Daily life with Jesus by Grahame Howard

Sunday, 30 November 2025

Have I pleased You Lord?

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer". Psalm 19:14. NKJV

Back in the '80's, I heard a preacher from another country preach at a nearby church. He said that at night before he went to sleep, he would always say in his prayers, 'Lord, have I pleased You today?' This had a lasting effect on me and I can remember it as if it was yesterday. I thought, what a challenging question to ask God each evening.

I personally feel that the text above perfectly underpins that question he asked the Lord. It is us, baring our soul to God and asking Him if we have pleased Him in all that we have done for Him Many of us, would have to add our requests for forgiveness before we had the nerve to ask Him this. but really, if we had the habit of asking Him for forgiveness straightaway after we know we have sinned, this wouldn't be a problem. Don't forget, once we confess our sin, we receive forgiveness at once, we don't have to keep on asking Him, no matter how convicted we feel.

So, is this something you feel would be good for you to ask each evening? If so, incorporate it in your end of day prayer. As you get used to this, it most certainly makes one think of how we need to be more and more respectful to Jesus. He is our friend, this is true. But He is also our King - our God. We wouldn't dare consider being disrespectful to our King here in the UK, so we should remember that Jesus is the King of all kings.

There is a need to be careful what comes out of our mouth each time we open it. We also need to clean our heart up because this is where the stuff comes that feeds our mouth with bad things. Once we can say this verse without stumbling, we will know that we have got it right. Our words and our actions will be acceptable to Him and, His love and power will surround us.

Try and keep sight of the fact that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. God purchased us at a great price so that we would be able to respect and serve Jesus. We were on route to hell but Jesus grabbed us from the flames and declared that we were His and His alone. When you look at it this way, words become impossible to thank Him for this. But we don't have to, all He wants is our love and allegiance to Him.

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.

Saturday, 29 November 2025

Do Axe Heads Float?

"But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” 2 Kings 6:5 NKJV

Life for a student can be hard work - lots to do, essays, exams and home work each evening. Add to this they may have very little cash to live on, and getting a part time job can be a priority.

We read that Elisha had started a School for Prophets which was well attended. However, after time, the place in Jericho was found to be too small for the students. Therefore, they decided to go and build a new place near the Jordan and asked Elisha to go with them, which he agreed to.

One day as they were cutting down trees, one of the students, lost his axe head and it sank into the deep water. He was beside himself with worry. The axe, which was an expensive one, had been borrowed and the student had no way of retrieving the axe or buying one in replacement. Furthermore, as it was borrowed, he would need to pay the cost to who had loaned him this. It was an impossible task - and impasse, and the student was out of his head with worry and fear. He did the right thing and ran to Elisha and blurted out what had happened. Elisha asked him to show him where it had occurred.

They both looked into the water but it was not possible to see it. So Elisha, cut a stick and threw it into the water where it had fell. Immediately, the axe head floated to the surface. Elisha said, 'Well I've done my bit, now you can do yours. Pick the axe head up. (my words)' Notice that God will do what He has to do but, will expect you to do your bit too. This was a mind-blowing miracle. This axe head was solid iron and very heavy. There is no way that this could float - was there? Yes, as we've seen time and time again, nothing is too hard for God to do. He cares and is interested.

God saw the student's problem. He was in debt with no chance of paying for it. He could go to jail for this but, God saw all of this and rescued the student from the clutches of being a debtor. The Formula was:

THE PROBLEM The axe head was very heavy and costly too. The student had borrowed this, probably like we would from a hire service. They would want their axe head or money back. But the student couldn't do this. He was in an impossible place to be.

THE MIRACLE Elisha got a stick and threw it into the water in the area the axe and sank. With that, the axe head rose out of the water and floated on the surface.

THE MEANING This shows God's care and compassion for His people. This young chap was on the brink of a wonderful career but without the axe head, he was in big trouble. God, reached down and changed the situation.

And He will continue to do this as we walk in step with Him. He is interested in the big and the very small areas of our life and is willing to demonstrate this whenever there is a need. Are you missing an axe head? You just need to call on Him!

'If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Friday, 28 November 2025

Dry as Old Bones

"And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel 37:3. NKJV

Just think of your spiritual life at the moment and ask yourself this question, 'Can these bones live?" Only you know the answer to this question, no one else can answer for you, not even God. God offers here a chance of New Life to whoever will accept it. What He offers is a cure for the dryness that you may be feeling at this time. I'm not speaking of a bone condition or arthritis but a spiritual dryness.

Be honest, do you feel dry? Why is this? There is a need to find the answer to this condition. What is making you feel dry? Dryness brings a brittleness about it caused, probably by lack of moisture, lack of life and loss of vitality and hope. It makes you feel like saying, 'What's the point?' There is every point but you need to trace the beginning of it and throw it out in the name of Jesus. Amen?

When you're withered, weak and have a feeling of dryness and drought, this often signifies God's judgement or withheld favour. Don't forget that brittleness brings a tendency to break easily, and this is something that you need to stay on top of. How can you confess that you are a Child of God if you're on the floor more times than you are full of life?

Ask yourself, do you have a feeling that you are not good enough. Others are far more brainier than you are and this is why they are successful. Stop there. Number one, you are good enough; God made you in His image so if you have a feeling that you are lacking in some area, try and find what that is. Look at the disciples, they were a bunch of uneducated fishermen and yet, they moved with the power of God when they finally realised their worth. Come on, get back up again.

You are good enough; you are accepted by Jesus, He thinks so much of you that He went to the cross in your place. Stop thinking negative and stop distancing yourself from the one who loves you more than anyone could do. Jesus is you friend and you'll never find anyone more faithful as He is.

Read your bible, pray and enjoy each moment with the one who says about you 'My dear friend, you are special to me. I love you".

'If you don't know Jesus or, have fallen away, why not say this prayer right now

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Be Anxious for Nothing

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus".

Philippians 4:19 NKJV

As we serve and bless God, He in return will bless us. People in the UK today, are concerned about what the Budget will bring forth - higher tax, lower wage, higher economy, pensions hacked etc. But, if we have placed God in His rightful place, in our hearts, we can face and overcome anything that is thrown at us.

We are not full of fear, we're full of Jesus and He will never let us down. As we give to Him - our everything, including our money, He will ensure that we are ok. Mind you, we must notice that this verse is not a written assurance that we can spend, spend, spend selfishly because we know God will supply some more. It doesn't work like that. We need to be sure that we don't take this verse out of context. Paul was referring to the people giving to him and to others to bless and provide for them when they were needy; and this is what God means here. We should also make sure that we honour God with our wealth by tithes and offerings. After all, He has given to us and we should reciprocate.

When we bless God and others in such a way as this, the blessing and the miracle comes our way and our needs are met. So, if we play our part, God will play His as well. He is not concerned about what governments will do at all. They may raise taxes, chop pensions and raise mortgages and this may make us fret. But it doesn't cause Jesus to fret at all. He is in charge. He has made provision for us and will continue to do so and it's like He says 'If you will, I will.'

If you are honouring God with your wealth, there is no need to be anxious for anything. Jesus is in charge and will continue to be so forevermore. Just remember:

'Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things'. Philippians 4:6-7

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.

Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Your Blessing!

"The Lord bless you and keep you; 25The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV

This is a Priestly Blessing given by God to Moses in order that he bless the people with it. Let's just pick it apart for a moment: it is to bless you - to keep and protect you - to have God's face shine upon you - To be gracious to you - to lift up His countenance and favour upon you and to give you peace. And this is God's perfect peace, Shalom Shalom.

God's instructions to Moses was to ask Aaron to bless the Israelites with these words. It is a guide for God's people to bless others as well. One only has to read and meditate on the words to realise the affect they would have on people - total blessing.

DL Moody wrote these words:

'Here is a benediction that can go all the world over, and can give all the time, without being impoverished. Every heart may utter it: it is the speech of God: every letter may conclude with it; every day may begin with it; every night may be sanctified by it. Here is a blessing - keeping - shining - uplifting upon our poor life of all heaven's glad morning. It is the Lord Himself who brings this bar of music from heaven's infinite anthems'

(DL MOODY - Notes from my Bible. P41)

Just think, when God's face shines upon you, He looks to invoke benefits; but when He hides His face, He is angry. Let us always endeavour to remain in His blessing. Try using these words of blessing in your own life - to your spouse, children, your partner even your friends. It is a great way to start the day, carrying God's peace and the blessing throughout your day. Then, prior to bedtime, use them again to ensure you have a peaceful sleep. My wife and I have blessed each other this way for long time and, always end with Shalom, Shalom.

To bless someone means to pronounce the favour of God upon the person. Remember that.

Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Shalom, Shalom

"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength".

Isaiah 26:3-4 NKJV

I consider this verse to be one of the most classic of verses in the bible. It is a verse that we need to claim for each day; it says it all. As we remain focused on Jesus He will give us His peace. It is the peace Paul mentions in Philippians:

'and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' Philippians 4:7. Jesus also mentioned this peace in John 14:27 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'

This peace is not only valid in the kingdom age, but also for all those who tune their minds to God's spiritual realities. The ambitions of selfish sinners will crumble, but the Llord Himself is an everlasting rock v4.

The term 'Perfect Peace' is expressed in Hebrew by Shalom, Shalom, a Hebrew method of putting great emphasis on a word. The word Shalom implies health, happiness, well-being and peace. The word translated mind is not the usual Hebrew word, but rather is a word meaning 'creative imagination.' Isaiah's thought is that he whose creative imagination, the seat of plans and ideas, is firmly founded on the eternal Lord, will enjoy Shalom in all its implications.

Therefore, if you want to be close to Jesus and flow in His peace at all times, change you thought life. Train your mind to focus on the things of God and stay focused this way. Pray that God will help you to change your thinking by renewing your mind. It takes practice and dedication but it is possible to achieve this. God won't do this for you but, as soon as He sees that you are trying to do it, He will give you the help, power and support to accomplish the job.

Why not use this verse each day as you come to have a time with Jesus. Make the verse personal to yourself and after a time, things will begin to change in your life.

Monday, 24 November 2025

Running on Empty

"But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31 NKJV

Do you feel exhausted, stressed, lacking in spiritual nourishment? If you do, you may be suffering from a self-inflicted concern known as Running on Empty. As a car will no longer run when it gets down to its last few drops of petrol, diesel or an electric charge, the human body works pretty much the same. People who overwork such as, constantly being busy with work problems or church duties having no rest, before too long are going to be in a religious heap; and the reason is, they have failed to refuel.

Just look at some of the symptoms of burnout below:

(1) Spiritual dryness

(2) Overwhelmed by hardships

(3) Life's storms - loss, sickness, financial problems and broken relationships

(4) Lack of trust in God

(5) Distractions - caused by a spiritual disconnection

These are just a few of the symptoms that rob us of the joy and fun of walking with Jesus and, most of these are brought on by ourselves because we fail to draw the line and say 'No' to people's demands on our time.

Our verse today (above) speaks clearly to us. As we rest and then wait on the Lord, He will bless us and we will feel a refilling of the Holy Spirit; and this will come to us as we learn to trust more and more in the Lord. Realise this, not everyone is enabled to 'mount up with wings like eagles,' where God rescues them from these situations. Only those who trust God's perspective on their situation, 'will run and not be weary,' as God provides a second wind in their life. Only those who believe in God's Word and submit to it, can expect this power to walk and not faint.

The bottom line is though, if you don't invest in the Kingdom of God, you won't receive a pay out. In other words, if you put nothing in, you will take nothing out. What am I saying here? If you don't read your bible, live it, trust in it and obey every dot and comma, then you're only giving half of yourself. God wants all of you, not a small percentage - everything you have.

If things at this moment are not going well, do a health check by asking yourself - 'Do I need to tweak a few things in my life so that I am giving Jesus all that I can? You may be doing this but the devil will still attack you and steal what's on offer. The thing is, if you pray and stand on the Word of God, Jesus will give you victory by helping you through the struggle. But if He doesn't, perhaps you need to check your fuel tank and see if the power is getting low.

Daily life with Jesus by Grahame Howard

Sunday, 30 November 2025

Have I pleased You Lord?

Saturday, 29 November 2025

Do Axe Heads Float?

Friday, 28 November 2025

Dry as Old Bones

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Be Anxious for Nothing

Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Your Blessing!

Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Shalom, Shalom

Monday, 24 November 2025

Running on Empty

Serving Jesus - it's all or nothing

Daily life with Jesus by Grahame Howard

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