Absolute Surrender

"And the king of Israel answered and said, 'My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours.'"                                                                                          1 Kings 20:1-4   NKJV

King Ahab was under threat from Ben-Hadad, king of Syria. He had threatened to capture the land and everything in it, together with the wives and children. His action should have been to seek God but instead, the wise decision that he thought was to concede. Our text today is what he quoted. 'My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours.'

This is a statement that we, as Christians, would do well in saying to our Father. It is a declaration of absolute surrender; a decision to cast everything over to God and allow Him to pave the way in our lives.

Many of us have found the Lockdowns pretty difficult to handle, especially the first one. Now with all the deaths that are mounting up, we have a half-hearted promise that there may well be a vaccine to put an end to Covid 19. But really, when you consider it, no one is really sure. This vaccine has been introduced very quickly and we don't really know much about it, what the side-affects are or whether it will clash with medication that we may already take. It is very uncertain at the moment. But there is a certainty in Jesus Christ. He will never get Covid 19, neither will He give it to us. He is the one we need in our 'bubble'. 

Many people today are struggling with one thing and another and there has been fear around at every corner. But, can you remember that well-known verse - 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.'  John 3:16. Note the two words, 'so loved.' God loves the world so much and this includes us. He is in charge, the devil may think he is, but he is about to get a shock. Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the one we need to keep our eyes on. He is the winner, and He longs for us to totally trust in Him. Absolute surrender is the answer. We don't know what will happen in the future with Covid and the vaccine, but Jesus does. He knows everything.

I want to address the ones who are in fear this morning. There really is no need to live this way. Whatever is going to happen, will happen but with God on your side, there really is nothing to fear. He can change a problem in the blink of an eye. There are angels all around you. All you have to do is surrender to God, He'll take care of everything else.

May you be confessing today and always, 'My Lord, O King, I am Thine and all that I have. I surrender to You. Amen'

 

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

 

Grief

"Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted."

                                                                                                                Matthew 5:4   NKJV

Grief is something that we all have to face at some time in our lives. If it is a distant family member, it is upsetting but possibly not life-changing. However, when someone very close to us dies, the pain can be enormous. In fact, it can be so intense that it is difficult to imagine if it will ever be less hurtful. The thing is, no one expects it to happen to them or their loved ones. It happens to others and as upsetting as it is, we soon get over it and get on with our lives. However, it is not so when death strikes at someone within our close circle.

The shock of a death to a close family member, especially a spouse, mother, father or even a child, can leave a person in total shock, in fact numb. It is very difficult to process what has happened and our minds can become scrambled as we attempt to make some sense of it all. There are no words that can be said that will make any difference to such a loss, it just takes time to be able to work through it all; and this time is immeasurable.

Dr Colin Murray-Parkes, a leading British Psychiatrist specialising in grief and bereavement, writes:

“The pain of grief is just as much part of life as the joy of love:it is perhaps the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment. To ignore this fact, or to pretend that it is not so, is to put on emotional blinkers which leave us unprepared for the losses that will inevitably occur in our own lives and unprepared to help others cope with losses in theirs.”

Grief is the price we pay for love and the only way around it would be to avoid love all together, which is an impossible road to take. We all need to love and be loved. It's a part of life and this is why it becomes so difficult when loss strikes.

There is a way through though but it takes some time to be able to reach it. You may be going through bereavement at this time and so you know just how it feels. There are certain stages that have to be worked through and these include denial, anger and depression right through to acceptance and being able to move on. The moving on period, can be known as the 'Letting go' stage. This is where the grieving person reaches a stage where they feel a little stronger and begin to realise that 'there is life out there'. This can then be a time where letting go of the pain - not the memory of the person - can begin. As the pain is released from the mind, the grieving person is better placed to find a way forward taking with them the wonderful memories of the person who died. I must stress, that this is not easy and can take a long time to put into action, with many relapses.

For the Christian, there is the peace that their loved one is now with Jesus in Heaven and the assurance that one day, they will be re-united. There is also the assurance that Jesus is right beside you, holding your hand and helping you to walk through all of this.

May I add, that whatever you are going through at this time, the sun will shine again in your life. I can't say when however. Until then, Jesus will never leave you.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Adultery

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart."  v28                                              Matthew 5:27-29   NKJV

This is a most delicate area to discuss but it is one, that affects us all. Jesus was speaking as if to 'man', but this was a definite address to both sexes.

Just a glance at our text shows us that a person does not actually have to commit the act of a adultery in the flesh. Jesus tells us, that when we look at a man or a woman with lust in our hearts for them, we have already committed adultery with them. These are very strong words and some may argue that this is not really fair. After all, just to think about it is not as bad as actually doing it, is it? Yes it is, because it shows you the state of your heart.

Take a look at James:

'14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, brings forth death.'

                                                                                                             James 1:14-15.  NKJV

It is the desire that becomes fired up as we look lustfully at another person. The root of lust is 'unsatisfied longing.' This unsatisfied state is the fact that a person has not had sexual relations with this person yet and the temptation is there to do so. When we internalise this lust, we can paint pictures of fantasy in our mind and the adulterous desire becomes even worse.

Andrew Womack says, 'Sin is conceived in your emotions,' and this is so true. Some people may fantasise about their desire until it actually becomes a reality and they commit physical adultery. Others may just keep it within their hearts. Whatever, they are both wrong in Jesus' eyes; He calls it adultery whatever we do.

To help avoid these lustful thoughts, which once they get a hold is so difficult to dismiss, we have to take control of the heart and body which begins with controlling our eyes. Jesus is not referring to self-mutilation in verse 29 when He says to pluck out the eye. No, He is saying that we need to take rigid, moral self-denial. This, as I've said, is very difficult to put into practice once the lust has formulated in our mind and become a stronghold; but it is achievable. It requires a renewing of our mind, which we discussed the other day. We have to take the old self, discard it and put on the new self. This takes a long time to perform - very possibly a lifetime' but it is so necessary.

Remember, all around us is temptation. Just switch on the TV and we can see sexual content every day of the week; today's music presents videos that leave nothing to the imagination and the general consensus is, 'It's ok to have some fun, you're a long time dead.' People are tempted at work by colleagues, at parties, in fact in most places. This is why, as a Christian we have to make a stand and decide that it is time to clean up our minds and our actions; and we have someone who is willing to help - Jesus.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

Are you hearing properly?

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.'    Romans 10:17   NKJV

Charles F Stanley says:

'Listening to God is essential to walking with Him. The Lord blesses us when we hear His promises and respond to them in faith.'

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to awaken a response of faith within us and this can be relied on. As we confess this faith and believe, faith builds up within us in the supernatural. This is why it is so important to get into His Word, reading the bible each day and meditating on what He is saying to us. If we don't listen, we won't hear and that is the bottom line.

So let's look at this a little closer. God's Word tells us that we are healed by His stripes (Isaiah 53:5) and yet many of us are not and this is where the hurt and confusion can kick in. Some are healed and some appear not to be. Take for instance Joni Eareckson Tada, following an accident in which she dived mistakenly into shallow water in 1967, she has been in a wheelchair ever since. Despite much prayer she hasn’t been healed. Instead, God chose to use this lady to minister all over the world to other wheelchair users, and because of this, many thousands have received salvation and their own healing. However, she must have struggled at times with God's Word saying one thing and life saying another. But God may still choose to heal her at any time. We should never give up.

There is really no answer that anyone can give when they are not healed. It is one of life's anomalies that we won't find out until we see Jesus face to face in Heaven. However, that doesn't mean that we give up. Not at all, we should remain fully convinced in the Word He has given us. 

Derek Prince told of time when he was a soldier in the war, when he desperately needed healing. Despite asking God for this many times, healing wouldn't come. One night, God told him to change his words. Instead of saying to God, 'Lord, I need to be healed,' say, 'Lord, I believe, according to Your Word, that You want me to be healed, please fulfil Your Word.' This worked, and he was healed instantly. As soon as Derek had changed his wording recognising that God wanted him healed, he received it. Instead of pleading for healing for himself, God showed him to allow God to have His will done. The thing is, if Derek had not have been listening, he may have missed this all together and died.

Perhaps, you may be waiting on God to perform healing or some other important issue. You may have been waiting a very long time. Allow me to encourage you, Galatians 6:9 says, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.' Your 'Due Season,' may be just around the corner. You may have been waiting a very long time. Listen to God, seek Him, Praise Him and read His Word, as you have been doing all this time. He is faithful and in due season His blessing will manifest.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

How do you renew your mind?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by he renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." 

                                                                                                                  Romans 12:2   NKJV

This process is lifelong that will not be completed until we're with Jesus. It is a process of examining our values and making the decision to change them and live for Jesus. This doesn't come easy, as I've just said. It takes effort, discipline and a determination to knock ourselves into shape so that we can walk in the Spirit. We have to learn to yield our whole self to God. Let's take a look at Ephesians 4:22-24 to examine this further.

"22 that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man (self) which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man (self) which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.' 

Therefore, we're dealing with the old self and the new self. Paul compares the Christian life to stripping off the dirty clothes of a sinful past and putting on the snowy white robes of Christ's righteousness. So, the old self says, 'I want my will to be done, I want, I want.' The new self says, 'Not my will be done, but Yours Lord.' Do you see the difference? This is how we are changed or made new, in the attitude of our minds. We are putting God first.

It is completely discarding our former nature which has been corrupted and is being continually renewed in the spirit of your mind by having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude. This renewed nature is being created in God's image - Godlike, living in such a way that expresses to God your gratitude to Him for your salvation and everything else that He does for each one of us, daily.

God will not do this for us, but as we show Him that we mean business, He will help us every step of the way. Basically, it's learning to think how God thinks and this can take a life time. But let's not forget that He has given us a promise in His Word:

'being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you, will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.'  Philippians 1:6

You're not there yet; there's a lot of work to be done; but as you look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, He will give you the ability to grow more like Him, each day.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

We have missions to perform

"Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." 

                                                                                                        Matthew 6:10   NKJV. 

God has given us missions to carry out for Him here on earth.

(1)   Preach the Good News (Gospel) to everyone. Mark 16:15-19. NLT

(2).  Establish His kingdom and will on earth as it is in heaven.

You see, when satan rebelled in Heaven and was cast out, the earth fell into his hands. So the will of God could not be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Therefore, God created a man (Adam) with the intention of recovering the earth for Himself. Sadly, Adam blew it, but God always has a plan, He sent Jesus to bring Heaven's rule on the earth and recover it for God's interest, so that the will of God could be done on earth as it is in Heaven. God's relying on us - His people to pray for this and live in such a way that this may be established.

One day, Jesus will return and the way the world is going at this time, it would be easy to predict that it is imminent. However, we have no idea when this will be. People in the past have predicted Jesus' coming over the years and not one of them has been right. I remember a time about 30 years ago, when someone paid a vast fortune for a double spread in the broad sheet newspapers, claiming he was Jesus and claiming that he would be returning in a week or so - we had to be ready. Of course, the date passed and we were still here. Then there was a sports presenter who on live TV claimed that he was Jesus Christ. People have tried things like this for years. When Jesus returns, He will not need to place advertisements in the newspaper advising us of this. He will come quickly, like a thief in the night 2 Peter 3:10.

Until then, we have work to do. Everything we say and do needs to be a reflection of whom we claim to be. If we claim to be a Christian, we need to be displaying this wherever we find ourselves, and this includes in our own home when we're behind closed doors. We need to establish God's kingdom in our home and His will. It should be done as it is in heaven. That's right, we need to take action and live in such a way that we live up to what He has made us - kings and priests to God Revelation 1:6.

The time has come when we need to take control of ourselves. Jesus may be coming soon. If He does, what is He going to find? Imagine being caught out in immoral behaviour if He walked into your home. It's unthinkable. This is why, I say that we need to take stock of ourselves and live the life. Don't let us ever claim to be what we're not. If we are Kingdom people - kings and priest to God, then let us live in such a way and go flat out that if God's Kingdom is to come, then let His will be done on earth (wherever we may find ourselves), as it is in Heaven.

Make a reputation for yourself as you establish God's Kingdom wherever you go. Does it really matter what people may think of you. Isn't it far better to offer God's Kingdom to your family

and whoever you may meet along the way.

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com 

When you think you know best

"And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living." v12-13

                                                                                                                   Luke 15:11-24.  NKJV

This was a situation that is relevant to many families today; a young son or daughter, thinking they know best, gather up their things and leave home, looking for stardom or any other kind of wild living and then end up with problems and some in peril.

When we are young, we do tend to think that we know it all and despite much advise and pleading from parents, go off and do our own thing.

It was no different for this younger son. He asked for his share of his inheritance. At this time, a father could release the inheritance before or after his death, mostly it was after. However, this would be at his discretion. The son was successful in having his wishes granted and he set off on his adventure. After living the high and wild life for a while, his fortune ran out and he was broke. Adding to this, there was a famine and he made the mistake of joining himself to a citizen of that country in order to gain a wage and some food. I say mistake, because with his father, he was in a covenant relationship. With this relationship there was no covenant, as he quickly found out.

He was assigned to feeding pigs with pods. These were seeds from a carob tree, which was evergreen. The fruit - the pod, was like a bean which was used as fodder to feed the animals, which here, was a total insult because he had to feed these pods to pigs, which to a Jew was unclean. He was in such a state that he would gladly have eaten them himself, such was his hunger. However, the hunger he felt in his heart, was for his father, who he had wronged and left. He would have been crestfallen.

He eventually, came to his senses and returned to his father, rehearsing what he would say on his return. But note what happened. His father had been looking and waiting for him possibly ever since he had left and when he saw him in the distance, he ran to his son and hugged and kissed him, restoring him back into the family.

And this is how it is when we return to our Father. We may have left Him out of our thinking for a while, or even walked away, but He is always watching and waiting for us to come back. But notice some thing, we have to go to Him, He doesn't come to us, although He may give a few nudges. As we return to Him in repentance, He throws His arms around us, kisses us and gives us His all. Why does He do that? Because He loves us and can't get enough of us. He adores us. You may know what this is like if you have had a child return home to you. It is a time to rejoice and this is what our Father does.

The bottom line though, is stop thinking that you know best, because you don't. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 'Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.'

Do you need to return to Him and say that you're sorry?

Copyriight 2020 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com