at church, on the journey home or within your home. 

For some people, it's like they're two people - the fine upstanding Christian man or woman at church, but at home, the moaning, grumbling, argumentative person that your family see, and your neighbours hear  In the car, someone may cut you up or be driving too slow, and because you own the road, you decide to throw a wobbly and use a few unsavoury words to reinforce this situation. On arrival at church, all of this can change and you turn into the delightful person, you want people to see. Then at home, because you are relaxed and don't have to put on an act, you can turn into the green monster.

This needs to stop and right now! Why? Because it is hypocrisy. It is what Jesus is talking about in our scripture. It is not only the things that we say that are most important but the things that we do. If we claim to be a Christian but Jesus' teaching is not evident in every area of our lives, then we are nothing but hypocrites. Jesus' words, not mine.

We all have problems such as this, so you are not unique. We all have the ability to be hypocritical at times. However, this does not make it okay. We must be committed to changing our behaviour and living for Jesus, each minute of each day.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Eagle’s wings

"But those who wait on the LORD, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles."                                                                  Isaiah 40:31.  NKJV

Reuben Morgan's song reads:

EAGLE'S WINGS

Here I am waiting, abide in me I pray.

Here I am longing, for You. 

Hide me in Your love, bring me to my knees;

May I know Jesus more and more.

Come live in me, all my life, take over.

Come breathe in me, and I will rise on eagle's wings

                                                                                      Copyright 1998 Reuben Morgan

Eagles do not flap, even when other birds try to mob them because they're entering their territory and near their young. When threatened, an eagle just rises up high on 7 foot wide wings, going much higher than the other birds are prepared to go. They don't flap, they soar.

The eagle often sits on very high rocks testing the wind. They are so huge and heavy they need the right breeze to set off. When the right one comes along, it expands its wings and gets carried on the breeze. In other words, it mounts up on eagle's wings. So therefore, it waits and this renews its strength.

To mount is too ascend. The eagle mounts up and rises above the problems coming against it. Do you get the picture? We need to rise above the worry and the anxiety that is around every corner, trying to envelope us. When trials come, God provides a breeze for us and His intention is for us to soar in it.

As we allow God to breathe in us, we will be able to rise up on eagle's wings. We will also renew our strength and as we do this, God will take us to new heights.

So, get close to Jesus and let Him hold you, love you and refresh you and then wait for Him to send that wonderful breeze of the Holy Spirit. Then without flapping, soar at a new height, higher than you have ever been before. If troubles come, rise above them. Refuse to lose this strength and peace that God has given you.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

Do you believe in healing?

"(22) Have faith in God. (23) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (24) Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray believe that you receive them, and you will have them."                                                                      Mark 11:22-24.  NKJV

I am a great believer in healing. This is how I came to know Jesus back in 1980. I had been ill with a severe bout of Bell's Palsy, and despite three months of daily electrolysis to my face, steroids and physio, it was getting no better. But I heard a voice in my head telling me to, 'Say a prayer and I'll heal you.' I ignored this voice, thinking I was mad but it wouldn't go away, so as I went to bed, I asked whoever it was, to heal me. The next morning, I woke up and my face had begun to go back into shape and by the end of the day, I was back to normal.
My wife was healed of throat cancer back in 1994 and there have been many times over the years when we have seen healing through our prayers and intervention with people.

Yet, I cannot explain why it appears, that some people are healed and others are not. I can't explain that and will not even try to. However, it will never stop me from believing in divine healing either.

I interpret this scripture as, (a) Make up your mind. (b) Visualise your victory and, (c) Speak to the situation. Oral Roberts, used to say, 'Capture this truth: Doubt and do without, with faith believe and receive. Expect a miracle.' Keith Moore says, 'Doubt asks questions, faith makes declarations.'

God doesn't respond to your needs, He responds to your faith. A look at the healing of the lame man in Acts 3:1-10 shows Peter and John's faith in action. The lame man was begging. Peter replied, 'Silver and gold, I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.' And he did. If there had been an inkling of doubt when they took this action, the man would have remained lame. Notice too, they didn't pray for him, they declared healing over him. Perhaps, that is why there are so many people who are not healed. From a distance, yes, prayer is needed. But face to face, like Peter and John and the many times we read of Jesus healing people, then perhaps faith declarations are the way forward.  

When someone asks us to pray for their healing, should we gather round that person and go through lengthy prayers or would it be better to take authority, speak to the situation and declare healing on that person? This is what Peter and John did. I think at times, people tend to be fearful of this type of action, just in case it doesn't work and they're left with egg on their face. For some, it is much safer to lay hands on a person, say a prayer and then leave it with God. This is what I saw an evangelist do back in 1982. He was visiting a particular church and after his lengthy sermon, he said he would pray for people but he wanted people to know, that, 'No one has ever been healed under my ministry and they may not be tonight, but I'm willing to pray for you.' Guess what? You're right; no one was healed that night.

God told me to ask for healing. I did and I was healed. My wife asked a pastor to pray for her and he spoke to the spirit of cancer and it came out - she was healed.

We should always pray for people's needs, and that's what prayer groups and prayer chains are for. But when we have a sick person right in front of us, doesn't it make sense to follow Jesus' example, together with Peter and John's, and speak to the situation?

Now that's food for thought.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com