New Life

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God".

                                                                             Colossians 3:1-3.   NKJV

As Christians, we know that we have died with Christ. We died, were buried and risen with Christ, which our water baptism declares. Notice the little word 'If' in verse 1. Paul is challenging his readers to consider their position, it is all right saying it but, do we live it. Have we been raised to a new life in Christ? If your answer is 'Yes,' then we are to set our minds on things above not, anywhere else.

It really means, goodbye to our former life. We have been raised to new life so, we should be setting our sights on things that are above, not here on earth. We still live on the earth, that is fact but, we can cultivate heavenly ways. We need to refrain from viewing things with the natural eye and concentrate on how Jesus sees things as citizens of heaven here on earth.

Bad habits are a big hindrance, we need to deal with these things straightaway. They originate from our mind, this is why we need to set out minds on things above, and the main point here is Jesus Christ. Our thoughts condemn us therefore, we need to renew our minds Romans 12:2. This is not easy. We need to pry open these habits and loose them from our mind. This takes some time and dedication; in fact you may have had these bad habits for years so they have taken root and will not be terminated easily. 

However hard it may seem to quench these habits and desires, with Jesus' help we can gain the victory and the first part is to: "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  3For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" v2-3. As we do this, with patience and endurance we will attain a heavenly mindset. We will be thinking heavenly things, therefore, we will have a Kingdom mentality.

It is all right writing about this and discussing it, but doing it is the hard bit. Anyone who has beat a bad habit such as smoking and drinking too much alcohol, will tell you that it is an uphill struggle. However, if you want the prize then there is a need to grab hold of this by the throat until you gain the victory - and you will as long as you set you mind on things above, not on earthly things where these habits were first born.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

You can’t bribe your way into the limelight

“A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men”

                                                Proverbs 18:16.  NKJV

Not everyone can be a leader. Not everyone will rise to be a top film or pop star. Some people get the breaks others don’t. That’s life. But this doesn’t mean we can’t be happy or enjoy ourselves. Take for instance an office worker. This person is very good at their job. However, if someone promotes them to Office Manager, this hardworking and very capable worker falls at the starting post. Why? They are just not cut out for this responsible position. It is called The Peter Principle. It’s not that this person is uneducated - not at all. They are not managerial minded at the moment. Probably further down the line they will be, but not now.

Solomon wrote this Proverb to let people know that it was wrong to bribe people in order to get into prime positions. Many have done this over the years. A lot of people such as this, endeavour to find favour with their boss or leader so that they may be in with a chance of promotion, a pay rise or whatever else. They should remember that this will not please God and it may well backfire on them as well.

Let’s look at it from the spiritual and the secular angle. If a person truly has a certain amount of talent or gifting, they may well be useful in business. If someone is a good salesperson, a boss will not waste their talent in another area. He will want them out selling. Their gifting will be obvious. It is similar in the church side of things. God will make them known to a leader - hence ‘A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.’ They will not have to sell themselves or use bribes, it will be evident to all.

So, you may have some talent that is useful to God or others. Give it to God. If it is His will for this to be used, He will open doors. If not, then nothing significant will happen. This is ok, He may use you further down the line. Until then just chill and do what is expected of you until things change. 

God may have other plans for you, His plans and not yours. Don’t miss this by being concerned about what you think should happen, wait for God. It’s far better that way.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

You have something to shout about!

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  14having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."                                                       Colossians 2:13-15    NKJV

Your past has gone! It has passed; it's over - finished. All the accusations, the finger-pointing and the sin you were involved in, has been wiped out. Just think about that for moment. Every single thing that you did in your past - and this includes the recent past, such as yesterday, if you have confessed it, it has been wiped out and Jesus chooses not to remember any of it, ever again. Now that is something to shout about.

It is just like Jesus has this immense white board with every bad thing about you written on it. When you asked Him into your life, He wiped the board clean. It is the same when you sin now, as soon as you say sorry, it is wiped away. This is something that you must believe because the devil will taunt you with things such as, 'There is no way sinner, that this Jesus fella is going to forgive you now. This time you have gone too far. You asked Him to forgive you for this yesterday, and now here you are having done it again and expecting forgiveness again. No way sinner.'

When this happens, just remind him that 'Jesus declared that I was not guilty and wiped my sins away by His death on the cross. He also made a spectacle of you as well; so, get out of my way Satan, in the name of Jesus'.

When you do this, he has to leave you but, be careful because he will come back when you least expect him to. But just focus on the fact that Jesus conquered evil power and made a public spectacle out of them, triumphing that day. He disarmed the enemy.

So let's fast forward to now. We know for a fact that Jesus deleted all our sin and cancelled our debt and we can declare that we are not guilty. But tread carefully because the enemy will still try and paint a bad picture of you; he will still try to lead you to do things that you know that you shouldn't. He'll lie about you and spread gossip and untruths to all who will listen - and quite a few will want to as well. He himself is a gossip and he is also a tell-tale. Everything you do say or go to, he will blurt out to Jesus when he sees Him again. But if you have resisted the devil, as you know you should do, Jesus will tell him, 'I see no stain upon my child. Goodbye Satan, this meeting is over.'

Do you fully realise that Jesus is on your side? He watches your every move and waits for you to ask Him for direction and advice. But how often do you remember to do this? Not often I would think. Therefore, change this and determine that you will not do things without asking Him to show you the way. You have the victory but only for as long as you walk with Jesus each day.

Learn to realise that you have something to shout about.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

The Impossible to the Possible

"And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”          Matthew 19:24    NKJV

Jesus had been discussing the rich man who He had just been in conversation with. The rich man, like many people with great riches, thought he may be able to buy himself a place in heaven and eternal life. However, he went away sad when Jesus had said if you want to be perfect, sell all you have, give the money to the poor and come and follow Him. Prior to this, Jesus had told him to keep the commandments, which He said he had but he wanted to know what he lacked. Notice here, Jesus didn't tell him to give his riches away to gain a place in heaven. Many rich people today, enjoy the Christian life and manage their money excellently. But this rich man was used to power and the thought of having to lose all of his riches was not good to his ears.

It was hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Why? The rich often trust in and are attached to their wealth. This makes it difficult for them to consider the world to come. Their focus is fixed on the 'Now'. Riches become an idol when this happens and it's hard to have them without trusting in them. We can see a little of this when some people have an amount of cash in their pocket and see something that they would like. Very often, some find that if they buy that, they will be that much shorter in their wad of money and struggle with this.

Jesus discussed this with His disciples and used a term that they must have felt was ludicrous when He told them that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. But Jesus was using a metaphor for impossibility here - the existence of a small gate in ancient Jerusalem called 'the eye of the needle.' This required a camel to stoop very low at the small gate and squeeze themselves through the small gate. They would then unload their supplies. 

When we honour God with our money - tithing and giving a financial gift, God sees our act and will replace what we have given. Perhaps not straightaway and it may be more than we gave away. But what we demonstrate to God, is that we are not governed by our money and are not afraid to give some of it to a worthy cause. This may be someone you know who is genuinely struggling with money problems. A gift to them can so easily lift their spirit and you don't have to tell them about the gift either. You can just put it through their letter box. It blesses them, blesses God and believe me, will bless you immensely. 

Nothing is too difficult for God (19:26). Once we grasp a hold of the fact that God supplies us with money and we have a roof over our head. We know for a fact that He is blessed when we bless others with our wealth when and if needed.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

THe Love of God

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever". 

                                                                      Psalm 136:1    NKJV

To understand God's love, we need to look at the Hebrew translation which is a word that is known as Hesed: This is a love that only God can give us. Hesed, is a profound love that only God offers - no one else. The word Hesed translates to loving kindness but encompasses a deeper concept of covenant love, steadfast love, mercy and grace. It describes benevolent actions, particularly God's loyal and enduring love for His people, which goes beyond mere duty and includes unwavering commitment even in the face of mistakes. Hesed also means faithful love. 

The Psalm, celebrates the faithful love of God towards His covenant people. It includes a beautiful line throughout the Psalm: 'For His mercy endures forever,' It captures the thought of the priest singing each verse, with the entire congregation responding this refrain. A wonderful thought!

We are called to offer our praise and thanksgiving to the only One who can offer us this love - Jesus. Just think of all the wonderful things He has done for you. In verse 23-25, we are reminded of this with the words: 

'Who remembered us in our lowly state, For His mercy endures forever; 24And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever; 25Who gives food to all flesh, For His mercy endures forever'.               Psalm 136:23-25

We should never take Him for granted. He deserves our constant praise and adoration. He is the one who has watched over each of our lives, night and day and has rescued His sheep from certain disaster. We can't divert from this statement and ask, 'Yes, but what about such and such? We don't know the answer to other people's fate. We only know ours and, Jesus has always been there for us. And will continue to do so until we join Him in Heaven on the day.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

Hearing difficulties

"But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
14Thus I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth is no response".

                                                                          Psalm 38:13   NKJV

Threats were being made to David here but, he was deaf to all of their comments. He wasn't going to be intimidated by all of this so, he ignored them all - he refused to take heed of these slurs against him and his army. Jesus said in Matthew 11:15 : ' He who 

has ears to hear, let him hear!' Jesus was saying that we should take heed of what is being said or happening around us. David was doing just that but, chose not to be intimidated by these people.

Some people have a physical hearing loss and others may have selective hearing. The former one's, struggle to keep up with a conversation and genuinely find it difficult to understand what is being said. For this person, to speak to them from another room, is a no go situation. Speaking through walls just doesn't work. The latter description - selective hearing, is usually the one's who can hear properly but choose to ignore what is said for one reason or another. David could have fitted into this category. For him though, it was about keeping his faith. Many times, people can bring bad news and it can put a dampener on our own faith.

We should never miss the significance of what we are hearing. Sadly, some people hear things but it just goes over their head and they miss out on important issues. These people may have an attention deficit disorder and their mind is racing on ahead of 

anyone else and they miss the point. In college or Uni, these people find it difficult to keep up with the cirriculum and have to spend out of hours study to gain their qualification.

You may have a hearing loss and it may be profound, which means a daily struggle. You may have hearing aids but many times, they are unable to cope with many of today's busy lives. For instance, a person who suffers this way, may be in a meeting - secular or church - and the noise around them is amplified so much that it can be one big noise. They have a difficulty hearing the speaker despite a loop being installed in the place. All of this can lead a person to frustration and irritability. This may come from the one who is deaf and the other from the one who is trying to speak with them.

You may be struggling in this area. Some times it helps to remain calm and patiently explain this to people. After all, it is a disability and we should all be respectful of any disability. On the other hand you may live with or have daily contact with a deaf person. You will quickly pick up the signs they show if there are no visible hearing aids. Bear in mind that some users are sensitive about this condition. Therefore, try to make it easier for them by showing a little empathy.

You may raise a question here - What is this to do with a bible study/commentary? It has everything, especially to the person who is suffering. It also means a lot to Jesus, who despite choosing not to heal them for whatever reason, still loves and cares for them.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard. 

Jesus was not always popular, neither will you be

"From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.  67Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  69Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”                      John 6:66-69    NKJV

Jesus had just finished some rather thought-provoking teaching regarding the future - the crucifixion, the communion, his body as bread and His blood as wine and many of His followers just couldn't understand this, so they left Him. You will find this as you go through your Christian walk, some people only want you to say what they want to hear. If it is any different a quarrel may start and before you know it, the word on the street regarding little old you, is not good, and many will give you a wide berth if they see you in the street.

This was happening to Jesus and so He asked His close followers if they wanted to leave Him as well. Peter, ever the main spokesperson, asked Him where else they could  go - 'You have the words of eternal life.  69Also we have come to believe and know that 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' v68. They recognised what Jesus had to offer and knew in their hearts that Jesus was the Messiah, there was no one else.

Let me say something important here, wherever you go or whomever you speak with, not everyone will agree with you. The drums of gossip about you may have reached them and they have believed it. That's the bad thing about gossip, it is nearly always seen as the truth. We must learn to discern the difference and if you feel it is gossip, challenge it there and then. You won't be popular that's for sure but, it may stop it for a while.

Wherever Jesus went, many thought that He was not of God. One statement I read recently said: 

'The statement "Jesus - He has a demon" 

reflects accusations made against Jesus by some people in the New Testament. During his ministry, he was accused of being demon-possessed and insane, with specific instances occurring in the Gospels of John and Matthew, as well as in other passages such as Mark 3 and Luke 11. These accusations stemmed from reactions to his words and actions, which some found blasphemous or difficult to comprehend.'    Anon.

If they said this about Jesus, they most definitely will say it about you if you make any particular stand for Him. In some churches you come across you may find that their level of doctrine is not in line with what you believe. Not every church is deeply involved with the Holy Spirit and may frown on some things you may say. Some don't believe in being 'Born again'. One chap I spoke to told me that he had been in a particular church for 40 years and felt that this qualified him for heaven. So, as you can see, there will be challenges.

So if at times you don't feel popular, remember Jesus  didn't ether.

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.

If you would like to contact me email grahame.howard@hotmail.co.uk

Copyright 2025 Grahame Howard.